Henric’s head swung, and whatever he saw in Paxton’s eyes had him blinking. Just once, but that was enough. “I don’t think you understand who holds the power here.”
Paxton flicked a glance at Fralep, who was a purebred demon with buzz-cut white hair and dark black eyes. “Power is fleeting and often changes hands, in my experience.”
“Not this time,” Henric retorted. “More importantly, why did they let you go?”
“I don’t entirely know,” Paxton said. “My guess is they don’t think I’m a threat to anybody they care about. Dage didn’t seem too bothered about me hacking into his schedule.” Yet the Realm’s response didn’t feel right at all, and his instincts told him something was coming for him—hard.
“We saw what happened,” Henric said. “You saved the female in Nuremberg when you could’ve taken her. No doubt the king, actually both kings, are aware of that same fact.”
Yeah, there was no doubt about that. The two kings most certainly had eyes everywhere. “Exactly,” he retorted, drumming up some anger. “You wouldn’t have gotten two feet with her. They had a squad of four on the ground and no doubt reinforcements close. And I’ve already told you repeatedly: I will not kidnap Hope.”
“We just need her blood.” Fralep patted his flat belly. He smelled like pepperoni, as always, and it was really fucking annoying.
“Sure you do,” Paxton said. “You just want her blood and the blood of the three Keys.” What a bunch of complete bullshit. The Defenders had kept their secrets through the years, even from him. He didn’t even know who was involved in the other cells across the world, and sometimes he doubted Henric did, either. They were autonomous for a reason.
Henric strutted closer to the screen. “Why else would we hack into King Kayrs’s computer system? When we recruited you for this mission, we thought you could get into the lab.”
“I can,” Paxton said easily. “But all samples, especially those of the Seven and the Keys, are secured by a system that even I can’t hack.”
“We’re going to have to make our move soon,” Henric said. “Never forget how dispensable you are, Paxton.”
He’d never been anything but. “I’m more than willing to die to make the world safe,” Paxton said easily, yanking his puzzle book out of his pocket and shoving it onto an open shelf beneath his computer. “I didn’t think I’d make it this long. But anything else you have planned, besides stopping the ritual, will take you straight to hell.”
“That’s doubtful. Also, if you’d stop playing stupid games all the time, you’d get more accomplished,” Fralep said, standing shoulder to shoulder with his friend and gesturing toward the game book. “I want a plan to finally obtain those blood samples from the lab. Otherwise, we’ll go after Hope and the Keys themselves.”
Paxton chuckled, and the sound was dark. “There is no way you’ll reach the three Keys.”
According to legend, the ritual that could kill Ulric required the blood of three female Keys and the Lock, who was Hope. He had spent enough time around the Queen of the Realm to know that she had combined the blood of all four females multiple times, trying to figure out how that concoction would actually kill Ulric, who was immortal.
Centuries ago, the monster had killed a hundred enhanced females in a secret ritual that had strengthened his outer body so his head could not be cut off, unlike the rest of the immortals. Legend said that only the blood of the three Keys would take him down. Not even the legends spoke of what Hope’s role was as the Lock.
Henric snarled. “I don’t need to be the one to infiltrate the Seven’s headquarters. We know where they are now. Allowing that information to leak out would take care of the issue for me. In fact, I think I’ll send that information to the Kurjans very soon.”
Santino shook his head. “I thought you were a much better male when we formed this group. We came together to combat the violation of the laws of physics perpetrated by the Seven when they built those other worlds.” His sigh was tortured. “You’ve gone down a dark path.”
“And we’re going to keep going down that path,” Henric said smoothly. “Paxton? I do hope you remember what happened last time you forgot to whom you owe your allegiance.”
Sprawled deceptively calmly in a heavy rolling chair, Paxton just looked at him, not giving the bastard the satisfaction of an answer. Even so, that damn clock was ticking down, and he’d have to make a move soon.
A light glinted in Henric’s eyes that Paxton hadn’t noticed before. It was deep and dark and swirling with madness. “I’d hate to have to teach that lesson to the Lock.”
Paxton exploded out of his chair with blurring speed, grabbing Henric’s shirt and twisting, shoving the man against the rock wall. He leaned in, his gaze penetrating as he attacked the male’s mind.
Henric paled and then snarled, striking upward to break the hold. “Get out of my head, you freak.”
Paxton didn’t release him. “Freak? I don’t think so. I’m the killer you all created, and don’t you ever forget it. I’ve done everything you asked, and for a while, I did so willingly. But the line has always been crystal clear. Hurt Hope, and you die, and I ain’t gonna go slow. You don’t want to threaten her again, Henric. Trust me.”
“Paxton,” his uncle said wearily, “let him go. We’re in this, right or wrong.”
It was definitely wrong, and every one of those males was underestimating him if they thought he was under their control. Slowly, Paxton released the jerk and took a step back, withdrawing the demon mind attack. He was getting better at those.
“Tomorrow night,” Henric repeated, straightening his shirt, hatred darkening his face. “Or we go with plan B.” He turned and swept out of the room. Fralep gave Paxton a dirty look and then followed him. The door shut quietly.
“I’m real sorry about this, boy,” Santino said. “I should have stuck with studying butterflies.”
Pax scrubbed both hands down his face. “It’s a little late for that.” There was no doubt Henric was done waiting.
Paxton had put him off for years as they’d slowly infiltrated the computer system of the Realm and hunted for the Keys, who were hidden away. They had found them all. In other words, they had found the headquarters of the Seven. It was all coming together too quickly for Paxton to handle. He needed to stop and think. He had no problem dying for the cause, but Hope’s life had been at stake for more than two years.
She didn’t even know.
He looked at his uncle and dropped back onto his chair. “We have no choice. I’ll break into the lab tomorrow.” Without looking, he reached between the pages of his crossword puzzle book beneath the desk and finished the last fold on a piece of paper he’d been working on for six months.
It was time.
Chapter Nine The atmosphere of Hope’s house calmed and settled after her father left. She’d truthfully told him over a year ago that she could no longer create dreamworlds, and his relief had been palpable. However, she hadn’t shared her thoughts about why.