“Well, that is excellent work,” Tix said. “The Profane truly do know what they’re doing. And you obviously played straight into their plans because you struggled and now your hands are a bit blue.”
“Damn it, Tix. Can you get me out?” He was starting to annoy me again.
My hands and feet were suddenly free, and I could take a full breath.
“Of course I can. What kind of acolyte do you think I am? I know you’re used to that little satan, but I’m a true servant of a great house. I’m incredibly powerful, but that power is only used in service of my family. And that includes not allowing the mistress to look quite silly for being captured by a witch. I expected more from the mighty Hunter.”
I got to my feet, rolling my hands to get the circulation back. “Well, I was a bit panicked at the time, and I don’t exactly have my sword. Not that it would work if I did. I mean it would if I could get close enough to her, but I don’t think she’s going to let that happen.”
I could totally take Liv in any kind of a physical fight, but she could attack me with her damn mind, and from afar.
“Why on all the planes wouldn’t the Sword of Light help you kill the witches and protect you from magic? Did you have a fight with her?” Tix gasped as though he’d thought of something terrible. “Is she not doing her job? Who can we talk to about this? I will put in a complaint immediately.”
He was awfully prim sounding for a guy with horns poking out from his dark hair.
“You know that only works if I have the queen around,” I replied.
“She’ll take any companion blood if the situation is dangerous enough,” Tix said offhandedly, gesturing toward Evan, who was weirdly opaque at this point. Puff had figured out the new love of his life was somewhat corporeal again, and he’d started wagging and jumping, trying to get to her. “The sword almost certainly has some kind of magical power stored up. Ah, Lord Sloane. So nice of you to join us. I hope you had a lovely visit with whoever you were seeing at the Coven House. Hopefully you weren’t breaking your contract.”
I turned to see my husband standing at the end of the bed, a bag in his hand. He frowned at Tix. “Why the hell are you here, Tix? I thought we talked about you leaving my wife alone.”
I held out a hand to stop the argument. We needed to get out of here. “I called him. Baby, I’m so glad you’re here. You have impeccable timing. Liv and her new friends are planning on taking me and Evan to their leader. We could use a ride out.”
Gray moved close, wrapping big arms around me. “I can’t teleport anyone but myself, Kelsey mine. But I can fight with you. I’m so sorry. It’s a compulsion when something important happens. I would have tried to ignore it if I’d known you were in danger. Where’s Fenrir?”
I hugged him tight, feeling better than I had since that terrible moment when I’d realized what was happening. I wasn’t alone. Gray’s demon version was a badass, and between the two of us we had a much better chance. “As far as I know he’s down in the records room and he doesn’t even know what’s happening. I don’t think he can get in. They’ve got wards up. They used the paintings to get around the Under’s security systems, and now they’ve locked down the apartment. The only reason we’re not already on our way to the Coven House is they can’t find Evan.”
Gray pointed. “But she’s right there.”
Evan’s charm had run out of magic. She stood in the sitting area of the big suite, Puff in one hand. “I’ve been hidden by a charm I carry, but something drained it. It should have worked for another hour or so. I suspect the witches know I’m using some kind of magic, and they’re going to find me soon.”
Which meant the fight would start.
“I need a weapon.” There were no guns allowed in the Under, and they kind of frowned on weapons of any kind, but I was banking on the kiddos having some.
“Ah, I can help you with that. I have Gladys,” Gray said, offering me the bag he held.
“Mom found it.” Evan moved in, her eyes going wide as she took in the sight. “You’ve seen my mom. She broke into the Coven House.”
Gray’s expression softened as he looked at Evan. “She’s fine. She got into a fight, but she’s fine. You should know your brother has gone through his turn.”
My heart threatened to stop. Lee had turned? Lee had died? “What happened?”
“Well, Lee was killed, apparently by Alexander Sharpe,” Gray explained.
I knew that son of a bitch was evil. “I will murder him. I will feed that asshole his own balls.”
“Did Mom get him?” Evan was far calmer than I was.
“She did. He’s gone, and Lee has become what I saw all those years ago,” Gray said with pure satisfaction in his tone.
“He’s okay?” Lee was a latent vampire. His mother was a companion. Vampires always killed when they rose, and boy would they drain a companion if they could. He wouldn’t have meant to. He wouldn’t have been able to help himself. “How many people did he kill? How did Zoey get away from him?”
Gray’s lips quirked up. “She didn’t have to. Kings are not led by impulse.”
“I am never going to hear the end of this,” Evan said with a shake of her head. “He’ll be impossible to live with now.”
Lee was a king. I remembered the words Gray had said so long ago. Don’t believe the myth that there can be only one. At the time I’d thought he was talking about Fenrir being a wolf king, but now I could see how important Lee would be. A vampire king and the son of Myrddin Emrys himself. Lee and Dean both had powerful parents.