It was drolly said, and Ginny laughed. “They’ll be transported to headquarters and seen by Society doctors before they’re questioned.”
I nodded and headed down the stairs. “Did you ask about a protection detail on Tane? He’s likely to be the next target.”
“If Tane killed Orion’s family first, I’m thinking Orion’s revenge will play along the similar lines—take out the family, then get the prize.”
“Difference is, Tane wasn’t being hunted by the Society back then. Orion is, and may just decide to cut to the main prize. If, as I suspect, that’s the case, then Tane will need protection. No matter how powerful he is, Orion is a man without a soul and in league with a demon of unknown power.”
“Well, apparently after Tane told them he had neither the desire nor the need of protection, your brother had words with him. The detail is now in place.”
I grinned. “Michael does have a way with words.”
“The thing that confuses me about today,” she said. “Is why would they decide to kill her now, and in Luke’s apartment? That makes no sense, either logistically or practically.”
“Had the same thought, but maybe this attempt has nothing to do with Luke or even Lanie. Maybe it’s this mythical Stephan no one can find a trace of.”
“Even that makes no sense, not if he’s after the same thing they are.”
“Given we have no idea of his motives beyond the fact it was implied in that USB conversation that he was in charge, we can’t be certain of anything when it comes to him.” Hell, for all any of us knew, he was actually a Libertine operative, and this whole thing was nothing more than another means of unleashing their chaos. “Or maybe he simply decided they were all fucking morons and not worth the trouble.”
She snorted. “Onthat, I think we all agree.”
By the time we got back outside, dark clouds were scooting across the sky and the day had turned decidedly cooler. I hoped the storm held off, because both my coat and my sweater were sitting in the back of the Toyota.
“Where’s our car?” Ginny asked as I beeped open the van.
“Back at the beach.” I grimaced and motioned toward the Mercedes. “I came here with René in that beast.”
“Oooh, classy. Like the man, really.” She climbed into the van and did up her seat belt as I started the engine. It really,reallydidn’t hold a candle to the sound of the Merc’s engine. “Speaking of René, where is he?”
“Off chasing demons, according to Atticus.”
“You haven’t contacted him?”
I pulled out of the parking spot, then glanced at her. “He’s a big lad?—”
“He certainly is, if the gossips are to be believed.”
I rolled my eyes. I seemed to be doing that a lot recently. “Mind out of the gutter.”
Words you should live by,Atticus said.
I glanced around. He was sitting in the back of the van, casually cleaning himself.Feel free to take yourself and your comments elsewhere.
Make me.
“Seriously, though,” Ginny was saying. “What happened to him?”
“You know that demon-infested fog in the mall I mentioned? It was in that apartment. He went into it after a couple of demons.”
“And didn’t come back out? That surely isn’t a good sign.”
He retracted the magic back to its source, Atticus said.Unless the demons were specifically told to hunt him, he will be fine.
“Unless, of course, whoever conjured them in the first place is also at that location,” Ginny said.
The éan olc are not hard demons to raise or control. René should have no problem besting their master should he or she remain. I doubt it, though.
“Why?” I asked.
