Page 29 of When Monsters Fight
“Please…more.” She grabs at my wrists.
My aura is strong, my power unmatched, and this female is bedazzled by it even though we are not bonded.
She rolls her hips. “Please.”
I click my fingers, and she falls back onto the bed, asleep. Like this, in this light, at that angle, she does look like Rue. I might keep her. For now. But once the Dominion’s plan is complete and I have the leave to do so, I will find Rue. I will find her, and I will bring her home.
Until then…I run my hand up the woman’s flank, and she shivers beneath my touch. “Yes, until then this will do just fine.”
There’s a knock at the main doors to my quarters. I close the bedchamber and cross the polished wooden floor to answer it.
A sentinel stands outside looking nervous. I remember this look. The awe, the fear. How I’ve missed it. “What?”
“Supracelestia, the scout team has sent a message that they have found a church which was not there previously, and within the church there is a conjunction.”
“What do you mean the church wasn’t there previously?”
“The sentinels who have flown over the area many times have said that it was never visible before.”
A church hidden from celestial eyes until now…It had to be sitting on a crossing, which would explain the conjunction and the ward around it that rendered it invisible to certain eyes… “Go on…”
“There is evidence that humans may have been living there, but they are gone now. We believe that they found the conjunction. We believe it leads to Gehenna.”
“You think the humans went through?”
“If they did, then they will be dead.”
“Then check. Send a party through.” I don’t bother to mask my irritation.
“They are unable to pass. The conjunction is locked to them.”
“Is that all?”
He inclines his head. “They await your instructions.”
I’m tempted to ignore the Dominion’s orders and go after them. To scout the surrounding area for the humans. If I thought Rue might be among them, I might, but if there is a conjunction in the church, then my bet is that Rue has gonethrough it, which means she’s discovered more about Gehenna than she should.
“Tell them to set a watch on the conjunction and to alert me if anyone comes through. I’ll brief the Dominion.”
He inclines his head, backing up a few steps before turning on his heel and hurrying away.
I head back to the bedchamber and don my armor. I should wake the woman and send her back to the nest with all the other human females yet unclaimed, but I doubt I’ll be with the Dominion for long, and the nights can be lonely. She’s safer here with me than in the mixer or in the nest. Not all the celestials are as gentle as I am.
I close the door softly and leave her to her slumber. I have business to attend to. Playtime will have to wait.
Chapter 16
BEE
Frightened, tired faces fill the old service station that we’ve chosen for the night. Everyone is exhausted from the long day on the road, but there is hope too. We’re one day down, no attacks or casualties, and we have a roof over our heads.
The reapers and watchers have organized an internal patrol while the devolved patrol outside.
We’re as safe as we can be, for now.
While Mira gets everyone settled and fed, I join Bastian at the back of the building in a small storeroom, where he’s going through some boxes left over by the previous occupants, looking for supplies.
“Anything?”
