Chapter 8
Titus slowly stood up and cursed as he raised his hands out to the sides. “You won’t get far if you fire that thing. There’s a rather big police station right across the street and over half the cops there are werewolves from my pack,” he warned her. “They’ll hear the gun go off and come running.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, now move it,” Jade instructed and motioned him toward the door with the gun.
She took a step back when he came from behind the desk, his approach quickly reminding her of how much bigger and stronger he was than her. To hide her nervousness, she smiled at him to let him know she had the upper hand.
Titus grudgingly did as she ordered and stepped out into the hallway. He figured she wanted outside so he headed toward the front of the building to open the door for her. As they passed her cell he heard her stop moving.
“Get inside,” Jade ordered not trusting that he wouldn’t set off some silent alarm and ruin her chances of a clean escape. “Let’s see how you like it.”
Titus walked into the cell and turned around to glare at her when she slammed the door in his face. He wanted to be pissed but couldn’t help but find the humor and irony in the reversed roles… minus the gun of course. Well… to be honest, they had shot her with a tranquilizer gun. Plus, he was trying to keep in mind that she had been in ‘desperation mode’ for so long that it was most likely still messing with her head.
“Okay, I’m in here and you can go. Just answer me one more question… why run?” he asked with a shrug. “I was offering to help you get home and out of Lucca’s reach.”
Jade stepped away from the cell door with the gun still trained on him, “That’s the last thing I want.”
“So I was right… you are running from someone,” Titus frowned and stepped closer to the bars. “Is this someone worth staying here and running the risk of being caught by Lucca again? Can’t your Alpha protect you from whoever it is that wants to harm you?”
Jade swallowed as she watched him raise his hands and grip the bars in a way that tightened his shirt across his hard biceps. He was so strong. She blinked feeling the urge to tell him the truth. What would it hurt? It wasn’t like she would ever see him again after this.
“My Alpha happens to be my brother, but protection is the last thing on his greedy mind. Caleb decided to marry me off to another New York Alpha. You see, he wanted the prestige that the combining of our packs would bring him. My brother isn’t as smart as he thinks he is though. The other Alpha, Danny, plans to kill him once we’re mated so he would be the one in complete control of both packs.”
Titus nodded, “Makes sense, Danny binds you to him then kills your brother… by automatic rights he would take over everything. Couldn't you just warn Caleb of what Danny is up to?”
“Oh I did,” Jade shook her head, “he just laughed it off and accused me of having wedding jitters. When I refused to go through with it, he informed me that I didn’t have a choice… Alpha rule and all. He said that I would mate with Danny with a smile on my face or he’d force me to. I refuse to mate someone who would use me just to gain a rung on the food chain ladder.”
“He’s an idiot,” Titus said meaning every word. “You running away probably saved his life… if he isn’t dead already. Besides, no one should ever be forced into a mating they do not want. I won't stand for it.”
Jade felt something in her chest clench tightly as they locked gazes. He understood everything… she could see it in his calm and beautiful eyes. Her lips parted as her breath quickened and she lowered the gun in confusion.
Had Tasuki been right about him after all? Was he really one of the good guys… one that could be trusted?
“If it’s protection you want… then you have it,” Titus offered no longer interested in sending her home. “I can keep you safe from all of them… even Lucca. But only if you’ll let me.”
The mention of Lucca’s name brought her back to the present and she gripped the gun a little tighter and let her gaze drift toward it. “I don’t want to be protected from Lucca. Me and him have a little unfinished business,” her voice was soft. “He’s still holding my best friend prisoner. She helped me to escape Caleb and Danny… now it’s my turn to rescue her.”
Titus frowned at the thought of her getting herself killed and his mind was going a mile a minute as he tried to think of a way to convince her to not go. “You can’t be thinking about doing this alone. Not only is Lucca a danger, but this city happens to be full of demons at the moment and it’s no time for you to run off by yourself.”
“Demons,” Jade repeated and backed up until she was leaning against the wall, letting the gun dangle loosely in her hand.
Titus sighed and let go of one of the bars to run his hand through his bangs thinking she didn’t believe him. After all, if she’d been in a cage for the last month then how would she know what’s been going on in the city?
“Look,” Titus insisted, “if you don’t believe me then just ask the first non-human you see. It’s because of the invading demons that my pack has taken over the police station. We are protecting the humans as best we can right now.”
“So… Sonia was right,” Jade mused already feeling a slight defeat. “She told Lucca a demon was coming for him over a month ago.” She pushed away from the wall and stood to her full height trying to latch back onto the anger she’d felt a little while ago. With anger came courage. “You seem to not like Lucca. I guess I’ll be doing you a favor when I kill him.” She turned to walk away but paused when he spoke.
“Jade, please be careful. If you run into trouble, don’t be afraid to come back and ask me for help.” Titus gripped the bars tighter when she didn’t look at him. She was going to mess around and get herself killed if he couldn’t talk any sense into her.
Jade flinched when the front door banged open and Micah’s voice echoed through the department. She hadn't considered the fact that his partners might have had a key.
“I know you had this place on lock down but I thought you’d want to know that the five guards are on their way back to Lucca. Oh,” Micah stopped mid-stride when he saw a woman standing there with a gun pointed directly at him. He looked over her shoulder seeing Titus locked in the same cell the she-wolf had been in and quickly put two and two together.
“What did you say?” Jade demanded quietly.
“Jade,” Titus called softly. “I want you to listen very closely. We had a specialist come in to brainwash the guards that were working at the warehouse. They now think they’re part of my pack and have gone back to Lucca as spies. It’s the perfect setup to gain as much information as quickly as possible.”
“It won’t work,” Jade said almost sadly.
Micah frowned, “Why not?”
“Because my friend is a psychic… she might unknowingly give them away,” Jade answered remembering how Sonia had told Lucca about the man that was skimming off the top. She bit her bottom lip wondering how to get this man in the cell with Titus without Titus reaching through the bars and grabbing her while she unlocked it.
“Well this is interesting.”
Titus cringed as cold chills swept down his spine. He spun around to see Storm behind him standing in the center of the cell looking around.
“Storm, what the hell are you doing here?” Titus demanded hating the way the Time Walker could sneak up on him like that.
Storm shrugged, “I came to make sure the three of you work together against Lucca this time.”
Jade was trying to see the new man inside the cell while keeping the gun trained on the cougar to her left.
“Are you one of the demons?” she demanded of Storm and turned the gun on him as she backed out of Micah’s reach.
Jade blinked when Storm smiled charmingly and vanished from inside the cell. She couldn’t hold in the yelp when he suddenly reappeared directly in front of her with a hand clamped around her wrist and holding it out to the side so that the gun was pointed in a harmless direction.
She gritted her teeth when he tossed the key to the jail cell at Titus without even looking over his shoulder.
Titus reached through the bars and easily caught the key but remained inside the cell watching Storm closely.
“You have nothing to worry about my dear… as long as you stay close to Titus and don’t go running off by yourself.” He leaned closer as if parting with a secret, “That was a very bad plan.”
“How do you know that?” Jade asked, more than a little shaky about a man who could literally teleport himself in and out of a locked jail cell. Was this the demon Sonia warned Lucca about? Somehow, she’d only associated demons with drooling monsters… not heartthrob pin-ups. “And why would I listen to a demon?”
“He’s not a demon… he’s a Time Walker,” Micah answered helpfully.
Jade frowned not taking her eyes off the man still gripping her wrist. “A what?”
“Let me explain,” Storm’s expression turned serious. “I stepped into the future and saw just how bad of an idea it was for you to go running off by yourself… understand?”
Jade slowly nodded then tilted her head to the side when she saw a drop of blood coming from his nose.
Storm felt the moisture on his lip and refrained from cursing. Instead, he slipped the gun from her hand, “Titus, it looks like we have a new member of PIT but it’s a duel role. I need at least one of you with her at all times because not only is she looking for Lucca… he’s looking for her and he’s not quite himself.”
He approached the cell door and tossed another item at Titus. “Wear it… just in case.” With that said, Storm vanished.
Titus raised an eyebrow when the gun was suddenly in his hand and the cell door swung open. He didn’t know who wigged him out most… the Sun Gods or Storm. He stepped out of the cell closing the distance between him and Jade. Stopping in front of the girl who had got the best of him, Titus leaned in very close to her.
At first Jade thought he was going to try kissing her again but she felt his breath brush softly across her cheek until his lips barely touched her ear.
“Just letting you know… that gun wasn’t loaded,” He whispered.
Jade snapped her head to the side to stare at him with parted lips. She couldn’t believe this… she’d actually managed to get him into a cell with an unloaded gun? Yeah right!
“That’s a first,” Micah joked trying to ease the tension. “We were actually on opposite sides of the bars this time.”
Titus sent him a glare that blatantly told him to shut the hell up just as the front door opened again.
“Special delivery,” Tasuki called out as he walked in. He saw Jade and smiled brightly, “See Titus, I told you good manners will get you almost anything.”
This time Titus did growl, making Micah start laughing and even Jade smiled softly.
“Not now Tasuki,” Titus rumbled then frowned when Jade slipped out from between him and the wall to meet Tasuki half way.
Tasuki shrugged, “Oh, by the way… that was a lovely voicemail you left me. What was it you called me again?” He ignored the loud growl from Titus as Jade approached him. He smirked and flipped the lid open on the box of masking spritzer so she could see the contents. “This should be enough to last you a couple weeks,” he winked at her.
“Come here,” Jade grabbed his arm and nearly pulled him into the closest room for privacy. She made a face when she noticed all of the broken glass littering one side of the room and the room connecting to it. Ignoring this, she quickly closed the door and rounded on Tasuki. “Do you know a guy named Storm?”
Tasuki set the box down on the chair and nodded, “The Time Walker? Yeah, he’s the leader of PIT. Why?”
“First things first,” Jade frowned. “What is PIT?”
“Paranormal Investigation Team,” Tasuki supplied. “It’s the powerhouse that’s working together to bring down the demons that are suddenly all over LA.”
“Do you trust him?” Jade questioned biting her bottom lip in worry.
“Yes, we all work for him and with good reason. He knows what’s coming,” Tasuki said softly. “From what I have found out, Storm is the one who gathered the army and brought them here to fight the demons. All for the greater good and everything else that falls into that category.”
“I never asked to sign on for a demon war or become a part of PIT,” Jade informed him rubbing her temple. “I just want to get Sonia back and get as far away from here as possible.”
“Storm made you a member of PIT?” Tasuki asked.
“Yes, right before he freaking vanished into thin air,” Jade threw her hands up in the air as if to say ‘Taa-Daa’.
Tasuki laughed, “Yeah, I’ve seen some strange things since coming back to LA… him being only one of them. Don’t feel bad though, my reaction was pretty much the same. I was informed by my immediate supervisor that I had been secretly promoted to PIT, travel the world, meet really weird people, kill demons… you get the drift.”
“Okay fine. Then fill me in on everything I need to know before I take one step out of this room,” Jade requested trying to hold in her laughter.
Tasuki moved the box out of the seat and pointed at it, “You might as well sit down because this is going to take a while.”
Titus leaned back against the wall still watching the door Jade had shoved Tasuki through. He still didn’t understand why she chose to trust Tasuki over him and it annoyed him.
Looking down at the object Storm had tossed to him, he frowned when he saw a strange medallion hanging from a silver chain. It appeared to be nothing more than a Celtic knot with Druid type alphabet characters etched into it. He draped it over his neck and tucked the piece under the collar of his shirt.
“I can’t wait to see the security video on this one,” Micah managed then leaned closer to Titus. “And we both know that gun is loaded… you wouldn’t have gone into that cell if it wasn’t.”
Titus glowered at Micah, “You will keep that piece of information to yourself.”
***** Michael dropped his latest kill and glanced around the small, rundown apartment. He’d tracked the two demons, partners it seemed, to this building before he’d attacked. The rush he’d gotten from Morgana still hadn’t faded and the others that followed her fate only added to the power high he’d acquired.
He’d thoroughly enjoyed the chase with these two. Their first encounter had been on the street where they’d cornered some poor girl and were actually arguing about who got to kill her.
Word had spread fast about Morgana’s demise and Michael was finding himself becoming a near celebrity as the local demon population strayed from their hiding places to watch him as he passed. The stronger ones were bolder, probably because they thought they could take him… which was giving Michael a lot of amusement.
He’d taken a moment to stay hidden and listen to what the two demons were saying to each other. These two had wanted to make their kill and get out of sight before the ‘powerful vampire’ found them and drank them dry. Unfortunately, they were too late in their reactions and that had been their downfall. If they’d only ceased arguing long enough to kill the girl, they probably would have gotten away… temporarily of course.
Morgana’s followers had been keeping out of sight but Michael had felt them tracking his every movement since leaving her dried up corpse in that abandoned building. He knew why they were following him and almost sneered at the concept. They were now looking to him as their new leader… no way, no how.
Ignoring their presence entirely, he traced his way out of the apartment building heading toward downtown. When he was far enough away from the Slums, he stopped… easily balancing on the edge of a tall fence surrounding a high rooftop that was just a few blocks away from the shopping district.
Now that his blood was thumping to a satisfied rhythm, his interest in killing demons slowly changed to the desire to find Aurora.
Michael let his eyes slide closed and he stretched his awareness across the city searching for her. Slowly, he opened them and a soft smile appeared on his face when he finally located her. Taking a deep breath, he stepped off the edge of the fence and began tracing his way to a tall apartment building just a few miles away.
In Skye’s apartment, Aurora had just spent over an hour in the shower letting the hot water slide down her body as if washing away the horrors that only reminded her of Samuel. She put on the soft t-shirt and a comfortable pair of pajama pants that Skye had found in a drawer for her and walked out of the bathroom to join him on the sofa.
“It’s nice… isn’t it,” Skye nodded toward the bathroom. “The shower I mean. I remember when we were little and dunking each other in the icy cold water of the river.”
“I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything,” Aurora grinned. She pulled her feet up on the cushion with her and leaned against him. “When I was in the demon world, I would close my eyes and pretend I was still with you… safe and happy.” She snuggled against Skye still amazed at the way they had found each other. “Each time I slept… I would picture you in my mind and it gave me strength.”
Skye wrapped his arm around her shoulders, just holding her. He still couldn’t believe that she was still alive and sitting next to him as though they’d done it all their lives.
When they’d first arrived at the apartment, they’d shared a couple of their individual stories of what happened since the last time they saw each other. After hearing only a couple stories, Skye had quickly decided being trapped in that cave with Misery had been a blessing compared to what Samuel had put Aurora through.
He’d found a way to hide from Misery inside the rock walls… forcing himself to fall into a type of coma for centuries at a time. But for Aurora… she’d had to suffer while he slept and that knowledge was eating at him. Skye found himself wishing he’d been able to kill Samuel himself. If Dean hadn't stopped him… maybe he could have been her hero this time.
He glanced out the window feeling someone watching them and quickly located the reason for the intrusive feeling. Michael… the Sun God was watching them from a distance, balancing himself on the balcony railing of another building.
Skye turned his gaze away from the enigma and glanced down at the way Aurora’s hair had mixed in with his long hair to drape across his chest. He loved her so much… she was the only person in the world he had ever loved. He still thought of her as a child but he was going to have to deal with the fact that Samuel had turned her into a woman a long time ago.
“I’m curious about something,” Skye said softly, breaking the comfortable silence.
Aurora looked up at him, again instantly reminded of how beautiful he was… had always been. “What’s that?” she smiled lazily.
“What are you to Michael and what is he to you?”
Aurora frowned thoughtfully and lowered her eyes thinking about it for a moment before glancing back up at him.
“You know, I’m not really sure,” She shrugged her shoulders. “When I first saw Michael, I thought he was a Fallen. Samuel told me many times that all of the Fallen had been killed but this man was powerful and not a demon. I wanted him and made love to him before I realized he wasn’t one of us. Knowing I’d made a mistake, I ran away but when I saw him again, I wanted him just as much as I had the first time.”
“What has Michael said to you?” Skye asked curiously.
Aurora shook her head feeling confused because she had never questioned what Michael thought when he looked at her. “We never said more than a couple words to each other until today because I never gave him a chance. I was so worried about what Samuel might do to him that I kept my distance. I still don’t know Michael’s thoughts. Samuel called him my lover so I guess that’s what he is.”
It was Skye’s turn to frown, “Michael killed Samuel for you… it’s a safe bet to say that he wants you just as much as you say you want him. I’m guessing that’s what pissed Samuel off. Samuel had been your only lover… and it had always been by force, not because you wanted him. To know that you wanted someone else not only enraged him but it gave him the ammunition he needed to control you.”
“I wanted you and Michael safe,” Aurora whispered. “I would do anything to prevent either of you getting hurt.”
“Because you love me,” Skye smiled.
“Yes,” Aurora didn’t think twice before nodding in agreement.
“Then do you not see that you must love Michael too?” Skye pointed out.
Aurora tilted her head so she could see into his clear blue eyes. “I suppose so… but it’s different. I don’t know him like I do you. With you I feel warm and safe… with him I feel hot and out of control.”
“As it should be,” Skye grinned at her usage of phrasing and figured it was something she’d picked up while on the run from Samuel. “Well, it might be a good idea to meet Michael downstairs and actually get to know your lover.”
Aurora sat up and looked over at him, “Why’s that?”
Skye merely pointed out the window and Aurora followed his finger to the buildings outside. Her eyes widened when she saw Michael actually perched on a balcony railing from the building across the way. He was watching her with darkened amethyst eyes.
