Page 98 of Commanding Flame and Shield
And then it happened. When he exchanged Fae’s hand for Ally’s, there was a huge pulse of energy, drawing me forward. Where her reading normally took place, that pulse rolled out of her chest. Those phantom hands of her power—her clairvoyance—struck forward. It took all my self-control to keep my face neutral as I realized Alvara had reachedintothe man’s mind. Caught him like a spider in a web. Fae’s voice was so soft when she spoke again, that even I strained to hear her words, only feet behind her.
“We’re hereforSiren. And you’re going to be a good man, and let us on in, aren’t you?” The man gave a nod, his eyes empty of recognition as he spoke his agreement. Fae patted his cheek, flashing a radiant smile as she tossed platinum hair over a shoulder. “Good boy. You’re not going to tell anyone we were here either.” The bouncer shook his head. “Thank you, handsome.” Alvara released her hold on his hand, as Fae stroked her fingers down his cheek in a flirtatious, familiar way.
“See you tomorrow, Colin!” She called over her shoulder as we all entered the club. Her voice now loud enough for the throng of waiting people to hear the sweet familiarity there. It took a great deal of discipline not to run to catch up to her as she slid her black gloves up over her elbows. Taking two strong strides forward, I wrapped Ally’s leather covered wrist in my fingers, and gave a quick tug back. She flicked her eyes to me, face trained in a playful, coy smile.
“What the hell was that?”
“When you master your clairvoyance, you can project your will too. You’ll learn in time, Rookie.” She gave me a wink, sliding her wrist from my grip in a smooth turn back to her bold stride. Fully embodied in her role. Her job. She was walking in a skin she called Elizabeth. A strong impression crashed over me that this Elizabeth was best left alone. That this was a lesson too. Just one to watch and not to question. Not yet. So, I stepped into my place by Alec—whose amusement radiated as he followed in his mate’s wake—as the Westerlund brothers split ways behind us. “I’m Insane” by Ratt came on, loud enough my skull was ringing with it.
I have the East door.Marcus’ mental voice was as much a rumble as his real life one.
West secure.Jason confirmed.Handful of crawlers—you won’t miss much.
At the bar in the front. Eyes on the owner.Damien had also taken his place
The energy of that crowd, God it made my head swim. Dark and heavy, it seemed to twist towards the back of the bar. Towards the very stairwell we were heading for. As quick as I could, I marked each exit, door and window just like Alec and Aren had trained me over those long months. I knew Alvara’s visions were thorough. But always confirm. Always cover your ass. That was the protocol we were to follow.
Alvara’s movements were smooth as water as she waded through the crowd, swift and fluid. The rapid echo of the roaring music reverberated through the floor, up my legs and into my chest. Strobe lights flashed across the writhing bodies. The salt of sweat, and stench of something…other…waved off the dance floor.
Those would be the drugs, mate.Marcus’ amusement was thick in that mental voice.Nasty, aren’t they?
There was only repulsion—no words to form in my mind as I followed Alvara and Fae across the club. Alec clasped my shoulder in a brotherly embrace, and the unease settled, as did my stomach.
Teach me how to do that.
He chuckled out loud and released his hold on me.I will.
Alvara led us down the stairway, her ponytail bobbing with the movement. Despite being abandoned, the basement room was full of smoke and reeked of that bone-deep dread that permeated every inch of the building. She paused for a moment, sliding a glove from her steady hand. Shoulders still tall, she pressed her palm into the wall, eyes fluttering shut. A soft smile played on her lips, and she jerked her chin forward as she slid her other hand free.
Alvara strode down the shadowed hallway and turned to the right when it forked. Awful, icy, reeking air filled the narrow passage. It felt like I was pushing my way through an invisible forcefield as we pressed on. Energy culminated in the upper corner of the far side of the hallway. My eyes blinked to adjust to the gloom and my heart froze in its place when I spotted it.
The great, webbed blackness arching from one wall to the ceiling, and down to the next. Dark and soul sucking with its steady, pulsing power. Steady. Steady with…sleep. I knew it in my core, but still I glanced to Alvara. She inclined her head.
Sleeping tormentor. I need Grayshell with me, Marcus.
Already on it.
Alvara placed her hands against the wall, and I watched the reading play out in her mind as she studied where our target had vanished. Still, she sent the thought to the group, to make sure none had missed it.
Third door on the left.
We began to pad down the hallway, as silently as we could manage to avoid rousing the tormentor in the corner. Vampires, crawlers, webbed beasts suspended in the air. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what they did. The stench of adrenaline and sweat stuffed itself up my nose, and I fell in step behind Alec with urgent ferocity.
That was fresh fear. We could save this person. This person who did not wish to be here. Fresh sin in the air—beyond the party goers upstairs. Something evil, and it was close. Too close.
Alec paused for only a heartbeat outside that third door to the left, just long enough for us both to take a deep breath. Just long enough for Alvara’s eyes to flutter closed as she again ran through the vision of who we would find in there. Of where each of us needed to be. Energy pulsed off Alec, so feral that I expected him to kick in the door. Somehow it took me by surprise when he obediently tried the handle. It would be too loud, of course, that Hollywood entrance. We found the door locked, but Alec turned his hand over the cheap brass nob, and I heard the soft click within the mechanism. The music upstairs came to an end, and “I Don’t Need Love” by Sammy Hagar replaced it.
He silently tossed the door open and surveyed the room in front of him. We spirited into the space on silent feet, and it took all the training they’d given me not to hold my breath. The first of the Renown had his fangs buried in his mark, the girl’s eyes wide with terror. He had her pinned against the couch, tiny arms above her head. His enormous body pressed against her. The color had leached from her face, and cheeks were already going hollow.
Sick.
I’d never felt anything like the complete despair waving off her. Her exhausted, purple rimmed eyes widened slightly as we entered her view. And then Alec had his knife planted in the monster’s neck and slit his throat before he could raise alarm. Rotten blood spurted across the girl’s horrified face. The monster whirled, face twisted with rage and shock, as he sunk to his knees, giant hands pawing at his gushing neck. Alec sneered down at him and kicked him to the ground with a soft thud. He looked to me, and jerked his head, reminding me to stay on Alvara and Fae’s heels.
Fae, literally following her nose to confirm Alvara’s vision, magicked her way into the locked bathroom. If the images in her mind hadn’t told me she was successful, the heavy thud-thud of two bodies hitting the floor would have. Anger pulsed off her like a Mac truck, battering the energy of the building.
Too late.
Goddammit,Alvara growled.
