Page 40 of The Demon's Fire
Losing track of time, Skyler stared at the lake. Sarah’s murder was not part of a random robbery. They took credit for it as they had for the attempt on her own life. She dug her cell out of her purse to call her office. Anna picked up immediately.
“It’s me. Any more about the bloggers or Sarah’s murder?”
“No on both counts. TheBigReveal has been silent since the demon exposé. Agent Abello is investigating Siri’s murder and your … um … accident. Of course, Chicago PD specifically warned against doing such a thing. So, it’s all on the hush-hush. Everyone here is pretty sad. Oh, and the funeral is two days from now. We’re closing for the afternoon. Everybody from here is going. Laurie volunteered to arrange it since Siri’s parents live out west. I think they appreciated the help. When they arrive tomorrow, Allen will pick them up at the airport to transport them to their hotel. I told him they were a priority while in Chicago. What else? Yes. We are filling the funeral home with flowers. It should look nice, all at the company’s expense. Since her parents wanted cremation, Laurie arranged for it. I think that’s it.”
Skyler waited for Anna to take a breath. Her tendency to go into detail without coming up for air was strangely calming right now.
“Have we tightened security?”
“Yes. Since Siri’s murder and your incident are not random crimes, guards are on the Legal Division and Information Services employees 24-7. Other divisions have been warned to use caution, to report anything suspicious. If someone feels the need for protection, security will be assigned. Our agents, of course, are on heightened alert. We are stretched thin but getting by. How is it on your end?”
“We are proceeding through the itinerary quite nicely, thank you. Tonight is the ball. Tomorrow more travel around Scath. Then I’m home Saturday. I plan to make it for the funeral.”
“That reminds me. I don’t know how I overlooked it, but I found another stop on your father’s tour. An entry from his journal must have gotten stuck between some pages. I missed it. Sorry. Anyway, he also did a quick trip to Darque. Can you squeeze it in?”
Skyler opened her laptop to access her calendar. “I can add it, but it’ll mean another day here. I won’t have the entire weekend to catch up on what I missed, and I won’t make the funeral. Will you arrange something special from me to honor Sarah?”
“All over it, Chief. I’ll donate to her favorite charity in your name. She loved animals. So we’re all giving to Paws and Claws Adoptions.”
“Perfect. Also, call High Commander Cadmon’s office with the change to my schedule. Phone Winston, probably at the hospital. Let him know I need to postpone dinner Saturday night.” She scrolled through her appointments. “Push back the signing of the sales agreement on the new health club chain. I won’t be ready for it on Monday. It can wait a day. Call Farm to Table Grocers to inform them my proposal will be on time though later in the afternoon. I don’t want them to think I’m blowing them off.”
Skyler typed a few reminders into her notes.
Anna said, “Speaking of Winston, when Sarah was taken into Chicago General, he was the on-duty surgeon. He phoned to tell us how sorry he was and to let us know she didn’t suffer. She never regained consciousness, her wounds so severe.”
“I’m still puzzled, Anna. If TheBigReveal’s looking to expose Scath or the Alliance, why not just do it? Why not open the site to the public? Do you think they plan to ask for money?”
Anna’s sigh was loud. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out soon. Anyway, enjoy the rest of your trip.”
“I’m not here to enjoy myself. It’s business.”
“Sure, but it can’t be all biz. Your escort’s a stare-worthy hunk of gorgeous. And after what I read in the blog about those guys… Well, I repeat, enjoy.”
“I assure you, I am not interested in the commander.” When she disconnected, an unbidden vision of Kole’s naked hard body poised above her invaded her mind again. Skyler rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, rattling her head to clear the spicy illusion of the damn animus demon.
****
Danteentertained Cerberus in his home beside the fireplace, sipping eighteen-year-old Macallan, one of the best single malt scotches in the world.
Cerberus sniffed the aroma of the fine liquor. “With Silas’s operation destroyed, our search for living descendants of the Blood Coven could have come to a standstill. I am appreciative of your contacts.” He poised the tumbler near his lips.
“Yes. My hacker is going through medical records quickly.” Dante rolled the golden liquid around his glass in sheets, his legs crossed, the creases in his pants crisp. “He’s costly, but efficient and discreet. He already identified the Alliance employee.”
Cerberus leaned forward to clink his tumbler against Dante’s. “Whatever it takes. The end is more important than the means. Our hunt must continue.”
“Rightly so.” Dante slanted his lips into a pleased aristocratic grin. “How are our prisoners holding up? You are certain they fit your needs?”
“When Silas located humans with ancient mage DNA markers, he brought them to Scath. Out of all the subjects, only two, a Celene Bailey and a Jace de Vries, tested positive for Blood Coven lineage. They are under constant guard in rather nice accommodations where nobody can find them. In the meantime, we hunt for more. The process is slow. I have hundreds of years to wait, my friend, but you … ah … not so many.”
“True. Though I am a patient man, I want to see this through before I die. Do the prisoners exhibit any powers, even slight ones?”
“None we have detected.”
Dante plunked his glass on the table, angling his body toward the fire, a chill settling in his bones. “This must work.”
“The prophecy foretells of my success. Aeternals will once again walk Earth beside our human allies. And you, old friend, will have kept your promise to your daughter.”
“Though she fell in love with a man from Scath, he died before they could mate. She made me vow on her own early deathbed to help bring your realm to light. To exist side by side, to learn from each other, to be a united people, different but the same, had been their shared dream. I have taken up the mantle of her cause, lucky to have found you. Of course, it will not hurt to profit from the venture.”
