A Demon's Work Is Never Done: Latter Day Demons, Book 2 (26 page)

"What kinds are those?" I'd asked. I was twelve and visiting her at the time.

"People who want to hurt and people who want to help," she said simply. "Sometimes the ones who hurt don't really intend to, it's just that they think they're protecting themselves in some way. The end result speaks otherwise."

She wouldn't tell me what had transpired in the Council meeting. I still didn't know. I hadn't forgotten her words, however. Deris and Daris—they wanted to hurt. I had no idea why.

* * *

Kordevik

We only had two changes of clothing and a few necessities with us; Zaria had transported our other belongings back to the house in San Rafael. The compound in Punta Blanca was now empty. I worried that the residents could be attacked again.

It was late and I sat on the bed, waiting for Lexsi to come out of the bathroom. The violence was difficult for her to accept—that someone would willingly attack and kill those they didn't know and hadn't harmed them personally.

I'd seen too much of the same during my lifetime.

I watched her walk out of the bathroom, showered and dressed in pajama bottoms and a stretchy, sleeveless shirt. This Lexsi looked lost. I understood it was overwhelming her now, whereas she'd acted professionally in Peru.

The New York bombings were a different story. We'd been there for Peru. Nobody had been there for New York.

"Come here, baby," I held out my hands. She came to me—slowly. Tentatively. I wrapped her against me the moment she was close enough. A part of me felt just as helpless as she did.

"We'll get them," I whispered against her hair. "I promise we'll get them."

* * *

Opal

Kell, Klancy, Zaria and I were in the hotel coffee shop. We didn't need bodyguards for what we were about to do.

After I'd suggested something of the sort, Zaria offered her services, on the condition that we not kill unless forced to do so. I'd already asked Colonel Hunter to arrange for holding cells. We had terrorists to hunt. A few thought they were beyond our reach; they'd flown out of the country before the bombs went off. They were about to be surprised.

Currently, all airports were closed and on lockdown because of the extensive bombings. Yes, Zaria was violating her non-interference status, because I'd asked her to. In this case, I just wanted a cage full of murderers—
all
the murderers involved in this attack.

They didn't have Sirenali to hide them. Hadn't known they might need them, after all. They were used to hiding beneath baseboards and in cracks and crannies, blending in with their surroundings.

I wondered how they were going to take being caught, no matter where they were.

"Ready?" I took one last sip of my coffee. It could be a long night, followed by an early morning meeting with the President.

"Yes." Zaria took a deep breath and allowed Klancy to take her hand and help her from our booth.

Kell's hand was beneath my elbow as he helped me rise. These two would die for us; there was no question. I also understood that Zaria and I would protect them with our lives, if necessary.

"Let's go collect terrorist ass," I breathed.

* * *

Lexsi

After a restless night, during which Kory was always there with a warm embrace, shushing me when I woke, shaking and terrified, we watched the morning news together.

Yes, I understood that some that we knew had been busy through the night. Face after face, name after name, appeared across our television screen, while journalists explained that these—the ones involved in the bombings—had been captured after authorities interrogated one captured suspect the night before.

They thought all those names had been given to them by Mahmoud. I knew differently—he'd only known a few of those names. The rest were likely supplied by someone else.

I had suspicions as to whom that could be, but didn't want to voice them aloud. Kory's arms, warm and strong, were about me as we watched the news together from our bed. As expected, the death toll in New York had risen dramatically. One hundred thousand lives was now the estimate.

"I saw Zaria's Larentii mate," Kory confessed. "The other day. He just showed up unannounced."

"Who?" I asked.

"Kalenegar," he breathed, his mouth next to my ear.

I went still. "He's the Head of the Larentii Council," I whispered. "Why would he be here?"

"Because he's mated to Zaria?"

"Oh. He may not be the only one, then," I said.

"Only what?"

"Only Larentii. Sometimes, people get more than one Larentii mate. Gran has two," I pointed out. "What did he say?"

"Not much—they discussed the wristband and the likelihood that it was worthless, or would be whenever the enemy discovered it was missing. Kalenegar wanted to see Zaria in private after that, so I left them alone."

"I wish I knew who she really is," I sighed. "She's important, I know that much. I don't think she'd be here, otherwise. And the fact that she's mated to the most powerful Larentii? You can't discount that for a minute." I moved to slide away from Kory.

"I have a raging erection," he murmured while pulling me back.

"You're the one who said no sex before kissing, and we haven't set a kissing date, remember?" I looked up at him. His eyes were dark while a wicked smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

"Too bad we can't bend time, then. We could show up for our own wedding," he teased as he let me go. "Would you kiss me then—when your father handed you to me? I'd catch you when you fell and take such good care of you afterward."

"Kory," I pushed myself off the bed and stood, still gazing at him. "I'd marry you
and
kiss you. Without qualms. But we sort of have this in front of us now," I swept a hand toward the television, where more journalists were speculating on whether other terrorists were involved or if we'd collected all of them.

"Then will you wear this? It was what I had for you, when you married me." He leaned over and pulled a small box from his shirt pocket. He'd left his clothes on the small chest beside the bed.

"What's that?" I blinked at the box, dwarfed in his large hand.

"The ring I picked out for you. When I ordered it, I didn't know how much I'd love you," he lifted the lid. "I know how much you mean to me now."

My breath caught. The gem was Tiralian crystal, there was no doubt, and not a small one, either. "Kory, I," I didn't know what to say. The ring had to cost a fortune. I told him that, too.

"I was given a discount," he said, "By somebody who regularly trades Tiralian crystal. Through a third party—your great-aunt Glindarok."

"But it's still so much," I breathed, my eyes going from the ring to his face and then back again.

"You're worth everything to me," he said simply. "This ring couldn't come close to what I think your worth is. I want to marry you, Lexsi Silver."

"Will it fit?" I whispered.

"Want to find out?" He lifted the ring from its bed of velvet and held it out to me. "Give me your hand, baby, if you want to marry me."

My left hand trembled, but I held it out to him. With gentle fingers, he set the ring on the proper finger. It fit perfectly. Someone had given him my size. Perhaps my father had told him.

It didn't matter. The man I loved and wanted to marry had put a ring on my finger and asked me to marry him. He'd promised to catch me when I fell after he kissed me. He promised to be gentle when placing the claiming marks.

I believed him.

I wanted to marry him right then and there. So many things had to be done, first and it made me want to weep. I had happiness while so many others grieved from terrible tragedy. Was all of life destined to be such a confusing paradox?

"Come here." Kory pulled me against him and kissed the hand that wore his ring. "We belong together. To each other. That's what matters right now. We'll deal with the other stuff where and when we can. Get dressed, onion. We have bad guys to fight."

* * *

Kordevik

We had breakfast in a hotel cafe while Opal met with the President, Colonel Hunter and every other bigwig who had anything to do with the US Government. I was pleased to see that our werewolf friend, Jorden Billings, had arrived to help guard us and drive us if necessary.

"I was hoping we'd see you," Lexsi gave him a quick hug. He grinned and shook my hand after Lexsi moved away.

"I was hoping I'd get to work with you again," he said. "I'd have asked if the boss hadn't told me to come."

"What's on tap, then?" Watson joined us. He grinned and punched Jorden on the shoulder. They knew one another; Watson had already told me that much.

"Last time I saw you," Jorden said after clapping Watson on the back, "I was in the Navy and stationed in San Diego, while you were serving drinks in San Francisco. Now I'm with the D.C. Pack and working for Director Tadewi."

"I'm the new Packmaster for the rebuilding San Francisco Pack," Watson sighed.

"Heard about that," Jorden jerked his head in a quick nod. "Never did like Claudia. Scent was off, in my estimation."

"I hear that."

I'm surprised there was no butt sniffing
, I sent to Lexsi, who turned her head so the wolves wouldn't see her smile.

Jorden's cell phone buzzed. He excused himself and walked away to answer the call. He was back after a minute or two had passed. "We'll transport you in—the boss has asked for a meeting with your crew."

We were herded into dark, bulletproof vans a short time later, and our convoy headed toward a building not far from the Capitol. Jorden hadn't told us where we were going; he drove while another guard sat on the passenger seat up front. Yoff, Anita and Watson rode with us; Zaria, Klancy, Kell, and Tibby rode in another van. Mason, Davis, Thomas and Sandra were in the last van, while Farin and Jamie were left behind at the hotel under heavy guard.

They weren't happy about being left behind, but I hoped they'd understand eventually. If it weren't for Opal and Tibby wanting them where they were, I'd have asked that Farin be sent home to be with her parents, while Jamie stayed at the San Rafael house with hidden guards close by.

I'm sure they could allow Farin's brother to stay there, too, and merely move his guards to his parents' home so they could watch both.

It occurred to me then that I could remove the obsession from Rick; he'd be back to himself the moment I released him from my mist. I made a mental note to ask Opal about it when we had a private moment together.

Jorden parked our van in an underground parking area and waited for the other two vans to pull up beside ours before stepping out of our vehicle and searching the area to ensure it was safe.

We unloaded after that and headed for a nearby elevator. Jorden used his badge to convince the elevator doors to open; we crowded inside while Jorden pressed the button for the fourth floor. Half of us were taken on the first trip, the rest waited until the elevator deposited us in an empty foyer, then returned for the others in our group.

When we were all gathered in the foyer, Jorden led the way to a locked door in the center of the foyer. Swiping his badge got us past that door and into a hallway. At the end of that hallway was another locked door. It opened for us before Jorden could swipe his badge again.

Opal, Colonel Hunter and several others, including the President, waited inside for us.

* * *

Lexsi

I had no idea I'd be hearing what we did; Kory's hand gripped mine beneath the table while the President spoke of a declaration of war and Opal attempted to talk him out of it.

I understood Opal's reasoning; declaring war against Peru because they were a stationary target could be the worst mistake of his career. It wasn't Peru he had a problem with; it was what had taken over Peru that was our difficulty.

Opal had attempted to warn him at the beginning of this mess; he and the Secretary of State hadn't listened. After seeing the recorded version of Mahmoud's confession, naming those in Peru as the facilitators in the New York bombings, they'd swung from one end of the pendulum to the other.

Already, Congress was called to convene and declaring war would be on the agenda. The fact that the Secretary of State's multiple calls to the puppet government in Peru had gone unanswered had convinced him and the President that we were now engaged in a conflict with that South American nation.

If troops were sent to Peru's border, the moment they attempted to cross, they'd be fried by the death machines that waited. The president shouted about being betrayed by supposed allies, while the Secretary of State nodded his agreement.

Opal and Colonel Hunter weren't able to interrupt and attempt to convince him to listen to reason.

In the President's opinion, Peru had just joined the terrorists and would pay for their involvement.

It wasn't that simple. Colonel Hunter pointed out that Peru was engaged in killing their own. We didn't need to add our help to what amounted to genocide in that country by attempting indiscriminate bombings.