Hutch paused once more before the conference room door. He glanced back at me questioningly. I gave him a sharp nod and together we strode into the room. My gaze immediately locked onto the two figures huddled around the table at the other end of the room. At our entrance they both stood, cutting off their whispered conversation.
I recognized Jehiel immediately. His caramel skin, honey eyes, and bright white smile having graced the cover of many a magazine. Tucked behind him, I spotted the edges of his gray wings. Something inside me wailed in mourning and jealousy. I moved my focus away, looking to the unknown man in the room.
Jet black hair curling over piercing green eyes, eyes that scanned me, looking for signs of a threat. Like Jehiel he was handsome enough to have women swooning in the streets, however; there was an edge of darkness about him that warned you away from getting too close. Everything about this man screamed danger, from his muscular physique to the deceivingly innocent white feathers curled around his back. I held his gaze, searching him for weaknesses of his own, ignoring the fluttering in my stomach.
Standing in front of the both of them I was flooded with an intense blast of magic. The power the two exuded subconsciously was mind-numbing and I had to grit my teeth against the crushing feeling. Gradually the feeling began to fade but a spark remained in the air, a welcome reminder that these two men were no ordinary clients, but members of the Seraphim royal court.
"You must be Agent Hunter," Jehiel said, breaking the silence. Reluctantly turning my attention back to him I gave him a small nod of respect.
"Your Highness."
Waving a hand through the air Jehiel brushed aside my words. "Please, please call me Jehiel. I've never been a stickler for formality."
He had an easy grin, one that made you feel instantly comfortable around him. I felt myself relaxing against my will, warming towards the man.
"This is the Levi, captain of the Seraphim guard." He said, gesturing to the green eyed man next to him.
I looked at Levi once more startled to find him once more staring at me with intense focus. Refusing to be intimidated I frowned at him, my scowl deepening as his lips twitched in amusement.
"Well gentlemen," Hutch interrupted, shooting me a strange look, "so far I've briefed Agent Hunter on the basics of the case. I felt it would be best to leave the details to you."
Jehiel's smile faltered at his words, a serious grimace replacing it. Retaking his seat he gestured for us to be seated. I noticed the way Levi didn't hesitate to claim the seat next to Jehiel, a position of power and trust. Clearly, the two had a relationship beyond king and subject. Childhood friends, perhaps.
"As you know this morning Sandy was found abandoned on the embassy steps this morning by a jogger," Jehiel began, sadness creasing his features, "what the public is unaware of is that this is not the first murder."
So they'd been covering up a series of murders from the press. Which of course begged the question why?
"Over the past two months, four more of my subjects have been taken, killed and then had their bodies delivered to properties under Seraphim control." Anger bled into his tone, darkening his countenance. Levi shot him a concerned look. Taking a deep breath Jehiel calmed himself before continuing.
"So far we wanted to deal with this by ourselves. However, the discovery of the latest body and the publicity it is receiving has forced our hand and we have no other choice but to ask the Bureau for help." He said, the bluntness of his words at odds with the geniality of his tone.
I wasn't surprised they wanted to handle it themselves. Despite being born and raised on Earth for centuries now, the Jaxai had their own ideas of justice that they passed down through the generations. To them, the punishment of locking up the perpetrator would be too lenient. They would settle for nothing less than his or her death. It was a matter of honor and respect, to do anything less would come across as weak. While their methods were no means legal, everyone turned a blind eye when it came to Jaxai royalty. They wielded an insane amount of power and because of that, they were practically untouchable.
"Do you know who's behind the attacks?" I asked.
A flicker of something dark swept through Jehiel's eyes. Shivers danced across my spine in warning. Turning to face Levi, Jehiel gave a small nod. Levi slowly extracted a photograph from inside his jacket, placing it on the table.
"This symbol was found on the bodies of all the victims." He said, his voice deep and rumbling, filling the room like smoke.
He pushed the photograph across the table and every muscle in my body clenched at the sight of the symbol.
The image was a crude compilation of lines, forcing your brain to take a second to decipher the marks. A sword rose out of a body, its blade buried deep in the chest, and spread out on either side of the body were wings. Everyone knew what that symbol meant.
The purists.
While it wasn't a surprise they were behind the murders it was still a blow to see the damning evidence so indisputably planted in front of me. The purists were killing Seraphim, and they expected me to hunt down the killer.
I was torn in indecision, no doubt this case would be the adrenaline rush I was craving, but to go up against the purists was to put yourself in the firing line. If you had managed to slip under their radar, taking down one of their own was a sure fire way to jump to the top of their shit list.
"Despite this, we believe the murders are the work of just one man rather than a group of people," Jehiel said.
"An aspiring purist?" I asked.
"Possibly," He said solemnly. Glancing over at Levi briefly Jehiel straightened his shoulders. "I know PeaceKeepers typically operate in pairs," He began hesitantly, and I shot Hutch a look, wondering for the first time why Tess wasn't here, "but we were hoping for this case, given the circumstances if you could be persuaded to work with one of my men instead."
Frowning, Hutch leaned back in his chair. "That is against procedure, your highness. That rule is put into place in order to protect our agents so that they will always have a fellow agent who has been fully trained guarding their backs."
Smiling Jehiel nodded his head. "I can assure you Agent Hunter's safety is at the forefront of my mind; however, I think you'll find Levi is more than adequately trained to assist and protect in the case of an emergency."
Levi grunted slightly as if annoyed with Jehiel's words, and once more he pinned me with that green gaze. Staring down my would-be partner I let him see my indecision. There was doubt in my mind Levi knew how to fight, but I wasn't sure I trusted him to have my back should things get sticky, and there was no doubt in my mind they would.
Hutch's scowl deepened and I could tell he wanted to refuse their request outright, holding out for diplomacy's sake. He caught my eye, the question burning there laced with a hint of warning. We were both aware the Seraphim wanted Tess out of the picture so there'd be one less PK around to interfere in their own justice seeking. I would be battling them the whole way in an attempt to bring the killer in legally. Giving Hutch a small nod, I focused on the image in front of me once more.
The Jaxai and the purists had been at each other's throats for decades now. My skin tingled in apprehension even as my heart beat faster in excited anticipation. I had a feeling I was about to be dragged into something there was no escaping from.
***
Jehiel and Hutch left to go hammer out the finer details of the case. Although being in Jehiel's presence was like standing in the middle of a storm, I knew Hutch could hold his own. The man was as inflexible as stone, as solid as oak. When the world demanded he bend, he was the type to cross his arms, frown disapprovingly and demand the world bend instead. His steadfastness in the face of trouble had earned him the nickname a'bheinn, the mountain, from one particularly impressed Scottish PeaceKeeper. The name quickly stuck and was whispered throughout the Bureau with equal parts awe and respect.
Besides, I didn't have any neurons left to spare worrying about him as I stared down the deadly Seraphim now alone in the room with me. I studied him closer, his silky soft hair a vibrant pitch black. His tan skin hinted at lands filled with sand, sun, and spice. I could see him lounging on a throne of cushions, drinking from a jewel encrusted goblet as women draped in fine silks danced for him. The desert soaked skin warred with the cold intelligence of his deep green eyes. They were fierce, burning with magic and an unbreakable will. This man was barely leashed power wrapped in a deceptively pretty package. Every instinct inside me was shouting to run away from the deadly predator eyeing me with blatant interest. But people's lives were at stake, it was time to put on my big girl pants and get to work.
"If we're going to be working together we need to get some things straight." Better to start off with the lines drawn clearly in the sand, "While you're obviously a member of the royal court, I want to make sure you understand, I will be running point on this case."
Tension filled the silence as he stared at me. A long, lingering perusal as those uncut emerald eyes glittered in amusement.
"Don't worry seraph," the words flowed like silk from his lips, "I'm content to follow your lead." For now. The words remained unsaid but hovered between us nonetheless.
My toes curled in my boots even as I scowled. No man had the right to sound that heavenly, even one with the wings of an angel on his back.
"One," I growled, holding up a single finger, "I am not called seraph, my name is Lia. If you can't handle that, Agent Hunter works just fine.
"Two," the second finger rose, "please don't insult my intelligence. We both know the moment we track down the killer, the Seraphim will try to swoop in and enact your own definition of justice."
His head tilted the side, the gesture so birdlike it was almost comical. "You speak as if you aren't one of the Seraphim, but my magic sings to yours."
I knew instantly what he was talking about, the recognition, an age old connection that transcended time. It was a feeling of coming home. It had snapped to life the second I'd laid eyes on them, my magic rising to the surface to greet their own in joy. I experienced the feeling regularly with Gabe, but compared to standing with Jehiel and Levi, that was a gentle brush of wings on the soul. Levi and Jehiel sent my soul soaring, and if I closed my eyes I could almost feel the wind ruffling through my long stolen feathers. I ruthlessly stamped down on the feeling.
"Half my blood might be Seraphim but I am not one of you." I sounded downright chilly, but Levi narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"You would choose the PeaceKeepers over your own blood?"
I snorted, "As far as I'm concerned the PeaceKeepers are my blood. They are all the family I want or need."
Feathers rustled as his wings shifted on his back, my eyes were drawn to them. A stunning combination of beauty and strength. My fingertips tingled with the need to touch the snow white wings. Fisting my hands I refocused on his face taking in the wicked smile that told me he'd caught me looking.
"Would you like to touch them?" He asked right wing flaring slightly.
"No," I said firmly even as surprise sparked inside me.
Seraphim rarely allowed people to touch their wings and never strangers. It was one of the biggest intimacies they could share with a person and a sign of unwavering trust. I didn't know what to make of Levi's offer. Was it a way of luring me into a false sense of trust, or was he so confident he could deflect any attack I might inflict?
"Are you sure?" He asked lips curling, wings spreading further.
A sinful temptation. One I was itching to indulge in.
"I don't bite." Said the spider to the fly.
"I do." I smiled viciously, baring my teeth.
He laughed loudly, filling the conference room with the rich sound.
"You are more Seraphim than you think."
Gritting my teeth, I leveled him with a glare, "Look, angel boy,"
"Angel boy?" He exclaimed in surprised indignation.
"Are you going to be able to work with me on this investigation or not?"
"You know I've never met anyone quite so hostile before and I once knew a man who fought in an underground fighting ring because he, and I quote 'liked to see the light leave the eyes of his opponents.'"
"What can I say, I'm a special snowflake." I deadpanned.
"I wouldn't say anything as delicate as a snowflake, an avalanche perhaps." His eyes glinted teasingly.
Unable to resist his playfulness my lips twitched, "Deadly, I approve."
"I think we'll get along just fine seraph."
I opened my mouth to berate him for the nickname again when Jehiel and Hutch re-entered the room. Hutch immediately glanced in my direction, a silent question poised in his eyes. I gave him a slight nod to let him know I was okay.
"Everything's settled out here." Hutch spoke up, "Have you two postured enough yet or do you need more time to work out who's the alpha dog?"
Jehiel choked on a laugh, eyes bugging out in surprise at Hutch's less than elegant question. This was the man I'd learned diplomacy from, was it any wonder HR had me on speed-dial?
I raised an eyebrow at Levi and received a wicked grin in reply.
"We're good," I told Hutch.
"Fantastic." he replied dryly, "I suggest you get moving, killers don't typically wait around for you to catch them."
The Seraphim left first, climbing the stairs to the roof so they could fly home. Levi offered to carry me and I firmly declined not all too sure he wouldn't drop me on purpose. Confined to the ground, I followed them in my car both excited and terrified of the agreed destination. Located in the Upper East Side, the huge building was four stories high and encompassed a whole block of land. Built decades ago, the building was a carefully blended mixture of modern and classic. The exterior boasting a refined elegance, while the inside had every modern convenience a girl could want. Dubbed 'The Aviary' by the public, the building was more than just a place for Jehiel to rest his head at night, it was where he held court, lead his people, and housed a large number of Seraphim. Engraved into the front of the building was the Seraphim crest, a sword suspended between a pair of golden wings. Beneath were the words alis grave nil. Nothing is heavy to those who have wings.
Pulling up at the curb I handed off my keys to the swift valet, before hesitantly making my way inside the building. A guard was waiting for me and quickly flagged me down.
"Agent Hunter." He called out. Walking over I took in his bright eyes, boyish charm, and the devilish grin tipping his lips. He practically screamed troublemaker. "Agent Hunter, I've been tasked by the king to escort you to the morgue."
Yeah, they had their own personal morgue, in the building where they slept... so creepy.
"Thanks," I said, following him as he began to walk through the massive foyer to a bank of elevators, "just call me Lia though. I'll probably be around here a lot and calling me Agent Hunter will just get old fast."
His eyes lit up in delight as he pushed the call button. "I'm Jacob, but most people just call me Jake." Sticking out a hand he offered it to me. Gripping it, I gave him a firm shake before letting go. His grin grew even more pronounced.
"So, do you really carry a gun with bullets that can take down a Jaxai?" he asked, stepping into the elevator. Confused, I trailed after him. Punching a button, we slowly began to descend.
"What?"
"You know your gun," he gestured to the weapon holstered at my side, "does it really have Jaxai killing bullets?"
"Oh, yeah the bullets are made from silver, not many Jaxai could walk away after getting hit with one of those," I said with a grim smile, I'd had to use my gun more often than I'd have liked. Blood coated my hands and no amount of washing would remove it.
"That's so cool!" At my disapproving look, his smile faltered a little, before returning with a wicked edge. "Do you think you could get me one?"
I gave him my hard stare, the one that had criminals backing down easy.
"Can I try holding it at least?" He asked sadly.
Amused by the puppy dog eyes I just shook my head, laughing softly at how devastated he looked. The elevator came to a smooth stop and I took in the brightly lit corridor in front of me.
Striding ahead, Jake muttered something under his breath about spoilsports. Ignoring him, I remind myself of the particulars of the case. Five victims, a purist killer, and a ticking clock as to when the next victim would be taken.
No pressure... right.
Finally, we arrived at a set of doors, Jake paused turning to face me with a considering look.
"You've seen a dead body before right?" he asked.
Raising an eyebrow I stared at him.
"Right. Just checking," he said, his eyes sparkling wickedly, "although I wouldn't mind catching your swooning body."
Rolling my eyes, I pushed past him. "Not on your life kid."
Entering the morgue I immediately noticed the drop in temperature and the strong scent of antiseptic. Levi made an imposing presence, positioned behind the large metal slab on top of which a body rested, covered only by a thin white sheet. In the corner of the room, a young woman stood, dressed in a white lab coat, her long black hair slicked back into a ponytail. She held herself with a coolness that was reflected in the crispness of her appearance. At our entrance, she turned towards us and pinned me with her gaze. I squirmed under her scrutiny, feeling uncomfortable at the almost detached, clinical way she studied me.
"Fascinating..." She murmured.
"Pardon?" I asked, confused and creeped out.
Waving a hand in the air, she gestured to me. "Just the way the Jaxai and human genes have merged together so well." Taking a few steps closer to me, she halved the distance between us and I considered turning around and walking right back out the door again.
"I would be very interested in studying you. Have you decided what to do with your body after you've died? I've been trying to get my hands on a hybrid corpse for quite a while." She said.
Alarmed, I glanced toward Levi in hope of assistance. Heaving a sigh he ran a hand through his hair.
"Nadia." He said despairingly.
"Hmm?" She hadn't taken her eyes off me, watching me with a covetous look that sent shivers dancing up my spine.
"Nadia!" The word was a harsh command.
Jumping, Nadia jumped slightly snapping out of the trance she'd been in. Looking abashed, she straightened her already pristine clothing.
"My apologies," she said, a faint blush coating her cheeks, "I rarely leave the estate and as such have very little contact with hybrids."
Yeah, no kidding. If she reacted that way every time she saw a hybrid she'd be locked up for sure.
"No harm done." I said. Clearing my throat I glanced towards the covered once more. "Is that her?" I asked Levi.
He gave a small nod of his head and I made my way over. In. the back of my mind I was aware of him dismissing Jake but my attention was focused on Sandy's body. Reaching for the sheet, I glanced up at him for permission before drawing the sheet away. I sucked in a breath. Horror shot through my system. Despite having seen many a dead body, I had to focus on settling my stomach at the sight of poor Sandy's body.
She looked the same as she had in the photo, blonde, beautiful, however, there was one glaring addition to her appearance. Burnt into the center of her forehead was the purist symbol as if someone had branded her. I glanced up at Levi, his features had darkened, taking on a lethal edge. I swallowed around my suddenly dry throat, knowing I never wanted to be on the receiving edge of that glare.
"It was done post-mortem." Nadia said quietly. A small consolation, but one I was thankful for. I allowed myself one last sad look at Sandy's face before snapping into work mode, pulling on the mask of cool detachment my job sometimes required.
"Cause of death?" I asked crisply. Nadia strode forward, taking up a position beside me, drawing the sheet down further to reveal a vicious wound on Sandy's torso.
"Stab wound to the chest." She said, pointing to the injury. "The other four victims were the same."
"Murder weapon?"
Turning, she grabbed a plastic bag off the bench behind her. In it was a beautifully crafted silver blade, the golden hilt had some of the finest embellishments I'd ever seen, and affixed in the center was a blood red ruby.
"Fancy," I commented, "Was it found at the scene?"
"It was still in the body."
"The other murder weapons?"
"All presumably silver knives this is the first time the killer actually left the weapon in the body."
So he was either getting sloppy, which judging by the meticulous nature of these kills I doubted, or he did it on purpose. The real question was why and what exactly was he hoping to achieve?
Placing the bag on the silver bench I slipped out my phone, snapping a few pictures.
"What are you doing?" Levi asked.
"I have a contact who's a weapons specialist if anybody can tell us more about this blade it's her," I said distractedly as I typed out a message to Erin.
Attaching the photographs, I hit send receiving an almost instant reply, detailing her hefty fee. The woman charged an arm and a leg but the BoMA was more than able to cover it. Confirming the transaction, I wired her the money. My phone beeped with a final message.
"She'll get back to me by tomorrow," I said, slipping my phone back into my pocket.
Levi had a pensive expression on his face, but I ignored it focusing on Sandy's corpse instead. Glancing to Sandy's arms I noticed the reddened skin circling both of wrists.
"She was restrained?" I asked.
Levi nodded stiffly. "She was missing for two days before her body was dumped at the embassy. During that time we believe she was kept drugged and restrained with silver."
The silver would have weakened her to the state of a human, and burnt like the devil, ensuring she couldn't escape. With the addition of the drugs, she would have been in a state of agonizing delirium. Anything less wouldn't have held a full-blooded Jaxai for long. Rubbing at my own wrists, I was once again glad the human blood running through my veins counteracted against that particular Jaxai weakness.
"Is that all?" I asked, unable to hide the hint of desperation from my voice. The sudden consuming urge to be outside, breathing fresh air, riding my body hard.
Grimacing, Nadia walked over to her desk, picking up a photo that she quickly handed to me. It was a photograph of a woman's back, two long wounds had been carved into the skin and sticking out of the wounds were feathers. The cheap, colorful, plastic kind you found at an arts and craft store. Feathers of every shade were crammed into the wounds, others were glued along the woman's shoulders, blood seeping into the feathers, discoloring them.
Wings. The killer had made Sandy a pair of sick, twisted wings.
Lowering the photo, I glanced back at Sandy's body. Lying there, cold, lifeless, ruined. Taking a deep breath, I handed back the photo.
"Were the others like this as well?" I asked unsteadily.
"No," Levi said quietly, his mouth pulled into a tight line, "she's the first he's done that to."
"He's escalating." I murmured.
"Yes." Turning to Nadia, Levi gave her a soft smile. "Thank you, Nadia, Jehiel appreciates your assistance greatly."
Flushing with pleasure, Nadia brushed imaginary lint from her lab coat. "It's a pleasure to be of assistance to his majesty."
Turning to me, Levi gestured to the door. Taking my cue, I pivoted on my heel, eager to put some space between myself and the room of dead bodies.
"Don't forget to think about what you're doing with your corpse!" Nadia called out.
Shuddering, I shouldered my way out of the room, heading towards the elevator. Levi's heavy footsteps followed me through the hallway. A somehow reassuring presence. Pressing the call button, I waited for the elevator to arrive. Mind whirling a hundred miles a minute I turned to Levi, meeting his curious gaze.
"I need everything you have on this case. Autopsy reports, witness statements and especially last night's security footage from the embassy." Planting my hands on my hips I stared at him, daring him to deny my demand.
His green eyes sparkled, lips twitching in amusement. "Everything should already have been sent to your office."
Deflating a little at his words, I forced myself not to back down. "Good."
Turning, I strode into the elevator. Levi followed, his arm brushing against mine as he pushed the floor button. My arm burned where he touched me but I refused to move away. To admit he affected me.
"What now?" He asked, and I was surprised he was letting me take the lead on the investigation. He didn't strike me as the type to take orders from others.
"Now, we visit a friend." Glancing down at my ripped jeans and cotton shirt, I heaved a sigh. "But first I need to change."