Sloan nodded sagely. “My thoughts exactly. It looks demonic to me, but it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I’m informing all the squad captains so you can keep an eye out for anything similar.” His gaze settled on Nathan’s. “And unfortunately, you’re right. There’s a chance the traitors might know something about this that we don’t. Our prophets so far have seen nothing related to this incident or any like it. Personally, I don’t think reaching out to them will go well. I don’t think they’ll be any more receptive to the idea of a truce than we are, but if this is something Captain Accardi wants to do, I’m happy to let him pursue it for now. Maybe it’ll at least give us a lead about what happened to this young man. And if not, maybe we’ll learn a little more about what the traitors are up to.” He looked at Mark and tapped his temple. “Know your enemy.”
Mark settled back in his chair with a satisfied look, and Nathan schooled his expression.
It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but at least Sloan was giving him a chance. If he could prove that a truce could be useful, maybe Sloan would let this vendetta go. Nathan would take any chance he had.
Chapter2
Storm
Stray dropletsof rain landed on Storm’s shoulders as he strode across the craggy parking lot toward the Rink. It didn’t look like much from the outside, with its rusted metal walls, but the humans had really turned the inside around. It still looked like a skating rink, but it was a useable space, at least. Padded training mats covered the old skating floor, with wooden dummies and target boards for practicing. The disco ball, colored lights, and mirrored wall were kind of a hilarious juxtaposition, but somehow it worked.
The others’ cars were already there, and his enhanced hearing made it possible to hear the raised voices from within. He blew out a gusty sigh. What the fuck were they arguing about? The meeting hadn’t even started yet.
He’d woken up at sunset to a text message from Wolf.
Meeting at Rink. Something’s come up.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
Things had been quiet since Ira’s escape from the guild. They didn’t know about the Rink—yet, at least—which meant it was something of a safe haven from both the paladins and the demons alike. Lilith, the halfling owner of In Extremis, had been pissed at them ever since the paladins attacked the club in search of Ira. Storm used to be the bouncer there, but he hadn’t worked there since they’d set the place on fire. And while Lilith hadn’t been happy about his retirement, she’d let him go with surprisingly little fuss. He’d always known his position was easily replaceable, and it probably didn’t come as a big surprise that he wanted to leave after he’d been stabbed by a paladin’s holy blade. It was mostly healed now, but it still ached sometimes in a way that made him feel verymortal. He liked being a bouncer well enough, but he didn’t want to die for it. So he threw his lot in with these misfits.
Ira had been with them for about eight weeks. It wasn’t long in the grand scheme of things. He supposed it was just a matter of time until something happened. Trouble followed this group like flies on shit.
The gang was all there, standing around the old air hockey table they used for a conference table now. Angela and Zachary, teens who’d basically come with the purchase of the Rink, were sitting on the half-wall that separated the old arcade area from the training floor and watching the argument like the peanut gallery at a tennis match, their eyes bouncing back and forth. They spent a lot of time there, because their dad was a drunk who never had time for them.
Shadrach and Xyra were leaning against the glass snack bar with beers in hand. They, like Storm, were more removed from this group than the others. Xyra had left In Extremis after the fire at the same time as Storm. Shadrach, a leviathan, was mostly there for entertainment, as far as Storm could tell. By the table, the humans, Alex, Luke, and Ira, were on one side of the table and arguing with their demonic lovers. Talon, Malachi, and Wolf were on the other side of the table, although Wolf was edging around it like he was ready to surrender.
“What’s happening?” Storm asked Xyra.
She flicked a lock of long, midnight blue hair over her shoulder. “Ira got a phone call. Somebody from the guild wants to call a truce. The demons think it’s a trap. The humans think it’s worth a shot. Nobody is seeing eye to eye.”
“It’s toodangerous,” Talon said in a way that suggested he’d said it many times already.
“We can handle dangerous,” Alex said—in the same way.
“Youare absolutely not running point on this,” Talon said. Storm had never seen him so protective of anyone the way he was protective of Alex. It was like meeting Alex, back when Alex was still a paladin, had completely rewired Talon’s leviathan brain.
“Neither are you,” Malachi said to Luke, gentler but no less stubborn.
Luke sighed, rubbing a hand over his scarred jaw. “It’s Nathan, Mal. He’s not like the others. He wouldn’t be leading us into a trap.”
“Wouldn’t I have said something if I thought this was a trap?” Ira added, meeting Wolf at the edge of the table and letting the beefy halfling fold him into his arms.
“You don’t always seeeverything,” Talon pointed out.
“That’s a good point,” Wolf said, half-muffled by Ira’s hair. He’d once been the bartender of In Extremis. Now he spent his days with a prophet of the Lord. Life was weird as fuck.
“Hey!” Ira protested, slapping Wolf’s forearm around his middle. “Whose side are you on?”
“Whatever side keeps you safe,” Wolf replied matter-of-factly.
On Xyra’s other side, Shadrach rolled his eyes so hard his head moved.
“Why are you here?” Storm asked him. “I didn’t think you cared about any of this.”
Shadrach shrugged one shoulder. “Boredom, curiosity. The most lethal of combinations.”
“Mm,” Storm agreed. “Tell me about it.” If there was one thing he’d learned about eternity, it’s that it wasboring.
