Chapter Seventeen
She tossed the papers on the desk that she had appropriated as her own, and pushed away from it. She walked over to the bar in the corner and poured herself a glass of iced tea, then made her way to the window, looking out but not seeing. Kevan ran idea after idea through her head, trying to get the pieces to fit together. She was on her third run through the information that Joseph had brought them. Considering how long they had been searching for Dreyden, the information they had was little, and most of it was useless; all it had done was raise more questions than answers. She stood lost in thought, jumping when she heard someone speak to her.
“Morning, Kevan.” She looked to the door, smiling when she saw Brody holding the doorframe to prevent himself from falling over. “I’d say Beautiful, but you just never know when Caleb might show up, and I hurt enough as it is.”
“Should you be out of bed?” she wanted to know, moving to help, only to halt when he threw up his hand to stop her.
“Trust me, I know my limitations.” He shuffled into the room, making his way slowly to lower himself gingerly into one of the large comfortable chairs. “Now I understand why Marcus complained as much as he did. There is only so much that a person can take of being in bed. Now, if I had a beautiful woman at my side that would be an entirely different scenario.”
Kevan took the chair across from him, smiling as she studied him. One thing for sure, none of these men lacked in the ego department, she thought to herself.
Brody said, “Ask your questions, I can see it on your face.” Kevan looked down at her hands, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. “What the hell happened?”
“I got beat up,” Brody told her, cracking a smile, then grimacing from the pain of the split lip, and reminding him of numerous other bruises that covered his entire body.
“Don’t be the smart mouth, light-heart idiot,” she told him as she jumped to her feet, pacing back and forth across the floor. “Do you have any idea how worried Caleb and the others were about you?” she shouted at him. “This isn’t a joke. Do you understand how much you mean to them? As it was, I had a difficult time stopping them from annihilating someone, anyone, for the beating that you took. They didn’t even know who had beaten you up and they didn’t care. They were ready to start a war with the entire supernatural community in order to send a message to everyone that you do not mess with someone under cairbare protection. If you had been hurt any worse, gods, I don’t know what they would have done.”
“I don’t know what you qualify as worse, because I’m telling you; I hurt a whole hell of a lot.” Brody grimaced as he shifted to make himself more comfortable.
“Not the time, Brody; who the hell messed you up?” she wanted to know.
“I have no idea,” he reluctantly admitted.
“What! How can you not know?”
“I had just come out of Inferno’s, heading for my bike to come home after getting exactly nowhere in my questioning, when they came at me from behind. All I saw was fists and boots, and I had to protect the money maker and the family jewels. I can tell you that it was more than one. I heard them talking after they were finished, but I don’t recall what they were saying. The next thing, I woke up in a whole world of hurt. I got very lucky getting here without a problem.”
“We aren’t even going to say a word about you driving in the condition you were in. Except to say, next time use your fucking cell!” Kevan hadn’t meant to be so angry. “Sorry.”
“Yes Mum,” he teased, but Kevan just ignored him.
“So you’re telling me that they jumped you from behind, and you have no idea why? You heard them talking, but don’t recall what was said? Great, your memory is as good as Marcus’.”
“Hey! Not fair! My brain was scrambled from someone beating on it, and as to the Marcus thing, you will have to take that up with him.”
“You’re lucky to be alive, Brody; what were you thinking, going into Inferno’s by yourself anyway?” she asked. “All you had to do was ask, and anyone of the guys would have gone with you.”
“And I would have gotten exactly the same thing I did by myself, nothing. It was routine. I asked about the grimoire. I wanted to see if anyone knew anything, but they all just laughed at me, told me that it had disappeared, and that I was chasing an illusion.”
“Obliviously not or why would someone send someone to beat you up?” Kevan pointed out. “Unless of course, someone has another reason for beating you up. Is there something we need to know?”
“Trust me, I leave them wanting more.” Brody teased with a groan as he shifted against his bruised body. “The only thing that makes sense to me is …” Brody stopped as they turned.
Barin, one of Caleb’s security men stood in the door waiting. “Sorry for interrupting, but we have someone at the gate asking to speak to you.” He looked to Brody.
“Me? Why would someone look for me here?” he questioned, knowing that most of his contacts would call his cell, not show up at Caleb’s. “Who is it?”
“He says his name is Mullin.”
Kevan looked at Brody, who shrugged his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he stated. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”
Kevan looked to Barin, who was waiting for instructions. “Where’s Caleb?” she inquired.
“He’s on his way,” Barin informed her. “He wouldn’t want an unknown in the house.” Kevan nodded her agreement.
Brody struggled to push himself to his feet. “Escort him to the front step; I’ll meet this Mullin there.”
Kevan stepped over to help Brody. “Maybe this isn’t such a great idea,” Kevan warned him. “You can barely move. I know I’ll talk to him.”
“No way!” Brody yammered, his eyes wide with panic. “I’ll handle it until Caleb gets here,” he assured her.
“Brody, look at yourself.”
“Kevan, I’ll be fine. You wait here, I’ll be right back.”
“Nothing I say is going to stop you?” she asked him.
“I’m perfectly capable of meeting someone at the front door by myself,” Brody told her.
“Okay, then let’s go.” She offered an arm.
“What? No way! Are you crazy?” he exclaimed with panic.
“What? It’s okay for you, who can barely move, to meet with this person, but not for me?”
“Yes.” All kinds of horror ripped through his mind of what Caleb would do to him if anything happened to Kevan. “If you think I’m letting you go with me, you’re nuts.”
Kevan waited, she allowed him his rant about her staying in the house when she would be safe. She figured she might as well let him get it out of his system now, and then it would be so much easier in the end when she got her way. And she was going to get her way, she didn`t let Caleb stop her, so why Brody thought he’d stop her, well, she had to make allowances considering who had raised him. When he finally wound down, she tilted her head, giving him a look that Brody knew was going to get him in big, big trouble, and he had no idea what to do about it.
“Are you finished?” she asked him.
“Are you staying here?” he shot back.
“Of course not,” she told him.
“Then I guess we stay right where we are until Caleb gets back,” he stated.
“Brody, you can stay here if you want. I’m going to go see what your visitor wants. Relax I’m not going to invite him into the house. I’m on home territory, surrounded by the good guys. I’ll be fine. Besides, if we make him wait too long, he’ll think that we’re afraid of him, and that is the last thing we want. So you have a choice, sit here in the dark cowering, or come with me and find out what he wants, because I’m going with or without you.” Brody gave her a look.
“Oh my gods, you stubborn, impossible ...” he muttered. “If anything happens, and Caleb gets upset you’ll …”
“Oh, would y
ou relax, Brody? I’ll protect you from the big bad Caleb, don’t worry,” Kevan told him. “Gods, considering all the others you have fought, and you’re worried about Caleb? What is wrong with this picture? Now move your butt.”
“I’m not worried about Caleb. I’m worried about what he will do to me, and I’m moving as fast as I can,” he told her as he shuffled along, taking his time.
The first thing Kevan noticed when she stepped outside was the quiet. No birds, or breeze, disturbed the stale atmosphere bleeding in from the visitor. He looked like your average businessman, nothing remarkable except for his eyes. Kevan shuddered as they raked over her, leaving her feeling dirty.
Brody spoke up, “Can we help you?”
“Are you Brody McNarama?” The man’s voice held contempt.
“Depends on who’s asking?” Brody shot back, not liking this at all.
“I must say that I am severely disappointed in your lack of hospitality.” The man looked around at his surroundings, sniffing at the men standing behind him, prepared to do what was needed to protect Brody and Kevan. “I would prefer to do this in a civilized manner,” he said to his nails, inspecting the manicured sheen.
“This is as civilized as we get with strangers,” Kevan told him, wishing she hadn’t when she felt his eyes raking her again, nausea rising as a smile crept across his face. He knew that it was making her uncomfortable.
“My name is Mullin,” he told them, his eyes never leaving Kevan’s. “My employer would like to talk to you regarding your inquiries of late.”
“And your employer is who?” Kevan demanded. She was really starting to wish that they had waited for Caleb.
“Nobody you know,” he stated.
“Then I guess we have nothing further to discuss,” Kevan told him, wanting nothing more than for him to be gone. She looked to the guards standing behind him. “Escort our visitor off the property,” she ordered before she turned to head back into the house.
“For someone so new to all of this, you’re awfully confident, almost cocky I would say.” Something in Mullin’s voice stopped Kevan dead in her tracks. In those few seconds that her back had been turned, Mullin had changed.
Gone was the meek businessman, and standing in his place was a human male specimen, too perfect to be real. He was Hollywood perfect, gleaming white teeth, perfect bronzed skin, ripped body. But it didn’t matter, the image that the world saw; the one that most women would fall lusting on the ground for, fell away if you looked into the eyes close enough. Behind the glamour lived darkness.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Kevan spoke cautiously, as she watched warily. His quick image change had made her question what he was and what he would do next.
“Oh Ms. Kevan, you really do need to work on your lying skills, especially if you want to have even the slightest chance at fooling anyone, because you really suck at it,” he drawled, tsking while staring at her chest.
“How do you know my name?” Kevan snapped, as her body filled with dread.
“You may have fooled the humans here, but then again, they didn’t feel the power you released last month. Ah, retraction, they did, but passed it off as something else, again.” He watched her intently. “But we all know how easy it is to fool the humans, really no capacity to think beyond what is in front of their faces. They really are quite stupid, aren’t they?” His voice dripped with disgust as he thought about humans.
“What are you talking about?” Kevan whispered, backing into the door jam.
“Are you enjoying the powers, aren’t they a rush? I love the ability to do whatever comes to mind.” Mullin’s voice dropped so only Kevan could hear him. He lifted his head; drawing in a deep nasal breath, making her body shudder, but her mind still couldn’t help finding the humor in how bad Mullin’s imitation of Hannibal Lector was. She loved Silence of the Lambs.
Her skin crawled when Mullin breathed, “Oh the erotic pleasure of untrained powers. I can feel them surging within you. Intoxicating isn’t it?” He was getting off on the horror that shone in her eyes. A smile slid across his face at the shiver of fear that rippled through Kevan’s body; he liked the feeling of power she had no idea she was handing him. Kevan fought to control the pulsing need within her to draw on her powers, fear and rage sparking off her fingers. She pulled back from the power, steeling her determination so as not let him get to her.
“What do you want?” Kevan spat, her anger released in her recklessness. She took a step in his direction, refusing him the last word. “Who the hell do you think you are you?” she ground out.
It happened so fast. Mullin suddenly pressed into her space, his hand ringing her throat. Her breath stalled, fighting the feeling of repulsion that washed over her at his touch. “What do you want?” she demanded through clenched teeth.
“Tell them to back off or I will break your neck,” he warned her, his fingers tightening ever so slightly, just enough to scare her but not enough to hurt yet.
“Stay back,” she told them, swallowing the unease settling within her body.
“Ooh, so scared.” He humped his groin into her, whispering against her ear, “You know we could have done this without having to resort to this, but no, you had to play the queen bitch, didn’t you. So now we’ll do this the hard way.” He sighed as his fingers stroked the skin of her throat.
Kevan fought to remain calm, her mind shying away from the intimate posture. Hope sped her heart when his fingers got close to her shield stone. His fingers caressed her necklace like he could read her mind, moving dangerously closer to the stone, and she closed her eyes in anticipation. She felt him move, albeit only a fraction back and she opened her eyes to his lecherous smile.
“Now we wouldn’t want to that, would we? Very risky touching a shield stone, especially when the wearer is so upset, “he told her, taking another step back from her. But he was still too close for Kevan’s liking. His fingers traced the neckline of her t-shirt, his excitement showing through with every movement as his tongue shot out, licking his lips. “Our little witch is scared and it tastes so delicious.” He lifted his shoulders and gave a shiver of excitement. “It’s like a drug isn’t it. That barely restrained energy surging through your body.” His tongue flicked out, his noxious breath assaulted her senses, making Kevan want to gag almost as much as she wanted to slap him. Mullin’s surety of his hold over women blinded him to Kevan’s revulsion. He leaned close, licking her cheek. He really had a thing for his tongue, Kevan thought, as her entire body convulsed with revulsion at him touching her with that thing. Gods only knew where it had been.
“I could teach you so much, show you how to use all that lovely power … the orgasms I could give you,” Mullin whispered just before he took another step back.
Kevan willed herself to calm, praying he wouldn’t touch her again. He was really getting off on his little game, but she had no idea how to stop it. Suddenly her senses were flooded with a feeling of something that she couldn’t quite describe. She jumped slightly when she felt an arm wrap around her, lifting her up and moving her out of Mullin’s reach. Caleb growled as he turned to confront Mullin’s smirk, the smile on his face showing that he knew he had pissed Caleb off, exactly what he wanted.
Relief sang through Kevan when it finally sank in that she was safe, but she still hated that she had let Mullin get to her. She looked around Caleb, wanting to smack the smug smile off Mullin’s face. What was he up to, she wondered?
“What are you doing here?” Caleb demanded, his anger spiking, as the picture of Mullin touching Kevan flashed through his mind.
“You know him?” Kevan questioned when Caleb’s words finally penetrated her brain, but he ignored her.
“Caleb, finally! I’m so glad to see you.” Mullin greeted him with open arms, like he was going to embrace Caleb. “It has been much too long, my friend, but don’t worry, we kept each other entertaine
d while we waited.” Mullin acted the part of a long lost friend. “Although, I must tell you, your girlfriend, well, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but she is sadly lacking in hospitality skills. I do so hope that she makes up for it in other ways.”
“What do you want?” Caleb growled, as he struggled to keep from smacking the smug smile off Mullin’s face. He had seen how scared Kevan had been, even though he knew that it wouldn’t last.
“What? No time for small talk? Don’t want to catch up?” he questioned. “I’m so disappointed.” Caleb just stared, silently waiting for an answer. “Oh well, your loss,” Mullin signed with a shrug of his shoulders, “My employer wishes to talk with you.”
Kevan watched, as yet again, Mullin transformed himself, and gone was the happy go lucky personality, leaving a seriously deadly, scary individual that would rather kill you than help you. Demon kind are like that.
She pushed to get around him, only to have Caleb’s arm wrap around her again, forcing her back, shooting her a look that she didn’t like.
“Hey!” Kevan shouted at Caleb. She was at the end of her rope dealing with overbearing men, and once more she tried to step around Caleb; she wasn’t going to let him think that he had the upper hand.
“Kevan!” Caleb warned her.
“Oh, knock it off Caleb!” she blew up at him; he needed to realize that she was capable of protecting herself. “Listen to me; if he wanted to hurt me, he would have done it by now. He’s already got what he wanted. He wanted to scare me, which in turn would scare you, and then all you’d think about is protecting me. They want you focused on something other than what they are really up to!”
“Well, well, Caleb, she’s smarter than she looks,” Mullin teased. “Beautiful, powerful, and smart could be a deadly combination.” Caleb shot him a look that would have made most men tremble with fear, but Mullin just smiled. “I don’t think you’re man enough to handle her, but I’m willing to lend a hand.”
“I’ll ask you again, Mullin, what do you want? What does Leonard want from us?” Caleb ground out.
“He would like to talk to you regarding the information that young Mr. McNarama has been seeking.”
Brody shuffled forward, glaring at Kevan before he looked to Mullin. “Told you he wouldn’t be happy! Caleb, honestly, I tried to stop her,” Brody told him.
“Save that for later, Brody. Right now, I want to know what the hell you have been up to that you have drawn Leonard’s attention.” Caleb demanded of him.
“It was nothing,” Brody told him, shrugging his shoulders. “I just asked a few questions,” he admitted.
“Don’t be so modest, Mr. McNarama. We have been aware of your exploits, have been for a long time,” Mullin chimed. “Besides, did you think that asking questions about the Drusa grimiore wouldn’t be brought to our attention?”
“All I asked was whether or not anyone thought that it existed?” Brody tried to deflect, for he could see Caleb’s building anger. Mullin crackled with laughter over the silent dissension between the three of them; he was really enjoying himself.
“You all think you’re so secretive. When will you learn there is nothing that we don’t know, or can’t find out?” He stood inspecting his nails, as if they bored him, but Kevan saw through the look of ease almost immediately.
“You’re lying!” Kevan spat at him.
“Young lady, you have no idea what you …” Kevan cut him off with a wave of her hand.
“Oh please, it is so obviously pathetic. If you knew anything, then you wouldn’t be here asking us what we know about the grimoire.” Kevan watched his reactions; she wished Eve was there, and then she saw it. “You’re scared!”
“What? You really are delusional,” he growled, drawing himself to his full height. Kevan scrutinized him, suddenly not quite so worried about him, wary, but no longer worried.
“No delusions where you are concerned!” Kevan laughed at Mullin, turning to Caleb. “He’s scared. Brody’s snooping about the grimoire has them worried. What could have them so worried about you wanting to know about this grimoire?”
Caleb listened to Kevan, and then took a closer look at Mullin. They had had dealings over the centuries, but only when absolutely necessary, so he knew him somewhat, at least as much as you could ever know one of them, and sure enough, there it was, just like as Kevan had pointed out. If you weren’t looking, you would have missed the flash in the eyes, the subtle twitch in the body.
“Kevan’s right,” Caleb told him. “Something’s got you running scared.”
“You’re as crazy as your girlfriend,” Mullin shouted at Caleb. Good thing looks usually couldn’t kill.
“Yeah, yeah, big bad demon, nothing scares you.” Kevan gasped at Caleb’s taunts. “You can deny it till the next century, but I can see it in your eyes, something’s got you seriously worried, what is it?” Caleb wanted to know. “If you had something to do with the beating that Brody got, so help me ...”
“We had nothing to do with your protégé’s lesson, but maybe he should watch out to from whom he seeks answers in the future,” Mullin advised. “Now, I came here looking for a mutual exchange of information, but if you aren’t interested ...” He started to move away.
“I don’t know what information you thought that you would find,” Caleb said, before Mullin got off the steps. “But a mutual exchange of information was not one of them; you came here on a fishing expedition. You’re trying to find out what information we have on the grimoire. Sure makes me wonder why Leonard is suddenly so interested in it. What good would it do you?” Caleb asked, watching for anything that might give him an idea. “Tell Leonard that we might be interested in an exchange of information, but then again, we might not be. If we decide that we are, then we’ll contact him, but he had better be ready with truths, and if we do decide to talk with him, you’re no longer welcome.”
Caleb’s challenge altered Mullin’s demeanor, revealing one pissed off demon. Everyone was aware of the surging anger whipping through the air, pulsing and sparking as it bounced off unseen energy lines. Human eyes disappeared, narrowing, and the perfect teeth became rows of what looked to be miniature daggers.
“How dare you treat me like a human?” he roared, springing towards Caleb. Red energy lines flashed back and forth between the demon’s hands, and the glint in his black eyes said he wanted to do some damage, only this time Kevan was ready for him. Reacting like as they had trained her, stepping up as she reached down within herself, Kevan grabbed the simmering, swirling tide of power that was bubbling deep within her body, and focused on holding onto its slippery threads, bending it to do her will. She had learned a lot, but it still didn’t come naturally for her. Ego-fueled determination to protect those she loved drew her hands out, visible power growing around her fingers, and licking at her wrists before bolting out, slamming into Mullin with enough force to send him flying back thirty feet. The demon lay on his back, smoke swirling around him, then with a flick of a wrist, he put out the fire that engulfed him from Kevan’s energy bolt. His hatred burned bright in his glare at Kevan, daring Caleb to start something so he could make the witch pay for this humiliation.
“I dare you to try that again.” Kevan taunted, waiting and watching to see what Mullin would do. However, his eyes never left the warriors that surrounded him. “No? Good plan,” she told him. She wouldn’t, and didn’t let this asshole see how scared she really was. “Now, Caleb told you we’d be in touch when, or if, we wanted what you might have. Get the hell out of here.” Mullin pushed himself to his feet, brushing off his suit, back to his form of business man, his every movement precise and deliberate, but the anger was there, boiling just below the surface, and they could all feel it.
“Leonard will know of this insult, and not be happy.” He glared at Kevan. “Watch your back, witch,” he threatened. “You never know when you will need our assistance, because
now it will cost you more than you’ll ever know.” He then vanished.
Kevan attempted to throw herself into Caleb’s arms. “Oh gods, that was really a demon?” she cried, as her fear took over.
“What the hell did you think you were doing?” Caleb yelled at her. He held her at arm’s length, looking into her eyes, trying to shake some sense into her, before he pulled her into his arms, crushing her to his chest. “He could have snatched you, and we wouldn’t have been able to follow him.” Kevan stayed quiet. Caleb’s arms crushed the ability to breathe, never mind to answer questions.
“Hey big guy, you need to ease up, she needs to breathe,” Brody told him with a touch to Caleb’s arm. Kevan felt Caleb loosen his hold, but he didn’t let her go.
“Thanks, Brody,” Kevan gasped. She pushed herself back so she could see Caleb’s face. “He didn’t want me,” she told him. “He wanted to know what we knew. They’re after the grimoire.”