“Alas, no. Rosie and Jacob moved soon after.”
Damn, disappointment settled like lead in her belly. “Do you know where they went?”
“No, my dear.” He rubbed his eyes. “I went to my daughter’s home the following day for a visit. But I heard they relocated across the state. Now, I must be getting home. These old bones can’t take the cold much more.” He reached for the metal arm to pull himself up.
“Let me.” Ely grasped his gnarled fingers and slipped her other arm around him. As she helped him to his feet, she let her warmth flow into him. She couldn’t heal old age or his type of illness, but she tried to give him a little ease. Since she wasn’t allowed to interfere in human lives, she could do these little things. No one needed to know.
After the old man shuffled up the steps and disappeared indoors, she made her way back to the lane. All she wanted was for the boy to be safe. And for him to know she hadn’t broken her promise. She did return to find him, even if it was a few years later.
The old couple she left him with, Ely had picked up no shadows of evil in their heart, and that was the only reason she’d handed the child over. In Empyrea, where no babe had been born in over two thousand years, they were longed for and treasured. She only hoped the boy was protected and cared for in this world.
A faint hint of sulfur prickled her nose, one she recognized as belonging to the quieter Otium demons living in this world. Probably some resided in one of these brownstones.
Scanning the lane and checking that she was alone, Ely dematerialized to the Bowery, her current place of patrol. Hopefully, she’d find a few demoniis to eliminate and get rid of the feeling of failure inundating her.
She reformed in an alley deep in the rundown parts, and keeping to the shadows—as was her habit—she made her way along the cracked, sludgy asphalt. A lone female in a dark street always drew two types: those who would try to rescue her or those who would harm her. The latter found out, much to their detriment, she wasn’t one to trifle with.
A scrawny, stray feline leaped onto a broken crate and froze, staring at her with reflective green eyes.
“I’m not going to hurt you, little kitty. Just the bad demons,” she murmured, walking past him.
She perused the area, sparing a glance at the biker’s den, then noting her coffee vendor on the corner where the alley met the street. Coffee sounded good right about now, the one thing she’d become addicted to since living in this realm.
About to head off and get her caffeine fix, movement stirred in her peripheral view deeper down the alley. Frowning, Ely stepped back, becoming one with the building’s shadows as a lone figure strode in her direction. He was tall and built. Head lowered, his unfastened coat flapped open, probably flipping off the impossibly cold weather. Heck, it would fit his dark silhouette, she thought with wry amusement.
She couldn’t see much of his face, but as he neared her hideout, his head snapped up as if sensing he wasn’t alone. His stride slowed, and he stared straight at where she remained hidden. Raven-black hair fell to his broad shoulders, framing a tanned face. The hard lines of his brooding features merged to form a visage of rugged masculine beauty. Lean. Powerful—
His eyes flashed red.
Demon.
Of course, he was.
Only they appeared eerily beautiful, concealing the evil within.
Except this one didn’t possess the stomach-churning stench of sulfur marking those diabolic spawns. Her heightened senses picked up a light woodsmoke tinged with the tantalizing scent of…anise. She remembered the smell from when Kira baked.
Pretty boy’s mouth thinned as if sensing her droll assessment before he strode off. And disappeared into the dingy biker bar.
Oooh, boy.Ely sighed, shrugging off her fascination for the Guardians’ natural-born enemy. She could just imagine the uproar that would create if she ever dated one.
Snorting, she ambled off toward the coffee vendor.
Nope, that would never happen.
* * *
Ten minutes earlier…
“Sicariiiiiiii.”
The moniker coasted through the freezing air to where Nate crouched on a rooftop, and he cursed. Damn Derrodus!
Before the imbecile found him and messed up his job, Nate flashed and continued tracking his target. He had to get his mark into an alley, fewer witnesses there.
The lanky demon below shoved a path through the humans on the busy sidewalk, his head snapping around, then his hand shot out. A shriek echoed and snapped off. The demon vanished into the night air with his victim.
Does the fool think he can easily lose someone like me?
