Page 71 of A Touch of Brimstone

He shook his head. “He betrayed me, but they were the ones to kill him. I was able to retain one of the attackers and talk.”

Translation: I kept one alive and forced him to speak.

“And?”

He looked grim. “Emmanuel had joined the Awakeners. When he was supposed to clear out the bar, he contacted them. They were to take you but were intercepted by the cadre from yesterday.”

They had done this so long, everything they did was a PR spin.

“They murdered the Awakeners,” I simplified. “Who are they?”

“The new Conventicle. They seem to have grander plans than the current members. One being getting rid of me, taking over, and having a ‘comply or die’ rule for anyone who doesn’t abide by the laws of anonymity. They see the current Conventicle as weak. Me as unnecessary.”

“So they plan to take over the Underworld?” I was incredulous.

The current system wasn’t working but the new Conventicle was ruthless. Would they protect humans and how magic was used against them? Their success meant death for me. It was a hard place to be, wanting to protect humans and rooting for a regime change and rooting against them to save my life.

“So, what’s next?” I asked.

“You still need magic but it will have to be from a different source.”

“Do you have someone in mind?”

He nodded. “Madeline.”

“Oh, so going the implausible route.”

“She’ll require a great deal of coercion and diplomacy.”

“I don’t think you’re using that word right.”

His lips quirked into a half-smile. “Which word?”

“Diplomacy. None of you all are using it right. Diplomacy is a delicate dance requiring negotiation and finesse. You all are all ‘do what I say or you die.’ That’s a threat, not diplomacy.”

He shook his head. “Threats won’t be necessary. The Conventicle will need my help to ward off the coup. She either helps or I’ll let the new members take over and I’ll work something out with them.”

The thrill of the challenge darkened his eyes. Either way, he was confident he’d end up on top. Whatever showed on my face caused him to cast his eyes down, and when he lifted them, they were softer, gentle, not flaming with desire for violence and subjugation.

My eyes dropped from his to the markings on his body, finding the markings on his chest that were like the new ones on Helena. Without thinking how creepy and invasive it was, my fingers traced the intricate pattern.

“This is why the witches’ magic doesn’t affect you?”

He nodded.

“Can I get one?” Although an admirer of body art, I’d never had the desire to get my own. But if this could keep me from being susceptible to the whims of the supernaturals, I’d do it.

He shook his head. “You don’t have magic.”

“That’s the problem. You all do. That puts us at a disadvantage. We can’t even protect ourselves from magic with something like this.” I hadn’t moved my hand from the tattoos. His muscles tensed under my touch.

He frowned. “I wish I could change that for you. I can’t. Luna, we have to return the prisoners and defeat the Dark Caster.”

“Peter,” I offered. It still felt peculiar associating his name with something so dangerous. But undoing his magic was a priority.

22

Madeline sat in the chair where I’d first encountered her. Her eyes, and the eyes of everyone in the Conventicle, pierced me with wary annoyance. Either they had the good manners or the self-preservation instinct not to say it, but they seemed to be wondering why I was still alive. Madeline had refused to meet Dominic without them present, which worked out. He was able to tell them about the plans to take over the Conventicle. They didn’t seem worried enough about that, but they did seem worried that the attack on Dominic ensured that he’d be involved.

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