Levet loved seedy bars. The seedier the better. And the Bone-In Bar in Lower Thames was just that sort of place.
It wasn’t the stench of fried onions and unwashed demon bodies that Levet enjoyed. Or the thunderous sound of shouting from a distant corner, where a crowd was watching two trolls arm-wrestle. Or even the food, which resembled something that collected at the bottom of a dumpster.
He loved them because everyone minded their own business.
No one cared that he wasn’t the tallest gargoyle, or that his wings shimmered with color, or that his magic was a little…unpredictable.
Crossing the wooden floor, which was sticky from ale and whatever blood had been spilled earlier in the evening, Levet climbed onto a high stool next to the bar at the side of the cramped, smoky space.
One of Styx’s minions had sent him through a portal to London. The sun had disappeared over the horizon, but it was still early enough for the streets to be crowded with humans. He preferred to wait a few hours before seeking out the former Anasso’s lair. Besides, it had been years since he’d had the opportunity to spend time with his old friend Craddock.
The male was a mixture of demons. Hobgoblin, brownie, and some sort of fey sprinkled in. He was taller than Levet and twice as wide, with a square face and skin that looked like old tree bark. His head was bald, and his eyes were brown until he was angry. Then they turned a deep red. His pointed teeth had been coated in gold, and he liked to flash them whenever possible. He thought they made him look cool. Levet personally thought they made him look like a villain from a James Bond movie.
Still, they’d been friends for several centuries.
Turning to see who had entered the bar, Craddock’s face creased into a smile. The male wiped his hands on his greasy apron before filling a tankard with a foamy ale and setting it on the bar in front of Levet.
“It’s been a while.” Craddock pointed out the obvious.
Levet took a cautious sip. His palate had changed since he’d resided in London. Viper’s very fine collection of expensive tequila and aged whiskey had taught him to appreciate something beyond the swill that Craddock served. Not that Viper realized that Levet had a key to his precious cellars. What a leech didn’t know didn’t hurt him.
Or, at least, that had always been Levet’s philosophy.
“Oui. I have been busy,” Levet admitted.
Craddock pulled out a greasy rag to wipe the counter. “So I have heard.”
“Did you?” Levet sat straighter on the stool, trying to keep his expression humble. Real heroes didn’t gloat. A shame really. He had so much to gloat about. “Have there been bards singing songs of my many adventures?” he asked. “Or great works of art hanging in the museums?”
The bartender shook his head. “No bards, and I never visit museums, so I can’t say if there’s any pictures of you. But there was a merman in here the other night complaining about his new queen and the pesky stunted gargoyle who was hanging around the castle. I figured he had to be talking about you.”
Levet scowled. Since Inga had taken over the throne, she’d encouraged her people to travel throughout the world. They’d been trapped in the castle for a millennium. First, by Inga’s grandfather, who’d been terrified of dragons, and then by Rivan, who’d held them captive with brutal force. And this was how they repaid her kindness. By insulting him.
Thankless inmates. No, wait. Ingrates.
“Stunted.” Levet sniffed, taking another sip of ale. Maybe by the third or fourth tankard, the vile stuff would start to taste better. “I am compact, not stunted.”
Craddock shrugged. “Whatever lets you sleep.”
Levet scowled, but before he could convince the fool that size didn’t matter, the scent of fruit swirled through the air. An imp. And the sheer pungency of the scent meant it could only be one particular imp.
“Non,” Levet muttered. “It can’t be possible.”
The bartender looked confused. “What can’t be possible?”
“I smell…” Levet sniffed the air. “My nemesis.”
Craddock glanced around the crowded room, appearing more confused than ever. “There’s no platypus here. Course, I’m not exactly sure what one looks like, so it might have snuck in when I wasn’t looking.”
Levet rolled his eyes. “Not a platypus. I adore them. So tiny and cute. “
“Then what are you complaining about?”
“My nemesis.” Levet waved his hands in exasperation. “The Brutus to my Caesar.”
Craddock shrugged. “Yeah, I have no idea what that means.”
“Just look for a six-foot imp with long red hair and hideous taste in spandex,” Levet snapped.
Craddock’s eyes abruptly widened. Obviously, he’d at last spotted Troy. “Bloody hell. He’s…”
“A pain in my derrière,” Levet muttered.
“Levet. It’s been a while. How is my favorite lump of granite?”
The deep, rich voice swirled around Levet, even as Troy, the Prince of Imps, came into view. Levet pursed his lips, understanding Craddock’s stunned expression.
Troy was always flamboyant. Tonight, however, he was over the top, with his long, brilliant red hair pulled into a complicated knot on top of his head and his tall, muscular body hidden by a floor-length cape made entirely of pure white feathers.
Levet wrinkled his snout. “Were you eaten by an ostrich?”
Troy smiled, running his hands down the feathers with sensuous pleasure. “Isn’t it divine?”
“You look like a Cirque du Soleil reject.”
Troy clicked his tongue. His arrogance was impervious to insults. Probably because his features were flawless and his eyes as brilliant as emeralds. He was a gorgeous male, and he knew it.
“Jealousy is never attractive, mon ami,” the imp chided.
Levet folded his arms over his chest. He wasn’t jealous. He was…annoyed. For months, Inga had allowed this oversized buffoon to offer her advice on how to be a queen. As if she needed to change anything. She was perfect. And now he was popping up in places he shouldn’t be.
Like the black plague.
“What are you doing in London?” Levet demanded.
Troy leaned against the bar. “Searching for you. Unfortunately.”
“Why?”
“The Queen of the Mer-folk was concerned about you.”
A sudden warmth filled Levet’s heart. “Inga sent you?”
“She mentioned your latest escapade when we were chatting,” Troy said in dismissive tones. “I knew she would be fretting until someone she trusted arrived to keep you out of trouble.”
Levet’s brief joy at Inga’s concern was squashed by the imp’s rude words. “Trouble. Moi? That is absurd. I am never in trouble.”
Troy laughed. “Dude, it’s a weekly event. Do you want me to list the disasters you’ve caused?”
“I am a hero.” Levet sniffed. “You cannot make pancakes without cracking eggs, right?”
“Something’s cracked,” Troy mocked.
Levet glared at the aggravating creature. “Why were you talking to Inga at all? I thought you’d left the castle.”
“I stopped by to say hi. She depends on my sage advice.”
“Fah. She tolerates you because she is too nice to tell you to go away.”
Troy’s smile widened. They both knew that Inga had often turned to Troy when she was feeling uncertain in her position as queen. The knowledge was like a burr beneath Levet’s thick hide, constantly rubbing.
Thankfully, the imp didn’t press the sensitive issue. “Tell me why you’re in this nasty bar.”
“Hey,” Craddock protested, proving he was blatantly eavesdropping on the conversation.
“If I’m not honest with you, you can’t improve, right?” Troy told the bartender in patronizing tones.
“I…”
“Shoo.” Troy waved a contemptuous hand. Craddock frowned, but with a muttered curse, he turned to shuffle away. Troy waited until he was out of earshot before he studied Levet with a searching gaze. “Why are you here?”
Levet wanted to tell the imp that it was none of his business, but he knew Troy well enough to accept that the stubborn creature wouldn’t go away until he had his answers.
“I’m on a secret mission for Styx.”
“Secret mission?”
“Oui. Now, go away.”
Troy leaned against the bar, his expression curious. “I assume this has something to do with the evil dog you adopted? Inga said she’d mentally contacted you before you left the castle.”
Levet stiffened in outrage. “Don’t call Brigette a dog.”
“But she is evil.”
“Not anymore,” Levet protested. “She is attempting to redeem herself.”
“And her redemption has something to do with you being in London?”
Levet clicked his tongue. He wasn’t comfortable discussing Brigette and her inner motives. She was like him. Complicated. Misunderstood. A misfit who was often shunned by society.
What would a male like Troy know about such things?
“If you must know, I am searching for Styx’s old lair to discover if a bunch of smelly scrolls have been stolen from his hidden vault.”
Troy arched a brow. “Well, that makes zero sense.”
“Good.” Levet waved his hand. “Go away.”
“Ah.” Troy heaved a dramatic sigh. “If only it was possible.”
“It is.”
“I promised Inga. Until you return to the mer-folk castle, the two of us are partners.”
Levet’s heart sank to the tips of his sharp claws. Troy was a flighty, self-absorbed horse’s patootie. But a promise was a promise. No demon would break one.
Which meant they were well and truly stuck together.
“As long as I am the one giving the orders.”
Troy’s lips twitched. “Do you know the definition of partners?”
“Oui, it means you do what I say.”
“Or?”
“Or else.”
“That’s your snappy comeback?” Troy demanded.
“Argg.” Levet jumped off the bar stool and waddled toward the door “Let us get this over with.”
“The sooner the better,” Troy added, his cloak billowing behind him as they headed toward the door.
* * * *
Xi was still in the main tunnel when he sensed Brigette approaching. He’d made a meticulous search of a few of the side shafts, but the place was like a labyrinth. Each branch had new branches, and there were dozens of manholes that opened into caverns beneath the main tunnels. It was going to take weeks to meticulously inspect each one.
Waiting in the shadows until the female was just a few inches away, Xi stepped forward. Brigette yelped at his sudden appearance before sending him a frown that warned him not to smile at her startled reaction.
“Have you found anything?” she snapped.
“Not yet.” He glanced around, his lips curling in disgust. There were layers of rubbish that had been dropped and left in place. Bones, torn clothes, empty containers. “Nothing beyond trash.”
“Yeah, tidiness isn’t high on the list for the rebels.” She shuddered before turning on her heel to retrace her steps. “It’s almost dawn. You can stay in my room.”
“An invitation?” Xi asked, readily following behind her.
“Get over yourself.”
Xi smiled as Brigette tossed his words back in his face. He wanted her to be sassy. He knew from experience that it was all too easy to self-destruct from guilt. His hand lifted, as if he intended to brush his fingers down the ivory silk of her throat, but instead he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the darkness as the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance.
Shockingly, Brigette didn’t fight against his hold. Instead, she pressed close, as if realizing his ability to mute his presence would help to disguise her own. Smart wolf.
The footsteps came closer before fading into a lower tunnel, but Brigette remained close enough for her heat to sear through his clothing. Xi’s fangs lengthened as her musky scent teased at his senses, stirring a reaction that wasn’t entirely unexpected.
She was a beautiful female, with a lush sensuality that would attract any male. Or female. But while most creatures no doubt allowed her past to mar their opinion of her, it only emphasized Xi’s fascination. He saw beyond the pretty surface to the raw, vulnerable female she kept hidden.
The musky scent deepened, as if Brigette was struggling to leash her own awareness. Then, sucking in a sharp breath, she pushed him away.
“The rebels aren’t all vamps, but they tend to roam the streets at night and return to the tunnels during the daylight. We need to move.”
In silence, they flowed through the darkness. Brigette took the lead, using her familiarity with the maze of tunnels to avoid the demons, who were noisily returning to their temporary lair.
At last, they entered her rooms and propped a wooden slab across the entrance. It was heavy enough that only a handful of demons had the strength to move it.
“Do the other demons have private spaces?” he asked.
Brigette moved to perch on the edge of the narrow cot that was pressed against the far wall. It was the only actual piece of furniture beyond a wooden chair and a small wooden trunk that he assumed held Brigette’s few personal items.
It looked exactly what it was. An underground cement tunnel.
“Many of the lesser demons sleep together in a side passageway,” she told him. “They feel more comfortable in groups.”
“And safer.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “There’s a lot of predators in here.”
Xi hadn’t actually seen many demons since they’d been out and about creating chaos, but he’d caught scents of mongrel trolls and orcs and even hellhounds. The sort of aggressive creatures that enjoyed causing pain to the fragile fey.
“What about Maryam and Roban?” he asked.
His last few hours had discouraged any hope that he might discover clues just laying around. There might be plenty of trash, but there was no indication of what they might be plotting. Or any mystery mastermind pulling strings from the shadows.
If there was information in the tunnels, it had to be in Maryam’s possession.
She shrugged. “They usually rest, then a few hours before the others begin to stir, they have a private meeting.”
“In the office?”
“No, in Maryam’s private quarters.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s at the opposite end of the tunnels and hidden behind an illusion.”
Ah, well, that explained why he hadn’t managed to track down the female vampire. He had no ability to see through magic.
“Guarded?”
Brigette sent him an “Are you stupid?” glance. “The female is as paranoid as a dew fairy at a goblin convention. Her rooms are guarded twenty-four/seven.”
“I don’t suppose there are any secret passages that would allow us access?”
She was shaking her head before he finished his question. “Not that I’ve discovered. Plus she has layers of magic protecting the tunnel. There’s no way to get close without setting them off.”
He didn’t bother to ask about the spells. Instead, he considered their limited options. “Then we need a distraction,” he at last decided. “Something that will get everyone out of the tunnels so we can search her rooms.”
“Easier said than done,” Brigette warned. “The rebels are constantly expecting to be betrayed. And I’m certain Maryam would have traps waiting for anyone who entered while she was gone.”
There was the heavy sound of footsteps in the outer tunnel, and they fell silent as a crowd passed. Brigette glanced toward the entrance, her body tense as if expecting someone to try to force their way into her private space. Xi studied the purity of her profile and the muscles that were coiled, ready to launch her into attack. A sleek animal posed to strike.
Beautiful.
His fangs once again lengthened, along with other parts of his body, and he had to battle against the urge to cross the narrow space and tumble her back onto the cot. The fact that he didn’t know if she would melt beneath him or try to rip out his throat sent a tingle of excitement down his spine.
It was odd. Over the past centuries, he’d avoided conflict. His past mistakes taught him the risk of seeking foolish thrills.
Now, he couldn’t deny a bourgeoning addiction to Brigette’s compelling combination of danger and brittle frailty.
Unnerved by the sheer intensity of his awareness, Xi forced himself to concentrate on the reason he was in the nasty tunnels. Once they’d discovered who was manipulating Maryam, he could return to the serene privacy of his lair.
Somehow, the thought didn’t offer the serenity he’d expected to feel.
“Tell me what you’ve discovered so far,” he commanded.
“Not many of the demons are willing to talk to me.” She pushed herself onto the cot to rest her back against the wall. “Even the rebel riffraff have decided I’m too evil to be a part of the Scooby gang.” A humorless smile twisted her lips. “But I’ve overheard snatches of conversations. I’m not invisible, but I’m good at finding hidden passages.”
“What did you overhear?”
“Most of the demons that Maryam has collected are misfits,” she told him.
“Mongrels?”
“I’m not talking about their species. I mean that, for one reason or another, they were shunned by their own people,” she corrected him. “Or they left because they didn’t fit into their family.”
Brigette’s tone was indifferent, but Xi wasn’t fooled. This female had been an outcast for five hundred years. She understood these rebels better than most demons.
“Like you?” he asked.
“I was never shunned,” she snapped.
Xi arched his brows at her sharp tone. What was she going to think when he told her that he’d been shunned? And how much did her reaction matter to him?
Questions for another time.
“But you didn’t fit in?” he instead pressed.
She shrugged. “I thought I was special. As if whatever I wanted should be handed to me on a silver platter.”
Xi could easily imagine her as a spoiled, petulant pup. No doubt, she had been beautiful, intelligent, and highly rebellious. It would give her the power to manipulate others at a very young age. Power she didn’t have the maturity to handle.
“And that made you an outsider?” he asked.
Brigette stilled, eyeing him with a suspicious expression. “Where are you going with this?”
“Do you sympathize with the rebels?” he bluntly demanded.
“Once evil, always evil, eh?” Her eyes flashed with instant fury. “You’re just like everyone else.”
He leashed his urge to smile. She cared about his opinion. If she didn’t, she would dismiss his words with the flippant indifference he’d seen before.
“I’m like no one else, Brigette,” he insisted. “And I’m not judging you. But as someone who was once driven from my home, I can understand the need to search for a new family and a common goal.”
She glanced away, as if she was about to shut him out. Then, with a visible effort, she forced herself to turn back to meet his steady gaze.
Did she realize that she needed his help?
“I would sympathize if they’d come together to create their own family,” she said. “Most demons feel safer when they travel in packs. But it wasn’t enough for them.” She waved a hand toward the covered entrance. On the other side, the scurry of demons continued to echo through the tunnels. “They allowed themselves to be convinced they have to burn down the world to get what they want.” She paused, her hands curling into tight fists. “I’ll die to stop them.”
Xi jerked, as if he’d taken an unexpected blow. “No.”
She looked surprised by his fierce tone. “Excuse me?”
“You’re not dying.” He instinctively pulled back his lips to reveal his fangs. Not a warning. A pledge. “Not as long as I’m here.”