Night Marks (12 page)

“No, he has much grander things in mind,” I say with a huff. “So, one case done, I am hoping to head into the office to see if I have any more prospects. Any complaints?” I glance between Alex and Sebastian who have taken places beside me on the couch. Neither looks happy about my idea.

“It hasn’t been warded yet,” Sebastian provides.

“True. I don’t think the demon who shall not be named has plans to get me pregnant immediately,” I respond. I have decided actually saying his name aloud is a bad idea. He might think I am summoning him. The day that I do that, will be a very frigid day in Hell.

“I would feel better if you wait until it is protected. Even if he doesn’t go right ahead with his plan, he can still do a lot of things to make life tougher for us.”

“And just how long would that take?” I ask. “Can you send someone and have it done by the time we get there?” Usually, that is all it takes. Sebastian makes a call and it is done.

“It doesn’t work that way. It will take me about a week to make sure all the glyphs are in the right places and find the best charms to use against this particular demon.”

“I am not staying away for a whole week. Are you joking?” I screech.

“Of course not, love. If I was joking, I would ask what you do with an elephant with three balls.” The joke is a well-known one of his. The punch line is you walk him and pitch to the rhino, of course. “That would be how long it would take. If you can work from home for the day, I can probably do at least some of the rudimentary glyphs and then tomorrow you should have some protection.”

“I need my computer to work,” I reply getting really piqued. Alex reaches over and grabs my hand. Where did all this calming energy come from all of a sudden? I think it is moving up my list of things aggravating me at the current moment. I turn to glare at him. I am finding my glare makes guys smile, so maybe I will have to start doing reverse psychology glares. I smile at him sweetly and that catches him by surprise, causing him to narrow his eyes a bit. Good.

“You can use one of my laptops to login into your system from here. The apartment has a general ‘keep demons out’ charm, so you shouldn’t get any unexpected guests.”

“So, the amulet charm you prepared for me won’t do any good at all?”

“No, his tracker runes are top of the line. I don’t know anything offhand that will counter them. He evidently thought it was very important that he be able to find you. I have seen other spells that are a lot easier to circumvent.”

When Sebastian doesn’t have an answer for something like this, it tends to worry me a bit. I imagine if he is having an issue guarding against just one of the spells, asking if there is a way to remove it altogether is a waste of breath.

“Sorry, Babe, but you would be right. Demon marks can only be removed by the demon that gave them, or by one stronger than them. In those cases, the stronger demon puts their mark over the existing one, so you are still bound to one of them,” Alex whispers through my mind.

Well shit.
“You have been awfully quiet about this whole thing. Do you have any other words of wisdom to add?”
I think back to him, using our connection for the first time actively. Well, other than that time I flashed a kinky vision at him to distract him.

“I am trying to fight the urge coursing through me to tear something to shreds. Calming you and being quiet are working, for now. Any higher functioning will push me over the edge,”
he replies.
“I don’t want to ruin your nice apartment.”

Now that I can understand. “Fine. For today, bring me a laptop. Me and the guys will hang out here while I check emails and file the paperwork for the Willard case.

“I am sure I won’t find anything new, but I want to spend some time researching reaper demons, my reaper demon in particular, and their marks. I won’t leave the building unless a life or death case comes in. If it does, you will not be able to stop me from leaving.”

I get up from the couch and go to my bedroom so I can change out of my jeans and into my more comfortable work attire. Looking at the clock, I see it is just now four o’clock. Most days I wouldn’t even be awake at this hour. I decide that any other human cases that come in are going to have a stiff fine for having to be awake before twilight. Hopefully, that will detour them from hiring me in the first place.

Chapter 15

Message from the flipside

When I return to the main living area, a desk has been set up with an office chair, laptop, and printer. What good service I have. Doubt any humans could have made that happen, no matter how much money they have.

I settle into the plush chair and bounce around a little before starting up the laptop. The chair is a bit comfier than the one I have at work. I may have to “borrow” it for my office.

Jake and Jonas are spread out on separate couches. Everyone else has cleared out. Jake looks like he is trying to work a little nap in. Our schedule is royally off today and the vamp guards are useless in daylight hours, so I imagine exhaustion is setting in.

As much as I hate breaking in new personal guards, I think we might just have to promote someone. There are a couple that I have sparred with that would make decent guards. I like my personal guards to at least be somewhat up to my level of fighting ability, so it is hard to find anyone good.

The login screen on the laptop pops up, allowing me to enter in my credentials. My desktop loads quickly and I launch my email client. I usually try to keep up by checking on my phone, but today I just haven’t felt like it. If someone really needs to get a hold of me, my number is all over my website and can be found on my storefront.

The newest email in the list arrived only minutes ago and it is from a Rick Goode. The subject line is blank, which I absolutely hate, but I click it anyway because every once in a while something good comes from it. This seems to be one of those times.

Nyx,

Daughter, I was just told the very distressing news. Attracting a demon is a very bad thing in your case. If word gets back to your mother that you are alive and well, things are going to get very difficult.

After I found out you existed, I did everything I could to make it appear you were someone other than that innocent baby left to fend for themselves at the hands of the Collective. Since she hasn’t come for you, I have to believe, so far, I have succeeded.

If a demon were to let out the secret of what you are, I have no doubt she would hear about it and come for you. You, of course, know nothing about her, but your mother is a bitch in every sense of the word, except literally. (I know that last statement doesn’t really make sense, but in my mind it does.) If she were to find you before I come out of hiding, the entire paranorm community would be in great danger.

I don’t have everything in place just yet, so please try to stay safe until your birthday. If I hear there is movement from her side, I will come to you, but it will be at a risk to both of our lives. We may be able to secure a visit for you to where I am hiding, but those are rarely doled out.

Also, please keep in mind there is still someone near to you that you have to watch your words around. I am sure there is more than just one person masquerading as a resistance member, but there is for sure someone you deal with often. You can only entirely trust your chosen two. Anyone else may be using your information against you. On the wolf side of things, we are working on removing the threat without alerting their superiors, but these things take time.

Love,

Your Father

Wow. Daddy has some great intel. Intel, he could have only received from one of four sources. Either one of my mates or a wolf guard must have a direct line to the man. Or he could possibly be psychic, but I think I would have heard about that little detail by now.

I wish he would have said who and what my mother is. Her being a werewolf is out, but we had already figured that out since I get my wolf gene from Daddy. It sounds like she has an ear for demon news, but the demon that will not be named said I wasn’t part demon.

This crap is so confusing and obviously one of my personal guards is untrustworthy. He hinted at it in his last email, but that really sucks. I guess he could mean just one of the regular guards that hang around the building, but I don’t talk to them very often. It sounded like I wasn't in real danger I just have to be careful what I say. He doesn't know me very well, if he thinks I can keep my big mouth shut.

As far as the guards close to me, Jonas has been really great to me lately and I hate to think it is him because he is probably the closest to me. I kind of took a bullet for the dude. If he is plotting against me, I will be super pissed. I am not one hundred percent sure where the threat is coming from, but if the person is a Collective informant, there is no way Jonas can be on the list.

I don’t know a whole lot about Marcus and Smitty. They don’t really socialize that much with me when they are on duty, but I cannot believe Sebastian would allow them to be near me if he had any idea they were working for the darkside. Sebby seems to be really familiar with the pair, like they have hung out for centuries, so I would hope he isn’t that naïve to have one of them duping him all that time.

I can’t see it being Jake either. Why would he spend energy driving me crazy if he wanted to get the inside dirt on everything? Making me not want to talk to him won’t crack open all of my secrets. I know he gets moody a lot, but he escaped from the Collective. Why in the world would he continue to work for the dictators? It does give me pause that he was once connected with them, though.

Any way I look at it, it’s a mess. One that probably won’t be cleaned up as quickly as I want so there is no use crying over it. I focus back on my emails and throw most of them away as junk. I have decided my penis is still just fine the size it currently is.

Two of the remaining three emails are people just curious about rates and what services they can expect. Kind of makes my business sound like a brothel, but what am I to do about it?

The last one is from someone actually in distress it seems.

Slaughter – you are the only one I can turn to. The Collective is offering me no help. My daughter was assaulted, in every sense of the word, by another werewolf. She is only eighteen and is contemplating taking her own life. The wolf in question is in good standing with the Collective, so they refuse to take action. Please help. Allison.

These are the kind of cases I like. Not for the victim. I feel extremely sorry for the girl, but if I can substantiate the claim, it means I get to kick ass. In fact, I will probably end up killing the guy. It will be a great way to take out some aggression.

The woman didn’t leave a number, so I am forced to reply to the email.

Allison – call ASAP 499-304-5432 Nyx

Hopefully, she is speedy. While I am waiting, I reply to my other emails, attaching my rate cards, which they could have found on my website, so they can decide whether they really need my services. I ain’t exactly cheap.

I am midway through finishing my Willard invoice when my cell rings.

“This is Nyx,” I answer, not even glancing at the number.

“This is Allison, Slaughter. I am responding to your email. I am hoping you can help us.”

“Is there somewhere we can meet? Abuse cases are always my top priority, especially when someone so young is involved.”

“My poor Josephina thinks she is ruined for her true mate now,” the woman says sobbing. “She won’t tell me everything that monster did to her, but the damage is pretty severe.  Do you think you would be able to stop by our house this evening? I don’t know that you will be able to seek vengeance for us against the perpetrator, but I would at least like you to talk to her. Maybe there is something you can say that a mother can’t. We don’t really have support groups in place for this type of thing.”

No, we don’t and it is something we need. In general, paranorms don’t go around abusing others of their kind like this, but it has been known to happen. When it does, the victim is usually just brushed to the side.

“Allison, I can assure you right now, even if I cannot get the shithead that hurt her immediately, justice will be done here. Give me directions on how to reach you and I will come get the story from your daughter. Then I can better decide how to help her.”

I write the directions down and tell her to expect me within the hour.

“Sorry guys, but I am calling life or death. Alex probably already knows, and I am calling Sebastian now. Gear up.”

I hit the button and wait for him to answer. “It has barely been thirty minutes and you already need to leave, my love. That didn’t take very long.”

“Sorry, but you did say life and death and I talked to a mom that is worried her daughter is heading towards the latter. I won’t sit around and let that happen.”

“I know. Just be careful. Don’t go rushing in anywhere guns a blazing. You can talk to the girl, but please wait to dole out justice until more backup is available.”

He kind of sounds like he knows more about the case than I have said. I have only mentioned a girl may die, nothing about the cause or just going to talk with her. For all he should know, I could be going in for a hostage rescue.

“Where is Alex?” I ask knowing he is probably the culprit.

“Helping me ward your office, my love. He is currently laughing at you realizing we are together,” he replies.

“It has been more than two seconds and you are both still standing. That has got to be a record.”

“We are working towards a common goal. Now, hurry on to your little mission, love. You can come visit us when you are done. By then the other vampires should be up, so you will have as much physical protection as you can get.” After seeing Demon Boy freeze Jake and Jonas, I don’t know how much extra protection will help, but I decide not to say anything.

“I don’t know how I feel about you guys working together, but I gots to go. I love you,” I say standing, phone still in hand, and rushing to my room to grab a couple extra knives and my guns.