“That’s right, you dumb door. I’m the boss.”
It was the woman in the oil-slick cloak. Only now, the hood of it was down so her face was visible, and Athera felt two things at once.
One was awe, because the woman was stunning, and the other—Athera felt neon-green jealousy because the woman was stunning and Grave was staring.
The cloaked woman stepped into the room, shut the door behind her, and gave Athera and Grave a bright smile.
Athera noticed the woman had very long black hair woven into intricate French braids around the crown of her head. Threaded through it were streaks of pink and purple that only accented the darkness of the woman’s hair and her tanned skin.
Her eyes were brown, but not a normal brown. They were dark, almost like melted chocolate and Athera had to shake her head when she seemed to get mesmerized by the pools of brown.
“I’m Josephine.” She held out her hand to Athera. “My friends call me Josy, but don’t, because we aren’t friends yet.”
Athera took her hand and realized she must look like a complete idiot standing there with a puzzled gape for an expression.
Josephine laughed. The laugh was a rich sound that made Athera smile in return.
“I’m kidding.” Josephine shook Grave’s hand. “We are going to be friends, so feel free to call me Josy.”
“Who—”
Before Grave could say anything else, Josephine spoke over him. “Trinity is my cousin, and she sent me into this—” she waved her hand around to encompass the room, but obviously meant the vampire bunker—“den of iniquity.”
Athera was weary. “Trinity never said she had a cousin.”
“Probably not. Trin’s a bit of a black sheep in the family, you know, being tossed out of the witches’ guild and all. I’ve recently decided to follow her example.”
Trying to understand what Josy was saying and meaning was giving Athera a headache, like the one time she’d tried to read Romeo and Juliet. She could understand every word, but none of it made sense. “Witches’ guild?”
Grave was the one who answered her question. “All the eternals of this world tend to stick to their kind, but if you screw up, you get booted from your species and you become an outsider.”
“Outsiders Inc. That’s where the name comes from. Everyone there was kicked out of their group?”
Grave nodded. “I assume that is where the name came from.”
“Okay. Back to me.” Josephine grinned. “So I’m here in case you get into trouble.” She rolled her eyes. “And thank Mother Earth for that, because what happened... ” She gave them an exaggerated stare and waved her hands, like a teacher prompting a class.
She sighed when neither one of them supplied the answer. “You got into trouble. Thank goodness I was there, or those faery hounds would have had you as an appetizer.”
Athera gasped. “So that was you in my head during the fight?”
“Ah huh.” Josephine looked pleased with herself.
Grave looked pissed. “Explain, Athera.”
“When we were fighting the hounds, there was this buzzing in my head, and a voice.” She frowned at Josephine.
“Yes, I had to boost your power. It took me a minute there. You have strong shields.”
Athera thought about ripping into the witch for digging around in her skull, but then realized her skull would have been puppy chow without Josy’s help.
“Thank you for your help.”
“No problem, and save the thank you’s. We aren’t done yet.”
“What do you mean?” Grave asked.
Josy glanced over at the chairs, then moved past them to plop down into one. “Oh, that’s better. I get tired when I have to expend as much energy as I had to during the fight.”
Athera sat down in the couch opposite Josy, “I have a couple of questions.” She was expecting Grave to take the last free chair, so she was surprised when he pulled it right next to hers and sat down so close that his denim-covered thigh was against hers. She could feel the heat of his body through the fabric.
This action distracted her from her questions. Her mind hit rewind to that kiss, and it filled up her gray matter with the pleasure he’d given her. She’d known any physical contact with the reaper would be life changing from their first kiss, and she’d been right.
“Helllooo.” Josephine elongated the word to get her attention.
Athera felt her cheeks get hot, because she realized she’d been staring at Grave. He was looking over at Josy, but when Josephine called out to Athera, he turned his head and her gaze met his with a blast of heat. She wondered if he was thinking of the kiss, too.
Gods, the male turned her into a hormone-riddled wreck.
Say that fast five times. The errant thought made her laugh, and the laughter helped her get her mind back to the conversation and her questions, despite the strange looks she was getting from the others.
“Okay, question one. How is it that you are in the vampire court and no one chucked you in with ghouls and hounds?”
“I made myself invaluable to the king. I help him out with a spell now and then and he gives me safe passage.”
“Fair enough.” Grave nodded. “He won’t be too pleased with you helping us.”
“True, but A, I don’t intend for him to find out, and B, I’m leaving with you, so I’ll be safe even if he does.”
Grave sat forward putting his elbows on his knees. “What do you mean, leaving with you? We can’t leave until Ryder lets us in the archives.”
Josy shifted in her chair at the sound of Ryder’s name and Athera had a sudden suspicion. “You are scared of Ryder?” she asked.
Josy’s back shot straight as she sat up in her chair and Athera knew she’d hit a nerve.
“No I’m not. I’ve never met the man. Why would I be scared of him?”
There was something going on there and Athera was going to figure it out. She loved a good puzzle.
“Besides, you don’t need his archive,” Josy added.
“Um, yes we do,” Athera pointed out. “It’s the only place we can find out what the weapon is that will kill Nexanthon.”
“No, it isn’t. I know where you can get the information you need, and without having to play vampire games.”
“Why the hell didn’t Trinity tell us this to start with?” Grave demanded.
“Because she didn’t know that this is my territory and my information.”
“Tell us.”
Grave was frowning and Athera was amazed at how demanding he was sounding.
“No.” Josephine crossed her arms over her chest and sat back in her chair.
“Why the hell not?” Grave looked like he was about to jump out his chair and shake the witch, so Athera put a hand on his arm. His body went still.
“Why no, Josy?” Athera said in a gentler tone.
“Quid pro quo.” Josy reached up and patted the French braid in her hair.
Athera looked over at Grave and shrugged.
“Okay, what do you want?”
Josephine grinned, clearly feeling the victory. “I want a favor. Not right now, but when I come and ask, I want you to return the favor, no questions asked.”
A glance passed between Athera and Grave again. She nodded her head subtly.
“The favor has to be within reason,” Grave stated.
“Yes,” Josephine agreed.
Athera nodded. “Okay.”
“Done,” Josephine said and there was a ringing sense of finality to her words.
It was then that Athera realized the witch had used a spell to seal the deal.
Gah, and people warned you never to make a deal with the devil. It was more like never make a deal with a witch.
The door was shoved open and closed so quickly, it took Athera a moment to notice that Wyatt had come into the room. He stood with his back against the door as if taking everything in.
He glared at the witch. “What are you doing here, Josy?”
Grave had moved forward to get up. Athera was sure he would have attacked had anyone but Wyatt come through the door.
Josephine tossed her head back, her eyebrow arching. “I could ask you the same thing, vampire.”
He shook his head as if he’d decided it wasn’t worth the argument. His gaze moved from Grave to Athera. “I’ve come to get you two... out of here.”
“We were planning on leaving.” Grave glanced at Athera before he met Wyatt’s gaze. “Why do you look so flustered?”
“The king... ” Wyatt started, then stopped, running a hand through his hair in obvious frustration.
“Someone has been whispering in his ear that the vampires would be safer from Nexanthon if they killed you.”
“What!” Athera felt her eyes widen in shock. Tossing them into a fight for entertainment was one thing, but she was sure the king had known they would win. Out and out murder was something else.
Athera was stunned. “Where is Ryder? He told the king we were his guests.”
“He was sent on an errand he couldn’t refuse. The king knew Ryder would interfere, and it gets worse.” Wyatt frowned as he sat down. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Make time.” Grave’s voice was icy.
Wyatt gritted his teeth in obvious frustration. “The king didn’t listen to that piece of stupid advice about killing you both. He got clever instead.”
It was Josephine who asked the question this time. “Meaning?”
“He’s decided to make a gift of Athera and Grave to Nexanthon. He’s going to chuck the two of them in the deepest hole he can find, and when Nexanthon shows up, the king plans on getting in his good books by handing them over.”
“Aw, hell no.” Josephine sat forward in her chair. “We have to get out of here now.”
“Yes, they do. You, on the other hand, can’t go anywhere. I told Ryder you’d be here when he got back.”
Athera watched Josephine pale. “Not happening. I’m leaving with them. I have to lead them to the Librarian.”
“The who—now?” Wyatt frowned.
“The human who has the information they need. He’s been on the run from eternals his whole life, so to keep himself safe, he started to collect information. He’ll have the facts they need to take Nexanthon out.” She spoke in a breathless rush, then stood up. “We have to leave now. Once the king has you in a pit, I can’t do much to get you out.”
Athera stood a moment after Grave. “Let’s go,” she said, walking to the door.
Wyatt shook his head, but he got up. “I’ll take point. Josephine, you can’t leave.”
She walked past him to the door and turned to give him a killing look. “You should learn not to make promises you can’t keep.”
She tugged the door open.
With a low growl of frustration, Wyatt was past her in a blur and into the passage. “Keep up,” he called out quietly.
“Why is Ryder so interested in you?” Athera asked as she followed Josephine out the door.
“He thinks I belong to him,” Josephine answered.
“You said you’d never met him,” Grave pointed out.
“I haven’t, but he saw me in the court and decided that I was his.”
Josephine’s jaw clenched, and Athera decided it wasn’t a good idea to ask her any more questions right then.
“Move, people.” Wyatt’s command came from the turn in the passage.
Josephine took the lead. Athera followed, and Grave took up the rear.
Wyatt stopped at every turn in the passage, checking ahead for danger. They seemed to be moving down, and then they were moving up.
“Where are you taking us?” Grave asked in a low voice
“Through the most unused tunnels to a back entrance that only a few know about. I’ve arranged to have a vehicle waiting there for you with supplies.” He stopped and turned to look at them. “Put as much distance between yourselves and the vampire court as possible.”
Grave nodded.
That’s was when Athera’s keen ears picked up on the sound of running feet. “Someone is coming.”
“It’s the guards,” Josephine said and started to dig around in the hidden pockets of her robe.
“Move, Josy!” Wyatt tugged at her, only to be pinned by a look that was almost feral. Her lips were moving, but she was making no sound.
“She’s doing a spell,” Athera guessed and Wyatt let go of her arm.
“Do it fast, witch,” he commanded as he drew a gun from the holster at his hip. He checked its slide, then turned to face the way they’d come.
Grave followed his lead. Flicking the scythes into existence, he moved to position himself in front of Athera.
“I can take care of myself,” she hissed at the reaper.
“Not while I’m here to guard you,” he muttered.
Athera wanted to hit him for his attitude. She wasn’t a baby. She could take out a few guards.
Her hands started to burn, and she looked down and noticed flames dancing on her fingers. No one else could piss Athera off to the point of spontaneous combustion the way Grave could. It was a good thing he didn’t get burned from her. Athera’s flame died out when the shock of that thought hit her.
He didn’t burn up from my flames.
In the fight when Josephine had boosted her power, Grave should have turned to ash, too, but he hadn’t. She’d buried that thought, and now it bit her on the backside.
No, it’s not possible. He can’t be my mate.
She shook her head as her internal dialog wanted to suggest the unthinkable. Sure, she’d wished he was her mate when she’d first met him, even tried to convince herself of the fact, but she’d never believed it.
Vampire guards came around the corner in the tunnel before she could think further, and Grave and Wyatt attacked.
Athera’s ears ached with the rapid pounding of gunfire in the enclosed tunnel. Grave darted forward, somehow not being hit by Wyatt’s shots, and attacked the nearest guard. He was fighting to wound, not kill, and Athera realized it was because he was trying to keep the repercussions down. Wyatt, too was wounding not killing. It made their job more difficult.
Behind Athera, Josephine yelled out one word. Somnus
The remaining guards all collapsed to the ground, none of them moving.
Wyatt spun to face Josephine as he holstered his gun. “Did you kill them?”
“They are having a little nap. It won’t last very long, so let’s get going.”
Athera had to grin at the little nap part, but she was quick to follow behind Wyatt and Josephine as they started moving.
She was shocked when she felt Grave’s hand spread over her lower back as he dipped his head and spoke close to her ear.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice, because his touch was doing all kinds of strange and interesting things to her body.
“Good.”
He let go, and Athera wanted to yell at him to put his hand back.
She swallowed the words and moved faster instead. She was still being haunted by the fact that the man she wanted so badly—the man who didn’t want her in return—might be her mate. The one male she was supposed to spend the rest of her eternal life with.
Well, shit. The situation sucked. How was she going to deal with this new development?