panic now. “Because it’s against the law to impersonate a cop. Because if you’re on my force, if I know who you are and I don’t report you, I’ll go to prison.”
Because Colburn would have my head, and I would rather die than have this demon spawn on my force.
“The law is less important than my mission, Cassidy Morgan. Hazuldar must remain in prison. His demons make him stronger with every evil they do. Lives are at stake.”
“It’s not going to happen,” I say, crossing my arms.
“Yes, it will.”
“I’ll expose you.”
He stalks toward me, his smile playful. I can’t figure out if it’s crazy or hot. He puts a finger close to my face. “Oh, no, Cassidy Morgan. You will not. You are going to help me.”
A bitter laugh escapes, but it’s shaky. Something close to hysteria is starting to set in. “What makes you think I would be stupid or crazy enough to help you?”
He draws a deep breath, and all the humor leaves his eyes. He sits on the backrest of my couch. “That brings us around to what I originally came to tell you.” He looks down for a moment as if in thought, then meets my eyes. “Your sister was kidnapped, yes?”
My breath catches.
The sympathy in his eyes throws me off guard almost as much as his mentioning my sister. The thought of what happened to Saffron crushes my heart, but I force a shrug. “Everyone knows about that. It’s a matter of public record. What does that have to do with you becoming a cop?”
“Everything.” He folds his hands on his lap, his voice soft and low. “I know who has her.”
“What?”
“I know who has her.”
My heart is beating like a battering ram against my ribs. I can barely breathe. I swallow hard. “Who?”
He puts up his hand. “Before I tell you, I need to ask you something. Do you or your sister have any special abilities?”
His question sends a shiver up and down my spine.
“Why?”
“Answer me.”
I close my eyes.
“If I am to help you, you have to tell me everything.”
Oh, God. Is he playing me? What was it he said? Every word a Tae’agul says is a lie or a truth meant to manipulate. Except he’s offering me the first real chance of finding her I’ve had in thirteen years.
I sigh. “I… I can see things.”
He cocks his head. “See things?”
“Yes. When I touch people—every time I touch anyone or anything anyone else has touched—I get visions. Except for you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. When I touch you, or something you’ve touched, I get nothing.”
“Has that ever happened before?”
“Once. There was a ring at that scene from last night, left behind by one of those demons. I didn’t get anything off that either.”
“Ah. That makes sense.”
“What?”
“You can’t read demons.”
I make an “O” with my mouth.
“Is that why you usually have gloves on when I see you?” He nods to my bare hands. “To stop the flood of psychic images?”
“Yes.”
He puts his head back, pressing his lips together. “That has to be why Hazuldar is after you. He wants your abilities.”
The blood drains from my face. “Hazuldar wants me? Why?”
“Tae’agul have a lot of different powers. There is a demon for every vice, every need, and each one has slightly different abilities, but psychic abilities are rare, even for us. So far as I know, he only has control of one Precog, and she is getting weak.”
“Oh God.” I swallow bile. The lord of demons, the king of darkness, wants my powers. Holy fucking hell. “Wait. Why would he take Saffron though? She’s never shown any hint of abilities. No one else in my family has.”
“Maybe they showed up later. After he took her. Ramys can sometimes tell him when someone will have abilities before they manifest. Or maybe he wanted to use her to get to you.”
I shove my hand through my hair, pushing it back. “Okay, Arcayos, how did you find all this out? How do you know Hazuldar has her? And I still don’t see what this to do with you taking on a secret identity as a cop. Which, dumbest idea ever. You’ll get caught.”
“We’ll get into how I know later. As to the other thing…” He stands. “This is where the deal comes in.”
“Deal?”
His eyes sparkle with an unsettling light. “I help you, you help me.”
“What?” I hiss. “Arcayos, are you shitting me right now?”
“No.” He stalks toward me, stopping when he’s close enough for me to feel the heat pounding off him. His