Angel Seduced (17 page)

Hayden lifted his hands. “You're right. We've made a mistake. We heard you had kidnapped a boy. The lead was obviously wrong.” He snatched Mallory's hand, yanking her closer. “I apologize.” It was time to pound in some heads, but Hayden wanted the men off guard. “We'll leave now.”

Just as he came even with Talbot and readied his Light, something circled his ankles and held him in place. Black vines sinuously wound up his legs, his hips. They were doing the same to Mallory.
What the hell?

She screamed and yanked out one of her wing feathers, using the dhagger it became to cut at them. The knife worked differently than Light. It held a super-concentrated charge of power and was more precise. The vines mended as fast as she cut them. Others circled her arms and pulled them tight behind her. The dhagger fell from her fingers to the carpet, gleaming silver in the light. Hayden was just as bound, and it happened in seconds. His magick faded, and his wings sank into his back. Her wings did the same.

Wraithlord magick. Talbot was one, too.

Kevin burst in at last, panting. He took in the scene and pointed to Mallory. “She set me up!”

Talbot looked at the open French door. “So that's how they got in.”

“I'm a member of the Guard,” Hayden said in his most authoritative voice, struggling against the confines. “I command you to release us.”

“The Guard has no say where I am concerned.” Talbot's eyes flashed as black as smoke, and his smile was just as eerie. “Please, don't rush off,” he said in a hospitable voice. “I'd like to chat with you about your source of information. Allegations of kidnapping are very serious, you know.”

“Let her go, and I'll talk.” Hayden wasn't promising to talk about anything specific. “I coerced her into helping me.”

Talbot scratched his chin. “She didn't appear to be coerced when she tried to castrate my associate.”

“That's because my informant alleged that you had something to do with her niece's disappearance. He used her concern about the girl's safety to fire her up.”

Talbot walked closer to Mallory. “And this informant connected your missing niece to me? Interesting.” He grasped her chin in his grip. “Have you met this font of information?”

At the sight of his fingers digging into her skin, Hayden jerked toward her. The vines held fast.

“Only over the phone,” she lied, but that wouldn't protect Kasabian. All Talbot had to do was check with security to see who had been to visit Mallory.

“Since he misled you, I assume you'll be cooperative in telling me all about him.”

“I don't know anything.”

The vines pulled Hayden and Mallory together so hard that their bodies collided with a loud
whump
. His chin fit over the top of her head, filling his nose with the ginger scent of her shampoo. Her face was smashed into his chest, and she turned so that her cheek pressed against him instead of her nose.

Kevin edged in closer, reminding Hayden of a hyena circling its prey. “Let me have her.” He bared his teeth. “She owes me gratification.”

Hayden felt her body stiffen at the same time that his did. That he was helpless to do anything to protect her raged through him.

Talbot moved his hand, and the vine followed the motion, pulling them off their feet, and they crashed to the floor. He walked to the balcony, trailing them along behind him. “Since you like hanging out on balconies so much, you'll enjoy this.”

The vine slithered up the wall and anchored on the ceiling formed by the balcony above, stringing Hayden and Mallory upside down. They swung with momentum for several seconds, the outer arc flinging them over the edge of the railing to look down eighteen stories. Hayden's cell phone fell from his pocket and landed on the tile deck.

Talbot snatched it up. “I have an important meeting with people who will be very interested in learning about this new development. Perhaps you'll be willing to share more when I return. Watch them, Brian.” Kevin started to open his mouth again, but Talbot cut him off with, “It was your need for gratification, I presume, that led to this invasion of my privacy? This could have been disastrous. Go home and marinate in your idiocy.”

“Can I have her?” Brian grinned as Kevin trudged toward the door. “My own personal slut, bound and gagged, legs tied to the bedposts spread-eagle.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Hayden said. “You don't talk about her like that.”

Talbot punched Hayden, sending the two swinging again. Pain rocketed through his jaw as Talbot swung in and out of view with an amused expression. “And they say chivalry is dead.”

Brian hadn't taken his eyes off Mallory. Or specifically, her body. “If you leave her bound with your magick, she won't be able to do a thing but lay there and look at me. I can do anything I want to her.” He laughed and looked at Talbot. “Ever heard of someone being fucked to death?”

This time Hayden heard her soft intake of breath. Hayden wanted to kill the guy just for saying it.

The corner of Talbot's mouth twitched, but he didn't smile. “No, can't say that I have. I want to spend some time with them, find out everything they know. When I'm finished, you may have your way with her. And since the male seems bothered by the prospect, I say let him watch.”

K
asabian followed the Hummer across the causeway. “I'm not sure if they've made us yet. I'm going on the assumption that they have, which means we need to be ready for anything.”

Kye was working on one of those spy orbs, having lost the original one when they Leaped. Using her long, graceful fingers, she coaxed her magick into something that looked like a solid object. “Good boy,” she whispered, then rolled the window down and released it. “If you're adept at making orbs, you can do this remotely. Unfortunately, I'm not.” She narrowed her eyes in concentration, and the orb zigged and zagged in the draft of the cars speeding by. It flew into the next lane and was hit by a car.

“Damn it.” She flattened her palm and tried again. “If I knew I'd need these things, I would have practiced more.”

“We do have the vehicle in sight, you know.”

She gave him a
duh
look. “But if we lose them, or rather if they lose us, we'll still know where they're going.”

“Brilliant.”

Her smile at his admiration turned into a thoughtful look. “Why didn't you go with Mallory? I was surprised when you sent Hayden, since you and she are, well…you know.”

“We're what?” He wanted her to say the words.

“Involved. Attached.” She shrugged, but there was nothing casual about it. “You have a history.”

She'd surprised him by suggesting that he and Mallory get together. Kye may have lost her abilities—temporarily—to sense people's sensual feelings, but surely she knew that she was the only woman he could think of in romantic terms. He hadn't meant to, but he'd made that pretty clear. Or, as he suspected, she was trying to build a protective distance between them.

“I chose you because you can make spy orbs,” he said, leaving it at that. “What if I did get romantically involved with Mallory? Would that break our bond?”

“Maybe.” The word popped out, hard and cold.

She released the latest scry orb out the open window. It bounced around on the drafts again, but she held it under better control. Still, she had trouble directing it to the bumper.

The Hummer suddenly shifted lanes and slowed down, dropping behind them.

“Shit. We're definitely made,” Kasabian was able to say before it slammed into his car and sent it into the short guardrail.

Kye screamed as the huge vehicle started to ram his much smaller one again. He gunned the gas and slid out as the Hummer's bumper made contact. The Lotus shimmied until Kasabian got it under control again. The Hummer was coming up behind him fast.

“Get your seat belt on,” he said, maneuvering around another car.

“Kasabian, watch out!”

The Hummer rammed another car, sending it spinning toward them. The cars collided, smashing the headlight and sending a spray of glass into the air. His foot jammed on the gas, but the other car involved in the crash was blocking forward movement. The short concrete guardrail blocked them in on the right. And on the left, the Hummer barreled at them.

Something black streaked toward the Lotus and split off like two tendrils. One snaked into the car, right through the glass, and wrapped around his arm. Kasabian couldn't see where the other one went, because the Hummer slammed into his car and sent them over the rail. Kasabian's arm automatically shot out to grab Kye and Leap them out. But he couldn't. Like in his altercation with Silva at the estate, Wraithlord magick had paralyzed his Caido abilities. He didn't have time to figure out how to use his own dark abilities to get them out. The blue water came up fast, and they hit nose-first and plunged into the water. The windshield shattered, obliterating his forward view. He slammed into the steering wheel.

The car sprang to the surface, throwing him back into his seat. His head was still spinning, pain radiated throughout his chest, but his gaze went to Kye. Not in the passenger seat. Slumped down, nearly folded in half. Not moving.

“Kye!” he screamed, and blood spurted from his mouth. His lip was cut so deep, it bled when he called her name.

Water sluiced into the car through the vents and broken windshield. He reached over and gently rubbed her back. “Kye, wake up.”

Gods, there was blood all over her legs. The door. The seat. The car was sinking fast. He thought he had to let the water equalize the pressure before he could open the door.

Or he could Leap. The dark vine was gone, its job to keep them in the car done. The pain of Invoking paled in comparison to everything else. He put his hand on Kye and Leaped, through the barrier and into her living room. The cat let out a yowl as he launched off the back of the couch.

“Sorry to startle you, Vlad,” he muttered, his gaze on Kye as she slumped onto the floor. She was unconscious, her body slack, but he sensed life in her. He would not let her go. Fear clutched him at the sight of blood pooling from a gash in her head and soaking her hair. The skin of her cheek was torn, and he thought the bone might be shattered. At the moment, he was more concerned about any internal injuries.

“Hang in there, love,” he said, and more blood poured from his lip.

He waved his hands over her head, sensing swelling in her brain. His breath left him, the absence of it crushing his chest in a dull throbbing. Taking in another breath increased the pain to excruciating. Damn, broken ribs again, but this time probably paired with a side of punctured lung. He sent healing energy to her, feeling the lesions mending, the brain returning to normal size. He moved down her body, reading the numerous injuries: broken collarbone, bruised kidney, torn tendons, and general trauma. He pulled from his deepest resources and triaged.

You have to leave enough to heal yourself
, a voice whispered.

Her first. Have to…

Lastly, he returned to her cheek and mended the bones, tissue, and skin.

Her eyes fluttered open, dazed and heavy. She met his gaze and then must have seen the span of his wings, because she whispered, “My beautiful angel.”

He brushed his trembling fingers across her cheek. “Sleep, love.”

“Love,” she repeated, her voice slow and thick. “I like when you call me that.”

“You shouldn't.” Despite his pain, elation filled his heart.

She frowned. “I wanted you to kiss me, too.”

“You're delirious, love.” Damn, the word had slipped out again.
What do I know about love?
Except that he shouldn't be feeling it for her because they were supposed to be keeping a chaste distance. “Close your eyes. You need to rest.” His lip split with his speech, but it wasn't bleeding anymore.

“Like you did with Mallory when she helped.” Her eyes drifted closed. “On the forehead.”

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he did neither. “You shouldn't want me kissing you anywhere.”

She mumbled something, but sleep finally claimed her. He wanted to lie there and watch her, but his strength was waning fast. Even covered in blood, she was achingly beautiful. He knew he was looking at her the same way she'd been taking in his wings—with awe. Hell, she'd caught
him
in the Thrall, and it wasn't supposed to work that way. He'd never loved someone before. Never thought he could. He wanted to think it was all lust. That he understood. But with his Dragon Shadow quiet, this felt like much more. That was scarier than the Shadow had ever been, because he wanted to be a man worthy of her. And he was far from it.

He brushed his finger across her mouth, wishing he could kiss her. She'd almost died. The reality of that crushed him as much as his punctured lung. He drew in shallow breaths, each one a knife in his chest. Then he collapsed next to her.

Treylon was sure his contact at the Bend was holding out on him, just to be difficult. And it
was
making things difficult. The Caidos were withering, the Deuces and Dragon children fading. He needed more power, and he was getting less.

His fingers gripped his phone, ready to call and…what, beg? Again? He released it, humiliation and anger washing over him. Gemini and his boss no doubt loved having this kind of sway over him, especially since they thought Treylon's panic over the solar storm was unfounded. Of course, they were right. Still, many Crescents
were
worried about the effects of the storm, just like the Mundanes had been worried about December 21, 2012, and the end of 1999. It was plausible, and the Bend had happily taken his money and supplied him with children. Until recently.

Let them laugh at him, as some had laughed when everything fell apart twenty years ago. The Dragon woman named Willow had escaped and gone to the Guard with allegations that he'd been keeping her and other children captive. While those sympathetic to the cause of freeing the gods and angels had intervened, they had also demanded that he step down from his esteemed position on the Concilium. They thought he was carrying things too far and, worse, jeopardizing their own positions. Not many Dragon and Deuce members would approve of him using their children for his goals, no matter how important.

He was exiled for a time. Only Silva had asked after his welfare, wanting desperately to play the role of son. But Treylon couldn't muster up that kind of affection, not after Kasabian had betrayed and nearly ruined him. He had no need for a son, only devoted servants.

The phone rang. Richard Talbot, an old friend who was still on the Concilium. He answered at the same time that someone knocked on his door.

“Hello, Richard,” he said.

Silva opened the door and came inside. He looked pale, haggard. Treylon lifted his finger.
Wait.

“Are you having any problems over there?” Talbot asked.

His gut tightened, and he looked at Silva. “Are we having a problem?”

Silva nodded. “Well, were having a problem, but it's been…taken care of.”

Treylon turned back to the call. “What's going on over there?”

“The nosy Vega and, oddly enough, a Muse from the building broke into my condo looking for the boy. Fortunately he was already on his way to you. But then the man driving the Hummer encountered an issue. He was being followed. He could only give me cursory details, as he is now on his way back to my private estate to hide the vehicle. The police will no doubt be looking for it.”

Treylon turned his attention to Silva. “What happened?”

“Kasabian…he was the one following.”

Silva might as well have hit him with a two-by-four. “My son, Kasabian?”

“He knows what we're doing. His memories have returned. I was hoping to take care of him without you knowing. So you didn't have to be put in the position of killing him.”

“You knew he was going to cause trouble and
you didn't tell me
?”

Silva winced at his booming voice. “I was protecting you.”

Treylon had forgotten momentarily that Talbot was on the line. He told him, “Let me know what you find out from the Vega.”

“I'm heading to a Concilium meeting so I can't interrogate them right now. But I'll see to it as soon as I return.”

Treylon disconnected, steepling his fingers on his desk. “I don't need to be protected. Or spared difficult decisions.” It had been embarrassing, his indecision when he'd been faced with terminating Kasabian and the other runaways. He had taken a big chance by relying on the memory lock. Now it had blown up in his face. “Tell me everything.”

Like a child admitting his transgressions, Silva relayed Kasabian's intrusion at the facility. “I ordered the driver to ram Kasabian's car, and I used my magick to send it over the railing. He's…dead.”

That word traveled through Treylon's veins like poison, leaving a cold trail in its path. “How can you be sure? He could have Leaped out.”

“My magick followed him all the way down, keeping him from Invoking. It's been on the news, a bystander's recording of the accident being played ad nauseam. The car hit hard and sank fast. I don't think he or the person with him could have survived. I checked his apartment and there's no sign of him. Nor was I able to Leap to him.”

Treylon couldn't let himself think about Kasabian's death, not right now. He focused on Silva. “If you ever keep important details from me again, I will kill you.”