The safehouse felt different when we returned.
Maybe it was just my perception, but everything seed smaller sohow. The walls closer together, the rooms more cramped. Like I'd outgrown the space without realizing it.
Or maybe it was the weight of the decisions I'd made settling onto my shoulders.
Marco was waiting in the planning room, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Elena sat at her workstation, pretending to focus on wards but clearly listening. Tommy's screens showed our route back, verifying we hadn't been followed.
"So," Marco said as we entered. "Want to explain what actually happened?"
"The job was compromised. Client information was suspect, target was more secure than intel suggested. We made the call to abort rather than risk the team for uncertain payout."
"That's the official version. Now give the real one."
I should have known Marco wouldn't accept the sanitized report. He'd been running the Jackals too long to be fooled by half-truths.
I gestured for Sarah and Viktor to leave. This conversation needed to happen, but the fewer people involved, the better.
Once they were gone, I closed the door and turned to face Marco and Elena.
"The book we were hired to retrieve is the Book of Raziel. Forbidden angelic text, dangerous knowledge, the kind of thing that could start a war if it ended up in the wrong hands."
Elena's eyes widened. "The Book of Raziel is real? I thought that was a myth."
"It's real. And the client who hired us – anonymously, rember – is apparently a rogue angel nad Samael who wants to weaponize the knowledge inside."
"Fuck," Marco said quietly.
"Asmodeus gave us a choice. Retrieve the book and potentially trigger a celestial conflict, or leave it with him in exchange for sothing else."
"What sothing else?"
"Information. Ongoing intelligence about threats, power movents, political shifts. The kind of information that could keep us alive and ahead of problems before they beco critical."
Marco was quiet for a long mont. "You made a deal with a demon lord."
"Yes."
"What are the terms?"
"He provides intelligence. I occasionally work with him on matters where our interests align. Nothing that compromises the Jackals or our other commitnts."
"'Work with him.' That's vague as hell, Cain. What does that actually an?"
"It ans exactly what it sounds like. If he needs help with sothing that doesn't conflict with our operations, I help. In exchange, we get information that could save our lives."
Elena spoke up. "Demon deals always have catches. Always. What's the real cost?"
"The real cost is that I'm now tied to one of the major powers in this city. Which limits my freedom but also provides protection. Asmodeus has an interest in keeping alive and functional."
"And if he decides that interest has changed?" Marco demanded. "If keeping you alive stops being useful to him?"
"Then I'll deal with it. The sa way I deal with every other threat."
"With overwhelming violence?"
"If necessary."
Marco moved to the window, staring out at the warehouse district. "You're changing, Cain. The cautious, careful operative who joined us a few weeks ago? He's gone. This new version takes bigger risks, makes bigger plays. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet."
"It's necessary. The ga I'm playing doesn't allow for cautious anymore."
"The ga you're playing is going to get people killed. Maybe all of us."
"Or it's going to keep us alive when the real threats co knocking."
He turned back to face . "What real threats? Be specific."
I told him about the Covenant's suspended kill order. About vampire courts pressuring Selene. About the Infernum Collective and their interest in destabilizing the city.
By the ti I finished, Marco looked older. Tired.
"Damn. We went from running high-end retrieval jobs to being chess pieces in supernatural power struggles." He rubbed his face. "And the two hundred thousand?"
"Gone. We tell the client the job failed, return the escrow paynt, take the reputation hit."
"That's going to hurt. Jobs like that don't co around often."
"Better than the alternative."
Elena had been working on her tablet while we talked. Now she looked up. "The Hunters' job. The warlock Nathaniel Cross. Asmodeus told you about the Infernum Collective backing him?"
"Yes."
"Then we can't take that job either. Fifty thousand isn't worth making enemies of an old guard demon faction."
"Actually," I said slowly, "we might have to take it anyway."
Both of them stared at .
"Asmodeus made it clear that stopping Nathaniel is a test. Proof that I'm useful as an ally. Plus, if we don't stop him, his fusion magic weapons could detonate and kill hundreds. The Hunters won't just drop the job because we're scared of blowback."
"So you're saying we're trapped," Marco said flatly. "Take the job and make enemies of the Collective. Don't take it and lose standing with the Hunters while a warlock builds weapons of mass destruction."
"Welco to my world."
"Your world sucks."
"I know."
Tommy knocked on the door, poking his head in. "Sorry to interrupt, but we've got incoming. Multiple vehicles approaching the safehouse."
Marco's hand went imdiately to his weapon. "How many?"
"Four cars. Looks like... vampires? They're not being subtle about it."
We moved to the security monitors. Four black sedans had pulled up outside, and figures were erging. Pale skin, predatory grace, the unmistakable presence of vampires who weren't trying to hide what they were.
Leading them was a woman I recognized from intelligence briefings. Natasha Volkov – one of the vampires from Selene's inner circle. The one who'd been at the poker ga.
"Stand down," I said. "They're not here to attack."
"How do you know?"
"Because if they were, they wouldn't have announced themselves."
I headed for the entrance, the others following. When I opened the door, Natasha stood at the bottom of the steps with six vampires arrayed behind her.
"Cain," she said. "We need to talk."
"About?"
"Selene. And the rather large problem you've created for her."
---
We didn't invite them inside. Security protocol – never let potential threats into your ho base. Instead, we t in the parking area, the two groups facing each other with carefully maintained distance.
Natasha looked tired, which was unusual for a vampire. They didn't really get tired in the conventional sense.
"The vampire courts are convening," she said without preamble. "An ergency session. Three major bloodlines are demanding Selene explain her... involvent with you."
"That's between and Selene."
"It was. Until you fought Balthazar in the arena. That display of power has rippled through the entire supernatural community. Everyone knows now that you're not just a fallen angel trying to survive – you're approaching real power. And Selene's association with you is being viewed as a political statent."
"Statent of what?"
"That she's choosing you, an angelic hound over vampire unity. That she's prioritizing personal interest over bloodline alliances." Natasha moved closer. "There are vampires who've been looking for an excuse to challenge her authority for decades. You just gave them one."
"Selene can handle herself."
"Against one challenger, yes. Against three bloodlines working together? Even she has limits." Natasha's expression was serious. "They're going to demand she either control you or end her association with you. If she refuses both options, they'll move to remove her from power."
"Let them try."
"You say that like it wouldn't affect you. If Selene falls, you lose a major ally. More than that – you lose the protection her position provides. Every vampire in the city would be authorized to hunt you."
Sarah spoke up from behind . "What are you asking us to do?"
"I'm asking Cain to co to the convening. Tonight. Demonstrate that he's not a threat to vampire interests. Prove he can be trusted not to destabilize the careful balance Selene maintains."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then Selene faces this alone. And the chances of her maintaining her position drop significantly." Natasha t my eyes. "I know you care about her. Whatever this relationship is between you, it's more than just political convenience. Co to the convening. Help her."
I didn't answer imdiately. This was another complication, another obligation, another weight.
But Natasha was right about one thing – I did care about Selene. Not love, maybe not even deep affection yet. But sothing. Respect, certainly. Attraction, obviously. And a recognition that she'd given sothing valuable.
"Where and when?" I asked.
"The old cathedral on Bourbon Street. Midnight. Co alone – bringing your team would be seen as aggressive."
"Midnight tonight? That's in four hours."
"The courts move quickly when they sense an opportunity." Natasha turned to leave, her entourage following. Over her shoulder, she added, "And Cain? Dress appropriately. This is a formal proceeding. Show up in tactical gear and you'll insult everyone present."
They departed, leaving us in the parking area.
"You're not actually going," Marco said.
"I am."
"That's a trap. Has to be. They'll use the convening as a cover to eliminate you."
"Possibly. But if I don't go, Selene loses her position. And that creates more problems than it solves."
Viktor had been quiet throughout the exchange. Now he spoke. "If you're going into vampire territory alone, you should at least take precautions. Weapons, wards, sothing."
"I'm taking my power. That's enough."
"Your confidence is going to get you killed one of these days," Sarah said.
"Maybe. But not today."
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