Chapter Fifteen

Holy lifestyles of the rich and famous. They were heading to the penthouse of a downtown Manhattan apartment building. Made sense that a fallen angel would have plenty of money. It was difficult to think in immortal terms. Most people struggled and worked their entire lives and were lucky if they could afford their own home. If you lived a long time and were smart, you’d be extremely wealthy.

A light tapping sound was beginning to annoy her. She looked down, only to realize it was the toe of her boot against the floor. Swearing under her breath, she made herself stop.

She tugged at the collar of her sweater. Lucius could probably tell she was sweating but was smart enough not to mention it. He’d done his best on the trip over here to take her mind off what was about to happen. While she appreciated his effort, there was no time to savor and digest all the information he’d given her. And let’s face it—nothing was going to distract her from this coming meeting.

“Stay behind me.”

“Why? I thought it was safe.”

“I’m sure it will be. Don’t worry.”

Easy for him to say. She was the lone human at this meeting. The walls of the elevator closed in around her. A couple of deep breaths did nothing to calm the urge to run, not that it was even a possibility. There was nowhere to go but up.

The emergency stop button shone like a beacon of hope. She was reaching for it when the elevator slid to a halt. It chimed and the doors slid open, bringing her face-to-face with the scariest man she’d ever set eyes on. And she was on intimate terms with a drakon.

He was massive, only slightly shorter than Lucius. Dressed all in black—boots, T-shirt, and jeans. With wicked looking knives tattooed on his forearms, he was a sight to inspire nightmares. His eyes were black. Not dark brown, but pitch. Jet black hair was cut short on the sides, with the top long and pulled back into a short tail. All the fine hairs on her arms stood on end. The air snapped with tension.

He was badass biker meets mass murderer. Or fallen angel. Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach. She was so in over her head.

“Maccus.” Lucius stayed in the opening of the elevator, going no farther.

“Lucius.”

“This is your home.”

“It is.”

“The man I knew never allowed anyone into his home.”

“I’ve evolved.” The dry tone and barest hint of humor caught her off guard. There was no welcome in his eyes, no sign he was glad to see his friend.

“Either you’re an imposter,” Lucius continued, “or this is a sign of the end times spoken of by your holy men.”

The energy in the air made her skin itch. Like watching an impending car crash, there was no way she could look away from the confrontation playing out in front of her. A nervous giggle escaped her, but neither man was paying her any attention.

They stared at each other like gunslingers in the dusty street at high noon, each waiting for the other to make the first move. At this rate, they might get around to going inside in a week or two.

“You knew where I rested.” It wasn’t a question. Guess they were bypassing the pleasantries and getting straight to the point.

He inclined his head. “I did. Neither of us had any idea what to expect, if you’d be vulnerable for some time.”

Lucius stilled. “You watched over me.”

“You’re part of the Brotherhood.”

Whether they acknowledged it or not, it went so much deeper than that. She might not be a powerful paranormal creature or have otherworldly abilities, but the caring between the two men was obvious, even to her. “For God’s sake, hug it out. You know you want to.”

Both men stared at her like she’d lost her mind.

Shut up, Raine. Nerves overriding common sense, she plowed forward. “I get that you’re both badass alpha males who need to snort and stomp to try to assert dominance, but you’re friends, damn it, and we don’t have time to waste.” When neither man made a move, she muttered, “Gods, you’re all stubborn. Too bad there isn’t another woman here.”

“Luckily there is.” With a smile on her face, a tall woman with a short cap of auburn hair and green eyes entered from a nearby hallway.

“I told you to stay in the study.” Fury vibrated from Maccus. Was that how he’d gotten his name? Raine’s knees turned to jelly, but the woman strode up to him and kissed his cheek. She was either brave or out of her mind or both.

“You didn’t say for how long. I’m Morrigan Quill. Welcome to our home.” The welcome was heartfelt and eased some of Raine’s anxiety. Not all of it. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe the storm had passed. It was more the hope that the men would be less likely to come to blows in front of them.

“You have a woman. This really is a sign of the apocalypse.” Lucius’s surprise echoed her own. This didn’t seem like a guy who’d settle down. He’d be more at home marauding and pillaging. Likely many would say the same about Lucius.

Ignoring the depression that wanted to swamp her at the reminder their time together was limited, she wiped her hand on her jeans before offering it. “Raine Carson.” She started to slide around Lucius with her hand extended, but he clamped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. Her hand hovered in the air for a couple of seconds before she lowered it and rubbed it against her thigh.

Okay then. This wasn’t going as well as it could, but they weren’t trying to kill each other. That was a plus. “No niceties. Got it. How about information?”

Maccus spun around and headed toward the living area, tugging Morrigan behind him. It was as much of an invitation to enter as they were likely to get.

When Lucius hesitated, she gave him a push. It wasn’t his safety he was concerned about but hers. No way would she allow herself to become a liability. They’d come too far and needed information only Maccus could provide.She knew she’d won when he gave a grunt and entered the apartment. The elevator door slid shut behind them.

The space was large and surprisingly homey. The walls were painted a warm beige and were completely empty. No artwork or photographs softened the space. Two comfy-looking sofas and a couple of oversize chairs were grouped around a round coffee table. A patterned rug of greens and browns anchored the seating area. No small, dainty furniture here.

Maccus sat in one of the chairs with Morrigan perched on the arm. Lucius chose one of the sofas, pulling her down beside him.

“Tell me everything.” Maccus sat forward, his thick forearms resting on his thighs. Like magic, a dagger appeared in his hand, giving her a jolt. He began to flip it through his fingers with great skill and dexterity.

Lucius remained stubbornly silent beside her. The tension built until she couldn’t stand it any longer. “I teach folklore, mostly myths and legends, at a university. Got a grant from a foundation that allowed me to take a year off from work to research and write a book.”

“You didn’t find that suspicious?”

Mimicking his stance, she leaned forward, resting her forearms on her jeans. “Yes, I did. I’m not stupid. I researched them. They had a good name, had been giving out grants for years according to what I uncovered. I even contacted several past recipients and asked about their experience.”

“You didn’t tell me that.”

She glanced up at Lucius. “I told you I’d looked into them. It really did seem legitimate. After finding their offices empty, I have to believe it was nothing more than an elaborate and expensive hoax. Anyway, they put me in contact with a man who claimed to have found a dragon carved out of stone in a cave in the Smokey Mountains National Park.”

“That would be you.” Maccus pointed the tip of the dagger at Lucius, who only grunted.

The faster she got through this, the faster they could leave. Her heart was beating so hard her chest was aching. Sweat had her clothes sticking to her skin. No way could she hide her obvious discomfort from any of them. Their abilities were unknown to her, but she assumed her hosts had preternatural senses. Even if they didn’t, it wasn’t hard to tell she was uncomfortable. “When I went inside to investigate, my guide exploded the entrance, trapping me.” From there, she continued recounting everything. Well, mostly everything. She skipped over the fact they’d slept together. Not that they couldn’t fill in the details. “So we went to the Angel Foundation and found it empty,” she concluded. “You responded to the message we left and here we are.”

“Why you?” His dark eyes pierced her soul. It was as though he could read her every thought. God, she hoped he couldn’t read her mind. He’d sat quietly during her explanation, asking no questions. He might be a big bruiser, but his exterior hid a keen intelligence.

“Lucius asked the same thing. I’ll tell you what I told him. I don’t know. I’m nobody special.” Certainly not someone who belonged with this group of extraordinary people. She dropped her head back and stared at the ceiling.

“I didn’t think it possible to wake a sleeping drakon.” Hard to tell if it was distrust in his voice or if he was simply trying to reason things out.

Lucius stirred beside her. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. I believe there’s one force strong enough to bring a drakon out of the Deep Sleep.”

Curiosity had her sitting forward again. “A chatty teacher of folklore,” she joked, trying to lighten the heavy mood that hung over them. Morrigan smiled, but the men remained grim.

“No, something far more elusive and unique.” She cut him off with a shake of her head and rolled her eyes toward their avid listeners. Spilling drakon secrets didn’t seem like the smart thing to do, especially since Morrigan was an unknown. There was no doubting she was a badass or she wouldn’t be with Maccus, but she was a stranger to Lucius. Whatever he was about to reveal, it likely had something to do with her, and she could deal with only one thing at a time. Right now, surviving Maccus and getting information were the goals.

“You’re a treasure, Raine, but Maccus knows all about drakons. He’s far older than I am.”

“He is?” That was mind-boggling but something she should have reasoned out. After all, he was an angel—a fallen one, but still—and the leader of the Brotherhood. Maccus leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on Morrigan’s thigh, the other playing with a knife—a different one from earlier. Where is he getting them? “Just how old is he?”

“Positively ancient. I’m four thousand years old. A mere babe in comparison.”

She blinked several times. He wasn’t kidding. Her vision began to dim. “Excuse me.” She dropped her head between her legs, closed her eyes, and tried to breathe. Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out.

“Raine.” Lucius sounded far away.

“I’ll be fine. Just processing.” Suck it up. Don’t show weakness in front of the others. Too late for that. Taking a deep breath, she raised her head. “Sorry about that. It’s been a busy few days.”

Morrigan hurried back into the room, a bottle in hand. She must have left while I was trying not to heave. “Here, sip some water.”

Lucius helped steady her hand when it shook. The cool water soothed her dry mouth and throat. “Thank you.” She took another sip.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a lot to take in. I had some difficult moments when I first met Maccus, and I was a bounty hunter for Hell.”

Water spurted, spraying everywhere. “What?”

Morrigan’s eyes twinkled. “It’s a long story. I’m not too much older than you.”

This must have been what Alice felt like when she fell into Wonderland—out of her depth and totally inadequate. “Fallen angel, former bounty hunter for Hell, drakon, and human. One of these things doesn’t fit with the others.”

…

Fuck! He’d almost blurted that Raine was his mate in front of the others. It had been a primal instinct to claim, to mark her as his.

“Who would know”—Maccus hesitated for a split second—“how to wake you?”

His friend had reasoned out what Lucius hadn’t said—Raine was his mate—and understood the implications. Drakon mates were likely the rarest creatures in existence. A drakon protected his treasure, no matter the cost. It placed a huge responsibility on her, whether she understood it or not. The fate of the world was literally in her hands. If she realized that, she’d likely run from him.

His friend didn’t appear to be overly concerned about the implications, but looks were deceiving. The adage “still waters run deep” applied to the man. A lethal hunter—not by thought, word, or deed did he give himself away. By the time his enemies discovered he was near, it was too late.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” For all his vast knowledge, he couldn’t come up with an answer.

Raine rubbed her hand over her forehead. “For whatever reason I was able to wake him. I’m nothing more than bait. The non-virgin sacrifice.”

Morrigan gave her a quizzical look. “I don’t understand.”

“Virgins were often offered up as sacrifice to appease our dragon sires when they roamed the earth,” Lucius explained.

“I told him in the cave I wasn’t a virgin, so it was his tough luck.” Raine shot him a quick grin.

“And I said I don’t want to hear about past lovers unless you want to give me their names.” The thought of her with another was enough to make him crazy.

She mimed zipping her lips.

“Enemies have been trying to destroy the Brotherhood.” The knife flashed as Maccus slammed it into the table, burying the blade deep. “I thought we’d dealt with that.”

Raine jolted beside him. Her heartbeat skipped a beat and picked up its pace. He was worried about her. The stress couldn’t be healthy. “Who?” This could be the lead they’d been hoping for.

“Gabriel tried to hire me to kill Morrigan, even though humans are off-limits to angels. That bastard’s had a grudge against me since he kicked me out of Heaven. Pissed off I didn’t die.” He took Morrigan’s hand and twined their fingers together. “Lucifer wanted her to kill me. He’s still annoyed at the havoc I caused in his realm. Their plan failed, but not for lack of trying.”

“And you just happened to beat both Heaven and Hell at their own game. And now you’re living happily ever after with a woman of your own.” Call him skeptical, but that seemed a tad too good to be true.

Maccus’s lips flattened and another blade appeared in his hand. “Watch yourself. Think what you want about me, but do not disparage Morrigan.” The temperature in the room was nearing a boiling point, tempers close to flaring. His dragon wanted to barbecue Maccus, which wouldn’t help the already strained relations.

Releasing a growl of pure frustration, he rubbed the back of his neck. “I apologize. I’d gut anyone who spoke against Raine in that manner.” Not knowing who his enemy was, having nowhere to aim his fury, was making his dragon restless and dangerous.

“We all need to calm down. No one is gutting anyone.” The slight quaver in Raine’s voice shamed him. She had to be scared out of her mind. Even though she appeared calm, he could smell her fear, noted the way she was chewing her bottom lip.

He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’m frustrated, but that’s no excuse.”

Maccus inclined his head. His friend really had changed. In the past, he would’ve been dodging flying blades as he shifted and attacked. Maybe the women were taming them both.

“Lucifer and Gabriel set you on each other. That’s a grudge against you. What does it have to do with me or the Brotherhood? How does it all tie in?”

“When the dust cleared, I was off-limits. So was Morrigan.”

“Are we talking about the Archangel Gabriel?” Her voice was steady, but he detected the slightest quiver. “Because if we are, I’m even more freaked out.”

Lucius wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Yes, that Gabriel.” It was all beginning to make a sick kind of sense. “Hurt the Brotherhood. Hurt you.” It was diabolical and ingenious.

“Yes.” There was a wealth of pain behind that one word. His friend might seem cold and unfeeling, but he took his responsibility to the rest of them seriously. “Lucifer worked behind the scenes to put other Brothers in situations that could have turned ugly, but the threat was nullified. Or so I thought.”

“If something happened to Raine, you’d attack, maybe even killing innocents.” Worry clouded Morrigan’s eyes.

He’d already killed to protect her, but he didn’t count Mack and his armed buddies as innocent. The back of his neck prickled. “If I killed indiscriminately, Maccus would be forced to try to put me down.”

“Make no mistake, it would happen.” The vow slammed down between them, a dividing line. Maccus was on his feet, a deadly sword lit with blue and purple flames in his hand. A brilliant light now rimmed the black of his eyes, making them appear deep and fathomless and even more otherworldly.

Lucius slowly stood and faced his friend. “You’d try, but I’m not as I was. Before I went to sleep, I was bigger and stronger than any other drakon alive. An oddity, even among them. Something happened to me after I awakened. It almost destroyed me. I’m ten times more powerful than I was. I could blow up the Earth’s core, if I chose.”

“Stop it.” Raine jumped to her feet. “No one’s blasting anything or smiting anyone. Whoever is behind this, this is what they want. I, for one, am in no hurry to give them anything.”

The flames winked out and the sword disappeared. “You’re right.”

Lucius’s jaw dropped. “Did you just admit to being wrong?” This was a first for the ages. Maybe the apocalypse was upon them.

A muscle in his jaw worked. “No. I’m saying she’s right.”

“How are you doing that knife and sword thing?” Raine demanded. “They come. They go. Wait, don’t tell me. I’m not sure my brain can handle much more without exploding.”

The corners of Maccus’s mouth twitched. A hard lump of dread loosened in his chest. He didn’t want to have to fight one of the few men he called friend. “I can see why you were pulled from the Deep Sleep.” High praise from his Brother.

“Hey, I talk when I’m nervous, and I’ve got to tell you, I’ve never been more nervous than I am right now. Wait, maybe when the stone cracked around Lucius and he became a real dragon, or drakon, but it’s a close tie.”

When she took a breath, he bent down and pressed his mouth to hers. It allowed him to silence whatever thought was about to spill out. It also gave him the touch and connection he craved. She made one of those sexy sounds in the back of her throat and flung her arms around him.

Maccus cleared his throat. “Do you want a room?”

Lucius smiled against Raine’s lips and raised his head. “Did you just make a joke?”

He grunted.

“You’ve been good for him,” he told Morrigan.

“Sorry about that.” Raine straightened the hem of her sweater. “Getting back to the subject at hand, who would put Lucius and me together? There was no way to know how things would end.”

Morrigan tapped a finger to her cheek. “Maybe someone was guessing you might have the ability to wake him and figured it was worth a try. It wasn’t Lucifer. He knows what would happen if he poked his nose into Brotherhood business again.”

“You’re sure?” Lucius couldn’t see Lucifer just backing down, but he had to believe there was a reason they were so certain.

“Yes.” The finality to Maccus’s agreement was enough for him.

“Then what about Gabriel or some other angel with a grudge? It’s not by chance the Angel Foundation was behind the grant Raine received.”

Maccus stared at Raine. “She’s the only other new player. Are you sure she’s not working with them?”