Chaos Rises: A Veil World Urban Fantasy (21 page)

“Why
are
you here?” I chanced asking. Anything I learned here could prove invaluable later.

“Call it curiosity.” He lifted a finger and waited for my reaction. I blinked, unsure what he was about to do. His outline blurred and swirled again, but this time, when he sharpened back into focus, his wings had gone. He wore a magenta shirt and black tailored pants.

He caught the shirt collar between his fingers and thumbs and rolled his shoulders, shrugging the clothes into place. “How do I look?” He cracked a smile so devastating it could have stopped traffic.

My mouth fell open.

“I know.” He sighed dramatically. “Naked is far more impressive. Why anyone would not want to look upon my spectacular male vessel is beyond comprehension. Humans are sensitive with their social etiquettes and countless laws.” His brilliant smile grew and turned devilish. “There will be plenty of time for nudity.” He clapped his hands together, making both Torrent and me jump. “Let’s start at the beginning. My name is Li’el.” He spread his hands and briefly inclined his head. He’d changed from a terrifying force of nature to charming Englishman in the space of a few minutes. “I have many names, some more infamous than others. And naturally, I am the Prince of Pride. While I did not need your assistance, little girl, the thought was appreciated.” He gestured at my chest—probably at the feather close to my heart. “Think of me as your guardian. A guardian angel, if you will.” His lips moved, trapping a laugh, but the humor escaped into his clouded eyes.

Angel? There were no angels. Just demons. Clever demons, pretty demons, demons with burned wings, featherless, but they were all sly, manipulative power-hungry demons.

“Perhaps you should sit, little half blood, before you swoon. It’s been several years since I’ve had a human female swoon in my presence. Go right ahead. I’ll watch.”

Swoon? What? “I’m not—”

“Be careful with Azazel.” This, Li’el directed at Torrent, and his tone had once again turned on a dime, deepening with caution. “You have both ascended, despite the inconsistencies. You will gain strength from your brethren. A Dark Court is a delicate balance.” He trailed off. His cloudy eyes swirled, as though his focus was far away. And then, in a blink, the smile was back, as bright as ever. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” He inclined his head and cracked the joints in his neck. When he next spoke, his accent had morphed into cocky American. His demeanor shifted too, loosening his shoulders into a relaxed slouch. He tucked a hand into his pants pocket. “I need to go stretch my wings, fuck until I can’t see straight, and start several riots in my name.” His smile stretched. “It’s been too long.”

In a blink, he was gone, leaving a brief swirl of black dust behind.

I stared at the settling dust, wondering if any of what I’d just seen and heard was real. One second, he was smoke, then demon, then American. I’d never seen a demon look or behave as he had. Li’el had acted as though he took pride in the human male form. He relished in it. Demons didn’t
do
human.
Pride
. The accents, the words, the gift. I touched my hand to my chest. The feather was still there, still real.

“What just happened? Was the Prince of Pride just here, with the wings, and the…everything else?” Torrent looked at me, his expression as muddled as mine. “Did we just get played by a Prince of Hell?”

“Us? No. But I think Allard may have.”

“Are we just going to let Pride go?”

I blinked. “Any ideas how to stop him?”

Torrent frowned at the same spot, now completely empty. Li’el hadn’t left a trace. Nothing to mark the presence of one of the Seven. “Okay, so we can’t deal with Pride right now, but we do have to go back to Fairhaven.”

I locked my jaw. Hand holding aside, I still had a demon in me whose sole purpose for living seemed to be destroying Allard. “If I go back, I’ll try and kill Allard. It would end…badly.”

“Then give him what he wants until we have the answers we need. Control it.”

“Control it?” I laughed a shrill, sudden bark. “Oh, control it? Why didn’t I think of that? You don’t seem to understand. It’s
what I do.
It’s what I’ve always done. The demon in me, it doesn’t care about anything but bloodshed. It’s been conditioned to kill other demons. No exceptions.
That
is controlled.”

Torrent looked at me out of the corner of his eye, clearly wanting to say more. Maybe he wondered why I hadn’t killed him, why I’d saved him outside the precinct. He’d forgotten I had PC34A in me then. Now, I didn’t. Now, I had unbridled demon thoughts running rampant around my head, and he really did not want to know what those thoughts were telling me to do with him and then to him in some very graphic and imaginative ways. The only thing that had saved him so far was his submissive stance. But that was changing. The challenge in his eyes and in the set of his shoulders wasn’t helping. Maybe it was the ascension, or maybe his submissive routine was a very thorough ruse. He’d admitted he was very good at delivering on expectations. Was I just seeing what I’d expected to see?

If he attacked, I’d counter. Just the thought of it buzzed through my veins. I wanted him to make his move. Anything would be better than the nervous energy rattling through my bones.

“You’ve always had that drug in your veins?” he asked, tightly.

“More or less.” Not in the netherworld, but I did not want to start that conversation here, while the tension ramped up all over again.

“What are you running from? Allard, or something else?”

I stiffened. “I’m not running.”

“So why are we still here? We need to go back. The answers are at Fairhaven.”

“The Institute—”

“The Institute would have sealed off what they could and retreated. There are too many demons in that hotel for them to attempt anything else.” He scowled at me like this was all somehow my fault. “Running away isn’t going to solve anything. Your brother might still be there. I thought this whole thing was about getting your beloved brother back?”

I gritted my teeth. We had to go back I knew it. But I didn’t like it.

“We go back,” he said. “Or I’ll call Allard and tell him exactly where you are. Sound familiar?”

The defiance in his eyes told me he’d do it. Maybe he had already. Had he paid for more hours, or was that a lie? A warning growl bubbled up my throat, and his upper lip twitched in response, likely wanting to curl into a snarl.
Demon
.

I yanked back on the runaway thoughts and forced my gaze to slide away—not down, not that, but level—and toward the door. “Is Allard on his way here?”

“No. I was going to call him. It would have convinced him I’m thoroughly his…” Torrent’s snarl turned into a knowing sideways smile. “But I’m not the one made of ice.”

I winced a little inside. His words shouldn’t have hurt. Why did what he think mattered? He was just another owned half blood. Another demon.

But that wasn’t exactly true. He’d changed since the Fall. He was different from the demon in the picture tucked into my back pocket. Whatever happened, we were tied—
bonded
by the ascension. I couldn’t run without knowing what that meant.

“Fine.” I’d go into Fairhaven. Get Del out, no matter what. Get my answers, and I’d never see Allard, Torrent, or Fairhaven again. I’d get my brother back, and it would just be me and him, like always. Nothing else mattered, not even
friends
.

E
yes glowed
in the purple near dark of the nw-zone. The occasional growl drifted to us on a hot, bitter-tasting breeze, but the lesser didn’t attack. I’d caught Torrent’s eye, wondering if he was thinking the same as me. The lessers should have been all over our human scent like a pack of wolves on a wounded deer. Did that mean we were less human? Hopefully, Allard would have the answer.

We’d dropped by the rotting carcass of the spiny-rhino
armatae
demon, so I could rip one of its barbed spines free. I’d wrapped the spike in a sheet of newspaper and tucked it against my back. When Torrent had asked what it was for, I’d told him insurance. He hadn’t asked again. He hadn’t said a lot since we’d started back toward Fairhaven.

The sun threatened to rise as we the approached Fairhaven. The hole in the side of the building still gaped, and a new blue and white flashing cordon sealed off the street from any human stupid enough to wander near the pier. The cool morning crept across the beach, sweeping the majority of the demons back into their favorite shadowy corners. I pushed out a little of my touch, reaching for any sign of my brother, but either he wasn’t here or Allard had locked him up again.
Or maybe he’s hiding
—a rogue thought attacked—
like the prince was.
I dismissed it, refusing to give doubt its purchase.

The plan was simple: walk back in like we wanted to be here, like we were grateful for Allard’s ascension and what it had done to us. In Torrent’s words,
Give Allard exactly what he wants.
It meant I had to play the obedient pet long enough to convince Allard to let me get close to Del, and then we’d both be gone from Fairhaven, from LA, for good.

We strode into the hotel grounds, and almost immediately, the pull of power snapped through me, as though we’d crossed an invisible threshold. That hadn’t been there before. Torrent’s stride faltered. He’d felt it too. We shared a knowing glance. His lips turned down, and his doubts showed on his face. I nodded once, even as fear plucked at my bravery. If we’d changed and Fairhaven had changed, was Allard more powerful too? We continued toward the foyer, one step in front of the other. Going back wasn’t an option.

Beside the doors, Torrent suddenly hissed through his teeth. His element snapped to him, stirring mine in its wake. He glared ahead, through the grime-coated doors to the demon perched on the edge of the reception desk.

Vanessa.

She wore yet another vessel, this one a dark-skinned female. Loose, dark curls spilled over her shoulders. Her all-black clothes and glossy leather boots completed the brooding persona. I spilled a little demon into my vision and noticed how filaments of fire danced in her dark eyes, eyes fixed on Torrent. She might have looked human, but her desktop crouch and flaming eyes revealed the truth.

I hadn’t counted on her being the one to greet us. Torrent could handle Allard, but Vanessa clearly rubbed his scales the wrong way. He stood rigidly, his hands clenched into fists.

I wanted to tell him he could face her, but if she heard, she’d consider my support his weakness. Better for him to stride right on in like he didn’t care. Vanessa cocked her head. Her fingers rippled where she hung her hands over her knees.

Finally, Torrent broke through whatever held him back. Vanessa watched us approach, a smile crawling across her lips with our every step.

“And the pets return,” she purred the moment we entered the foyer. “Allard will be pleased.” She spared me little more than a glance before all of her attention fell back over Torrent. “You’re not going to kneel, my Torrent?”

“I’m not yours.” His smooth, calm tone was made all the more chilling by the very real and sharp lash of his element.

“Ah, yes. Allard’s now. Well” —she flicked her wrist —“he’s not here.”

“Where is he?” I butted in while I could. If she pushed Torrent, he’d push back. I needed answers before these two tore into each other.

Vanessa reluctantly pulled her gaze away from Torrent and slid it toward me. “Celebrating, no doubt.”

“Celebrating what exactly?”

She hopped off the desk, landing lightly on her feet, but hung back, keeping a healthy distance between us. Her magnetic glances strayed back to Torrent simmering beside me. “We’ve ascended,” she said with an over-the-top flourish. “Azazel achieved the impossible. A squabble of demons has ascended to the heady heights of the Dark Court.” She took a few steps toward me, her gaze roaming, prickling my skin. “Can’t you feel it?”

I could feel a whole lot of things, but I had no idea what any of them meant.

“Of course, it will never stick,” she continued flippantly. “You can’t force demons into power. His circus will collapse around him.” There was fire in her eyes again, and this time, when she looked at me, the glare burned deep. “I could help you with that, if you were so inclined.”

Neither of us looked away. She smiled, and her pointed little white teeth crowded her human mouth. I had no doubt she could help me. Allard had torn her wings from her back. In her position, I’d want him skewered and slow-roasted too. But there would be a price.

“Azazel is formidable, even more as an ascended one. You are not strong enough, Gem. But the two of us?” She drifted closer and darted the tip of her tongue along her bottom lip. “Your ice alone won’t stop him. My fire washes over him. But imagine—theoretically—what may happen should fire and ice assault Azazel in unison.” She demonstrated by lacing her long fingers together and then flung her hands apart.

“We didn’t come here to fight Allard,” Torrent said. I’d been so engrossed in Vanessa’s theories I’d forgotten he stood beside me.

“
You
didn’t,” Vanessa replied, keeping her gaze trained on me. “But she did. You can’t hide your intentions, Gem. Not now. We’re family. We’re court. I taste your thirst for vengeance like I feel your element. Allard will taste it too.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “You and I, we want the same thing.”

“Don’t trust her.”

Vanessa snapped a scolding glance at Torrent. “So quick to defy me with Azazel behind you. Make no mistake. You are mine Torrent, no matter what he says. You will always be mine.” Torrent’s element swelled, and Vanessa laughed, “Oh, down boy. Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not going to hurt you. Unless you want me to?” She winked.

Power lashed around Torrent, sparking across my skin, stealing a small hiss from between my teeth. He was quick to recognize it though, and rather than attack, he retreated with a low growl.

Keeping a wary eye on Torrent, Vanessa stepped up close and whispered, “Fire and ice, Gem. We could shatter Azazel.” Promises glittered in her eyes. Pure demon. She’d like nothing better than to grind Allard to dust. I knew because I was thinking the same. Inside me, the ice-cold killer wanted to see Allard suffer like he’d made us suffer, like he’d made my brother suffer and Torrent and who knew how many others? I could dress it up as justice, but I wanted to sink my teeth into Allard and own him. Vanessa knew that feeling. She understood. In this, we were the same.

“All right.”

“Excellent.” Her smile brightened.

“After I get my brother back.”

Dipping her chin, her fiery eyes peered at me through dark lashes. “You’ll need Allard to release him from the basement. No demon can breach his glyphs.” I moved toward the basement door when Vanessa caught my wrist, pulling me up short. “There’s nothing you can do—”

“I can get to him.” I just needed more PC34A. I’d take it like I had before, and everything would be okay. I’d get to Del and cut him free. We could leave this madness behind.

Vanessa’s grip loosened, but she didn’t let me go. Instead, she shifted closer and leaned in to deliver her next words as a whisper. “We face Allard together, and we’ll free your brother. You have my word.”

The worthless word of a demon. But I knew what she wanted. Revenge.

She needed me.

“I have to see Del. I have to know he’s here.”

She dipped her chin. “You’re ascended. But by all means try.” She let go of my arm, flicking a gesture toward the door. “Life is a lot more complicated now, half blood. Those human feelings of yours will wither and die as your demon rises.”

Holding her dark-eyed gaze, I hesitated. She wore her vessel well and stared back at me in that stone still way only demons could. Too beautiful to be real, her radiant allure pulled me deeper into her gaze.

“If my brother’s demon rises…” I smiled and reached a hand toward her face. Her cheek was warm, soft, and smooth. Perfect. Too perfect. Inside, vengeance burned. “Allard will be the least of your concerns.”

I left her in the foyer, heading toward the basement, casting a glance back at Torrent to find him by the entrance, his glare resting heavily on me.

Vanessa was right. The glyphs lashed at me as I approached, flash-burning my skin, as though peeling layers back. I shied away with a hiss. I couldn’t get close, not as I was. If I found more PC34A, I might be able to penetrate it, but PC34A would also leave me vulnerable at a time when I couldn’t afford to be weak. I’d have to face Allard and make him release Del.
Me and Vanessa
.

Vanessa leaned against the front desk. Torrent had gone.

She nodded at the doors. “He’s outside.”

Another time, I might have asked her to tell me more about Torrent. But their history wasn’t any of my business, and we had more pressing matters. Besides, I was leaving soon. Torrent would be a distant memory. “Vanessa—”

“Call me Van.” Her smile twitched.

“
Van,
I need Allard to release Del. We can’t kill him.”

“Oh, Gem.” She shoved away from the desk and sashayed toward me. “Killing Allard is the last thing on my mind.” When she stopped, her smile turned hard as ice, and fire once again stirred in her dark eyes. “He took my wings. He’ll beg me to kill him. I can promise you that.”

Demon shivers rolled across my skin at the threat in her words. The chilling presence inside me appreciated her intention. Van might have had her wings ripped from her, but she was still powerful, still deadly.

“Partners, little half blood?” She held out her hand, claw tips—that could pass as black nail polish—glinting.

Fire and ice working together? She’d likely try and kill me as soon as she’d gotten what she wanted. A good thing then, that I was thinking the same.

I closed my fingers around hers and gritted my teeth against the pinpricks fizzling through our touch—our elements reacting. “Temporarily.”

“Temporarily.”