Ky’s gut dropped to his feet. “This is bigger than just an incursion, isn’t it?”
E rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, looking exhausted and rougher than Ky had ever seen him. Now he understood why. He was dying. “Armageddon for you, Reclamation for us.”
Shade took a swig of beer. He wasn’t looking so great himself, and Ky had to wonder if Runa, Tayla, and Gem were really buying their “Seminus flu” BS.
“Wraith called,” Shade said. “The guy who attacked Serena is a fallen angel. He’s after her charm and the necklace she’s protecting.”
Kynan was sick of hearing about fallen angels. “What kind of necklace?”
“Wraith didn’t say. But everything happened at the same time—Serena’s appearance on the scene and the underworld havoc. It’s definitely connected.”
“Have you asked Reaver about him?”
“Tried. He’s MIA.”
“Shit. Okay, where are the armies going to strike? I need to notify the Sigil, and the R-XR, if Runa hasn’t.”
Not only did Runa’s brother work for the R-XR, but she’d been employed by them as well, before she hooked up with Shade.
She shot Shade a none-for-you-tonight glare, which was actually a non-threat, seeing how he’d die without sex. “I talked to Arik yesterday, but I’m hearing about all of this for the first time right now.”
Shade shrugged, though he sounded a little sheepish when he said, “I didn’t want to upset you. You’ve had enough on your plate as it is.” He turned to Kynan. “I took a little trip to Sheoul this afternoon. Talked to people who know people… there’s no word on an actual strike. Instead, armies are gathering in Israel.”
Whoa. Kynan put down his fork. “Why would they be gathering aboveground? Couldn’t they use the Harrowgates to get to the places they’re going to strike?”
“There’s fear that humans are going to cripple the Harrowgates,” E said. “Besides, demons can’t move in mass through them. They’ve got to gather near battle sites.”
“Makes sense.” This was good intel. The Aegis and military paranormal units could start putting their resources in place now. He stood. “I’m going to get moving on this. And if Serena or her necklace is part of this, maybe The Aegis or the R-XR could grab her and keep her out of the fallen angel’s hands.”
Shade and E looked troubled by that idea, which would, no doubt, end Wraith’s plans to take her charm, but they didn’t argue. More than their lives were at stake now.
“Tell them,” E said, his voice low and rough. “Reclamation might sound like a good time to a lot of demonkind, but I like the world the way it is.” He gave Tayla and the babies a pointed look. “Safe for my family.”
As Kynan took Gem’s hand in his, he couldn’t help but agree.
Gem had remained completely silent on the walk to her apartment. Kynan would have worried, except that he hadn’t felt like talking much himself. The threat of friends dying and the world ending left him speechless.
Gem dug her apartment keys out of her purse and unlocked her door, but she didn’t open it. Instead, she became very interested in her feet. The platform Mary-Janes added a good five inches to her height and made her long, bare legs into works of art. He’d never been one for Goth fashion, but he couldn’t imagine her in anything else.
Anything but satin sheets, anyway.
He hooked a finger beneath her chin and forced her to look at him. “What’s wrong? Did I do something stupid again?”
A sad smile curved her lips, which were freshly painted with black lipstick. “You didn’t do anything.”
“Then tell me what’s going on.”
“Besides a possible end of the world?”
“Besides that.”
“You… um… you know how I feel about you.”
Well, if that didn’t just freeze the blood in his veins. No one started off a conversation like that unless they were going to say something bad. Like, “I slept with your best friend.” Or, “I slept with that leather-bound, tongue-pierced demon.”
“Gem—”
“Don’t,” she said quickly. “Don’t say anything. I just want you to understand how hard this is for me.”
His heart dropped to his feet. “What’s hard?”
“Breaking up with you.”
After the time they’d spent in the hospital room today, this was the last thing he’d expected, and it took a good ten seconds for his brain to process. Even when it did, he had to repeat what she’d said. “Break up with me?”
Her eyes filled with tears as she brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Dammit, Gem.” His voice cracked, and he hated himself for it. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“You want children, don’t you?”
He blinked, completely caught off guard. “What’s this about?”
“Kids. Babies. Little fruits of your loins. Do you want them?”