Scarred Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance #7) - Brenda Trim Page 0,30

trouble for them. “Take Mack with you,” she said, coming out of it.

“Kyran isn’t going to like that” Mack interjected. “Can you tell me anything more before I go toe to toe with my mate?”

Elsie met the female’s gaze. “All I know is that you need to be there. I couldn’t get much more than that, sorry. It’s like there is static or something interfering with the images.”

“Your gift couldn’t have crapped out at a worse time. Let’s grab Kyran and head out. It’s almost dark,” Gerrick muttered, cutting off any further discussion.

*****

Kyran pulled into the same parking lot they’d parked in the night before and Gerrick marveled at the difference. It was just past sunset and they had to circle the full lot a couple times before they found an empty spot. Humans milled about huddled in their winter jackets under umbrellas. It astounded Gerrick how oblivious humans were to everything. He agreed that the realm needed to be kept secret, but he doubted humans would notice if Orlando stood in the middle of Pike Place Market and shifted into his leopard. Sure, the animal would be talked about, but the fact of the transformation from male to cat would be overlooked or explained as new-age technology at play.

Gerrick climbed out of the car and shivered in the cold air, wishing it would stop raining at least for a little while. But, in Seattle, that was like wishing the sun didn’t rise each day. Mack got out and walked around the car to Kyran’s side. “I doona like this. When Elsie has her visions, they always involve death. I doona care what she said, you’re staying with the car. I willna lose you,” he promised.

Mack stood on her tiptoes and kissed her mate on the mouth. Kyran readily melted into her embrace, making Gerrick glance away from the easy display of affection. He never would have guessed that there was a perfect fit for Kyran or the change finding her would have on the male. “Thanks to you, I’m not that easy to kill, bloodsucker. I can see that you’re afraid. Stay behind me and I’ll protect you,” Mack quipped.

“Och, this isna the place for foreplay, Mate. But, later I plan to show you what I think of your statement,” Kyran husked. Gerrick had pegged Kyran for a more submissive female and had to laugh at the Goddess’ choice, but damn if Mack didn’t make Kyran smile.

“Promises, promises. Let’s get the hell out of this rain. It’s making my hair fall,” she said, shielding her spiky black hair.

“Nothing could make that hair fall. It’s held up with concrete,” Gerrick teased as he headed to the underground entrance.

Mack flipped him off as they splashed through puddles and made their way down the old steps. The second he opened the door, the scent of death hit him. The first time he’d passed through he had smelled mold and dust, but now brimstone and death overpowered all else. Darkness surrounded them as soon as the door closed behind Kyran. After they waited a few seconds for their eyes to adjust, they quickly progressed along the walkway. Gerrick was shocked at the difference this time around. Where there was rotting timber and debris, there was now black blood and carnage. He hadn’t been aware that the fighting had reached this end of the tunnels.

Gerrick shuddered at the sight of a pus demon carcass in one of the old buildings. Fuck, the stench was overwhelming. “We’re going to need to clean this shit up before the human authorities find it.”

“I wish everything disappeared like skirm,” Mack declared, pinching her nose.

“If only it worked that way, Firecracker,” Kyran agreed, swatting her ass.

Mack squealed and laughed. “So who gets the shitty job of cleaning this up? And, what the hell do you do with the bodies anyway? It’s not like you can parade them through Pioneer Square to a truck.”

“Yeah, that would be a sight. Shit, I guess we’re going to have to open a portal to our Whidbey Island property where we can have a bonfire. What we really need is to create a cleaning crew with all of these new lesser demons finding their way through,” Gerrick relayed. “Looks like I’ll have to be in charge of this project since Jace is working on the antidote. Maybe Killian can help me.”

“Thank God I won’t have to be part of it,” Mack muttered.

Gerrick grinned evilly. “I didn’t say that. You haven’t been properly hazed into