The Girl and the Gargoyle: Book Two of The Girl and the Raven Series (32 page)

“Great job on the playlist. The music’s awesome,” I tell her.

After Caroline’s parents load up two card tables with food, we head over and fill our plates with chips and salsa, jalapeno poppers, and pizza. I notice Caroline and Ella throw jean jackets on while Mr. and Mrs. Appleberg are in the room. I also notice their cans of Red Bull disappear only to reappear once Caroline’s parents head back upstairs.

By nine o’clock, there are so many people in the basement it’s difficult to move. I lead the group to the other side of the room, where we can stand without getting claustrophobic.

“Much better,” Katie yells. “If one more person elbows me or steps on my toes, I’m going to punch them.”

“I’ll massage them for you later.” Trevor grins, his eyebrows bouncing wickedly.

“I’m totally going to take you up on that,” Katie says.

Marcus jerks his head toward the doorway leading to the stairs. His gaze narrows. “I have to check something out. Stay down here.”

“What’s going on?” I reach for him, but he’s too fast.

“He’s not having a good time?” Katie asks.

“Not really.”

“Oooh, yummy!” Ella rushes past us. Dylan appears in the doorway and surveys the room. Ella throws her arms around him. “You came!”

Dylan unwinds her arms from his neck and heads over to our group. She trails behind him wearing a full-on pout.

“Your boyfriend almost knocked me over on his way out the door. Something about getting some fresh air. I guess he wasn’t too happy to see me,” Dylan says, then leans in close. “We’ve got company.”

My breath catches.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think he’s having a good time.” I smile and play it casual as Katie and Suzie watch our exchange. No easy task. “Seamus?” I whisper. “Garret?”

“Dylan, do you want to dance?” Ella asks, tugging on Dylan’s arm.

“Sure, a little later,” he says.

Ella sulks and stomps off.

“Is it too late to join in on the fun?” We all whip around to the sound of an unfamiliar voice. The crowd parts as a tall, blonde guy with spiky hair enters the room. His black T-shirt, cargo pants, and boots scream villain.

My spider senses suddenly go haywire. Goose bumps spread along my arms like wild fire.

“Ronan, tell me they’re
not
playing truth or dare.” A deep English accent rings out and a guy with brunet, shoulder-length hair stops beside Ronan. “I do love a good game of truth or dare.”

“Yum! Where did they come from?” Ella says from the couch. “Caroline, who are they?”

“Who…who are you?” Caroline asks weakly from her slouched position next to Ella. She’s looking a little green.

A strange vibration starts in my legs and slowly moves up my body. I catch Dylan watching me, a surprised look on his face. Does he feel it, too? I sweep the basement, searching for Marcus. This is a really bad time for him to pull one of his disappearing acts.

Ella rises from the couch and delivers her sexiest smile. “Hello. I’m Ella, the co-host of this party.” Leave it to Ella to flirt with complete strangers. “The game’s not over yet if you want to join in.”

“What do you think, Flynn? Want to play with the mundanes?”

Mundanes?
These guys are protectors?
Garret’s men
. My breaths come out in shallow little bursts as I look around for Marcus again. Still no sign of him.

Dylan confronts the party crashers. “You two need to leave.”

Several people turn to see what’s going on, but most of the crowd is oblivious, including Trevor and Darick who jack up a Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song.

“Dylan, don’t act like a jealous boyfriend.” Ella laughs and waves him off.

“Yes, Dylan, back off,” Flynn says, a dangerous edge to his voice. He and Dylan lock gazes, and my gut says Ronan and Flynn aren’t here for the appetizers.

The vibration inside of me revs, making me feel like a human power plant. The sensation races up my spine, all the way to my head, making my molars ache. I grit my teeth against the pain.

These guys need to go before anyone gets hurt. I move to Dylan’s side and gesture toward the stairs. “Dylan’s right. You should leave. This is a private party.” I attempt a smile, to convey friendliness. Just then a high-pitched whine slams into my brain. “And…you…weren’t…invited.” I clutch my head.

Am I out of my mind? I’m not the confrontational kind. I cringe as the sound clamors louder in my head. The party music sounds far away, muffled.

“Just who we came to see.” Ronan claps Flynn on the shoulder. “And you thought this would be difficult.”

“What do you want with
her
?” Ella asks, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about her, love,” Flynn says with a wink, his voice velvety soft. She relaxes, blushes even. “You and your friends continue on with your party. Have a grand time. We just need to have a chat with this one outside.”

Yes. Outside. We need to get these guys away from the basement full of innocent people. I nod toward the stairs.

“Fine. Let’s go,” Dylan says.

“Actually, friend, we need to have a chat with your girlfriend alone,” Flynn says.

“She’s not my girlfriend, Brit Boy.” Dylan’s temple throbs. “But she’s not going anywhere with you. Not without me.”

Ronan and Flynn study each other for a moment. Flynn nods. Telepathic communication? The metallic grinding noise claws its way through my skull. I grind my teeth and lock my knees to prevent myself from collapsing.

“A little under the weather, love?” Ronan smiles wickedly.

“Enough already,” Dylan growls, sliding a sideways glance my way. Was that worry flickering across his face?

Where’s Marcus? What happened to him? I follow Dylan upstairs and outside. Flynn and Ronan trail me, way too close for comfort. Maybe Garret decided to skip Jude and sent these guys to kill me instead. Then he, Camille, and Selima can take Marcus back wherever they came from and act like one big happy family.

Or will Garret hurt Marcus once I’m out of the way?

Why tonight?
One more day, that’s all I need. Aiden, Selima, and I will conjure Lucifer and none of this will matter anymore.

Once outside, I release an unsteady breath, grateful as the noise and pain in my head subsides. Ronan ushers us behind a row of tall, narrow bushes.
What’s he planning to do to me?

As if reading my mind, Flynn holds up one hand. “We’re here to talk.”

Dylan snorts. “Yeah, good one. Your lies, along with your hairdo, need some work. Neither are doing much for me right now.”

Ronan takes a step toward Dylan. His fists curl at his sides. I look to see if he’s got claws, but it’s too dark.

Wait…did he just growl?

“What do you want to talk about? And why come here to do it?” I ask, trying to deflect the tension between Dylan and Ronan.

“Garret wants to meet with Jude. We need you to relay the message,” Flynn says.

Doubt nags at me. “Why come here to tell me that?”

Ronan shrugs. “Garret’s orders.”

Marcus told me protectors don’t lie. Or did he say they
couldn’t
lie? I decide to test my theory.

“That’s not the real reason you’re here, is it?”

“Our orders were simply to serve as a messenger. Nothing more.” Flynn levels his gaze at me. “You have my word.”

“They’re lying,” Marcus shouts behind us.

Dylan and I spin around as Marcus and Selima jog toward us from the backyard. Marcus and Selima flank me.

“Sorry I went MIA,” Marcus says in my ear. “I sensed other protectors nearby and went in search of them. I called Selima for backup.”

“Garret only sends his deflector soldiers when exterminating demons.” Selima cocks her head and arches an eyebrow. “What are you boys up to?”

“Garret will be very disappointed to learn you’re here, mingling with mundanes and…worse.” Flynn’s face twists as if he just ate something rotten.

The high-pitched noise pierces my skull. I clutch my head and clamp my jaw tightly as the hum vibrates through every bone in my body. “Make it stop,” I cry out.

Someone thumps to the ground and groans behind me. I turn and see Dylan kneeling on the ground, his body bowed as he punches himself in the head.

“Dylan, no!” I force myself to ignore the screechy-grinding noise, to ignore the pain that radiates along my jaw, stabs my brain. Before I can reach him, Selima is at his side, pulling his fists away from his face. She whispers in his ear.

A flash of movement darts past me. Marcus. He lunges toward the two protectors. Ronan steps in front of Flynn, and Marcus tackles him.

Flynn slides a cell phone from his pocket. Is he calling Garret? Is he telling him to expedite whatever he and the other soldiers have planned for Jude? We have to get to Lake Forest.

Heat surges down my arms and settles into my hands. My fingers twitch, and in an instant, a fireball appears in my palm.

Flynn presses the phone to his ear. Before Garret—or whomever he’s calling to take out Jude—answers the phone, I hurl the fireball at him.

Flynn ducks smoothly. He also drops his phone. He shoots me a look of annoyance. “You’re going to pay for that.” His English accent makes him sound even more menacing.

As I’m about to conjure another fireball, someone grabs my arms and forces them to my side. I thrash against the steely grip.

“People are watching,” Marcus says low in my ear.

I stop fighting him and pull my attention away from Flynn. There’s a crowd of people standing just outside Caroline’s front door.

“Show’s over. Just a drunken brawl.” Dylan waves everyone off. “Go back inside.”

Marcus takes another step toward the protectors. “You should leave.”

“Garret’s grand disappointment.” Ronan’s lips curl as he looks from Marcus to me.

The two of them stalk off. A moment later a car roars to life and peels off down the street.

I whirl around to face Selima. “Who were those guys? They…the pain in my head. It was like they were drilling through my skull. It was horrible.”

“Horrible,” Dylan grinds out in agreement.

“Assassins.” Selima shakes her head. “I can’t believe Garret sent them. The two of you are strong enough to defend yourself, but humans. People could’ve gotten hurt tonight.”

“Assassins?” Dylan asks.

“But their powers,” Marcus says. He glances over his shoulder. I follow his gaze and notice most of the crowd on the porch has gone back inside. “What was that?”

Selima studies us grimly. “Remember when I told you Garret may be up to something horrible?”

Marcus and I nod.

“The reason I followed him and Camille to Chicago—in addition to wanting to meet you and find out why you weren’t with the clan—was to find out their dirty secret.”

“And?” I urge her.

Selima holds her stomach as if pained. “Garret has been experimenting on a group of protectors, including Ronan and Flynn, enhancing their powers and giving them new ones.”

“Selima, what are you saying?” Marcus asks through clenched teeth.

Selima struggles to make eye contact with her brother. “They’re blood drinkers.”

Dylan jerks his head toward Marcus. Marcus’s jaw clenches.

“That’s gross. Whose blood are they drinking?” I ask.

“Demon blood,” Selima says, her voice barely a whisper.

Demon blood?

“But that doesn’t make sense,” Marcus says. “Camille told me herself that Garret wants to annihilate all demons. If he wipes them all out, then there’s no more blood to drink.”

“There are demons who are cooperating with Garret,” Selima says.

Dylan’s face twists with disgust. “Serving as a blood bank? Voluntarily?”

Selima nods.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, letting it all sink in. I open them again. “So, why is Garret after Jude? Is he trying to get his blood?”

Selima’s dark gaze slides to me. “Garret’s soldiers were killing demons and draining them. I heard Jude traced the deaths back to our clan. He retaliated. They want Jude out of the picture, so they can continue.”

“Unbelievable!” Marcus grunts. “Camille said Jude was slaughtering protectors for no reason, that the clan had to take action to protect itself. More lies.” He rakes his fingers through his hair and takes several steps away from us. He spins on his heel. “Selima, why do you think Ronan and Flynn came here tonight?”

My stomach clenches. “Are they after my blood? Or Dylan’s?”

“Neither of you are pure bloods—same reason neither of you have an effect on protectors—so I doubt that.”

I smack my palm to my forehead. “
Jude
. We need to go. Now.”

Tomorrow night, I will conjure the greatest demon of all, which won’t help at all if Jude and I die tonight.

Chapter Forty-Three

Jude’s front gate is open. That’s our first clue something’s wrong.