Raised in Fire (Fire and Ice Trilogy 2)

“Reagan, I really think a glass of champagne would calm you down.” Dizzy pointed to his glass as it was refilled. “You seem awfully tense. Ouch!”

Dizzy reached down to rub his shin where Callie had just kicked him, a piece of violence Darius and I had been at the perfect vantage point to witness. Judging by her scowl, she didn’t care.

“You are too good to waste away in that office,” Darius said. “I had hoped you’d realize that long before you did.”

“Then why did you make it so I could stay?” I asked suspiciously.

“The short story is, you desired it, and I was in the position to make it happen.”

“And the long story?” I asked.

His eyes flicked toward Callie and Dizzy. “Will need to come at another time. First I should probably explain what I am doing here.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but yes, I needed that answer. I motioned him on.

Darius glanced at the attendant, who took Callie’s empty glass. “Let’s wait until we are underway before I explain.”

“How did you even know I was going?” I asked. “This all happened in the daylight hours.”

“My people received notice that the MLE office was working out a special contract for you. Being that it was done in haste, my daytime attendants woke me. They are well versed in the matters I deem important. Loss of half a day’s sleep was nothing. But that’s no matter. Please, relax. Make yourselves comfortable. Once we are in the air and you are comfortable and sated, I will discuss the upcoming matter in detail. There is a lot to discuss.”

“There is?” It didn’t seem like it, though maybe he hadn’t seen Callie and Dizzy’s old case files.

He didn’t answer me, but he did get me a cheese plate, which was just as good.

After takeoff, it took a solid hour for Darius to be convinced we were comfortable. That we all had plenty of food and drinks, and blankets should we need them. Finally, he waved his hand, and the two flight attendants made themselves scarce. Clearly he and Callie were in agreement about the inadvisability of trusting people, because he put up spells within our compartment to keep what we said private.

“Let’s all get onto the same page,” Darius said, crossing one long leg over the other. He leaned back and draped his arm behind me, over the back of the couch. I prevented myself from giving in to both of my impulses, equally as strong: scooting away like a Nervous Nelly, and scooting into his body. “Reagan, you are the most wound up. Maybe you should start.”

“She has a damn good reason to be wound up, if you ask me.” Callie shifted and yanked down her pink velvet top. “No woman wants a stalker. I don’t care how good he looks.”

“Honey, have some more whiskey. It’ll do you good.” Dizzy grabbed her glass and looked wistfully in the direction of the missing attendants. “Oh shoot. I forgot they were gone.”

First things first. I hit Darius with a hard stare. “So you’re here why?”

Darius eyed me steadily. “First and foremost, I cannot allow you to walk into danger on your own.”

“Why is that?” Callie tilted her head.

“Yes, why is that?” I repeated.

“And I haven’t been able to, I’ve realized, since you nearly died in my arms,” he continued.

“I’m missing something, I think, and it’s not just the champagne.” Dizzy tapped the bottom of his empty glass. “I feel like I should’ve heard about that.”

“I’ll say.” Callie stared at me with wide eyes.

“It was nothing.” I waved it away.

“It doesn’t sound like nothing,” Callie said.

“There were things surrounding that situation that I can’t talk about.” Like the fact that unicorns were real and the vampires protected them. “So unless you also want to be stalked, it was nothing. Besides, Darius and I have been through this. It’s not me you’re worried about; it’s my worth as an asset. The whole ‘I’m priceless though not actually priceless’ situation. Because since when do vampires care if a human dies?”

“Since you,” Darius said softly.

“This is not good,” Callie murmured.

“You guys, it’s nothing. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.” I rubbed my eyes. I sure hoped he didn’t know what he was saying. The whole thing sounded nuts, because vampires, especially elders, did not behave like Darius. They just didn’t. End of story. There had to be an ulterior motive.

Which probably circled right back to my status as an asset.

Didn’t it?

I took a deep breath. At least Darius wasn’t trying to prevent me from going to Seattle. That tiny distinction was enough to abate my anger. For now.

“What’s your plan, then, Darius?” I tried to read his impassive face. Nothing came of it. Surprise, surprise. “Are you going to try to solve this with me, or just lurk around like the boogeyman?”

“I can help you solve it, if you’d like. As I recall, we made an excellent team.”

“We were the worst team imaginable, actually. That point was driven home when you took off on your own with no explanation, then got captured and needed rescue,” I said. His lips thinned. “But if I’m going up against a level-four demon and a bunch of mages, that monster form of yours might come in handy.” I tucked a wisp of hair behind my ear. “You’re not legit, though. The shifters there will be all over you.”

“Do you think I went to all this trouble to help you, only to neglect such an important detail?” He tsked at me. “I added my name to the contract. It was easily done. The magical board is eating out of my hand. They will do anything for money, as corrupt as they are.”

“Wow. You’re something.” I shook my head. “Okay, fine.” I stuck my finger in his face, making him lean back. “But I’m taking the lead. This is my case.” He nodded, but I didn’t miss the humor sparkling in his eyes. “And I am keeping a low profile, got it? I’m there to find the mage who is killing people. I don’t care about that demon. If it’s around, their local people can handle it. I don’t need it getting word of me. I’m going in as a normal, everyday magical person.”

“Good luck selling that, Reagan.” Dizzy chuckled and loaded a piece of bread with cheese and some sort of orange jelly.

“Got it?” I prodded Darius in the chest.

“I understand.”

“Fine.” I sat back, but jumped when I felt his arm—so warm and strong—nearly resting on my shoulders. My heart started racing. “And no hitting on me.” I pushed his arm away.

“That might be harder.”

“I will shoot you in the leg. You know I will.”

“Does no one tell me anything?” Dizzy said.

“What is the other part of your reason for tagging along?” I asked.

Darius rose and crossed through one of the concealment spells. It disintegrated. He returned a moment later with a bottle of whiskey and one of champagne. While he refilled Dizzy’s drink, he left the whiskey beside Callie’s empty glass.

“Thank you,” Dizzy said.

“Reagan?” Darius stayed standing.

“I’m good, thanks.”

After he used another spell to restore our privacy, he resumed his seat. His arm came across the back of the couch. “As you know, Vlad is unsettled with the power the elves hold in the Realm. He has been working to increase our numbers, but also to create alliances. He hopes one of those allies will be Lucifer, and if not him directly, then a host of sufficiently powerful demons that can maintain their own forms in both the Realm and in the Brink—the Brink being the harder of the two, of course.

“I have always monitored Vlad vaguely, as he has done with me. It is important to be aware of what other political powers are doing. After hearing about his interest in the demons, however, I have watched him more carefully. In so doing, I learned about a collection of demons that had sprung up in a Northern Californian town. Like a whirlwind, the small town was plagued with vicious deeds and atrocities the area had never seen before in that magnitude.”