Page 90 of Soulmarked

“You saw something,” he said quietly. “A vision?”

I nodded, still struggling to translate the impossible geometries and ancient hunger into words that wouldn't shatter reality. “They're trying something. Not just a gate. Something bigger. And they're...” I swallowed hard, tasting copper. “They're waiting for me.”

“Like hell they are,” Sean growled, but I caught the fear beneath his anger.

“How long?” Sterling pressed. “How close are they to finishing?”

“Soon.” The certainty in my voice scared me. “Tonight, maybe tomorrow. I don't know, okay. I saw...” I trailed off, the memory of those countless eyes making my mark burn colder.

I wiped cold sweat from my brow, forcing my legs steady as I stood. “We need to move.”

“Not yet,” Sean cut me off, his accent thick with concern. “Not without proper intel and backup.” He was already pulling out his phone. “Skye! Get your arse over here.”

Sterling raised an eyebrow. “Your tech specialist?”

“Among other things,” Sean muttered, then hesitated before making another call. “Juno? Yeah, I know what time it is. We need you. And before you say no, it's about the Prince.”

I caught the slight tension in Sterling's shoulders at the mention of Juno's name. “A vampire? Really, Mr. Cullen?”

“A former hunter,” Sean corrected sharply. “Who knows more about demon politics than any of your fancy federal databases.”

The warehouse door opened before Sterling could respond, revealing Skye laden with laptops and equipment. They took one look at my pale face and Sean's protective stance and sighed. “What fresh hell are we dealing with now?”

“The literal kind, apparently,” I managed, the mark still burning cold beneath my shirt.

“Fantastic.” Skye started setting up their gear with practiced efficiency. “And here I was hoping for a quiet apocalypse.”

Twenty minutes later, Juno arrived, bringing with her that predatory grace that made my mark hum in recognition. She assessed the room with hunter's instincts that vampirism hadn't dulled, her gaze lingering on Sterling with dangerous interest.

“Well,” she drawled, “when you said it was interesting, Sean, you weren't kidding. A fed, a marked one, and...” She tilted her head at Sterling. “Something else entirely. This should be fun.”

“This isn't about fun,” Sean growled. “This is about stopping a ritual that could tear reality apart.”

“Even better.” Juno's smile showed just enough fang to remind us what she was. “So, what's the plan? Besides the obvious 'charge in and die gloriously' strategy I'm sure you were considering.”

I caught Sean's slight flush and had to bite back a smile despite everything. She wasn't wrong about his usual tactical preferences.

Sean shot me a look that said he hadn't missed my amusement. “We need to know what we're walking into. Full reconnaissance before we make any moves.”

“Look at you, being all strategic,” Juno said, her tone hovering between impressed and mocking. “The mighty Sean Cullen, actually planning before stabbing. Has our federal friend been a good influence on you?”

“We don't have time for this,” Sean said, checking his weapons with practiced efficiency. “If you've got useful information, share it. Otherwise...”

“Always so serious.” Juno sighed dramatically before her expression shifted to something more businesslike. “I did some digging after our last encounter. Called in a few favors from contacts who prefer to remain nameless.”

“And?” I prompted when she paused for effect.

“Before we start plotting our heroically stupid intervention,” Juno said, settling onto a weapons crate with inhuman grace, “there's something you should know about our Prince's new meat suit.”

The room went quiet. Even Skye stopped typing, their fingers hovering over keyboards as the tension thickened.

“You mean the man from my dream?” I asked, the mark pulsing beneath my shirt like a second heartbeat, burning cold at the memory of those ice-blue eyes.

“I don't know about your little dreamwalking adventures, Agent,” Juno's fangs flashed as she smirked, “but sure, let's go with that.” She leaned forward, elbows on knees. “See, our dear Dr. Chen was just the prototype, the Prince's first attempt at finding a permanent vessel. Didn't work out so well for her, obviously.”

Sean paced the length of the room, combat boots heavy on the concrete floor. “They were testing her compatibility.”

“Got it in one, hunter.” Juno examined her nails with practiced casualness that didn't quite hide the tension in her shoulders. “But this new vessel? He's perfect. Willing. Powerful. The kind of meat suit a Prince of Hell could really settle into long-term.”