“Nik and Blaéz took off to check out a disturbance in the Bowery,” Týr said, dropping onto a chair at the end of the long table. Aethan took the one oppositehim.
Michael nodded. Then Dagan filled them in. “We may have a lead on Shae’s mother. If it pans out, then the demons haveher.”
Unable to sit still, Shae jerked to her feet and paced the short side of the table. “Why would they take her? She’s one of the gentlest people Iknow.”
“We’ll find her, Shae—” Dagan broke off, tiny vertical lines creasing between his eyebrows. “Damn, I should have asked you this. Is your motherpsychic?”
She slowed to a halt. “Yes. She has flashes of precognition, and she senses Others like Ido.”
At the sudden stillness in the room, she glanced at the silent men. Her gaze darted back to Dagan. “What? What aren’t you tellingme?”
“It’s about those murdered men I first asked you about.” He explained about the psychic killer he’d been tracking for several months who’d left a trail of Fallen and human bodies. “Whoever’s killing them, is doing it by turning their insides to liquid. We thought at first a demon or Fallen could be usingyouto do that, but your powers aren’t like those of thekiller.”
“You thoughtIwas the killer?” she whispered, feeling as if he’d slappedher.
“Shae—”
“No.” Then shook her head. “It doesn’tmatter—”
“It does to me.” He dropped his hand, his irises flaring in frustration. “Nothing like this has ever occurred before. Fallens don’t possess those kinds of powers after they fall, but the rising psionicswould.”
She understood their caution. Heck, she was aware she could destroy them, too, with her new ability, and shehadkilled. But illogical as it might be, the fact that he’d thought, even for a second, that she could deliberately harm anyone…it hurt her. “My mother is what matters. I have to findher.”
“I’m going to meet Shae’s demon friend,” Dagan told the others, his tone flat. “And get a location on thisLuka.”
“He’s not going to say a word to you,” shecountered.
His hard gaze met hers—yeah, he was still upset. “I have myways.”
“Yes, bloodshed always solves everything. Dagan, he dies, we have nothing. But I know a sure way to find out where sheis.”
He folded his arms over his chest.Waited.
That stance didn’t bode well at all. It didn’t deter her, though. Ignoring the stares of the silent warriors—damn, they’d most likely be of the same mind as Dagan—she said, “I’ll bebait.”
“Absolutelynot!”
At his unequivocal veto, she pressed on. “How can you say no? It makes perfectsense.”
“I won’t heedlessly put you in danger, even if you can’t see straight in this regard,” he bit out. “And especially not with that Fallen afteryou.”
“Dammit,Dagan—”
“I don’t think they’ll readily spill their secrets,” Hedori said quietly, glancing between her and Dagan. “At least not without someincentive.”
“No, they won’t,” she agreed. “Not to you guys, anyway. But to a woman they wanted to impress or hook up with? Whynot?”
“It’s not happening!” Dagan’s eyes burned with suppressed fury. “You aren’t placing yourself indanger.”
She notched up her chin. “You know it’s the bestway.”
“Hold on a sec…” Michael slowly rubbed his chin. “Perhaps anotherfemale.”
“Ely,” Aethan added, leaning back in his chair. “We should call her in for thismeeting.”
Shae had no clue who this Ely was, but she detested the idea. For months, she’d been in several dangerous places, underground clubs, following leads on her mother. Now, when she was so close, Dagan would deny herthis?
“No, Ely won’t work,” Týr said, tipping his chair back on its two back legs. “Those demons will know she’s immortal—and a Guardian to boot since she already took her pledge. They’ll sense a trap, and if they do have Shae’s mother, well, they could disappear with her for a really longtime.”
