Page 106 of The Darkest Night

Nikolai, Vlad, and the Nolan cousins wandered in.

Yoo-Mi paused on her way out of the room. She frowned, adjusted a picture frame on the sideboard, and headed back to the kitchen.

Mae waited until she was out of hearing before turning on her uninvited guests. “What do you want?”

“Oscar and Barquiel have been sighted in Budapest,” Bryony said without preamble. “They are back at the Dark Council headquarters.”

A tense hush befell them. Mae frowned.

“We have some news too,” Dickson said. “Your tip-off about the pineal gland was dead on the money.”

“We sent some samples from the demons we killed last night to our lab in Quantico,” Calvarro explained at Mae’s puzzled look. “The preliminary results came in an hour ago. They found some kind of hormone inside them. They haven’t been able to identify what it is yet.”

Nikolai’s eyebrows drew together. He rubbed his jaw. “That must be what makes possessed humans like Antonovich and Sobol so powerful.”

Vlad dipped his head curtly. “Perfect for an army.”

“Now thatOniksis out of the picture, are you intending to stick around?” Dickson asked Vlad.

Mae’s stomach lurched. She hadn’t even considered that Vlad would walk out of her life after solving the problem he’d approached them for.

The incubus met her stiff gaze. “Yes. I’m going to stick around. After all, Mae is my queen too.”

His meaning was not lost on the room. Heat flooded her cheeks.

Nikolai looked like he was contemplating murder.

Bryony cleared her throat discreetly and observed Calvarro and Dickson. “Isn’t it about time you told us what you’re doing in New York?”

Dickson rubbed the back of his head and sighed ruefully. “I work for the Immortal Societies. I’m their liaison with the Special Affairs Bureau.”

Mae raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“It’s a branch of the U.S. government that deals with Immortals and magic users.” Dickson met Bryony’s gaze steadily. “We think one of our people is helping the Sorcerer King and the Dark Council.”

Bryony’s lips flattened to a thin line.

“Helping?” Nikolai repeated. “Helping how?”

“By melding science, alchemy, and demonic power into something else. Something more devastating than anything we’ve seen before.”

Mae’s scalp prickled at the Immortal’s words.

“Onikswas just a steppingstone for the Dark Council,” Calvarro said. “The army the Sorcerer King is looking to build will be made of more than just insignificant criminals.” She glanced apologetically at Vlad. “No offense.”

“None taken,” the incubus drawled.

Bryony frowned at Dickson. “And your sword? Violet tells me it contains divine energy. Was it forged by the man I’m thinking of? The idiot with the rabbit?”

Dickson winced. “Yes. It’s a new prototype.”

“What idiot with the rabbit?” Mae said blankly.

“I’m sure your paths will cross one day soon,” Bryony replied evasively. She turned to Calvarro, her expression sharpening. “And what of your role in all of this?” She glanced at Abraham. “My aide tells me you are some kind of—” she waved a vague hand, “soul reaper.”

“She’s not just any soul reaper,” Dickson said. “She’s their queen.”

Bryony’s jaw tightened. Abraham paled.

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