Dawn of a Dark Knight (33 page)

Ashor relayed the address to Scott and requested he pull it up in the security room.

Minutes later, all seven magi and Kira stood around Scott watching the live web feed. Kira gasped as the camera focused on the person kneeling on an elevated platform in the center of a ritual chamber. Vance. His hands were secured behind him. His face wasn’t visible, but his breathing was odd, almost irregular. He seemed too complacent in his silence.

At least thirty robed men surrounded the dais with heads bowed. They chanted dissonant, monophonic tones led by Terek who slow walked to the raised platform. The hairs on the back of Kira’s neck rose.

Terek removed a dagger from his robe. He descended from the platform and went off camera, returning a moment later towing a man behind him. He pushed the man to kneel beside Vance.

Kira squinted at the screen. She recognized the man as the one who had chased them on Long Island.

Terek wrote symbols in the air with his free hand. He sliced his forearm. The chanting crescendoed within the chamber. Abruptly, the chanted tones stopped. In the silence, Terek stabbed the drugged man directly into his heart. Simultaneously, he spoke the seemingly incoherent daemon language. The man’s blood flowed around and over Terek’s hand, which was still clutching the blade now deeply embedded in the man’s chest.

Javen mumbled disgustedly, “He’s getting off on this.”

A grayish-purple, humanoid daemon materialized. All the robed men immediately kneeled when the evil spirit solidified. They hummed low in what sounded like a prayer.

Eric said, “Now we have proof he’s the summoner. Ethan, you understand what they’re chanting?”

“It’s really boring. Mostly about declaring adoration and blah-blah-blah. Kiss-ass shit. Nothing useful.”

Ashor responded, “I feel the daemon, but not where it is, yet.”

On screen, Terek spoke to the daemon in that peculiar language. The daemon smiled, which was more of a grimace. In doing so, it displayed a revolting set of pointed teeth. The daemon turned into a purple mist and channeled into Vance’s body. Vance fell into convulsions that bounced his body off the elevated dais.

Kira gasped. She looked hopefully up at Ashor. “We can get to him. I can help him as I did with you.”

Ashor shook his head negatively. “Magi have a natural resistance to their evil. Vance may fight it for a few minutes, but it’s over. If we have you try to exorcise the daemon, his body will die. Therefore, it’s simpler just to send them both into the next world.”

Ethan commented, “Now that was interesting. Terek lied to the thing. He promised if it possessed this body, he would release it later. We know that’s bullshit. Once inside a human, it’s committed. You’d think if it could be released, Terek, or should I say Djoser, wouldn’t be stuck in that body.”

“How do we know he’s stuck in that body? Wait, look. He’s not done yet,” Javen said.

Terek laughed, looked directly at the camera. “Dr. Hardy, bring me the amulet within three days. If you don’t, I’ll make sure Markus Langford finds a similar end.” The camera cut off mid-laugh. Silent blackness filled the screen.

Kira grabbed the cell phone from the table beside Scott. She dialed Markus’s cell phone. He didn’t answer. She ran down the hall to the hospital bed where Kane rested. She shook him awake.

Kane grabbed her arm, looking deadly and disoriented.

Kira demanded, “Where’s Markus?”

Kane dropped her arm. “Probably in Virginia.”

“Kane, they…I mean the Hashishins…They killed Vance and it’s all my fault.” She choked on a sob and turned to Ashor for help explaining before the sobs overtook her. Ashor drew her close.

“What?” Kane’s gaze shot to Ashor.

“They killed Vance by daemon possession on a live web feed. Terek wants Kira to bring him the amulet that Markus was after a few days ago. If she doesn’t, he threatened to do the same to Markus.”

“Can they send another demon-thing to assassinate Markus?”

“They’d need him to be in proximity to the daemon. Daemons can’t easily differentiate one human from another.”

“They plan to kidnap Markus? Well, good luck to them on that one. They already screwed it up twice.”

“You should warn him to watch his back. We need to get that amulet. I can’t allow it to end up in Terek’s hands. You think Markus can make contact with the person who has the amulet?”

“I’ll call him. I don’t want her involved in this transaction again.” Kane’s eyes wandered to Kira, wrapped in Ashor’s arms. He frowned and pursed his lips.

Ashor nodded.

Kira turned to look at Kane, gaining control over her sobs, now only experiencing an occasional sob-hiccup. She mumbled, “Thanks.”

Kane scowled at Ashor. “You with him voluntarily, Kira? No coercion?”

She nodded. “Don’t worry. All good. Can you call Markus right now? I just tried his cell and he didn’t answer. I just want to be sure he’s okay.” She held out the cell phone.

Kane nodded. “I’ll try the home number.” He dialed. “Yeah, hey. It’s me. Pick up if you’re there.” There was a long pause. “You okay?” Pause. “Great. Stay on the down low. That Terek dude is after you.” Pause. “No, it’s not bullshit. He’s alive. I’ll phone you back in a bit.” Kane ended the call. “Yeah, he’s fine. Sounded like he was well on his way to drunk while watching a cop show marathon.”

****

“Do all women take this long? She shouldn’t be going with us anyway,” Ashor grumbled as he relaxed against the front of the SUV with Javen and Christian.

He hated taking her into danger, into a situation where he knew he’d have little control. The thought of her injured because of his carelessness made him crazy. To calm himself, he focused on his surroundings. The darkness of the midmorning sky made the time seem further along in the day than it was. Atypically warm air signified a storm approached.

Christian chuckled and shook his head as he took a long drag on his cigar. “Have you ever tried to make a relationship last longer than one night? Women don’t have the same concept of time as us. Bet I can finish this cigar before she comes out.” He held up the half-smoked remains. “I drove Julie to get Kira some new duds last night, but it was late and we didn’t have a lot of options. Maybe what we chose doesn’t fit.”

Ashor glowered at Christian. “Puff your goddamned smoke over there and not in my face.”

Christian laughed.

Javen exhaled smoke away from Ashor before replying, “They’re Cubans. Superb. Sure you don’t want one, Ashor?”

“I’ll pass.”

Javen said, “If the guy with the amulet hadn’t insisted Kira be there, I’d agree she shouldn’t go. This reeks of a trap, but we’ll have it locked down pretty tight. Is she certain this is the genuine amulet?”

“She said it had an ancient energy and recognized our symbol. Has to be. If not, then maybe it’s a lost totem or something,” said Ashor.

Javen took a long puff of the cigar. As the smoke spiraled away with the gentle breeze he said softly, “Ah, what I wouldn’t give to have the spell-keeper magus with us.”

“Sure hope he comes with all the spells in his head, then. It’s not like we can help him learn them,” said Ashor.

“Think Terek will show?” asked Christian.

Javen smiled in anticipation. “If my peons screwed it up twice, I’d handle it myself. I look forward to seeing the prick. Owe him some major hurt.”

Christian sighed. “Too bad Eth can’t come. Why’d you send him with V on daemon duty? V probably could’ve done it alone.”

“No one goes alone on daemon kills. I just hope they can catch up to it since it felt to be traveling north fairly fast. In New York our goal is to get the amulet and avoid confrontation with Terek until we can consult with the gods.”

“What about his minions?” Javen asked.

“Kill ’em.” Ashor sensed Kira and swiveled.

Javen dropped his cigar, but didn’t move to retrieve it.

Kira sauntered to the waiting SUV. She suppressed a giggle. “That’s the second time you dropped a smoke near me, Javen. Butter fingers?”

“Where did you get that?” Javen whooshed out.

She pointed at Christian. The low-rise, black leather pants hugged her thighs like a second skin. The low-cut, tight, black spandex shirt and heeled black boots added to the dominatrix effect. The outfit was way out of her comfort zone.

Julie had turned pink when she presented the outfit, claiming there hadn’t been enough time to go anywhere to purchase clothes other than the sex store up the road. She’d offered some of her clothes, even though Kira would have to roll up the pants a bit. Kira elected to take a chance.

Christian cleared his throat. “Damn, girl. You look hot. I chose the only one that didn’t have a lot of metal.” He lifted a soft, black leather, knee-length coat off the hood of the car and handed it over. “I forgot to give you the last part of the outfit.”

“Kira,” Ashor said her name in a predatory tone.

Liquid heat floated through her body. She stepped close to him, stopping within a breath of touching. Her nose came to his pectorals. As she placed her hand on his solid chest over where she knew that triangular tattoo resided, a shattering power swept through her. She swayed toward him, tempted by its promise.

Ashor tremored beneath her hand.

He forgot the onlookers as he clenched her ponytail in his fist. He brought the hair to his nose, deeply inhaling.

A rumbling sound came from his chest as he lowered his head to the pale, smooth skin of her neck and kissed his way to her mouth. His teeth scraped over her sensitized lips, causing her to gasp.

She pulled her mouth free of his and moaned his name, a desperate hungry sound. Her mouth trailed a path slowly down the side of his face over the roughness of early stubble. Following a path down the column of his powerful neck, she reached the exposed area of his upper chest.

Exhaling in a low rough sound of pleasure, he kissed her forehead.

Javen cleared his throat loudly before intoning dryly, “If you’d like to delay our departure, I suppose we could. Can’t guarantee we won’t peep, though. This is way more interesting than any of the porn tapes in Christian’s collection.”

Ashor stepped away from Kira. “We need to get going.” He narrowed his gaze on Christian. “Had to hit the leather store, did you? Why not the Supercenter up the street?”

“And miss that little show? No way.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Nice ride,” Markus said as he hopped off the street in New York City into the back seat of the rented German sedan. He leaned through the seats to give Kira a once-over as she reclined in the passenger seat. “Got a little makeover, did you?”

She shrugged. “You get away from those guys the other day without any problems?”

“More or less. I don’t like being tricked. You said you’d be right behind me.”

“They were less likely to kill me than you. Where’s Kane? He told me as he left this morning he was flying north.”

“He had something going on in Canada, but he wanted to be here. You get the stuff he left for you?”

“Got the gun and the throwing knives.”

“Good.” Markus then addressed Ashor. “Kane said to tell you, you’d better have it
under control
, whatever that means.”

Ashor nodded.

Markus leaned between the seat and window and whispered close to Kira’s right ear, “Kane said that Ashor-guy is a magus. How did you ever con Kane into believing that?”

“He really is.”

“Bullshit.”

“I’m not having one of these arguments with you.”

“Then prove it. Prove he’s a magus.”

“What’s good enough for you?”

“I don’t know. Make him do something magical.”

“Like what? Pull a fluffy bunny out of his ass?”

“Now that’s just stupid.”

Ashor choke-coughed. His cheeks reddened from his struggle not to laugh.

She raised her eyebrows and said,
Tell him.

“I can do the coin in the ear trick, if you’d like,” offered Ashor.

“See? Total fake,” Markus proclaimed, clearly relieved.

A snort of laughter escaped Ashor in reaction to Kira’s instant, irritated glare.

Ashor asked Markus, “Do you think this guy will show up on time?”

“He was on time for the last meet, but he wasn’t thrilled about a meet so soon after initial contact.”

Silence reigned for several minutes as they wove through New York stop-and-go traffic. Kira’s stomach knotted with apprehension. She didn’t trust the guy that had the amulet. He wasn’t what he seemed. She didn’t know what he was, but he knew more about her than she felt comfortable with.

Ashor reached over and clasped her hand.
No one is going to touch you this time.

Kira smiled up at him. Her stomach flipped in response to the mixture of desire and protective promise in his gaze. She let her eyes wander over the angles of his face before he turned his focus back to the road. The nervousness dissipated as desire fired through her body. Ashor lifted her hand to his mouth and playfully teased the inside of her palm with his tongue.

Rein in that look, sweetheart, or I’ll kick Markus out of the car and take you down a dark alley.

Promise?

Markus commented in an uncharacteristically confrontational tone from the back seat, “Is there something going on between you two? Kira?”

That meant Kane hadn’t updated Markus. She internally rolled her eyes. “We’re involved.”

“You’re kidding. This guy has you convinced he’s a magus. He’s playing your obsession and likely doing it just to get in your pants. If there’s anyone you should do a background check on, it’s him.” He pointed at Ashor.

“I don’t think you’d come up with much, if you ran one. And for the second time, he really is a magus.” She turned to Ashor. “Little help?”

Ashor shook his head, clearly enjoying her frustration.

Markus grumbled, “I thought you were engaged.”

“I never said I’d accepted Vance’s proposal. Besides Vance and I more or less broke up.”

“Why? Because he caught you making out with Mr. Magi-faker here?”

“No. Vance got possessed by a daemon and by this point he’s dead.”

“Dead? Daemon possession? Seriously? You need to see a shrink.” Crossly, he added, “Well, I don’t approve. Seems like this guy would attract trouble.”