Michael looked worse for every second he spent in the room.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine.” He closed his eyes, then hurried past her up the stairs. She took one last look over her shoulder before following him up. So much devastation and it all came back to her. One way or another that demon was focused on her and all those poor fools had just gotten caught in the middle.
Michael slumped in a chair beside the fireplace, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. He looked up when she stepped into the room. “I called the Council. They’re sending a delegation to clean up.”
“How are they going to get past the agents out front?” she asked. The Council had a lot of pull but there was no way the Agency would let them in while its own representatives stayed outside.
He smiled. “The same way we are.”
A blue glow lit the room as a portal opened beside her.
Her surprise must have shown on her face because Michael laughed. “Did you think the Agency were the only ones to employ portal mages?”
She’d never really given it much thought. Portal mages were prohibitively expensive for most people to hire, particularly on a permanent basis. That would be no obstacle for the vampires.
The Agency wouldn’t be able to come in the same way. The wards protected the whole house and prohibited unauthorized entry by any means. The Council was apparently authorized. Of course, it was probably against Council edict to ban them from any coven property. The fact that she didn’t want the Council involved in this had nothing to do with anything but her personal prejudice. They had yet to do her any favors. And when they acted like they were, it usually came back around to screw her in some way.
Several vampires came through the portal and, at Michael’s indication, they headed down the stairs to the dungeon. The last figure through was a tall, thin woman of Spanish descent. Her dark hair fell in waves down her back framing her heart-shaped face. The sharpness of her features was the only thing that kept her from being stunning.
“Michael,” she said with a nod before turning her attention to Juliana. She arched one thin black brow. “You are what all the fuss is about?”
Juliana frowned. “Excuse me?”
“You are Juliana Norris, are you not?” The woman’s opinion of Juliana’s intelligence, or lack of it, was evident in her tone. Juliana knew that tone well. It was the same one that had answered call after call when Thomas left. It was the same voice that said Thomas was being well taken care of and Juliana didn’t need to bother checking on him anymore. And Juliana was suddenly sure that every word this woman said had been a lie.
She crossed her arms over her chest and wished she was wearing heels so she didn’t have to look up to meet the vampire’s eyes. “Yes, I am her, but I fail to see what that has to do with anything.”
“It was his fascination with you that began this mess. If not for you, he’d still be far away from here,” she spat. “And looking at you, I certainly don’t understand why. We have lost one of the greatest of our kind over a lover’s spat. Disgusting.”
The shrew certainly didn’t wear her jealousy well. “I’m sorry but I was under the impression Thomas being demon-ridden started all this,” Juliana said.
Her brow furrowed as she turned to Michael. “Our Thomas is demon-ridden?”
Thomas wasn’t her anything but Juliana didn’t think it would be beneficial to point that out. “What? You thought he just went crazy and decided to chop up a few vamps and cap it all off by crucifying someone?”
Michael shot her a look. She forgot that he hadn’t heard that last bit of information yet.
The vampire pursed her lips and scowled at Juliana. “It is not unheard of for vampires of his age to turn.”
Actually it wasn’t unheard of for vampires of any age to turn, but the Council didn’t like the general populace to know that. “And it’s normal for vampires to turn without showing any signs or indication of mental deterioration?”
She looked down her nose at Juliana, but didn’t answer the question. Her attitude was becoming tiresome.
“Who are you exactly?” Juliana asked.
“I am Catalina,” she said, a purr in her voice. “I am sure our Thomas has mentioned me.”
“Nope. Never heard of you.” It wasn’t even a lie.
Michael choked on a laugh. It died completely when the vampire turned her glare on him.
After a moment, she tore her eyes from him and looked at Juliana. “You will treat me with more respect, Walker.” Compulsion laced her voice. Vampire magic wouldn’t work on Juliana thanks to her union with Thomas, but let the woman try. It didn’t hurt Juliana any.
“You are not vampire, Walker, but Thomas trusts you so I shall as well.” She paused. If she was looking for a thank you, she was talking to the wrong girl. Juliana didn’t care if the Council or anyone on it trusted her or not. She was only tolerating this particular member because she might be useful. Apparently realizing Juliana wasn’t going to say anything, the woman continued. “If you find him, can you save him?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to try.”
She thought about this for minute then nodded. “I will put out word that I am looking for Thomas. If I find out where he is, I will alert you.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, child. If our Thomas is lost to us, I will hold you responsible.” With that she headed into the basement. Super. Now Juliana’s life depended on Thomas’s survival. Not that it didn’t already in a way, but the Council would have no qualms bringing about her final death if she displeased them.
Michael rocked back on his heels with his hands in his pockets. “What now?”
She ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. “I guess we’re off to see a crucifixion.”
The vampires provided the portal that Michael and Juliana used to travel to Fourth Street. People hovered about in a large crowd, barely room for air between them. She was surprised there were so many. Normally, the Agency kept their scenes quiet and if they couldn’t, they tried to dissipate the observers as quickly as possible. Their arrival went largely unnoticed as everyone stood gawking at the church across the street.
She assumed it was the church anyway. She couldn’t see through the press of people in front of her but the steeple towered over them. There was no way she could get through the crowd without drawing attention to herself so she might as well use her position to her advantage. Making sure her badge was visible, she stepped forward and tapped the man directly in front of her on the shoulder. He turned, frowning down at her.
“Excuse me.”
He started to say something and then her badge caught his eye. He nodded his head once before stepping to the side. His large hand landed on the shoulder of the lady in front of him. Again and again, the motion repeated until they finally stepped clear of the crowd.
Juliana put her hand over her mouth as she took in the scene before her.
Usually when someone reported a crucifixion, they meant someone had been killed and strapped to a cross. Not this time. A vampire she didn’t recognize hung suspended on the life-sized cross. Metal spikes impaled both wrists and one ran through both feet. An extra nail ran straight through his heart and into the wood beneath. She wondered how long it had taken him to bleed out and die.
“Eric,” Michael breathed from beside her, his eyes locked on the cross. She’d almost forgotten he was there.
“Who?”
His eyes shifted to her only briefly before finding their way back to the victim. “He’s a lackey. An errand boy Thomas put here years ago to keep an eye on you.”
