“Plus, your father always made it seem as if you were the weaker mage,” I remind him. “It would be hard for him to resist.”
“Find out from Caron who we should target to deliver this message,” Jamison orders Hawthorne, who immediately picks up his phone.
Gatlin picks up a red pen and starts circling areas on the map. “These are the most ideal locations. Tight spaces. Little room to maneuver but easy for us to cover. Hidden from above.”
He looks over at Jamison, who bends down to study each one before nodding. “Get these to Mathias and ask him to choose. He’s on the ground and can check them out.”
Gatlin snaps several pictures with his phone, then sends them off to Mathias.
Jamison walks over to me and cups my face. “This might be our only shot to grab Bennett, but one whiff of trouble, and I’m getting you out of there. Your safety comes first. I don’t care if we have to fight the whole damn world later. We’ll figure it out. You’re too important to me.” He flicks a glance at the other two, who have stopped what they’re doing to listen. “To us.”
Mages, vampires, humans. It feels like half the villains in this world are after this power. If we can take one enemy off the board, it will be worth it. But if they eliminate me, I’m not sure what the gods will do in retaliation. It’s a treacherous balance either way.
“Promise me you’ll do what I tell you,” he pleads.
“I promise to try,” I concede, unable to give him the assurance he’s looking for. I reach up and place my hand on his chest. His heart beats steadily, reminding me that his life is more fragile than mine. “I also have a duty to protect this world, including the humans in it. These panels could sway the balance of power in a way that could be detrimental to all. I can’t blindly promise to follow your orders, not even for my own safety.”
He softly curses. “Maybe we should get a decoy.”
I smile at his attempt to figure out a way to protect me, but this is my fight too. “Honestly, we should be getting a decoy foryou.” I tap his chest. “You’re not quite as indestructible as the rest of us. Are you willing to sit this one out?”
He narrows his eyes, but the message hits home. “Bloody hell, woman. Stop being so damn logical.”
The other two chuckle, but what I said is true. A thought occurs. This is dangerous for all of us…including Bennett. My mind flashes to the pin I picked up earlier today. Cursed to trigger a heart attack. Or the dark-framed glasses. Cursed to cause blindness. So many choices for someone so vulnerable.
25
JAMISON
Phaedra’s on the couch bent over a book when I walk into the living room. Her silky hair like a dark cloud around her, hiding her expressive face, but the minute I enter the room, she lifts her head and smiles. Damn, she takes my breath away. She has from the minute we met at Hawkes House.
“May I?” I ask, not wanting to interrupt her research. She’s been at it for a couple of hours, trying to find clues as to where Ares might have hidden his panel.
She tosses the book to the floor with a heavy sigh. “Please.” She scoots over to give me room and pats the sofa beside her. “You look tired.”
Tired doesn’t begin to cover it, but more than that, I’m worried. And I’m not the only one. We know Phaedra can handle herself, but Bennett is an unknown. A very powerful unknown. Add in an entire city full of vampires, who have designated themselves the enemy, and gods like Hera, who aren’t in favor ofwhatever plan they have for her, and we’d be happier if we could lock her away in this house.
As I sit, she moves to face me. “How’s the plan coming along?”
I tilt my head from one side to the other, trying to ease the tension in my neck. Hawthorne, Gatlin, and I were up all night nailing down the details. Every time we thought we were close, another potential variable popped up. Mathias has been helping as much as he can spare, but he’s training hard for the matches.
“It’s done.”
“You don’t sound happy about it,” she murmurs, getting up on her knees. She twirls her finger. “Turn around.”
“There’s too much risk,” I tell her as I turn. Strong thumbs press down on the tight muscles in my neck, and I groan.
“You think the mission will fail?” she asks, moving to my shoulders and upper back.
Notes of vanilla and jasmine fill my senses. When I first met her, I thought she was Elven because of the jasmine, but I couldn’t figure out the vanilla for the longest time. Rich and exotic, the combination drove me crazy. Now I realize it’s unique because she’s unique, and it’s burned into my senses. Forever.
“We’ve got a fifty-fifty chance of pulling this off,” I murmur, falling deeper under the spell of her hands. My head falls forward, and my eyes close.
For several minutes, she runs her hands from my shoulders down my spine, tackling each knot as she finds it until I’m putty in her hands.
“Sounds like pretty good odds to me. Is it because I’m part of the equation?” she asks, straddling my lap and pushing me back against the sofa. Her eyes say she already knows the answer, but I nod anyway.
“We’re concerned. Mathias too,” I reply and her eyebrows rise. “Vampires love a good battle. It’s in their blood. But hedoesn’t like the idea of you around so many of his brethren, especially when they’re amped up.”
