Shaken by the kiss, she stood on unsteady legs. “I won’t be long.” He was still sitting there when she closed the bathroom door behind her.

  …

  The Angel Foundation was on the sixth floor of a Manhattan midrise office building. They’d caught the subway to a stop near their destination and grabbed something to eat at a fast-food outlet before walking the rest of the way.

  “This is it.” Raine paused outside a door. The glass was frosted, but the name of the organization was written on it in blue.

  He stepped in front of her. “Stay behind me.”

  “I doubt an angel would attack us in such a busy location,” she muttered. He wasn’t so sure and was taking no chances.

  She’d been willing to let him tamper with her memories to protect him. For as long as he’d lived, he’d never met anyone like her. Protective as he’d been before, it was worse now. He’d level the city before he’d allow harm to come to her. That gave him pause. Maybe that was the entire reason behind all this. Raine made him even more dangerous than before he’d settled into the Deep Sleep. One wrong move on his part and whoever was behind this could petition the Brotherhood to have him put down. They’d have no choice but to comply.

  She was the perfect weapon. She didn’t have to do anything but be herself.

  “What?” she whispered. “Do you hear something?”

  “I had a thought. I’ll tell you after.” He pushed at the door, but it didn’t open. “It’s locked.” He tried again, only adding more pressure. Metal snapped and the door swung inward.

  “You’re really too good at that.” She slipped inside. “Hurry. There are probably cameras in the hallway. The police might already be on their way.”

  “I don’t think so.” There wasn’t a soul here. The reception desk was empty—no computer or phone or even a pen. “They’ve pulled out.”

  Raine hurried down a short hallway to an office. “It’s the same in here.”

  He looked over her shoulder into the abandoned room. Only the furniture remained. “Check the desk drawers and filing cabinets. I’ll do the same out here.”

  “Right.” She went straight to work.

  The space wasn’t big, but a foundation of this kind didn’t need a lot. Still, it was a surprise that there was only one office, a small kitchen, conference room, bathroom, and reception area. He went through each methodically.

  “Anything?” he asked when she joined him.

  “Two paperclips, a quarter, and a half-filled box of tissues. You?”

  “Some paper coffee cups, packets of sugar, and stir sticks.”

  “They took everything. They had to be in on what happened.” She nibbled her bottom lip as she peered around. “I guess our next step is to investigate the Angel Foundation. If they rented office space, someone had to sign a lease. If the organization wasn’t totally bogus, there might be information about them in some records or online.”

  He admired the way her mind was always working, figuring out new ways to tackle the problem.

  “Maybe the person behind this is a drakon hunter. Is that even a thing? There are vampire hunters. I’d think they’d need a whole team or an army to take you on.”

  “There’ve been highly organized groups dedicated to capturing or destroying us.”

  “Maybe one of them discovered your resting place.”

  “That doesn’t explain why they sent you.” How could they have known how she’d affect him? She’d been targeted, just as he had. More and more, he was convinced it was dark magic.

  A ringing sound came from her pocket. “My phone.” She dug it out and stared at it. “Unknown caller.” Face pale, she looked to him for direction.

  “Answer it. Put it on speaker.”

  “Hello?”

  “Raine Carson.”

  It wasn’t a question. The voice was very deep and authoritative. It was also very familiar. He hadn’t heard it in hundreds of years, but there was no mistaking Maccus Fury.

  “Yes.” She shifted her weight from side to side. Lucius wrapped his arms around her from behind, silently supporting her.

  “You or someone left this number.”

  He wished they’d gone over what she should say. He’d thought they’d have more time. Maccus was as antisocial as they came. He’d half expected the message to be ignored.

  “I left it. Is this…” She huffed out a breath. “Is this Maccus?”

  The silence was menacing. “What do you know about drakons, Ms. Carson?”

  “More than I did a few days ago.” Lucius’s pride in her grew with each passing second. Not many would stand their ground with the leader of the Brotherhood.

  He was about to step in when Maccus responded. “If you’ve hurt him in any way, I’ll hunt you down and kill you. There is nowhere you can hide where I can’t find you.”

  Relief swamped him, making his head spin. He hadn’t been betrayed. “Glad that I’m not harmed then.”

  “Lucius? How is this possible? You went into the Deep Sleep, didn’t you?” Suspicion tinged his voice.

  “I did, but Raine woke me after someone worked it so she was trapped in the cave with me.”

  “We need to talk.”

  “Where are you? It might take me a while to get there, depending on what part of the world you’re currently living in. I’ve been informed it would be dangerous for me to take to the skies.” The logistics would be problematic if his friend was on another continent. Countries had identification called passports and airport screenings and more security than he’d likely had time to skim in the short bursts he’d had online.

  “I had someone I trust hack Ms. Carson’s phone. You’re about six blocks away.”

  “You’re here?” Mistrust reared its ugly head again. “It’s a huge coincidence the same foundation that sent Raine to find me is in the same city where you reside.”

  He snorted. “I doubt it’s a coincidence. The Brotherhood has been under attack from some powerful enemies. I thought that had been handled, but this is troublesome. Bring your Ms. Carson, or not. It’s up to you.”

  “She goes where I go.”

  Maccus rattled off the address. “We’ll see you in a few.”

  “We?”

  “Don’t dawdle.” The phone went dead.

  “Do we go or do we run?” Raine took the phone from him and tucked it back in her pocket.

  It would be smarter to send her back to the hotel or to a crowded restaurant. She’d likely be safe surrounded by humans. Even as he thought it, tension bunched the muscles in his neck and shoulders and scales rippled beneath his skin. She didn’t belong in his dangerous world, but his drakon would not allow them to be parted. “We go.” There was no other choice if he wanted to uncover the truth. “If this is about the Brotherhood, they’ll either have answers or help us find them.”

  “He said ‘we’ll see you.’ Who else do you think will be there?”

  He ushered her out of the office, down the elevator, and outside before replying, “Maybe another member of the Brotherhood.”

  “Vampires? Werewolves? Others? Help a girl out.”

  Taking her hand, he cleared a path down the center of the sidewalk. It was convenient that people got out of his way. Safer for them, too. “I don’t know who will be there, who might have died, or if there has been any new member. I’ve been away a long time.”

  She dug in her heels, forcing him to stop. One man cursed at her until Lucius glared at him. Then he ducked his head and practically ran. “Then how can you trust Maccus? You said he’s a fallen angel.” The last was said in a hissed whisper. Not that anyone was listening. There were so many people all crammed into a small area, each of them rushing around. They reminded him of ants on an ant hill.

  “Maccus Fury is a law unto himself.” He tugged and got her moving again. It occurred to him that someone could be watching from any of the surrounding buildings. There were so many of them, offering the perfect vantage point to mount an attack with a conventional weapon. Having Raine exposed like this made her an even bigger target. Unlike him, she wouldn’t survive a gunshot to the head or chest. “He also won’t take kindly to being left waiting.”

  “We don’t want to piss off a fallen angel.”

  “That was sarcasm, right?” He turned a corner, following the directions his friend had given. All his senses were on alert, watching and listening for anything out of the ordinary.

  “You think? This is all old hat to you, but I don’t know anything about these people. I hardly know anything about drakons. I know the lore and myths, but that’s not reality.”

  She was right. She deserved the truth. Knowledge was power, and she needed all the resources she could get. It would also help deepen her trust in him if he shared. “There are four types of drakons—earth, air, fire, and water.”

  “Which one are you?”

  “Earth.”

  She perked up and picked up her pace. “Don’t stop now.”

  This was common knowledge among those who hunted his kind, but it was still harder than he’d expected to speak of it. His past had left him with emotional wounds that were still raw, and she was bearing the brunt of his mistrust. “You know how we came into being, how we procreate, and about the Deep Sleep. And you know about my blood.” She knew more than she thought she did.

  “How come there’s never been any bones, any evidence of your kind? Or have archaeologists misclassified dinosaur bones?”

  He gritted his teeth. “Once and for all, we are not dinosaurs.” They’d had this discussion in the cave.

  She patted his arm. “No need to be touchy. You’re much sexier than a T-Rex.”

  If they were anywhere else, he’d show her the truth of her words, but they’d reached their destination—a tall apartment high-rise. “Dragons, and drakons, burn when they die. It destroys all evidence of their existence. Only a drakon’s own fire can destroy his blood. It’s an evolutionary protection so drakons can’t harm other drakons with their fire.”

  “That is so cool. Smart, too, otherwise it wouldn’t take long for the species to potentially wipe itself out. That might not be a problem, since you all live for so long.” They walked back to the bank of elevators and stood there staring at it. “He didn’t say what floor.” The door in front of them slid open. With a shrug, she stepped forward with him close behind. “Guess we don’t need to know.”

  There were likely cameras everywhere. This new world was fascinating, and potentially very dangerous for all paranormals. Humans had populated at an alarming rate and showed no signs of stopping. They and their technology were reaching the furthest reaches of the globe.

  The doors closed and the elevator began to move.

  Raine curled her fingers around his. “Looks like we’re heading to the penthouse.”

  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.”