Storm and Fury (The Harbinger 1)

“I did. I used to tag every one I came across, no matter what they were doing,” she explained. “I still patrol. Roth and I together, but I only tag demons that are actively bad.”

“I don’t really patrol, because I couldn’t care less about what demons are doing.” Roth grinned. “I’m just there to make sure Layla is good. Anyway, we should get this show on the road.”

Still having no idea what was going on between Zayne and Layla but sensing he was not remotely happy about her being there, I reached out and touched Zayne’s arm, drawing his attention. When I spoke, I kept my voice low. “You okay?”

He stared at me a moment and then nodded curtly. “Always.”

Not sure I believed him, I glanced at Layla and Roth, discovering that they both were watching us closely. Roth appeared amused, but Layla looked...uncertain and like she wanted to...remove my hand from Zayne’s arm.

“It’s okay,” Zayne said.

My gaze searched his and then I nodded. “Well, you two have fun, I guess.”

Roth’s brows lifted. “Probably best we get this over with as soon as possible.” Angling his body toward Layla, he curled his fingers along her jaw and tilted her head back. He kissed her, and boy, did he kiss her. I felt my cheeks flush as I averted my gaze until Roth said, “You ready?”

I hesitated, because it felt like I should say something to Zayne before I left, but what? I had no idea, and it wasn’t like I was going to kiss him or he was going to kiss me like that—though that would be nice—so I turned and started toward where Roth was waiting.

“Trin, wait a sec,” Zayne called out.

My stupid heart did a little flip in my chest as I wheeled around and saw him striding toward me. “Yes?”

“You have your blades on you?” When I nodded, his gaze searched my face. “And what did I say before?”

“Use the grace if I have to,” I whispered, fully aware that Layla and Roth could probably still hear me.

“Good.” His chest rose as he glanced over at Roth and then back to me. “I wish I was going in there with you.”

“Same,” I murmured.

He opened his mouth like he wished to say more and then he gave me a lopsided smile before turning his attention to behind me. “Watch her back, Roth.”

“I know,” came the demon prince’s reply.

“I should go now,” I told him, a little disappointed I wasn’t even getting a hug while also fully aware that we had an audience. “I’ll be back soon.”

Zayne let me get about a step away and then he caught my hand and pulled me back. My breath caught. Before I could guess what he was doing, he lowered his head and whispered, “Be safe.”

Then I felt his lips on my temple, and my eyes briefly squeezed shut. It was a sweet, quick kiss, but it meant something to me. When I opened my eyes and pulled back, I saw the warmth in his pale eyes. I thought that maybe it might mean something to him, too.

Feeling ridiculously giddy, I nodded and then pivoted, hurrying to Roth.

The demon prince raised his brows at me and then whirled around elegantly. “Follow me, my holy roller.”

I frowned at his back, but kept up with him as we walked outside the garage. The streets were lit by bright lamps.

“So, we’re going to a club?” I asked, realizing we were walking across the street, toward a hotel.

“More like a restaurant. It’s a private one.” He reached the door before me, holding it open. “Probably not what you’re going to expect.”

Already it wasn’t.

Stepping into the hotel lobby, I looked up at the silver ceiling lamps that cast a glow across the black marble floors that reminded me of moonlight. Roth led us over to an elevator, and it opened before we reached it. I looked over at him.

“Spooky,” he said with a grin.

My eyes narrowed, and he chuckled as we stepped into the elevator and as soon as he hit the button to the thirteen floor, which caused me to blink.

I turned to him. “I thought hotels didn’t have a thirteenth floor?”

“This one does.”

Okay. That was spooky, but as the doors closed, I glanced over to where Roth had retreated in the corner. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What’s up between Zayne and Layla?”

He lifted his brows. “What makes you think there’s anything up between them?”

“Besides the obviously awkward as Hell meeting at your place and what just happened out there? Zayne looked like he would rather mate with a porcupine than wait with her.”

Roth blinked. “Nice imagery.” Shaking his head, he crossed his arms, and it was then that I noticed a tattoo on his bicep. I squinted. It looked like a...kitten curled up in a little ball? That couldn’t be right. Demons with kitten tattoos? My eyes were getting way worse. “What do you know about them?” he asked.

A great sense of unease blossomed in my stomach. “I know they grew up together and that he...he feels bad about never accepting her demon side.”

“He told you that?”

I nodded. “And he told me what happened to her—what her clan did and that it was his fault.”

A muscle flexed in his jaw. “Did he tell you what happened that caused that?”

I shook his head. “Only that he feels responsible.”

“Of course not,” he muttered, and the elevator slid to a halt and the doors opened. “We should finish this conversation afterward.”

“But—”

“Afterward,” he repeated, stepping out in the hall. “Come on, Trinity. We need to focus, and if we have this conversation, your head is not going to be in the right space.”

I wanted to push, but he was right, so I dropped it for now. The hall we walked was long and narrow, and when it curved to the right, I saw what appeared to be a restaurant packed with human-shaped forms.

Roth spared me a quick grin. “Told you it’s not what you expected.”

“You were definitely right,” I murmured, turning my attention to a young woman who stood at the hostess desk.

She barely looked at me as she focused on Roth, her already thin lips becoming nonexistent. “You again.”

“Rowena, did you miss me?” Roth smiled as he rested his forearms on the hostess stand. “I missed you.”

“No,” she said, taking a step back from him. “I did not miss you. Are you here to see Faye?”

Roth nodded as he straightened.

The woman sighed so loudly there was a chance she cracked a rib in the process. “Follow me.”

Rowena led us through the maze of tables, past people who looked like, well, normal people. They all stared at Roth like they knew exactly what he was and none of them seemed overly thrilled about it as they scooted their chairs in, giving him wide berth.

I didn’t know what I was expecting exactly. Okay. I was expecting women in a long black dresses and men in robes, chanting mystical words and fires—lots of fires. I was not expecting people in jeans and summer dresses eating fried calamari.

I was kind of disappointed.

We came to a round booth that was occupied by a pretty young woman with short dark hair. She looked up as Rowena deposited us there, surprise splashing across her face, quickly followed by wariness.

“Hello, Faye,” Roth said.

“Roth.” The woman started to stand up. “This is a surprise—Oh!”

Something happened.

Something really weird.

A...shadow drifted off her body, breaking apart into a million tiny black dots. They dropped to the floor and spun together, swirling and rising back up, together forming a—

“Holy crap.” I jumped back, pressing my hand to my chest as my grace sparked alive inside me and a huge snake, at least ten feet long and as wide as me, appeared no more than a foot away.

The snake threw itself at Roth, its thick body weaving and wiggling as it rested its diamond-shaped head on Roth’s shoulder, its red tongue darting in and out, wiggling.

It wasn’t trying to kill me.

It wasn’t trying to kill Roth.

My mouth dropped open. It reminded me of a happy dog—if a happy dog was a giant freaking snake, but it was squirming around, its tail thumping on the floor. Wait. Did snakes have tails? I had no idea, but I felt like I needed to sit down.

“Hey, girl, miss me?” Roth scratched the giant snake’s head. “I know. It’s been too long.”

I blinked slowly. “That’s...that’s a giant snake.”

“It is.” Roth kissed its nose. “This is Bambi.”

“The snake’s name is Bambi?” I squeaked.

“I have a thing for Disney,” he answered, and I found that even more disturbing. “She’s one of my familiars, but she’s currently on loan to this witch—”

“That wasn’t the deal,” Faye said, and then shut it when Roth sent her a look I couldn’t see.

A familiar? Holy Moses, I’d read about them, but of course had never seen one. They looked like tattoos when resting, but came off the skin and were alive upon summoning. Only the most powerful of Upper Level demons had them.

My gaze shot to his arm. The kitten tattoo was still there. Was that also a familiar? A kitten?

“Bambi, this is Trinity. She’s a friend,” he continued as the snake weaved and then twisted its long, thick body toward me.

My eyes widened.

“And what do we do to friends?” Roth said. “We don’t eat them, Bambi.”

“She...she eats people?” I asked.

“She eats all manner of things. Sometimes demons, sometimes people. She hasn’t eaten an angel. Yet. Thumper, on the other hand, has fried an Alpha,” Roth answered.

“Thumper?”

Grinning, Roth pulled up the side of his shirt and all along his taunt waist was a vibrant blue and gold...

“Oh my God, is that a dragon?” I whispered.

He winked. “That it is.” He let go of his shirt. “Have a seat, Trinity.”