“No shit,” Declan answered. “Aren’t we all.”
Samael’s eyes narrowed. “The problem being, it seems you have that which I seek.”
Declan studied the demon closely. He was too calm.
“What’s really going on, Samael?” Cale tossed his empty glass back on the bar. “We both know if you wanted your hands on the fifth mark, you’d have snagged him for yourself days ago.”
Samael straightened and pushed away from the bar. He glanced at his companions and spoke tersely. “Leave us.”
Declan watched in silence as the demons turned on their heel and disappeared into the crowd.
“Is there someplace we can converse in private?” Samael asked as he slid the aviator glasses back into place. “This doesn’t concern you, wolf.”
Ransome growled and took a step forward, his canines flashing white as he bared his teeth.
“Think hard about your next move, shifter,” Samael taunted. His voice deepened as a whisper of power swept over them. “I won’t hesitate to cut you down.”
Ransome’s body trembled with suppressed rage, but he held still as Declan stepped beside him. The sorcerer leaned over. “He’s not worth it, LaPierre.”
Ransome’s lips pulled back into a feral grin as he sneered. “I’ll leave you to your privacy but I expect you gone from my place when I return.”
Declan watched the tall wolf disappear into the crowd. Ransome was pissed but he’d get over it.
He turned back to the demon. “Spill. What’s got your panties in a knot?” He glanced at Cale but the Seraph’s face was like stone—no emotion. Something was way off.
Samael shook his head. “Ever the joker. One of these days your tongue will be the end of you.” He grabbed a bowl of beer nuts off the bar and shoved a handful into his mouth as his gaze swept the room. “They’re so unaware, these humans, so fragile,” he murmured. “I suppose it adds to their charm. However, it will not serve them well in the coming days.” Samael carefully set the bowl back onto the counter. “I had two of the seven marks in my possession.”
Silence followed his words. Had? As in no longer?
“Where are they?” Declan asked, his voice dangerously low. He let a few sparks of energy fly from his fingers as he took a step toward Samael. The power circling his gut burned with a harshness that set his teeth on edge.
“I no longer have them.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Cale asked as he, too, stepped forward.
Samael sat on the closest bar stool and grabbed another handful of nuts. He tossed a few into his mouth. “They are with Lilith.”
Declan exploded as his anger took over. The air around them shimmered and the floor beneath their feet shook.
“You handed off two innocent children to Lilith?” Un-fucking-believable.
He snarled and raised his hands, ignoring the pain that lashed across them as the heat of his power erupted in a flash of red-hot energy. He would fucking pulverize the bastard.
“You shall move back, sorcerer, or I will not be responsible for the lives of those around you.” The demon spoke calmly.
&nbs
p; Declan hissed. He knew Samael’s threat was real. Behind the bar, Sarah stood still and straight as a pen, though the terror in her eyes told the truth. She began to move, her arms awkward as they fumbled beneath the bar.
She raised her hands slightly and Declan cursed. A gun was held tightly within her grip, the barrel aimed directly at her heart. All around them the noise got louder—the band, the voices—and the air was thicker, hotter, filled with a dark desire that he could taste. It was the taste of wanton abandon, and to the humans and otherworld alike, it was like candy.
He glared at the demon. The fucker had definitely pulled out his chaos ring.
Cale’s hand on his arm brought him back from the edge and Declan slowly let out a tortured breath as he regained control. “Hear him out,” Cale whispered.
“No more games, Sammy.” Declan couldn’t resist one more taunt and glared at the bastard.
Samael removed his glasses once more and hissed. “If you weren’t so valuable to me I’d take great pleasure in cutting your heart from your chest and feeding it to my pet.”