The sounds of rushing water drowned out the women’s voices. He opened the door into an old-fashioned kitchen with warm, cream walls and faded blue cupboards. The myriad scents of drying herbs and spices surrounded him. Copper pots and pans hung from the ceiling rafter above the table.
Kira stood near the sink, washing a few dishes. She didn’t look at him, but he sensed her troubled thoughts. And her hurt. Her cell rang. She shut off the faucet, wiped her hands on a dishtowel, and retrieved her phone from her pocket. Anxiety etching her features now, she answered. “Shadow?”
“Get over here.” Týr could clearly hear the female’s frantic tone. “I have the little termagant. We’re at The Shelter. Back entrance. He’s fighting like the devil to get free— Stop that, you little brat. Kira, now!”
The line dropped.
“Gran, we have to go. We’ll finish this conversation when I get back.”
So, Kira hadn’t told Lila about her sire yet. Hell, he could put up with a lot of shit, and really, he didn’t care where he stayed as long as it was with Kira, but one thing he refused to do was continue seeing the hurt in her eyes.
This sire of hers had better have a damn good reason for ignoring his daughter.
* * *
Moments later, they took form in the alley. Kira hurried toward The Shelter with Týr at her side. The second Shadow spied her, she sprinted over, her normally pale features gone chalk-white. “He’s gone! It all happened so fast. Two guys appeared. They shoved me back with a blast, snatched Tomas, and just went…poof, disappearing into thin air. I’m so sorry.”
Kira stared blankly at her friend, fear tearing through her.
“Wait here.” Týr took off into the alley.
“I’m going to see if I can track them,” Shadow said.
“No. Don’t.” Kira grabbed her hand. “They’re dangerous and not human.”
Her friend’s lips stretched into a thin smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I know. I’ll be fine.”
Shadow ran back into the alley, her footsteps echoing in the dark.
Kira felt as if her knees would cave. Then she dug out her cell and hit speed dial.
“Yeah?”
“Tagg? It’s Kira.”
“Look, no sign of the boy yet.” His voice instantly lowered. “I have my men keeping an eye out for him—”
“Just so you know, demons snatched him a few minutes ago,” she cut him off. Being half demon, he would recognize what that meant, the kind of trouble Tomas could be in.
A curse drifted along the line. “Where?”
Kira reeled off the address.
“I’ll be there.”
As the call dropped, Týr appeared and dragged her against his hard, warm body. She held on tightly, so grateful for his presence. “They’ve taken him, Týr. We’ll never find him now—”
“They didn’t go to the Dark Realm…” He ran his big palm over her back. “I located the point where they flashed with Tomas and scanned but found no signs of a portal being opened in the alley or the surrounding areas. I’ve already alerted the others that the scourges are back on the hunt. They’ll want a huge batch of kids before they haul them into the Dark Realm.”
“Or just make off with one who’s psychic. Týr—”
“No.”
“How can you say no? You didn’t even know what I was going to ask?”
“You can’t go traipsing around in alleys, Kira. I won’t be able to pay attention to my job, worrying about you. C’mon, let me take you back to work. Then, I can go find those fuckers. And don’t leave the bar. I’ll come for you if I find Tomas sooner.”
* * *
