Sam remained frozen, Gideon’s breath like icicles against his face. “Recruits for what, exactly?”
Gideon’s face was immobile as he leaned forward until their noses almost touched. His eyes glowed, a bright red with a pupil sliced down the centre. “For the Undead, of course. We plan to destroy the pretenders who believe they run this city, taking the Undercity Lords out one at a time until we have complete control.”
With a snap his wings disappeared into his back. His horns curled up, disappearing into his jet black hair that was so long it brushed past his waist. After a few seconds he looked nothing like a Daemon, his eyes darkening to brown, and he even lost a few inches in height. With another click his clothes changed into an expensive suit, the tie blood red.
Bishop appeared at his side, staring down with his lips pressed into a thin line. He too had put on a glamour, both looking more human every passing second.
“For too long my people and I have been imprisoned below,” Gideon continued, adjusting the cuffs at his wrists. “It's our time up here in the light.”
Chapter26
Axel
Axel stared at the man strapped naked to a chair, his ribs a burst of bruises in various stages of repair.
“I won’t ask you again,” he growled, but the man didn’t flinch when his knuckles connected to his cheek with a sharp crack. Pain reverberated up Axel’s arm, and he embraced it, concentrating on the feeling as he reared back his fist once more. “Where did they take him?” There was no response, no grunt or groan as his hit connected again and again.
“This is taking too long,” Kace said, his presence heavy. “Let me deal with him.”
Anger forced him to turn, his beast releasing a snarl that made even Kace hesitate. “Fuck off, he’s mine.”
“You need to calm right the fuck down, brother.”
“Well, isn’t that fucking funny coming from you?” Axel said, unable to stand still. “Has Sythe checked his face against all the registered packs yet?” They’d found a black stone wrapped in leather around the man’s throat, and as soon as they’d snapped the thread the skull glamour fell away to reveal a worn, tired face.
“How the fuck am I supposed to know?” Kace said. “I’m stuck here making sure you don’t accidentally kill him.”
Axel tried to control his anger, his body vibrating with such concentrated rage he began to pace, his heart a rabbit in his chest. It had been five hours since they’d gotten the call Blood Bar had been hit, five hours since Sam had been taken. Titus and Kace had fought the two creatures, killing one while the other had shifted back to the man who currently sat bare arsed on a metal chair stolen from Jax’s workshop.
“Oh, I’m so sorry that my interrogation skills are a bit rusty compared to yours,” Axel said, each word dripping with sarcasm. “I’ll make sure to practice –”
A knock, Sythe appearing in the corner. “His name’s Lennon Cotter, registered missing three months ago by his probation officer.”
The man lifted his head, but remained silent.
“Which pack?”
“He isn’t,” he said, face etched with anger. “According to the report he wasn’t supposed to even be in the city. Was registered missing when he didn’t turn up to his weekly offender meeting.”
Lennon blinked slowly, eyes barely tracking.
“Riley wants an update.” Shadows curled around Sythe’s arm, his brother’s ability unique amongst them. “That means everyone upstairs.”
Dragging himself away from Lennon, Axel nodded, following both Sythe and Kace into the War room several floors above. Everyone else was already there, Titus in the corner in front of one of his many computers spotted around the estate. The screens that hung on the wall flickered, revealing the CCTV footage from the streets outside Blood Bar.
“Sam was spotted outside before the first sign of Hellfire was released,” Riley said, his attention the screens. “Ti found him on the street’s coverage running back towards the bar.”
“Hellfire?” Sythe repeated, letting out a low whistle. “Where the fuck can you even get Hellfire now the doorway to the Fae realm has been sealed?”
“Why was he even outside?” Axel asked, watching as Titus rewound the tape, only to pause on the scene that turned his stomach. Sam, cornered by three men, including Lennon with skulls painted across their faces, and a fucking Daemon with his hand around his throat. Fire was a bright halo surrounding them, and even through the image Axel could feel the heat, the bar unrecognisable as it crumbled.
There was no fear in Sam’s face, only determination before he disappeared in a burst of smoke, leaving behind the three skulls. Then nothing, the cameras melting against the scorching heat.
“Guess these are the faces of death that I’ve been hearing on the winds,” Sythe continued in the background, watching the screen. “You would think they would choose something more inconspicuous.”
“They’re trying to make a statement,” Riley said.
“Making a statement was hitting the fucking bar,” Jax said. “The Lords know it’s our place, and they know not to mess with us unless they want retaliation.”
