“It’s a bloody city,” Jono said.
“The Dominion Sect used the pyramids in Egypt to bring a hell to Earth. What makes you think they will not use the skyscrapers of this city to perform the same feat? Altars come in many forms. Your god should know that, wolf.”
Patrick sheathed his dagger and lowered his shield. “We know.”
Jono narrowed his eyes. “You could’ve helped us out and killed the demon rather than let it go.”
Shiva laughed, the sound like soft thunder that Jono hoped wouldn’t wake the neighbors. “We gods are not supposed to directly interfere in another god’s creation.”
“Funny how that’s all you’ve been doing for years,” Patrick bit out.
“Ethan risks us all. It is one thing to be forgotten by history, quite another to be eradicated completely. We take offense when it matters. But demons?” Shiva shrugged, the snake coiled around his throat hissing with the movement. “They are one of the dominant stories these days, as am I and my brethren. We have no desire to have angels walk the world.”
“But you’ll let demons?”
“Demons can be banished. Angels always refuse to leave their prophets’ sides. They are aggravating that way.”
Shiva turned his back on them and headed down the street in the direction the demon-possessed werecreatures had fled. Jono could only hope the god was going hunting. He pressed his hand to the small of Patrick’s back. “Let’s get inside.”
Patrick nodded jerkily, and Jono led him home, behind their threshold, into the only safety they could find right now—within each other’s arms.
14
“We could watch something else?”Wade asked as he flopped down into an armchair.
Patrick grunted wordlessly at him, gaze locked on the television in Sage and Marek’s home. “You can in the other room.”
“I brought you snacks. How can I support you with snacks if I’m in the other room?”
A packet of Pop-Tarts dropped into Patrick’s lap, flung from Wade’s direction. He glanced down at the silvery foil packet containing two mass-produced pastries and fingered one corner. He wasn’t hungry, his stomach too knotted up from stress for him to eat, but the gesture was appreciated.
“Thanks, but it’s okay. I’m not hungry,” Patrick said, tossing it back with a smile he hoped didn’t look like a grimace.
Wade caught it one-handed, his other hand holding two strawberry Pop-Tarts fanned out like playing cards. “I’ll eat them for you.”
Patrick nodded absently, returning his attention to the television. They’d turned it to a national cable news channel, since that was the one Danai had called earlier to say she’d appear on.
He and Jono had woken up around dawn, hauled themselves out of bed, and driven cross-town to the Art Deco building Marek owned. They’d parked in the garage rather than the street, intent on spending the entire day and rest of the weekend with their friends, holed up away from the eyes of the world.
“Coffee?” Jono asked, holding out a mug for Patrick as he came around the couch.
Patrick took it with both hands so the coffee wouldn’t spill. “Thanks.”
Jono sat beside him on the couch, holding a cup of tea in his left hand. Patrick slouched a little until his shoulder rested against Jono’s, soaking up the warmth radiating off the other man. The day had seemed daunting when he’d first woken up. The only thing making it bearable was Jono and the rest of their pack.
“Tiarnán needs to have a meeting with us today,” Sage said as she came down the stairs from the upper level of the penthouse.
“Could it wait?” Jono asked.
“He said it’s important. He’s asking as an ally and is on his way over right now. If you want me to call him back and cancel, I can, but it sounded urgent.”
Patrick took a sip of coffee. “No, let’s keep that meeting. I’m going to need a distraction after the news hits. Think he’s going to finally ask us to help find whoever is missing?”
“I think it’s a little more complicated than that, but we’ll find out when he gets here.”
Sage had her personal MacBook tucked under one arm and carried a binder in her other arm. Patrick knew the binder contained the master organization of her and Marek’s wedding. At some point, he still needed to have his suit fitting, though he wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to attend.
“Not like things aren’t already complicated enough,” Jono muttered.
