Page 10 of Reign

He poured a generous measure of the amber liquid and placed the glass on the table in front of me, and then repeated the methodical process for Owen. He walked back to his old leather chair and sat down in a controlled, fluid movement. “So, they took a woman, then?” He gave a brief smile. “You would never ask me for help for something insignificant. And to us supernaturals the most important thing another could take is their woman. Either she is your mate, or you want her to be.”

I took a decent swallow and let the whisky burn smoothly down my gullet. “That’s right. My queen.”

His brows flicked up a little higher. “Your mate and your queen?” he steepled his fingers. “So if I help you find this fighter you seek, what’s in it for me? You no longer work for the SBI, Connor, so you cannot keep me out of the public eye if things get violent and bodies start turning up in your wake.”

I shrugged. “That's true. But I will keep any higher profile killings away from you and your precious club.”

Balthazar contemplated the whisky in his glass before he took a swallow. “I’m not worried about the dead racking up. The amount of bodies turning up in this city is keeping the SBI and the police looking elsewhere for now.”

“You have full blooded demons here every night,” pointed out Owen. “It won’t be long before the SBI comes knocking on your door. I know I would.”

Balthazar inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Indeed. But the demons who are a part of this community, by and large, keep to themselves. They are the ones who have gotten out of Hell, or been called here by some human idiot playing with forces they don’t understand, and then can’t return. They have no desire to be found by human demon hunters or the SBI, and they generally keep a low profile. If they cause problems in this city or bring undue attention to my club, they know I will end them.” He took a large swallow of whisky. “No, they are not the ones causing havoc in this city.” His pale gaze fixed and narrowed on me. I glared right back. His gaze deepened until hues of dark ruby shadowed his irises. “But you know that, don’t you, Shifter King?”

I smiled. Balthazar Rossi was anything but stupid. He’d worked out there was a connection to my arrival and the influx of demons. He was also a better ally than enemy. “I want an oath of silence, and your support when the time comes.”

He raised a dark brow and we studied each other more. I waited. He knew whatever was happening was dangerous to all of us and he would protect his kind, not to mention his interests, with the same loyalty and viciousness I would protect mine. I had the answers he wanted, and he had to give something in return. And it wasn’t as if asking for an oath would cost him anything.

A muscle in his jaw ticked as he considered my offer. “I don’t give out oaths or promises lightly.” His voice was tight and low, his brows pulling together.

I blinked. Perhaps there actuallywasa cost to him for taking an oath of silence. “Understood. But the cause of this influx of Demons will affect us all—and soon. Don’t you want to be prepared for the war that is coming, Count?”

The small curl of his top lip was chilling. “I am always prepared for war, because in one way or another, I am always fighting one.”

"Not this one. This one is coming from a direction you can't prepare for. It needs prevention, or we could all die. And the status quo that you keep amongst the supernatural underworld?Thatis going right out of the window,verysoon."

Another silence. I raised my glass and tipped some of the glorious whisky into my mouth. I could happily sit here and drink his whisky while I waited for his response. I didn'ttechnicallyneedhis support, but it would help things move quicker. Iwouldfind Ember, and Iwouldget that Halo back, even if both ended up in Lucifer's hands first. It just remained to be seen whether it would be before or after Lucifer destroyed this world.

Balthazar sat upright and lowered his arms, folding them in front of him on the desk. The silk of his purple shirt shone where it creased over his upper arms and shoulders. “You have my oath of silence, Shifter King. And my support.” He winced as if something had caused him pain.

I nodded, hoping the cost for his oath wasn’t too great, but not all that concerned if it was. “The woman who he tookisspecial; not just because she’s my mate and queen, but because she has the ability to open the gates of Hell.”

Balthazar’s eyebrows twitched up very slightly, but otherwise, his face remained blank. “A phoenix?”

Of course, the ancient bastard would know what I was talking about. “Yes. But that isn’t all Manivera took from me. He has Lucifer’s Halo.” Iwassurprised by the sound of the Count’s nails digging into the desktop, scoring the wood, even though his face remained coolly controlled.

“Do you realise what he could do if he gets that piece of himself back?”

There was no point in pretending. “No. All I know is that demons squatting in other creatures can be exorcised with it by using an angel’s power.” I didn’t volunteer that I could do this for my kind without the Halo. There were only so many secrets I was willing to reveal in one night.

"That is true, but if Lucifer gets his hands on that piece of himself, he will not only be able to destroy this world, but he will be able to re-enter Heaven. Halos are like a key to the different levels of Heaven. Only the most powerful angels have one. He will not only destroy the fabric of this world but have access to all other higher powers in existence. The deities of every world will be at war with him, not through choice but because he will kill them if they don't fight back."

“Damn,” breathed Owen.

I downed my whisky and smiled tightly. “Then you need to help me find the woman I’m after and hope to whatever deity you worship that she can help me find Manivera—or we’re all dead.

Chapter 4

Ember

A warm breezefanned my body, and I stretched like a cat. My towel ruffled underneath me, but my bikini had dried ages ago. A shadow fell over me, and I smiled though I kept my eyes closed.

“Hmm, I’ll never get tired of seeing that beautiful view when I come home.”

I opened one eye and raised a brow, though my heart didn’t beat much faster at the deep timbre to Jed’s voice. “Really?” And though I sounded sarcastic, my cheeks warmed at the heated way he looked at me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. It had been the same for the past couple of weeks. My desire for him had been slowly building, not to any great heights, but it was hard to know if my need was really for him or if my body just needed a release from the tension coiled inside. Did I evenwantto want him? I’d tried to push myself to connect with him, but it hadn’t gotten me anywhere. He’d just pulled away whenever I tried to get closer. I didn’t understand it, not after he’d told me my father’s goal.

Perhaps his relationship with Tina had surpassed meaningless sex. Maybe it was beginning to mean something else to him…

I kept the smile on my face, determined to keep trying the relationship thing. I owed him and my father. Besides, the past week or so had been better, I wasn't as lonely, and I actually felt, if not content, then at least more settled. He'd taken me down to the beach several times and often sat next to me on the patio while we read, not saying anything but just enjoying each other's company. We'd dined together every day, and I'd even fallen asleep in his arms on my bed a few times, though he hadn't pushed for more. If anything, he'd backed off when I'd tried to touch him.

---