Seers (27 page)

He wasn’t living out of a suitcase, per se.

So I moved for the desk, and searched the couple drawers. I found the customary Bible, which appeared untouched, but not really anything else of interest. He had a laptop on his desk, but I knew there was no way I’d be able to guess his password. So after checking the surface of the desk for any diabolic, hidden messages, I moved to the dresser. At first I avoided the top drawer, for obvious reasons. (I didn’t exactly want to see Demon underwear.) But after searching the others and coming up with nothing, I gave in 204 K • • •

• • • K s e e r s

and opened the top one. Still, I found nothing of interest to me and my family. He looked like a regular business guy, who’d just extended his stay after some business conference.

I checked the closet, and even the bathroom. But since the maid had just cleaned, there wasn’t even any garbage for me to search through. (I was sort of grateful for that.) I sat on the edge of one of the beds, and thought about searching under the mattresses. Or maybe pull up the edges of the carpet. Then I saw the nightstand. Somehow I’d missed it in my hurried search.

I fell to my knees in front of it, pulling open the couple drawers. I found a phone charger, and some pens—other than that, the drawers were empty. On top of the small stand rested a single lamp, and a blank pad of hotel paper.

I sighed, and retook my seat on the bed. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to look. I was more than a little discouraged. I was in the Demon’s secret lair, and I still couldn’t find anything that would help me understand what was going on. I was worse at this whole detective thing than I’d initially thought.

I prepared to stand, and then suddenly stopped. I glanced back at the blank pad of paper, sitting calmly next to the lamp. I hesitated, wondering what had made me look back at it. And then flashes of movies came back to me. The stupid yet ingenious trick that had been used probably a hundred times—the one where the villain writes out an address or something on the hotel paper, and then tears off the sheet and leaves—not realizing that their pen pressed deeper, indenting the message on the paper below.

I reached over and snatched up the pad—and my heart soared.

I couldn’t believe it. There was something there—faint numbers or letters. Elated that the trick really worked, I opened the drawer and jerked out a pen. I pulled off the lid, and began to carefully run the pen back and forth across the page, hoping to highlight the hidden message.

It was more than I could have hoped for.

• • • K 205

Twenty-Three

New Mexico, United States

I left Kate in the small alcove, trusting that she’d be safe while I pursued the Demon alone.

There were a few reasons I left her behind. Most obviously, I didn’t want her to have to be in his presence again. I had felt her tense fear in the theater last night, when the Demon had first introduced himself. Kate had been so strong through all of this, and then—to see her fear—had really driven home the fact that she was in over her head. She didn’t understand what was going on in her life right now, and she was scared. My protective nature kicked in automatically.

Of course, watching the Demon watch her had also led to this going-solo decision. I didn’t want his beady eyes to touch her ever again—I didn’t want him to smile that way at her, or speak in that confident tone toward her. Let him face me. It was my duty and right to be her guardian. I intended to do a good job.

When it came right down to it, though, I just didn’t think she was ready to do this—to be an active part of Demon hunting.

Besides, her presence would only serve to complicate things. If he ran and I was forced to chase, he would probably go invisible—it was the automatic trigger in our beings to become this way when trouble arose. A protective instinct.

In the end, I needed answers. And I would get them, too.

Whatever it took. No matter how heartless I had to pretend to

• • • K 206 K • • •

• • • K s e e r s

be. I just didn’t want her to see that side of me yet. Partially rea-sonable, but mostly selfish motivations Luckily, it was time to focus on the Demon now—I was walking toward the elevator, almost there. Thoughts of Kate would have to wait. I knew that they’d be back.

They were never far from my mind.

I entered the elevator with more speed than was probably necessary, but I stopped just inside. The doors closed behind me, and the Demon’s eyes widened as he adjusted to my sudden appearance.

“You,” he nearly choked, standing against the back wall.

I smiled, though my hard gaze assured him that I wasn’t in a friendly mood. “Me.”

“You followed me?” He asked, glancing around the empty elevator. We were moving now, heading down. I saw that he’d pushed the lobby button, and I didn’t bother to change it.

“You’re going to come with me,” I told him firmly, my eyes unblinking. “We have a lot to discuss.” His initial shock was wearing off. He shrugged his shoulders, and straightened the cuffs on his sleeves. “I don’t see the point. I’ve told you everything I could. Too much, actually.”

“Do you know Selena Avalos?”

He smiled slowly, but his eyes glinted with unease. “I’m impressed. You do your homework, Guardian.”

“Where is she living? A hotel, like you?”

“I couldn’t really say. I’ve only met her a few times. Security measures, you see.”

“You were willing to tell me about Romero. Would it really hurt to tell me where I can find him? I’d like a word with him.”

“I’m more afraid of him than I am of you,” he assured me.

“I’d like to change that,” I said calmly.

He paled, but not considerably. Nowhere near enough.

“Why is Romero interested in Kate Bennett?” I asked, my tone carefully sharp.

“He didn’t discuss the reasons with me—”

• • • K 207

h e a t h e r f r o s t K • • •

“What’s your name?”

He didn’t want to answer. But after a short second, he spoke dully. “Call me Bill.”

“How long have you been a Demon, Bill?” He didn’t know how to react to my conversational question.

He’d been expecting something completely different—something more forceful. “For just about twenty years.” I snorted at his youthfulness, knowing it would offend him.

“You remember Prison, then, don’t you? Because I can send you back there.”

He nodded once. “Yeah. So can Romero.” The elevator slowed, then stopped. The chime sounded, and the doors opened. “Walk with me.” My voice left little doubt about the command. I stepped to the side, waiting for him to go first.

I guess I was expecting him to comply. A wise Demon would have. But his immaturity commanded his actions, and he charged me. I went invisible instinctively, knowing that he’d probably been in that state since he first saw me. He used his sheer bulk to push into me, forcing us both out of the elevator to crash against the hard granite floor. He was on top of me, and his weight crushed the air out of my lungs. I gasped for breath, and grabbed for a sure hold on him. I latched onto his arm, keeping him down on the floor beside me.

He was putting up more of a fight than I would have expected, and I couldn’t afford for something to go wrong.

“Toni!” I yelled, knowing that no humans would hear the shout.

The Demon’s efforts to escape my grasp became more urgent.

We rolled on the floor, and he slammed a hard fist against my nose once he was back on top. My nose cracked, but I felt minimal pain—The regenerative immortal magic was kicking in, repairing the damage before it could become fully realized. No blood had a chance to escape before my nose was perfectly healed again.

But to avoid another hit I released my hold on him. He might 208 K • • •

• • • K s e e r s

be large and heavy, but I was quick and strong. I was up before he could scramble to his feet. I stood over him, my arms raised defensively. He crouched on his knees, eyes darting from my face, to the potential exit I blocked.

“You’re coming with me,” I warned, my breath heavy and my voice hard.

“I don’t think so,” he returned. And then he lurched to his feet, and yelled toward a human woman next to us. “Give me your purse! Now!”

I wanted to curse—he was visible! He was staging a robbery, making himself the center of attention so I couldn’t pull him away unnoticed. I had to admit, I hadn’t expected the move—especially after learning his age.

I watched as the woman handed her purse over, tears in her eyes. The Demon held her purse, tossed me a quick grin, and then he bolted around me. The woman started screaming, and security stopped him before he could make it to the doors. The police would arrive in minutes—I could do nothing. I looked on in mute frustration as I watched the whole thing unfold from the sidelines, completely helpless to interfere.

I half expected Toni to show up beside me, but he never did.

I guessed that Kate had slipped past me without my noticing, and Toni was already taking her back to get her car. I dreaded facing them both, and telling them of my failure.

I stayed in the lobby for the seven minutes it took for the police to arrive, handcuff him, and escort him out to the car. Then I pulled out my phone—still invisible—and tried calling Kate. It went right to her voicemail, and I frowned, though it made sense.

I’d seen her turn it off after talking with her Grandmother. Still, I was disappointed. I liked having excuses to call her, even if I was reluctant to relate what had happened.

I called Toni next, already walking toward the front of the hotel. He answered on the second ring.

“Yo. What’s up?”

• • • K 209

h e a t h e r f r o s t K • • •

“I’m through here. Can you pick me up?”

“Uh . . . Where are you?”

“At the hotel. The Demon got away—I couldn’t get anything from him. Is Kate still with you?”

“. . . Should she be? I’m all sorts of confused right now.” I immediately stopped walking and turned quickly around, eyes scanning the busy lobby. “Where are you?” I demanded.

“I’m at the hotel too. In the little boys room, actually. Kinda awkward, huh? Anyway, you guys found a Demon, then? Awesome, I want to hear the whole thing.” My stomach dropped, and my heart began pounding rapidly. I started quickly back for the elevators—beginning to run when I remembered I was invisible. Something was wrong—she should have been down here over five minutes ago. What if I’d left her up there, and there was another Demon? The thought hadn’t occurred to me before, and I cursed myself. Just because we’d never seen this Demon with a partner didn’t mean he worked alone. “Toni, meet me on the fifteenth floor as soon as you can.

Something’s wrong—Kate should have been in the lobby by now.”

“You left her alone? On her first mission? What’s wrong with you, man?”

“Toni, just hurry, okay?” I hung up on him and slapped my palm a few times over the elevator button—shifting to visible without effort or thought. I impatiently waited for an elevator to come—it seemed to take forever. I tried not to think about all the things that could have gone wrong. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her—it would be entirely my fault.

The elevator arrived, and I jumped inside, jabbing the appropriate button. The doors finally closed, and I began to rise. Fortunately, the elevator wasn’t called on to stop anywhere before reaching the floor I needed.

I stepped out, hesitating in the hall, unsure of where to go now that I was here. I checked the alcove—no Kate. I started down the main hall, but it was deserted. Only closed doors on either side. It 210 K • • •

• • • K s e e r s

was now that I began to really panic.

And then my phone vibrated, still clutched in the cage of my taut fingers. I jerked it open, and placed it against my ear. “Toni?”

“Yup, it’s me. I’m in the lobby.”

“Toni, I can’t find her—she’s not here.”

“Relax, dude, she’s here. You just missed her—she came down as you went up. Way to overreact, though.” I relaxed so quickly I was almost dizzy. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes, trying to get a grip on myself. She was all right.

She was with Toni. She was safe.

“That’s good,” I finally managed to say. Toni knew me well enough to know that I wasn’t my usual self, but he didn’t comment on it. For now. But knowing Toni, I’d be teased about my overreaction later.

“Yeah, it is—so’s the information she got. Here, I’ll let her tell you.”

I turned back for the elevator as Toni’s phone changed hands, and then I was hearing Kate’s bright voice.

She sounded a little breathless but very pleased. Still, her first words were for me. “Patrick, are you sure you’re okay? Toni said the Demon got away.”

“I’m fine. He was just smarter than I thought he would be.

But what’s Toni talking about? What information?”

“Well,” the excitement was back in her words. “After you left, I decided to search his room, if I could find it. Anything I might learn to better understand what’s going on, you know?” She paused, but wasn’t waiting for an answer—just trying to catch her breath. I’d reprimand her later for disobeying me.

“Anyway, the maid was cleaning his room—remember, we heard him yelling at someone? Anyway, her cart was in the hall, and she was in the bathroom. I hid in the closet until she left, and then I searched the room. At first there was nothing, really—and then I found a pad of paper. You know how in the movies bad guys always jot down addresses and stuff, and then the message gets

• • • K 211

h e a t h e r f r o s t K • • •

imprinted on the paper beneath?”

“Not really,” I told her honestly, pushing the elevator button.

“But I understand the concept.”

“So,” she said triumphantly. “This means that even though we didn’t get much out of him, we got this—Romero, @ 10pm. And then there’s an address and a date—next Wednesday. He’s going to be meeting Romero! And now we know where, and when.” I smiled despite myself—my heart still working to stop pounding. “That’s excellent, Kate. Good work.” s

We headed back to the warehouse, calling it a day. It was almost one, but we’d done just about everything we could. Once we were back in the car, I very gently told her not to ever deviate from the mission again—unless she had my permission. She agreed, but it seemed like a somewhat offhand promise to me. But I didn’t press her. I was too fascinated by the happy glow her eyes held. It wasn’t something I’d ever seen in her before, and it was beautiful. It enhanced her entire appearance, and I didn’t want to take that away.