Page 87 of Ancient Magic

“What’s going on?” Peri demanded, easily keeping pace. “Do you know where Skye is?”

“I’m hoping to find out,” he promised, gripping her shoulders as the steel doors whisked open. “Wait for me in the penthouse.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Peri, this is Cabal business.”

His soft tone did nothing to persuade her to obey his request. Shocker.

“We’re in this together.” She planted her fists on her hips, glaring at him. “Besides, it’s not just Cabal business. Skye is a mage. And more importantly, she’s my sister.”

“This could get ugly,” he insisted. “I intend to get answers from Kane no matter what I have to do.”

“I hope it does get ugly. I have several curses loaded and ready to go.” Her face was grim as she held up her arm to reveal the jade bracelet that glowed from the magic pulsing in the green depths. “If you can’t beat the answers out of him, then I’ll make him wish he had never been resurrected.”

Pride swelled in Valen as he gazed down at the woman who’d stolen his unbeating heart. She would move heaven and earth for the people she loved.

“Fine.” He conceded to the inevitable. “But don’t kill anyone until I get some answers.”

She clicked her tongue, stepping into the elevator. “I’m not making any promises.”

“You have an interesting life, Valen,” Gabriel murmured as he stepped past Valen to enter the lift.

“You have no idea,” Valen agreed, joining them before he pulled out his keycard to send the elevator dropping to the lower floor.

Once they reached the guest floor, he stepped out and glanced toward his companion.

Valen possessed a skill in tracking both demons and vampires, but Gabriel was able to sense their presence even when they were miles away.

“Is Kane here?” he asked the older vampire.

“No.”

“Can you follow his trail?”

Gabriel tilted back his head, as if testing the air for various scents. “There’s nothing,” he at last announced. “It’s like someone scrubbed away any hint of his presence.”

Valen snapped his fangs together. Okay, it’d been a lot to hope that Kane would return to the lair and hang around long enough to be tortured into revealing his devious plans. Or better yet, left an easy-to-follow trail to where he’d stashed Micha and Skye.

Still, he could have left behind something to help them figure out what the hell was going on.

“The ambassador?” he forced himself to ask.

Gabriel shrugged. “Not here.”

With a frown, Valen headed to the double doors that led to the ambassador’s suite. He’d deliberately given the male the best rooms in the hope that Sinjon would appreciate the gesture and give Peri the benefit of the doubt.

Laying his hand against the smooth wood, he gently pushed on the door, grimacing when it easily slid open. He didn’t need Gabriel’s skills to sense that the suite was empty, so it was no surprise when he walked through the elegant living room and into the bedroom not to discover Azra waiting for him. What was a surprise was the fact that there was no indication the male had been there at all.

The bed was neatly made, the closets were empty, and the leather suitcases gone. There wasn’t a trace that he’d ever been there. Not even a stray scent.

“Where did he go?” Valen muttered.

Gabriel stood at his side, his expression troubled. “I don’t know, but it’s not good.”

“We need to look at the security footage.” Valen turned and headed back through the suite.

He was near the door when he was brought to a sharp halt as Gabriel grabbed his shoulder.

“Wait,” he commanded, nodding toward the intercom system that had been ripped out of the wall, the cords charred as if they’d been set on fire. “I don’t think it’s going to help.”

Valen clenched his hands. “Dammit.”

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