The man paled, trembled. I dont know who you are or what you think youre doing, but you better get out of my face, asshole.
Tourist, he thought, or he would have been recognized. Or what? Aeron smiled slowly, cruelly. Youll call me another bad name?
There was a snarl low in the mans throat. He had a knife in his pocket, Aeron suddenly knew. He wanted to stab Aeron in the stomach, in the neck, and watch him bleed to death.
Without any warning, Aeron struck. His right fist connected with the mans nose. There was a grunt, a howl of pain. Blood sprayed. He didnt pause, but swung his other hand. His left fist connected with the mans mouth, splitting tissue. The howl became a scream.
Aeron wasnt done.
Cant fight fair. Have to hurt. Wrath was in total control.
Still, Aeron didnt mind.
As the man tried to orient himself, tried to struggle free, Aeron kneed him in the groin. His opponent doubled over, air shooting out of his crimson-soaked lips. No mercy. This bastard had never shown any. Aeron kicked him in the shoulder, and he flew backward. After that, he was in too much pain to stand or even defend himself.
He gazed up at Aeron through tear-filled eyes. Dont hurt me. Please, dont hurt me.
How many times has your wife said something similar to you? Aeron dropped to his knees, straddling the mans waist.
Drawing on a reservoir of strength he probably hadnt known he possessed, the white-faced man tried to scoot backward. Aeron merely tightened the grip of his legs, holding the bastard in place.
Please. The mans voice was shaky, desperate.
Aeron struck again and again, raining one blow after another. The mans head whipped left and right with each new impact. More blood sprayed. Teeth even flew out like pieces of candy. Skin split and bones broke.
Soon, there were no grunts, no gasps.
A hand patted his shoulder. Youve punished him. You can stop now, Paris said from behind him.
Aeron stilled. He was panting, his knuckles throbbing. Too easy. That had been too easy. The man hadnt paid enough for the damage hed inflicted. But maybe he learned a lesson, a voice of reason said inside Aerons head. For reason to have returned, control must be his once again.
Lets go home, Paris suggested.
Home, no. He wasnt ready to return to his roomto see the bed where hed kissed and touched Olivia. Still, Aeron stood. He gave the man a final kick in the stomach before facing his friend. I need some time. Alone.
A while passed in silence, Paris studying his hard expression. Finally he nodded. All right. Maybe use it to decompress, cause damn.
Plan to. Even after Paris walked away, Aeron remained in place, trying to pull himself back together. Im in control, he reminded himself, even though he still didnt want to be. Im in control.
Wrath continued to prowl through his mind, worked into a frenzy and ready for the next victim.
He needed Legion.
Or Olivia, he thought then.
His heart began pounding for a different reason, and it took him a minute to realize why. Arousal mixed with regret was beating through him exactly as his fists had beat at the human. Olivia hadnt woken when hed left her in Gillys guest room. She hadnt woken when hed given Gilly instructions to call him the moment she did. No, shed lain on the bed, splayed adorably, hair tangled around her, snoring delicately. Fighting the urge to curl beside her again had proved nearly impossible. But hed done it. Hed headed out to round up Paris.
Perhaps he should return to her, he thought, heading in the direction of Gillys apartment before he could stop himself. He glanced up at the heavens, hoping for guidance. His gaze never made it to the stars. Instead, he caught sight of white, feathered wings and ground to a halt.
Galen. Leader of the Hunters. False angel. Bastard.
Automatically Aeron palmed two blades and slipped deeper in the shadows. He shouldnt have come into town without a gun, but hed been so preoccupied with Olivia that he hadnt thought to grab anything extra. Galen was perched on top of a building, those wings outstretched as he scanned the streets.
If he knew Aeron was below, watching him, he gave no notice.
All the while Wrath howled inside Aerons head. The warrior had committed too many sins for the demon to process, the need to kill simply flooding Aeron. Control. Absolute control. He couldnt lose it this time.
Galen straightened unexpectedly. Aeron pressed against the wall of the building behind him, sure hed been spotted but unwilling to walk away. Perhaps tonight they would end this. Finally.
Galen jumped, fallingfalling His wings stretched farther, flapped once, and he landed softly, several yards away from Aeron.
Aeron tensed. He couldnt kill Galen without severe consequences, but he could torture the bastard before locking him away. And then torture him again afterward.
A moment ticked by, then another, Galen simply tucking his wings into his back and waiting. He never approached.
Every fiber of Aerons being wanted to leap forward and attack. Surprise attacks were his forte, after all, but he held himself steady. Sometimes battle wasnt the best course of action in a war. Sometimes merely watching and learning reaped far greater rewards. What was going on here? What was Galen doing in Budapest?
Hed come here before, of course, but hed recently left to fight a contingent of Lords who had raided a facility in Chicago where hed been raisingand educatinghalfling children. Half human, half immortal. All of whom had been taught to hate the Lords.
Now that school was in ruins, the Lords having liberated the kids and found them loving homes. Homes the Hunters would hopefully never be able to track down.
Was Galen here for vengeance, then?
Punish, Wrath said.
Not yet.
Finally, Galen said, his rich voice filling the silence.
Aeron scanned the area, but saw no one approaching. So, to whom was Galen speaking? To himself? Or
A pair of legs appeared a few feet in front of Galen. Only, those legs werent attached to a torso. What the hell? The question had barely formed before a waist appeared, then shoulders, armsand there, on the inside of theapparitions right wrist, was a symbol of Infinity, the mark of a true, dedicated Hunterand lastly, a face. Then a male was standing there, fully formed, holding a piece of dark, flowing cloth.
Not a ghost, then, for there was no shimmering outline around him. Just a man, as real as Aeron was. But how had he Cloth. The word echoed through Aerons mind, followed by another. Invisible.
His eyes widened in dread and astonishment. Cloth. Cloak. TheCloak of Invisibility?
Ill take that. Galen confiscated the cloak and folded it once, twice. Rather than cause the material to shrink yet thicken, each fold diminished both size and width, and soon it appeared the warrior held a simple square of paper.
Oh, yes. This could be nothing else but the Cloak of Invisibility.
Galen tucked the artifact into his robe, even as Aeron reached out automatically. Stay. Wait. His arm fell to his side. Information first, artifact second.
There are cameras here, the human said. I havent found them, but I know the demons keep the city under surveillance.
Dont worry. Galen laughed, smug. Theyve been taken care of.
Oh, really. How? The cameras hadnt been disabled. Torin would have texted him. Had someone hacked into the system perhaps, and was even now replaying feed? That had happened in one of the movies Paris had forced him to watch. Or could more powerful forces be at work?
Cronus sometimes helped the Lords, so it stood to reason that another god could be helping the Hunters.
You confirmed that they have an angel in their midst? Galen asked.
Yes, though she doesnt seem to be as powerful as you.
Few angels are. And half their troops are missing?
Yes.
Another laugh from Galen. Very good. Now join the others and stay hidden until I return. Some of our troops disappeared yesterday, and even our lovely queen has lost sight of them. Once I find them, we can attack. And this time, well show no mercy.
Punish! Wrath chimed in again.
No mercy? But I thought
Galen shook his head. Tell the others our experiment was a success.
The mans grin was slow but no less satisfied. No mercy, then.
Those white wings shot out, flapped, then stilled. Galen frowned. My daughter. I want her left alone and alive. With that, he leapt into the air.
His surprising concern for Gwen would not save him, Aeron mused darkly, darting into the air himself. His wings were completely healed and he would have no problem following
Galen disappeared, there one moment, gone the next.
PUNISH!
Damn it, Aeron inwardly fumed. I cant. The Cloak was gone, out of his reach, and Galen with it. Only thing left to do was dig up more information. Not that getting it would redeem him from this failure.
His gaze narrowed on the human below him. The male wound around buildings and parked cars, always scanning his surroundings. Aeron followed. Finally his prey entered the newly remodeled Club Destinynow under new management and renamed The Asylumand didnt emerge.
Was that where the Hunters had set up camp?
Impossible. Some of the Lords were fond of partying there, so Torin had installed security cameras inside. They would have picked up their enemys presence. But
Maybe not impossible. Perhaps the camera feed was being distorted, as it had been in the streets?
Other questions began playing through his mind. What experiment had been a success? Where had Galens troops gone? Who was their queen?
With Wrath still screaming in his head, demanding he act, he withdrew his cell phone and texted Torin. Call a meeting. Two hours. He had a few things to take care of first. Namely, Olivia. If she had answers, he would get them out of her. Meanwhile, she could calm him as hed originally planned. I found something. Even saw Galen with the godsdamn Cloak of Invisibility.
Torin, who never seemed to sleep, replied instantly. Make it one. If what you know is more important than our enemy having an artifact, I gotta hear it ASAP.
Done. Aeron pocketed the phone and pivoted on his heel to head back to Gillys apartment, wake Olivia if he had to and demand those answers. But halfway there, a tall, menacing figure stopped him in his tracks.
Cronus, king of the gods, was frowning. As always, he wore a long, white robe and his feet were wrapped in sandals. His toes were visible, his toenails yellowed and curled.
Still, Aeron couldnt help but notice he looked younger than he ever had before. His hair no longer sported strands of gray, but was thick and sandy-colored. His face was almost unlined, his eyes a brighter brown than Aeron was accustomed to. What had caused the change?
My Lord, he said, careful to keep his irritation to himself. The god rarely appeared when summoned, but never minded visiting at the most inopportune moments.
Wrath, still primed and ready, didnt flash images inside Aerons mind, but then, it never did with this god. As had occurred when he spotted Galen, with too many sins to process, he merely experienced an overwhelming rush. Not to kill this time, but, curiously, to steal everything the god possessed. An urge he didnt understand, and hadnt been able to decipher.
You have disappointed me, demon.
Dont I always? This isnt the place for such a discussion. Hunters
No one can see or hear us. Ive made sure of it.
Just like another god had made sure the Hunters were unobservable? he wondered again. Then please. Tell me why I have disappointed you. I cannot live another moment without knowing.
Those brown eyes narrowed. Your sarcasm displeases me.
And as he knew all too well, bad things happened when the god king was displeased. Like Aerons mind and demon becoming crazed with bloodlust and his friends lives placed in jeopardy. My apologies. He bowed his head to hide the hate surely shimmering from behind his lashes.
Need I remind you that Galens death is as important to you as it is to me? Yet you have allowed the angel to distract you.
Isnt that what you wanted? he couldnt help but ask.
Cronus waved a hand through the air. Think you I paid any heed to your ridiculous begging? I do not want you distracted, so why would I send a woman to ensure that you are?
Hed wondered the same thing.
Get rid of her.
Im trying, he said, hands fisting.
Keep, Wrath snapped.
Try harder, Cronus ordered.
Shell only be here another tenno, nine days. With morning approaching, hed lost a little more time with her. Which was a good thing. Yes, good. And then shell be back in the heavens. Where she belonged. He would make sure of it.
A pang of sadness hit him, but he ignored it. Just as he ignored Wraths whimper.
Cronus looked only marginally appeased at the words. If she isnt, I will
You will what? Another male suddenly appeared without warning. This one was tall and muscled, with pale hair and dark eyes. Like Galen, he had wings. Only, his were solid gold.
Lysander.
Aeron had only seen the warrior angel a few times, and as with Olivia, there were no flashes of vile deeds inside his head, no urge to punish in any way. That didnt mean Aeron liked the bastard, though.
Shes too good for you, Lysander had said. Do not soil her or Ill bury you and all those you love.
Aeron hadnt sensed the angel on any level, then or now, and loathed how helpless that suddenly made him feel. Lysander could have sliced his throat and he wouldnt have been able to fight back.
Olivia had been right.
Cronus paled to an unflattering shade of white. Lysander.
Hurt her, Lysander said, gaze darting between them, touch a single hair on her head, and I will ruin you.
How dare you threaten me! Cronus bared his teeth in a scowl, color swiftly returning with his fury. I, who am almighty. I, who am
A god, yes, but you can be killed. Lysander laughed without humor. You know I never make idle threats. You hear the truth in my voice. Harm her, and your ruin will be ensured by my hand.