quiet. He looked out the window, paused. “You didn’t do anything stupid, right, Kagan?”
“You mean like kill him?” Kagan clenched his mug, his scowl deepening. “I’m not an idiot, Xan. I know the orders. I only put him out of commission for the night.”
“Any ideas where Argus is now?” Xander traced a fingertip around the rim of his cup, his brow furrowed.
“No, and that’s a problem. I won’t move Mira until she’s safe.”
“Hmm. On a first name basis, huh?” Xander’s attention zeroed on Kagan, his penetrating silver gaze narrowed. “What else did you share with her?”
“Only the essentials. She was frightened. I concentrated on making her comfortable and safe.” An uncomfortable niggle of guilt nipped at Kagan’s conscience as images of he and Mira on the bed surfaced. Nothing had happened, nothing Xander needed to know about. “Why shouldn’t we be on a first-name basis?”
Xander crossed his arms. “Did you sleep with her?”
“
Dai!
No, I didn’t sleep with her. She’s my target!” Kagan glowered at Xander, insulted his commanding officer and best friend would think him so weak. “You taught me better.”
“Rule number one.” Xander flashed a rueful smile.
“
Si.
” Kagan forced a slow grin, fiddling with his mug. “Never forgot that rule. Some of the others, not so much.”
“Yes, always my best student.” Xander snorted and rolled his eyes, sprawling in his chair and stretching out his long legs. “So she knows about the organization, your immortality?”
“I got shot last night. Twice. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out I should’ve been dead or close to it. She asked me point blank. What was I supposed to tell her?” Kagan shifted in his seat. “Doesn’t matter, anyway. She thinks I’m
pazzo
or an alien or something.”
“You always did have a way with the ladies.”
Xander chuckled and Kagan gave him a one-finger salute before continuing. “Then there’s the complication of Argus. She recognized him.”
“The demon?”
“No. His host. She said they have ‘history.’” Kagan used air quotes then dropped his hands, realizing what he’d done. “How’s she going to react when he walks through the door again?
Oca!
This mission is
una cazzata
!”
“What’s her relationship to Argus’s host?” Xander glanced at the bed again.
Kagan turned his attention to the approaching sunrise. “Not sure. She gave me a name: McClaine. I hope to get more information today.”
“I’ll have Wyck check it out too. Any signs of the Seal’s power yet?”
“None I’ve seen. When I brought it up, she thought I was joking.” He recalled her search for hidden cameras and smiled. “She did have a nightmare. Called out for Lucifer. She kept screaming two words over and over.
Yolcam Emetgis.
Enochian, maybe? She denied remembering anything of the dream, but she’s lying. I can feel it.”
Xander stood and walked to place his empty mug in the sink. “Now you’re in my territory.”
Kagan frowned. Xander was notorious for his “feelings” whenever bad things were about to happen or something wasn’t right. Kagan didn’t have or want such abilities, but he did intend to use his unexpected connection with Mira to his advantage like the good warrior he was.
“Wyck obtained new information on the Seals,” Xander said as he returned to his seat. “I think you should bring Mira to his apartment later. It might help clarify things for her.”
“
Certamente
. After I convince her I’m not crazy. Or an alien.”
“You’ve been called worse.” Xander laughed.
Kagan grinned.
Si, a lot worse.
His gaze drifted toward the bed and his smile faded. “May I ask you a hypothetical question?”
“Hypothetical?” Xander’s lips quirked.
“
Si.
” Kagan sat back, choosing his words with caution. “This first Seal is the keeper of enslavement and brutality?”
Xander nodded. “So the prophecy says.”
“How does the power manifest?” Kagan
“You mean like kill him?” Kagan clenched his mug, his scowl deepening. “I’m not an idiot, Xan. I know the orders. I only put him out of commission for the night.”
“Any ideas where Argus is now?” Xander traced a fingertip around the rim of his cup, his brow furrowed.
“No, and that’s a problem. I won’t move Mira until she’s safe.”
“Hmm. On a first name basis, huh?” Xander’s attention zeroed on Kagan, his penetrating silver gaze narrowed. “What else did you share with her?”
“Only the essentials. She was frightened. I concentrated on making her comfortable and safe.” An uncomfortable niggle of guilt nipped at Kagan’s conscience as images of he and Mira on the bed surfaced. Nothing had happened, nothing Xander needed to know about. “Why shouldn’t we be on a first-name basis?”
Xander crossed his arms. “Did you sleep with her?”
“
Dai!
No, I didn’t sleep with her. She’s my target!” Kagan glowered at Xander, insulted his commanding officer and best friend would think him so weak. “You taught me better.”
“Rule number one.” Xander flashed a rueful smile.
“
Si.
” Kagan forced a slow grin, fiddling with his mug. “Never forgot that rule. Some of the others, not so much.”
“Yes, always my best student.” Xander snorted and rolled his eyes, sprawling in his chair and stretching out his long legs. “So she knows about the organization, your immortality?”
“I got shot last night. Twice. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out I should’ve been dead or close to it. She asked me point blank. What was I supposed to tell her?” Kagan shifted in his seat. “Doesn’t matter, anyway. She thinks I’m
pazzo
or an alien or something.”
“You always did have a way with the ladies.”
Xander chuckled and Kagan gave him a one-finger salute before continuing. “Then there’s the complication of Argus. She recognized him.”
“The demon?”
“No. His host. She said they have ‘history.’” Kagan used air quotes then dropped his hands, realizing what he’d done. “How’s she going to react when he walks through the door again?
Oca!
This mission is
una cazzata
!”
“What’s her relationship to Argus’s host?” Xander glanced at the bed again.
Kagan turned his attention to the approaching sunrise. “Not sure. She gave me a name: McClaine. I hope to get more information today.”
“I’ll have Wyck check it out too. Any signs of the Seal’s power yet?”
“None I’ve seen. When I brought it up, she thought I was joking.” He recalled her search for hidden cameras and smiled. “She did have a nightmare. Called out for Lucifer. She kept screaming two words over and over.
Yolcam Emetgis.
Enochian, maybe? She denied remembering anything of the dream, but she’s lying. I can feel it.”
Xander stood and walked to place his empty mug in the sink. “Now you’re in my territory.”
Kagan frowned. Xander was notorious for his “feelings” whenever bad things were about to happen or something wasn’t right. Kagan didn’t have or want such abilities, but he did intend to use his unexpected connection with Mira to his advantage like the good warrior he was.
“Wyck obtained new information on the Seals,” Xander said as he returned to his seat. “I think you should bring Mira to his apartment later. It might help clarify things for her.”
“
Certamente
. After I convince her I’m not crazy. Or an alien.”
“You’ve been called worse.” Xander laughed.
Kagan grinned.
Si, a lot worse.
His gaze drifted toward the bed and his smile faded. “May I ask you a hypothetical question?”
“Hypothetical?” Xander’s lips quirked.
“
Si.
” Kagan sat back, choosing his words with caution. “This first Seal is the keeper of enslavement and brutality?”
Xander nodded. “So the prophecy says.”
“How does the power manifest?” Kagan
Similar Books
