Page 26 of Fallen Demon

“Whatever Tanner has for you, you don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I’ll put a team together to go with you.”

I started to protest, but when he looked at me with those intense eyes, like two green flames full of power and strength, I was reminded why he was the unnamed leader of us all.

“But what about the dagger?” I asked, knowing that was important too.

“Levi is your mate,” he said. “We rescue him first, then worry about the dagger.”

Though I knew he was talking from experience—he would do anything for Thea—my chest expanded with gratitude.

Drake told me to meet the team in the foyer in two hours. I left his office and went to the training grounds where Zad was waiting for me.

I told him what had happened.

“I’ll talk to Drake,” he said. “I’m coming with you.”

I was on my way back to my room to pack—I had no idea if we were going there for an hour or a week—when I almost bumped into Farrah and Wyatt in the hallway.

“There you are!” Farrah smiled at me. “I was going to the training grounds now. Did you guys finish early today?”

I shook my head and told them about the new plans; they wanted in. Apparently, we would arrive in the underworld with an army.

I hoped Tanner’s lead was a good one.

After taking a quick shower and changing into a clean uniform—I wanted to be prepared in case of a fight—I packed a small backpack with extra clothes and marched downstairs to the foyer.

Drake, Thea, Aurora, all the princes and princess and their respective partners, Elisa and Zadkiel, Farrah and Wyatt, and Keeran and Luana were here. There were also a handful of lower-ranked vampires who I didn’t know well.

“Everyone is coming with me?” I asked as I approached them.

“No,” Drake said. “Zadkiel, Farrah, Wyatt, Frank, and Cyran, and I are coming.”

My brows slammed down. “Shouldn’t you stay here? The castle needs you.” And everyone else in the supernatural world.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Thea will stay and she can take over for a few days.”

“I already do half of the work,” she said with a wink.

“More than half,” Prince Aston said with a cough.

“Well, that’s probably true,” Drake agreed. Drake had fixed his shirt and put on his jacket and tie. The lord of the castle gestured to a page, who opened the front doors. “We’re waiting on one more.”

As if on cue, a portal opened outside the doors, and Lacey stepped through it. “Am I late?”

“You’re just in time,” Drake told her.

The portal closed and she walked up to me. “Surprise!”

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, as a protective feeling came over me. I didn’t want her to come with us, because I knew it would be dangerous.

“You’re going after my brother and I’m coming with you,” she said simply. I glanced back at where the portal had been a second ago. “Abbie can’t come because she needs to stay with the hall. Maggie wanted to, but Abbie forbade her.”

“Good,” I muttered. “One less person for me to worry about.”

Drake cleared his throat. “Everyone ready?”

I nodded, and some answered out loud.

Then Keeran stepped forward and I understood why he had come: to open a portal for us to the nearest underworld entrance.

---