SEVEN
“WHOA!” LEN GASPED, lunging to push my body behind his even as I tried to leap toward Rans. “What the fuck?”
I shoved past his restraining grip, my heart in my throat, only to find Rans holding Guthrie back with one hand as he calmly pulled the dagger out of his ribcage with the other. He pointed the blood-soaked tip at Albigard, an expression of immense irritation twisting his features.
“I’ll give you that one for free, Fae,” he growled. “But I’d strongly suggest not pushing your luck.”
I reached him at the same time Albigard closed the portal with a brisk gesture, completely unruffled by either the threat or the bloody dagger waving in his face.
“Rans,” I breathed, my fingers splaying over the place where the knife had been. It was already closed over. My frantically thudding heart began to slow as my brain caught up with my protective instincts.
“Just a steel blade, love,” Rans said reassuringly, though his annoyed gaze remained on Albigard. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Len muttered, collapsing back to lean against the counter behind him.
I turned to glare at Albigard, who only cocked a graceful eyebrow at me. “Well, now. Two bloodsuckers in your collection, demonkin? Mab’s green garden—I didn’t know when I was well off.”
“You and me both, buddy,” Guthrie said. “So... you’re Fae, then? And I take it you’ve managed to piss this asshole off somehow? Believe me when I say, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Albigard of the Unseelie,” introduced the Fae. “And you are Guthrie Leonides, among several other names. I am aware of you... though not, I will admit, of your recent... transition.”
“Er, great. There’s nothing like a bit of name recognition, I suppose,” Guthrie said.
Albigard’s incisive gaze played over the remaining occupant of the room. “Who is this human?”
“Friend of mine,” I said quickly. “His name isn’t important. And don’t traumatize him, Tinkerbell. He was having a rough enough day even before you showed up and started tossing blades around.”
Len gave Albigard an ironic little salute with two fingers against his temple, and went back to watching the proceedings with wary eyes. Albigard, in turn, examined him with that contemptuous air Fae always seemed to have toward humans they didn’t deem important.
“Perhaps we could get to business?” the Fae asked, as though he hadn’t been the one to throw everything into disarray by hurling a knife at Rans’ chest.
“Perhaps we could,” Rans said grudgingly. “Zorah, Guthrie, and I need fast travel to the Caribbean, using a method that won’t tip off either the demons or the Fae to our whereabouts. We’re flying under the radar presently—and we need to keep it that way.”
I cleared my throat, drawing Albigard’s attention. “First, though, I need you to retrieve something from a house in California for me,” I added, having had an idea while I was on the phone with Albigard a few minutes ago. “It’s a weapon. A dagger, specifically; one that’s pretty effective against demons.”
Albigard turned cool eyes on me, and I suppressed the shiver as his Fae magic brushed against my awareness.
“You wish to make two separate trades for my help, in exchange for this information?” he clarified.
I nodded. “I do. If you bring this dagger and two small suitcases of our belongings back here from California, I’ll tell you exactly how the weapon was made. Then, in return for transporting the three of us where we need to go, I’ll tell you which demon and which Fae have been secretly working together.”
His face lit with interest. “I already know the identity of the Fae in question. But if you can provide me with the name of the demon, then we have an agreement.”
“Oh, I most certainly can,” I said grimly. “Now, will the fact that some of my personal belongings are at this house in California be enough of a marker for you to find it, or do we need to show you where it is on a map?”
Albigard tilted his head in consideration. “That depends. Are the belongings of emotional importance to you?”
“There are some family photos in the luggage, so yes,” I told him.
He nodded. “Then show me on the map, and the two points of reference together should be sufficient. Retrieving your items will be no problem.”
Rans snorted. “Don’t be so certain about that.”
I turned a questioning look on him.
“Oh?” Albigard asked, his tone tart. “Do feel free to explain yourself, bloodsucker.”
“The house in question belongs to the demon Nigellus,” Rans said.
Albigard studied him with sudden interest. “Does it indeed? One wonders why you would need me, if that’s the case. How interesting that you would not simply ask your dear old mentor for assistance directly.”
I frowned at Rans, confused. “Hang on. The wards on the house are down now, aren’t they? He should have no problem seeing it—it’s not hidden anymore.”
“Seeing it—no. Gaining entrance...” Rans trailed off, lifting one shoulder in a studiously casual shrug.
“A demon in Nigellus’ position would be incredibly foolish not to have defenses in place against any Fae who might care to poke around,” Albigard said, his expression souring. “I’m somewhat skeptical that this mysterious weapon of yours is worth the risk of breaching those defenses, demonkin.”
Rans tipped his chin toward Len. “Take him with you. Garden-variety human, right there. You can open a portal beyond the edge of the property, and then send him inside to get what we need. The place isn’t protected against humans.”
Len straightened rather abruptly. “Okay, back up a minute there, Bela. I’ve been pretty chill about the level of crazy going on around here, but I’m not breaking into someone’s house for you.”
Rans gave him a bland look and pulled a set of keys from his pocket, dangling them from one finger.
