Storm and Fury (The Harbinger 1)

“The whole coven is leaving,” she continued.

Tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood up. “Why?”

“Something is here and we want no part of it.” Her dark gaze slid to me. “But I have a feeling you’ll find out what that something is sooner rather than later.”

“Well, that’s creepy and not remotely helpful, but thanks,” I said, shaking my head as I turned away. Roth followed me into the hall. “You think she was talking about this demon that’s killing Wardens and other demons?”

Roth lifted a shoulder. “I don’t think it’s a demon.”

“Then what could it be?”

He looked at me curiously.

“I just don’t get it.” I stopped in the center of the hall. “Why is a senator involved with this? What does he think he can gain? It can’t be money. And if this senator has already bartered away most of me, then what does Bael plan to do with me? Just kill me?”

“Well, he is a demon. Demons like to kill stuff, especially...” He leaned in and whispered, “Angelic stuff.”

I rolled my eyes. “That can’t be it. It cannot be that simple and stupid.”

“Some demons are that simple and stupid. So are a lot of humans,” he went on. “Sometimes the most obvious answer is the stupidest one.”

I stared at him a moment. That was about as helpful as the witch. “This is good news, though. We find out where the senator is, we should be able to find out where Bael is, right?”

“Should,” Roth answered. “If Bael has let the senator know where he is. The senator could always be possessed.”

“Don’t rain on my parade,” I told him.

“I’m just thinking of all the possible avenues,” he replied. “There could be a lot of dead ends, Trinity. If Bael is using this senator to do his dirty work, there’s a good chance that Bael was smart enough to cover his bases. This may not be as simple as going to this senator’s house and getting all your answers.”

“I know.”

He inclined his head. “Do you?”

I did, but I was hoping it was that easy. I turned and started for the elevator, mulling over what the witch had told us and the creepy warning that I had a feeling had to do with whatever was killing both Wardens and demons. This meeting might not have given me all the answers I wanted, but it wasn’t a complete loss. We had another avenue, and it might be a dead end like Roth suggested, but I was going to find out. I reached for the call button on the elevator.

Roth spoke then, three little, earthshaking words. “Zayne loves Layla.”

31

Every muscle in my body locked up. “What?”

“He’s been in love with her since they were kids,” he said. “And Layla loves him. She’s loved him since she was a child. They were even together for a while.”

Slowly, I turned to face the demon prince. We were close enough that I could make out his expression. There was no smirk or laugh to his lips, no animosity to his amber eyes, no malicious intent.

“Layla just loves me more,” he continued. “And I know, if Layla and I had never met, she and Zayne would be together. Hell, sometimes I’m surprised that she didn’t choose him over me.” He sighed. “He’s a far better man than I could ever hope to become.”

So thrown by what he was saying, I was at a loss for words. All I could say once I got my mouth to move was, “He loves her?”

Roth leaned against the wall. “Yeah. I mean, as of six months ago, he did. I can’t imagine that kind of love—you know, loving someone for years and years and years—has faded that quickly.”

A tiny fissure opened in my chest, proving to me just how much I’d come to like Zayne—how much I liked him without even realizing it.

Why should that be so surprising?

That was why I’d trusted him so much last night. That was why I couldn’t tear my eyes off him when I was around him. That was why I’d confided in him about my vision and talked to him about my mom.

Maybe it wasn’t love, but it was definitely something that was potent and powerful and could be hurt, because whatever it was, it was hurting right now.

Tipping his head back against the wall, Roth let out a sigh. “You like him, don’t you?”

My jaw clenched from how hard I was clamping my mouth shut.

“He probably likes you, too. He liked Stacey.”

I blinked. “Who is Stacey?”

“Layla’s best friend.” He tilted his head toward me. “She and Zayne were pretty close after, well, everything that had happened between him and Layla. They weren’t together. Well, I mean, I try not to get up in their personal business, but I think they were just...distracting one another.”

“From what?”

“From their grief,” he answered. “There’s a lot you don’t know, Trinity. Like you don’t know that the reason Layla’s clan attacked and nearly killed her was because Zayne kissed her and she took a piece of his soul.”

I sucked in a shaky breath.

“And you don’t know that he punishes himself every day because of that,” Roth continued. “Why else did he move out on his own? Why else did he refuse to take his father’s seat of power?”

“He told me it was because he needed space and that he didn’t agree with what his clan was doing,” I reasoned.

“And I’m sure he was telling you the truth. He just wasn’t telling you all of it.” Roth’s face softened. “I’m surprised his clan didn’t speak up when you became involved and went to stay with him.”

“Why would they? I doubt they talk about his...his past relationships with random strangers.”

“Yes, but you’re a Trueborn and must be protected at all costs, right?” There was no mocking in his tone. “And he would step right over you and lay down his life for her this very second.”

I sucked in air around the sting those words delivered. Looking away from Roth, my chest rose and fell heavily as I tried to shake off what he was saying—trying to tell myself that Roth was a demon and he was just messing with me, but...why would he do that?

And I’d seen the way Zayne acted around Layla, heard the way he talked about her and how he avoided speaking about her at all costs.

Roth wasn’t lying.

I closed my eyes.

“Yeah, you like him. Did you guys hook up?”

My head jerked in his direction. “Excuse me?”

“I’m only asking, because I know he didn’t do that with Stacey. They fooled around, but they didn’t, you know, go next level.”

“How in the world do you know that?”

“Unfortunately, I’ve heard one too many conversations between her and Layla,” he replied dryly. “They share everything. So, did he? You know, go next level? Because if he did, then I’m over here talking out of my ass and I’m about to have a party, because trust me, no one wants to see Zayne move on more than me.”

Pressing my lips together, I shook my head. “No party.”

“Damn,” Roth sighed. “Look, like I just said, no one wants to see him with someone more than I do—see him really with someone, moving on, and living his best fucking life, but you’re barking up the wrong tree there.” He pushed off the wall and came to where I stood. Leaning around me, he hit the elevator button. “So, that’s what’s going on with Zayne and Layla. Ten years of loving what you can never have and then losing it once you realized it had always been within your grasp.”

The elevator dinged, signaling its arrival.

Roth and I were quiet as we rode the elevator down and walked out into the humid night air. I was in a daze from what Roth had said, but a part of me realized I shouldn’t be so surprised. The signs had been there, but I just didn’t know Zayne well enough to read them.

A sharp slice of pain lit up my chest at that realization. I’d thought I’d gotten to know him well, especially after all the nights we’d talked about everything and anything, but in reality, it had been mostly superficial stuff he’d shared.

Neither of us spoke as we entered the parking garage, and my heart was thumping heavily as we rounded a pillar, and I saw Zayne and Layla, standing in front of his car. There was a couple of feet separating them, and their heads were bowed together like there were discussing something very important. My stomach started flipping around as they both looked up.

“Well, Trinity, this should be a fun evening for the both of us.” He cut off toward Layla—toward the girl Zayne was in love with. “Hey, Shortie.”

My steps slowed, and as I drew closer, I could read Zayne’s expression as he stared at the ground. He didn’t look mad or as irritated as he had when I left him. He just looked...sad.

Pressure clamped down on my chest, and I didn’t know if it was for me or for him or for this whole situation.

He lifted his chin and whatever he was feeling was closeted away as his gaze met mine. I saw it then. A veil slipping over his face, cloaking everything he was feeling. No emotion, nothing deeper than the surface.

“What did you guys find out?” Layla asked, her voice sounding hoarser than I remember, as if she needed to clear her throat.

“We found out that it was a senator who came to the witches to get the enchantment,” Roth explained while I just stood there, trying to get my thoughts back on track. “Josh Fisher, the Senate Majority Leader of all people. He offered up a Trueborn, in pieces basically, to the coven for the enchantment, claiming he had the Trueborn’s Protector.”

“What in the Hell?” Zayne demanded, turning to me.

“Basically.” Roth draped an arm around Layla’s shoulders. “So, we do know that Bael is working with the senator.”

“Find Senator Fisher and perhaps we find Bael.” Zayne was still staring at me. “This is good news.”

I nodded slowly, finally finding my voice.