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  Jaden felt defeated as she looked up into Nico’s eyes.

  Defeated, hurt, and humiliated. “When a warrior mates, the bond is something that is not easily broken. You, more than anyone, know that.” She stepped back, and her voice hardened. “My personal life is none of your business. Who I screw is none of your business. This isn’t a reality show, Nico, it’s the real deal. Life and death. Understood?”

  His lips pulled back in a snarl. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure we are successful tonight. Once this is over, I’m gone.” He looked away, his nostrils flared as his face once more resumed its blank look. “The jungle calls. I should never have left.”

  He walked away and left her there, alone with the weight of all their stares at her back.

  Her cheeks burned, she felt the sting as they flushed red. Nothing like starting a mission on the heels of chaos.

  Jaden inhaled quickly and shook out her long hair before turning toward Julian. His eyes were averted though he faced her from several feet way with Declan and Finn. She crossed to them, quickly aware that the vampire Ana’s eyes followed her as she did so.

  “Let’s do this,” she said to Declan.

  The sorcerer cocked his head as he looked behind her. “You better keep that kitty leashed.”

  “Nico will be fine.” Jaden pushed past them, ignoring Julian, who stood in silence, his hands clenched, his face dark.

  They followed Jaxon through two high-level checkpoints, each of them thorough. Jaden was impressed with the security. She’d heard of Desert Hole, as the facility was called, but had never had the opportunity to visit. It was manned by a mixture of otherworld and human, and run by the legendary Ethan Crane.

  He was a shapeshifter, a wolf, who’d fought in both world wars, Vietnam, and had apparently been in Afghanistan as well. She’d never met him in person, but his reputation was legendary. A lethal killer with insane tracking capabilities.

  He was also, apparently, quite the ladies’ man.

  A few minutes later, she could appreciate the latter.

  Crane didn’t walk so much as glide into the briefing room. His age was pegged at over one hundred human years, but he had the appearance of a man in his prime.

  The tall American smiled though the glint of his eyes remained frosty as he quickly scanned the room. His build, though muscular, was lean in the hips and long-legged. His movements were those of a predator.

  He was very much like her men, and she found her eyes drawn to Julian. As always.

  He stood on the fringe of the group, his lips set in a tight line. The pent-up energy that thrummed through his body could easily be felt. She saw his nostrils flare, and when he suddenly turned and met her gaze, she stopped breathing.

  His golden eyes glittered in a strange way, a wild look hung in their depths. He looked like a man on the edge. She wanted to do something. To say anything to calm him.

  “Okay, let’s make this quick.”

  Jaxon’s voice cut through their moment, slicing it away as they both turned their attention to the warrior.

  “We’ve been able to determine that Cormac is keeping Azaiel underground, beneath Black Magick. Here is a schematic of the building. Luckily for us, our prisoner was one of Cormac’s inner circle, and his mind held many details that will help us.”

  They all looked up at a large screen that had noiselessly slid from the ceiling. The impressive casino’s secrets were laid bare. To the east was a large amphitheater, where the main attraction, magic shows, were held. Apparently Cormac had quite the apprentice, and it was the hottest ticket in town.

  The main casino was large, with nearly two hundred thousand feet of gaming room, and there were nearly six thousand rooms, located in towers at each of the four corners, including four luxurious penthouse suites. As was the trend in Vegas, there was an additional theme park where you could bring the entire family and let them feed on the dark energy that surrounded Black Magick.

  Nice.

  “We need to get to the lower level, and there are only two ways that we feel we can successfully penetrate.” Jaxon pointed toward the south end of the casino. “There is a service entrance near the kitchen that allows access below.” He then pointed toward the amphitheater. “And there is another access point located behind the main stage.”

  He looked up at all of them. “This is where we’ll get in. Azaiel is being contained in a room. At this moment, we’re not quite sure where.”

  “I didn’t think basements existed in Vegas,” Declan observed.

  Jaxon grimaced. “This will be no ordinary space, of that we can be sure.” Jaxon paused as he took a few moments to look at each and every one of them. Jaden felt his strength, his worry, and as his eyes passed over his woman, Libby, she felt his love.

  She clenched her hands together tightly as a wave of emotion ran over her. They could do this. She felt Julian at her side. They would do this.

  “Our mission is twofold: The main objective is Azaiel. We need to retrieve the portal. Second to that is Cormac.” Jaxon literally spit his name. “That son of a bitch will not live to see another day.”

  “How can you be sure the fallen will cooperate? That he even knows where the portal is?” Nico cut in. “Seems to me Cormac has had him for months; if he couldn’t extract the information, what makes you think we can?”

  “If Azaiel refuses to cooperate, he will be eliminated.” Jaxon was firm in his answer. “The portal shall remain hidden, and for now I’m okay with that as long as Cormac is dealt with.”

  “What the hell do we do if, miraculously, he gives it up?” Skye asked.

  “He will be eliminated either way.” Jaxon again was curt and to the point.

  “How do you suggest killing something that is supposedly celestial?” A hint of sarcasm tinged Declan’s words, and Jaden looked at him sharply. He was pushing the boundaries. Not good. The darkness that threatened both him and Julian was digging in deep.

  She knew they were running out of time.

  “You get close enough and cut its fucking head off,” Cracker answered as he spit to the side. “Even then it’s a crapshoot.”

  “Okay then,” Declan retorted, as a smile crept over her features.

  Cracker’s eyes narrowed as he stared at both Declan and Julian.

  “We’ll split into two teams,” Jaxon continued. “I’ll take Jagger, Cracker, Skye, and Libby. Our objective will be to penetrate the kitchen entrance.” Julian nodded toward Ethan. “Crane will lead the second team and come in through the amphitheater. This way, we attack from two ends and hopefully one of us can get to Azaiel.”

  His gaze swung to Jaden. “No disrespect, but Ethan is the unit leader in this area.”

  Jaden nodded. She wasn’t going to get into a pissing contest over who led the team. She didn’t care. She just wanted the job done.

  The room had suddenly gone deathly quiet.

  “We’ve got operatives inside, and early intel indicates that the place is crawling with otherworld.” Jaxon’s eyes focused on Jaden. “The DaCostas have been spotted in Las Vegas. Jakobi and Degas have entered the game.”

  Jaden felt the weight of his words and a sliver of fear rifled through her body at the mention of her father’s name. It was fitting, really. That he would be involved right to the very end.

  Her hand strayed to the bruise along the side of her face. It was still there, courtesy of her father. She winced as her fingers passed over it. The pain was good. It was a reminder. Maybe it was time for her to deal with all of her nightmares. Finish it, once and for all.

  She returned Jaxon’s hard gaze and cocked her head to the side in challenge. If he thought she’d run away like a coward, he was sadly mistaken.

  “You need to stay away from the line of sight targeted by the security cameras. They’ll definitely have facial-recognition programs in place, and they are immune to cloaking charms. There will be guards everywhere, otherworld, human, demon, you name it. It’s not going to be easy to accomplis
h our task. We must succeed. If we don’t . . .” He paused, and his words softened. “I have every faith in all of you, and when this is over, I will see each and every one of you back here. Nothing less is acceptable.”

  His dark gaze swept over them, pausing as he rested on Julian.

  “We clear?”

  Jaden felt the air leave her lungs in a whoosh. She was more than ready. She felt like every single thing she’d ever done had brought her to this moment. It was time to make things right.

  She glanced at Julian and was startled to catch his dark eyes staring at her intently. His lips moved, and, for a second, she thought he was going to speak to her. Something flashed across his face but was gone just as quick. What was he thinking?

  He turned abruptly and left. Guess she’d never know. Jaden felt something loosen inside of her and slide away until all that was left was a big hole.

  “Sin City awaits, boys. Who’s feeling lucky?” Ethan cracked a smile though it did nothing to thaw the cold glint in his eyes.

  Declan winked at her as he turned to follow Julian, and she heard him laugh. “Giddy up.”

  “He seems like a crazy son of a bitch,” Ethan observed.

  Jaden started forward.

  “You have no idea.”

  Chapter 26

  The dark interior of the amphitheater did nothing to hide the sinister taint that lingered in the air.

  Jaden smoothed the blood red silk over her hips as she slid in beside Julian, her arm linking through his as she did so. They’d just entered the cavernous room and looked every inch a successful, wealthy couple out to enjoy an evening in one of Vegas’s finest.

  She glanced down at the heavy necklace that lay between her breasts. It was ornate and, though delicate in appearance, built to withstand a shift. The piece was charmed, heavily so, and for the moment hid their trace signatures from Cormac and his minions. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be recognized. She felt the gentle touch of magick that slid over her skin. How long it would last was anyone’s guess.

  Center stage was occupied though the sounds of the band that entertained the crowd grated on her nerves. It felt like the notes were off-key, only by a fraction, causing them to distort. Her feline ears, supersensitive as they were, protested, and she fought the urge to cover them.

  She glanced around. No one else seemed to notice. In fact, from what she could tell, everyone was paying rapt attention like it was freaking U2 up there.

  They looked like zombies.

  Her eyes narrowed. Something was definitely off. Dark energy was heavy in the air. The place was rancid with its sick, sweetly scent.

  She felt like gagging.

  “There are two entrances that lead to the storage areas in the lower level. One is stage left. The one we’ll have most success with is stage right near the dressing rooms.” Crane had found his way to their side in silence. “There will be more traffic, people and noise. A lot easier to blend in.” His eyes were calculating as he looked at Ana and Jaden. “My guess is the two of you will be our best bet to get close enough to the guards in order for us to take them out with minimum exposure.”

  Jaden nodded and turned to the vampire. The petite woman held herself stiffly, as if she were afraid to touch the man beside her. It irritated her, how much the vampire acted as if the sorcerer were nothing more than an acquaintance, yet her need for him, her desire for him, was palpable.

  It was bizarre since the worst-kept secret in PATU was the longing Declan O’Hara had for Ana.

  For the first time, Jaden realized she knew nothing about the vampire. Not even her last name.

  “Okay, you ladies ready?” Ethan smiled as an usher nudged him out of the way.

  “Sir, you must take your seats. It’s dangerous in the aisles.”

  “We’re on it,” he said good-naturedly, the smile fading fast as the usher went about his business.

  “Finn, Nico, you’re with me, we’ll hang close to the women. You two”—he nodded to Julian and Declan—“keep to the shadows and watch our backs. We’ll give the ladies exactly two minutes, then we’ll go in.” Ethan’s tone was serious, his eyes hard as ice as he turned back to the girls. “You need to act fast. Cormac is an arrogant bastard, and he’ll not be expecting an attack here on his home turf. We’re heavily outnumbered, so surprise is our friend. Understood?”

  Nervous excitement rushed through Jaden and she exhaled slowly in an effort to calm her nerves. She nodded and squared her shoulders.

  “Be careful.” Julian’s breath was at her neck, and she stilled, hearing only the mad beating of her heart.

  “You too,” she answered, but kept her eyes trained on the stage, afraid to look up into his eyes and not really sure why.

  She turned and followed Ana into the waiting darkness, missing his hand as it froze in the air, inches from her back.

  Julian’s eyes adjusted quickly to the dimly lit room as he followed Jaden’s progress. He had no issue with the dark; in fact, he relished it.

  He stretched his fingers and slowly let his hand fall back to his side. She’d been so close. He’d just wanted one final touch. Instead, he was left grasping nothing but air.

  Nico’s dark eyes regarded him for several seconds before he turned and followed Jaden.

  His nostrils flared as her scent faded away, the sweetness of it stolen from him much too fast, and he felt empty. The darkness that lingered around the edges of his mind seeped through, and he clenched his teeth as it washed over him.

  “Sucks, doesn’t it?”

  He arched an eyebrow though he kept his gaze centered on Jaden and Ana as he observed their progress. They’d made it to the far side and were near stage right.

  “What’s that?”

  Crane moved out of earshot, and Declan lowered his voice. “That you’ve finally found a woman worth fighting for. After tonight, you’re either dead or on a goddamn road trip to bum fuck wherever with Bill the elf.”

  Julian scowled. “Jaden and I would never have had a future together.”

  “Yeah, the hot sex and superhero-babe thing she’s got going on is so not working.”

  Julian turned to the sorcerer abruptly and nailed him with a dark look. “Bill the elf?”

  Declan rotated his neck slowly. “Ya gotta admit, Castille, the fucker is under five feet and round as a bouncing ball. Dip the dude in green and red and toss him toward the North Pole.” He smiled wickedly. “You’d see. Santa would sign him up for sure.”

  Julian ignored Declan and dragged his gaze back toward the stage. The music left much to be desired, but then he’d always been more of a blues man.

  Jaden had disappeared, and his animal shifted beneath his skin. The scars that laced his flesh pulsated, and the burn was becoming more of an issue. If would surely drive a lesser man mad.

  He just had to hold on a little bit longer, and he’d finally be freed from the constant darkness, the noise in his head, and the need that gnawed at him.

  “Let’s do this,” he said abruptly. “You ready?”

  “A walk in the park, my friend.” Declan’s voice was light but Julian glimpsed the torment that battered the sorcerer. He knew it well. He’d been eating it for breakfast, lunch, and supper for months.

  He nodded. It was time to end this.

  Declan indicated they head to the left, the opposite direction from the rest of the team.

  Julian called the shadows to his body as he slipped into the darkness. The charm that hung from his neck was powerful, full of Declan’s mojo. A little extra protection wouldn’t hurt. He was confident no one could see them.

  At least not the humans.

  They slid through the crowd, with none the wiser, and adrenaline pumped through his body as they neared the stage area. It was a rush that he welcomed.

  The music that pounded into the air was dark, seductive, and wrong. He glanced into the faces of the humans he passed and frowned at the rapt look in their eyes, as if they were in a trance.

  He knew there
was dark magick blended between the notes, he felt them, and the pull was strong. Sorry bastards. They were so vulnerable to the forces of the dark. If the demon realm did manage to break through, they’d be screwed. It would be a bloodbath.

  His eyes scanned the room and rested on the two large men who stood stage left. They blocked the path to the door and were definitely otherworld. Even without the smell that drifted from them, the pimped-out clothes would have been a dead giveaway.

  A smile cracked his face as a growl hung low in his belly.

  Silently, he and Declan approached them. The band was in a frenzy, pounding out notes as the singer wailed into the microphone. The sound echoed around the room, a cacophony of noise.

  It somehow was appropriate and fed the rage that built inside him. Darkness preyed on darkness, and, in this instance, he was working it.

  His animal burned beneath his skin, and the power of his jaguar flooded his veins. Both men were vampires, and he withdrew the deadly dagger from beneath his jacket.

  Their presence wasn’t felt until they were almost upon the two men. By then, it was too late.

  To the observer, a lone human whose attention might have been drawn from the music, all that was seen was a blur, a slight whisper in the air as if the shadows had moved.

  They blitzed the vamps, Declan throwing two sharp and penetrating energy bursts at them, while Julian followed up with clean and precise swipes to the neck.

  He watched dispassionately as their heads separated from their bodies, then grabbed the lifeless forms, dragging the remains along behind him. The entire attack lasted less than five seconds, and as he slipped through the door, he turned, his eye quickly scanning the immediate area.

  No one had witnessed their advance.

  Declan was just ahead and put a finger to his mouth, indicating there was more filth to deal with. The frenetic, heavy chugging of the guitars was somewhat muffled in here, yet the aggressive nature of the music fed his mind, excited his jaguar.