With a shrug, Skye climbed into the back of the vehicle, her hands remaining clenched as she was sandwiched between the two demons. There was a brief conversation with the driver, who looked vaguely uneasy, before they took off with squealing tires.

  For the next hour, Skye ignored any attempts to draw her into a casual conversation. Did they expect her to pretend this was just another drive across the bridge into Manhattan? It wasn’t until they were turning onto a street a few blocks from Central Park that she realized their destination.

  “Valen’s lair?” she rasped. “Are you insane?”

  “What’s life without risk?” Lynx asked, leaning to the side to peer out the window at the towering glass-and-steel building.

  “Peaceful,” Skye muttered, deeply regretting the fact she was no longer snuggled in her bed, surrounded by the scent of a banana blueberry smoothie.

  “Dull. Average,” Lynx countered. “Worse than death.”

  “For you perhaps. Not for me.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Lynx shrugged. “All I need is for you to get us through the front door.”

  She made a sound of impatience. She wasn’t in the mood for games.

  “There’s the door.” She nodded toward the glass entrance as the SUV swerved toward the curb. “Go for it.”

  A blast of heat swirled through the vehicle as Lynx’s aura flared with streaks of silver.

  “Don’t mistake my desire to remain polite for weakness, Skye Claremont,” he warned in soft tones.

  Skye shivered. Clearly Lynx wasn’t in the mood for games either. “Why do you need me?”

  “You’re the best friend of Valen’s mate. A welcome guest.”

  Comprehension crashed into Skye. He wanted her to gain access to Valen. Or more likely to Peri.

  Suddenly she remembered Micha’s suggestion that the demons had lured her to the pub last night to force Peri into using her wild magic. She’d dismissed the idea. Now, she wasn’t nearly so confident the vampire had been leaping to conclusions.

  “What do you want with Peri?”

  “I swear on my life I won’t lay a finger on her.”

  Lynx leaned forward, shoving his arm over the seats that separated them from the goblin driver. There was an awkward pause before Lynx snapped his fingers and the goblin muttered something beneath his breath before he hurriedly yanked open the glove box to pull out something.

  Turning, he dropped a velvet bag onto Lynx’s upraised palm before whirling back around to grab the steering wheel in a death grip. As if he expected to be punished for not being prepared. Lynx, however, merely leaned back and opened the bag to withdraw a golden chain with a small amulet attached. He slid it over his head, allowing it to nestle against the hollow at the base of his throat. The smell of cloves swirled through the air, revealing the amulet was infused with a powerful spell. A second later, Skye realized exactly what it was. There was a tingle in the air as the golden medallion touched his skin, then a shimmering cobweb floated around him, altering his features and darkening his hair to black.

  A disguise amulet.

  It didn’t fully change his appearance, but his features were thicker and his face rounded while his body looked fifty pounds heavier. Plus, it muted his aura until it was so dim he could pass as a human. Anyone searching for a demon wouldn’t recognize him.

  He handed the bag to Yugan, and a second later Skye could feel the same magic coming from the male on the other side of her. Obviously money was no object, she silently acknowledged. A disguise amulet was illegal and cost thousands of dollars on the black market.

  Once the spell had taken full effect, Lynx shrugged out of his jacket, revealing a blue denim shirt. Skye’s brows snapped together as she caught sight of the patch sewn on the pocket.

  Witch’s Brew

  “Take us past the front desk, and no one gets hurt, got it?” Lynx commanded.

  Biting back her demand to know where he’d gotten his shirt, Skye focused on the reason she was sitting in the SUV in the first place.

  “I’m not doing anything until you release Clarissa.”

  His eyes flared with annoyance, but pulling out his phone, Lynx hit a number on the screen. It rang once before the sound of a male voice floated through the speaker.

  “Yeah?”

  “Wait ten minutes and return to the safehouse,” Lynx said.

  “What about the woman?”

  “Make sure she understands the cost of telling anyone about our visit and then leave her there.”

  “You’re sure?” There was a short pause before the servant realized that it wasn’t smart to question the boss. “Right. Got it. I’ll see ya at the—”

  Lynx cut short the babbling and shoved the phone back into his pocket. “Satisfied?”

  “Not even a little,” Skye muttered.

  With a shrug, Lynx shoved open the door of the vehicle and climbed out. He motioned Skye to follow. Skye ground her teeth, grudgingly obeying as she scooted across the seat and stepped onto the sidewalk. She didn’t have time to form an actual plan, which meant she was going to have to improvise.

  Shifting through various ideas, each worse than the last, Skye barely noticed as Lynx grabbed her elbow and tugged her through the glass doors into the lobby. It wasn’t until his fingers tightened and sent jolts of pain up her arm that she realized a uniformed guard had moved to block their path.

  “Oh, hi, Mercado,” she murmured, recognizing the tall, muscular demon who studied her with a dark gaze. “I’m here to see Peri.” She managed a weak smile as she waved her hand toward the males on either side of her. “They’re with me.”

  His gaze flicked over the strangers, no doubt taking note of the Witch’s Brew badges sewn onto the shirts and the lack of an aura. As far as he was concerned they were mere humans who worked at the coffee shop.

  “Should I call up and let her know you’re here?” he asked.

  Skye shook her head. “She’s expecting me.”

  With a nod he turned and led them across the elegant blue-and-silver lobby with fluted columns and a small fountain spewing water in the middle of the marble floor. He pulled out a keycard to open the elevator that was separate from those used by Valen’s demon staff who filled the various offices. Once inside the carriage, the guard pressed the button for the penthouse before he stepped out and allowed the doors to slide shut.

  Squeezing into the back corner to avoid the two males who consumed more than their fair share of space, Skye brushed her fingers over the charms on her bracelet. She’d done what she promised. Now it was time to fight.

  Unfortunately, once they reached Valen’s apartment, she would have only seconds to decide which spell to use...

  Her silent plotting was disrupted when Lynx reached into the pocket of his shirt to pull out a thin plastic card and swiped it over the electronic panel next to the doors. There was a loud beep before Lynx tapped the button for the basement.

  Skye pushed herself out of the corner as the elevator abruptly shuddered to a halt and then zoomed downward.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded. “Peri is in the penthouse.”

  Lynx sent her a mocking smile. “I’m not here for Peri.”

  Fear crawled through Skye, along with a blast of recrimination. It hadn’t occurred to her that they might be at this building for any other reason than to stir up trouble for Valen and Peri. Which was stupid. Every Cabal member had hundreds of powerful enemies. Not to mention fellow vampires who were constantly maneuvering to gain power. It was Game of Thrones on an epic scale.

  What better time to strike than when they were away from the protection of their lair?

  Of course, everyone knew that Valen was a fanatic when it came to security. Not only did he have private rooms in the basement for his guests, but no one was allowed on that floor. Not Valen’s staff, not the visiting vampires’ staff. Only Valen, who had access to entire building, plus the four visiting vampires were permitted.

  Kane. Gabriel. The ambassador. And Micha.

  “Where did you get a key?” She spoke her confusion out loud.

  Lynx winked. “I’m not just a pretty face.”

  Skye shook her head. She couldn’t argue about his pretty face. He was gorgeous. But the fact that he was willing to risk the fury of four of the most powerful vampires in the world made her question his sanity.

  “You must have a death wish,” she muttered.

  “What I have is ambition and the courage to grab opportunity with both hands.”

  With his arrogance on full display, Lynx strolled out of the elevator as the doors slid open and headed down the brightly lit hallway to the door at the end. He walked with the confidence of a man who knew exactly where he was going and without fear he was going to be challenged.

  Skye watched him go, debating whether to scream or shut the elevator doors and go in search of help. The decision was made for her when Yugan wrapped an arm around her waist and clamped a hand over her mouth before dragging her down the hallway.

  She didn’t bother to fight against his tight grip. The demon not only had a hundred pounds on her, but he was as strong as an ox. Her strength didn’t come from muscles. Closing her eyes, Skye whispered a quick spell. She couldn’t kill the fairy, but she could make him wish he was dead.

  Releasing a burst of magic, Skye opened her eyes, expecting her captor to drop her as a crippling pain ripped through him. Instead, there was a weird popping sound in her ears as the spell fizzled and died.

  Crap. Valen had some sort of dampening shield that squashed any attempt to use her magic. Her hasty plans were now worthless. Without her spells she didn’t have a chance of stopping Lynx. No wonder he hadn’t been worried about having her along.

  She was shoved inside a vast bedroom that looked like something out of Versailles, with a fancy canopied bed, a carved wooden armoire and several matching chairs arranged around the Parisian carpet. It even had a chandelier dangling from the ceiling.

  Lynx came to an abrupt halt in the center of the room, his confidence faltering as he glanced around.

  “He has to be here,” he muttered, turning in a slow circle.

  “Look out!” Yugan shouted, releasing his hold on Skye as he lunged forward to deflect the blow from the vampire who appeared from the shadows.

  The fairy grunted as a fist hit him directly in the face and he flew sideways through the air, slamming into the bed with enough force to snap one of the wooden posts. The canopy drooped, and the scent of blood filled the air.

  Skye barely noticed as her gaze locked on Micha. He’d obviously used his mysterious powers to disguise his presence, along with his scent that suddenly flooded through her.

  She sucked in a deep breath, as if she’d been starving for that crisp, icy fragrance. And maybe I have, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. There were some creatures who believed in destined mates...

  With a muttered profanity, Skye sternly squashed her bizarre thoughts and rushed toward Micha, who was preparing to attack Lynx. She had to stop him before he did something impulsive. Micha might be twice as strong as the fairy, but Lynx had obviously planned this intrusion into his private rooms. He wouldn’t have come in here if he didn’t have a nasty surprise up his sleeve.

  “Micha!”

  His head jerked in her direction, as if startled by her presence. He was wearing nothing more than a pair of black running shorts that hung low on his hips, revealing his corded muscles that clenched in shock as he watched her run toward him. She grabbed his arm, intending to warn him he had to flee, but as soon as her fingers touched his bare skin, she recognized there was more than one danger.

  She had a brief moment to savor the cool satin of his skin before the magic being suppressed by the dampening spell abruptly bubbled through her. It hissed as if annoyed at being repressed, and digging her fingers into Micha’s arm, she tried to battle back the surging magic.

  A wasted effort, of course. This wasn’t just a spell. It was a deeper, darker power that came from the very depths of her soul.

  Skye shuddered. The impending vision was like a black hole, sucking her into the center with a gravitational force that was inescapable. She felt a layer of sweat coat her skin as a blinding light exploded in the center of her mind. The world faded, leaving her defenseless in the hands of the lethal demons. Demons who were currently on the cusp of violence.

  This was what it meant to be a seer.

  The glorious gift of the future, combined with a terrifying vulnerability.

  With grudging reluctance, Skye relaxed her coiled muscles, allowing the vision to form. The sooner it happened, the sooner she could return to reality. Or at least that was the hope.

  As expected, the image of Micha burned in the center of the light. She was touching him, so it only made sense this vision would include him. But as the light expanded, she realized that Micha was wearing the running shorts he had on now, which indicated that the future she was seeing was happening within minutes, hours, or days from now. No more than a week.

  She’d had precog events before. Most notably when her mother died, and another when Peri first came into her powers. Not to mention a day ago, when they’d been under attack at the old theater and she’d seen Maya lying dead on the stairs. But usually the visions peered years into the future.

  The image expanded even more and Skye’s confusion deepened as she watched Micha throw up his hands to cover his face. Was he being attacked? Was it Lynx? No, not Lynx, she abruptly realized as flames suddenly surrounded him. It looked like a volcano had erupted, and she screamed in horror as lava spilled over him, searing the flesh from his body before his bones melted into a puddle of goo.

  She kept screaming as the vision expanded to reveal that the fire was not just consuming Micha, it was consuming the world. Everywhere she looked the earth was drenched in fire, the ground cracking as lava poured out to create a hellscape from which there was no escape.

  Her heart stuttered back into motion, beating with a sluggish dread as the vision seared through her brain. This was the future not just for Micha, but for the world.

  She didn’t understand the fire, or how it was going to sweep disaster across the land. It could be actual fire, or it could be a mere symbol of utter devastation, but she did know without a doubt that Micha had to be kidnapped by Lynx. And while she couldn’t see herself in the vision, she sensed she had to stay with him.

  Grappling to understand the images, Skye felt a stab of panic as the image became dazzlingly bright. She knew what was going to happen even as there was a blinding flash before the vision shattered, like a glass being tossed against the wall.

  Pain stabbed through her mind, a pain so fierce she thought someone had stabbed a dagger in her brain. Then thankfully everything went black and she fell to the ground.

  Chapter 8

  Micha managed to catch Skye as she abruptly collapsed, her eyes rolling back in her head as she presumably fainted.

  It wasn’t often that he found himself blindsided by events, but he felt as if he was in a nightmare. What the hell was happening? One minute he’d been resting in bed and the next he’d heard the click of his lock. Instinct had him flowing to disappear in the shadows by the armoire, prepared to attack the intruder. He’d known there were others with the tall fairy who halted in the middle of the room, but he sensed this male was the leader.

  He’d surged forward, more annoyed than worried as the second fairy blocked his initial blow. The tall fairy was strong, but he was no match for a vampire. Still, he needed to finish the threat as quickly as possible. Who knew if his fellow vampires were being attacked at the same time?

  Foolishly focused on what he considered his most dangerous opponent, he barely noticed the human dashing toward him, not until he belatedly caught the scent of laurel leaves and Skye was clutching his arm.

  Too shocked to knock her away, he glared down at her, waiting for her to explain what she was doing there. Instead, her lips parted in a silent scream and her eyes glowed as if they were being lit with an inner fire.

  Was she being hurt? Had the fairies done something to her? Or was it a vision?

  He was still trying to figure out what was happening when she collapsed and he instinctively scooped her limp body into his arms.

  At the same time, the fairy leaped forward to snap a thin silver hoop around his neck. Before Micha could react, the demon was scurrying backward, holding up a small metal device with a button in the center.

  “You know what this is?” the male demanded.

  Micha did. The silver collars had been created centuries ago in an effort to control vampires. They hadn’t been particularly successful. Vampires were allergic to silver, and having the metal against his bare skin was creating painful blisters, but it didn’t lessen his power or threaten his life. Recently, however, the demons had added a new layer to the collars by installing small explosives that could be activated by the device the fairy was holding. Some were small enough to do damage without killing, but others were specifically designed to blow the head off a vampire.

  Micha simply stared at the intruder. He’d had fifteen hundred years in his current resurrection. He’d discovered that silence was far more powerful than any response he could make.

  The fairy stiffened, clearly expecting a violent reaction. Then, slowly stepping back, he motioned toward the male standing next to the bed, wiping away the blood that dribbled from his busted nose.

  “Yugan, get the seer.”

  With a caution that revealed he wasn’t eager for another blow from Micha, the servant inched forward, only to halt as a low growl rumbled in Micha’s throat. It wasn’t a conscious warning. Just as his arms tightening around Skye’s soft body wasn’t a deliberate choice. It’d simply happened. As if some instinct inside him had taken command.