Demon Forged

by a painting of the realm. Dru gestured at the two seats in front of the desk, an invitation for either of the elder Guardians to take one. Alejandro shook his head at the same time Irena did, and the healer gingerly sat.
    Lilith shut the door. “The FBI officially has the investigation. Bradshaw is the Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco office; he’s good, and he knows what we are—and more importantly, what Rael is—but he can’t ask his agents to look in certain directions.”
    “Will you take over the investigation, then?” Irena asked, remembering Taylor’s question.
    “I’d rather not.” Lilith sighed and dropped into her chair. “I got a call from Washington. There is some concern that SI might have been behind the assassination attempt. I told them to fuck themselves, but—” She rubbed her fingers over her brow. “The call was a warning. Even knowing what Rael is, there are senators on the committee and members of the President’s Cabinet who want to protect him, and they’ll sacrifice SI if necessary.”
    Irena hadn’t known that. Her breath left her in an angry hiss.
    Alejandro glanced at her. “There are others in Washington who want him dead.”
    “Yes, but their reasons aren’t political, and it’s not just demons they hate. They wouldn’t have a problem seeing all of us gone.” Lilith’s fingers tapped against her desk, then paused. Her gaze moved between Alejandro and Irena. “What the hell were you two doing at the courthouse?”
    That she was just now asking told Irena how occupied Lilith had been since the murder.
    “Khavi foresaw the shooting,” Alejandro said.
    Lilith’s brows ratcheted high. “And you still couldn’t stop it?”
    “She didn’t tell us who it was. Only that we were to protect a woman.”
    “That crazy fucking—” Lilith cut herself off. “Unbelievable.”
    Irena’s own anger burned hot at that. Even if the shooter was a human—whose will they couldn’t have interfered with—Alejandro and she still could’ve done something. Alerted the detectives, or created a distraction that would have gotten Julia Stafford off those steps.
    “Perhaps Khavi didn’t see Julia Stafford. Khavi showed Irena another woman.”
    “Her name?”
    “I don’t know. She never identified herself while I could hear her, but she could have been in Rael’s employ. Pale blond hair, a dark suit that might have been a uniform—”
    “Margaret Wren,” Dru said. “I heard her speaking with an agent at the hospital. She provides personal security for the Staffords.”
    Lilith wrote the name down. “All right. I’ll look at her, too.” She glanced up at Irena. “And Taylor?”
    Irena quickly recounted their steps from the courthouse to the roof, then listened as Alejandro reported how little they’d gotten out of Rael.
    At the end of it, Lilith sat back in her chair, tapping her pencil against her lip. “Do you have anything, Dru?”
    “No.”
    “Then I think we’re done.” Lilith glanced at Alejandro, then back to Irena. “Except you. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
    Surprised, Irena searched for a reason to say no. But a woman was dead . . . and she was just curious enough to stay.

    His swords were still strapped beneath his jacket when Deacon woke up. His world narrowed to the pain in his back. Jesus Christ. Sword handles couldn’t leave a permanent impression beside a vampire’s spine, but it freaking felt like they had.
    Had Irena just thrown him on this narrow bed and left him? What a pal.
    He supposed it could’ve been worse, though; she could have left him on the floor. Or she could have discovered the real reason he’d contacted her, and killed him in his sleep.
    Fuck. He blew out a heavy breath—and slapped at his mouth when something fluttered against his lips.
    Paper crinkled. Though the room was dark, he easily made out the block letters.
    DO NOT LEAVE THE WAREHOUSE.
    I HAVE BLOOD FOR YOU. IRENA.
    Guilt slapped him like a bitch. He crumpled the note in his fist and stared up at the ceiling. He couldn’t let guilt stop him; he had to get through this. And maybe his deception wouldn’t hurt her—just piss her off. Irena was tough. She could take care of herself.
    His people couldn’t. Hell, he couldn’t. And they’d all be dead if he didn’t follow through on his agreement with Caym.
    Just get a little info on a vampire connected to the Guardians. Save his community. Real simple.
    Fucking demons.
    He sat up. The small