Page 25 of Dead End

It would be challenging for Phaedra to work her magic here. Still, it seemed risky to traipse through the forest to visit the farm. There was a good chance Lucifer was aware of my escape by now. He’d have minions on the lookout for me. Another way to torture Kane. I blocked all incoming thoughts on that subject. If I let them in, I wouldn’t be able to function, and Kane needed me. I refused to let him down again.

The front door slammed, jolting me. If I’d been holding acup of tea, I would’ve burned a hole straight through my sweatpants. Too many visitors were allowed to bypass the ward these days. Josie stalked past the parlor room with Dantalion hot on her heels. He noticed us and called to the vampire.

“It’s good to see you alive and well, Lorelei,” the demon said.

“Same.”

Josie marched into the room and leveled me with a look. “Where in the devil have you been, Clay?”

“On a seaside vacation. Where do you think?”

She folded her arms. “I have no idea. All I know is you disappeared and Lucifer’s holding Kane hostage in the Devil’s Playground.”

“I was being held prisoner by The Corporation. They made a deal with Lucifer.”

Her curled upper lip relaxed. “How did you escape?”

“Quickly. Talk to me about Kane. How do we get him out?”

Josie exhaled loudly. “Dantalion and I have been trying for weeks. If it were up to me, we’d waltz through the front door when the club opens.”

“It’s a suicide mission,” Dan said.

It took me a moment to process. “Wait, what? Lucifer’s operating the club?”

“He seems to get a thrill out of it,” Josie said. “According to my sources, he has Alessandro bartending.”

“What about Kane? Do we know where he’s being kept?”

“Hard to miss,” Dan said.

Josie shot him a silencing look that I didn’t miss.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Dan met the vampire’s steely gaze. “She deserves to know the truth.” The demon turned to me. “Lucifer is using Kaneas part of the entertainment. The patrons don’t know it’s real. They think it’s performance art.”

My body felt crushed under the weight of his admission.

“Dan and I have only gotten as far as the parking lot,” Josie said. “His security team has been lying in wait every time.”

My mental gears started clicking. “But they haven’t brought you inside as prisoners?”

“No, they beat us back,” Dantalion said. His spine straightened. “That is odd, isn’t it? Why not take us prisoner?”

“They don’t want you inside the club,” I said. “That’s telling.”

Goran’s brow rippled with confusion. “I don’t understand. What does it tell us?”

“Likely that Lucifer’s defenses are stronger outside the club than inside,” I explained.

“It’s a weakness that can be exploited,” Josie added.

“If we can get inside the club before Lucifer has a chance to shore up his defenses, I bet we have a good shot at freeing Kane.” I looked at the great duke of hell. “You saved him once before, Dan. I know you can do it again.”

“Wecan do it,” he amended.

A thought occurred to me. “How is anyone showing up to the club if there’s a curfew?”

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