shape shifter's in charge here now?" Amber said, pointing at me. "'Cause if he is, he's just wasting time sitting on his backside while my brother's life is hanging by a thread."
"Technically, he's already dead," I mumbled. Cass shot me a venomous look. I shrugged. "What? It's true."
Well, thanks for telling her, moron. Cass's voice echoed in my mind.
Amber pushed Aidan back, sending him tumbling against the wall. As a new vampire, she obviously still couldn't control her powers, which would keep coming and going for a few years. "You said he's still alive." She poked a finger into Cass's chest.
"He is, somewhere on one of Heaven's dimensions," Cass said.
Amber's eyes were ablaze with fury. "It's all your fault. If you didn't abduct him to Hell, he'd still live. I'll never forgive you."
"It wasn't her fault," Aidan said, pulling Amber back. For a long moment, she just stared at him, locked in that battle they seemed to keep having. I had no idea how the guy could live with her constant blame. Praise the Fates my mate wasn't mortal. Though I had yet to meet her.
Eventually Amber retreated to the back of the room, but her shoulders remained tense, her chin raised defiantly. Aidan breathed out, relieved, and joined her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to draw her close. I could feel the comforting waves wafting from him as he tried to influence her emotions to calm her down.
I sucked in a deep breath to gather my thoughts before I spoke. "I'm outta here."
"Where are you going?" Cass asked.
"Doing my job. And don't ask if you can come 'cause the answer's no. I'm better off on my own." I slammed the door shut, not waiting for an answer. Like her father, Cass could be quite persuasive, so I'd rather not give her a chance to demonstrate her authoritarian nature.
The afternoon sun shined down relentlessly as I took the backdoor and jumped over the fence onto the beach promenade. The Big Boss hadn't skimped on hotel costs when he chose this location. Maybe he had hoped his only daughter would enjoy her last two weeks on earth before she'd turn into a reaper…unless I found Sofia. As I walked down the promenade to the beach, my shoes leaving a trail in the soft sand, I smiled at some girls in tiny bikinis, then broke into a steady jog. The air smelled of sweaty bodies and expensive perfume, of the cloud of smog hovering over the city and the imminent tropic storm gathering over the nearby island.
I picked up in speed, jogging for at least an hour, before I stopped, irritated. Still no sign of Sofia, but I wouldn't give up, so I started moving and kept at it through the busy street, past imposing buildings and too much traffic. When I halted again, the sun had long set on the horizon in a million colors and the artificial light of the street lamps were casting a dim glow on the emptying streets. Running around like a stray cat had taken me nowhere. Maybe it was time to slow down and come up with a plan because my abilities didn't seem to be working here.
Burying my hands deep in my pockets, I strolled past what looked like a bar when I stumbled into something hard. Instinctively, I raised my hands to protect myself from the hazard, but nothing crashed into me. My gaze swept the area. Apart from a few young people having fun a few feet away and a few cars parked next to the sidewalk, there was nothing that could have hit me. I blinked and took another step forward, and another. And then it hit me again, almost sending me toppling backward.
"What the heck?" I murmured to myself. Was I running into an invisible shield? I had heard of them and knew they were created by magic, but I had never seen one strong enough to make me feel it. Maybe this would be my first encounter with something at least as strong as my demon blood.
I moved forward slowly but nothing happened. Figuring the barrier might not have been as powerful as I previously assumed, I shrugged it all off and crossed the street to resume my search. As soon as I zigzagged my way through the parked cars, Sofia's scent hit my nostrils. I inhaled deeply, feeling that smell of hers touch me deep inside. It was intoxicating and it made my head spin. Literally. I