that concerned the angels enough to hire Kaye Brand to investigate what was going on. No angel trusted organized peace where the wraiths were concerned.
“No wraiths is good, right?” Kaye asked. “How do they manage it?”
“We’ve discovered the same phenomenon,” Jack said. “And we’ve identified at least twenty-five urban areas globally that are not troubled with wraith attacks. And yet, the neighborhoods surrounding the peace zones have a heightened wraith presence.”
Adam looked over his shoulder. “The cause?”
“We believe it’s the mage Houses,” Jack answered. “They’ve begun working with the wraiths.”
Not the first time in the history of the world.
“Begun?” Kaye said from behind him. “Wraiths have been around mages for more than a decade at least.”
“In what capacity?” Adam asked her, turning, surprise in his voice.
“Bodyguards, security,” she answered. “Anything that needed brute force.”
“And no one was concerned?” Adam shook his head in disbelief. “They’re hungry predators. No one is safe with them around ...”
Adam’s sentence trailed off, but the train of thought continued. ... except, of course, someone who doesn’t have a soul.
“That’s right,” Jack said. Adam understood now.
Jack saw Kaye glance over, as if suddenly aware of the telepathy. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he remained impassive.
Adam sighed hard. “Well, this bears some serious reflection. I can’t believe I hadn’t considered it before. I guess I just couldn’t fathom that anyone would accept, condone, and use monsters that feed on the souls of humankind. It’s beyond cold-blooded.”
“The wraiths are only a weapon,” Kaye said, voice smooth. Too smooth for truth. “Like any other that takes a life.”
Adam sat back in his chair, his thoughts roiling with interest.
“A weapon? If you’ve killed wraiths before, you must have seen how they feed,” Adam argued. “They are much more than that.”
Jack let them disagree, though he had no idea what had set Kaye off. No ... he thought he knew. The “cold-blooded” comment about the mages. And she was set on proving Adam right. On owning the description herself—though there was no way Kaye would ever be associated with the word cold . Kaye burned.
“I’ve seen how they feed.” Kaye smiled. “How do you think I got my scars?”
Adam’s eyes widened, horrified. “Good God. You survived a wraith’s bite?”
“The mages are a race apart, Adam,” Jack said. “And they are no longer hiding in their Houses. They are taking steps; using wraiths was just one of many. The peace zones are another.”
“But the peace is a ruthless kind, isn’t it?” Adam looked at Kaye. Jack knew he saw her scars more clearly now.
Kaye’s expression went aloof. And suddenly Jack knew that was how she coped with appraisal—making herself remote, above, beyond anything that sought to reach her. People looking all the time. But it wasn’t the real woman. Heaven help him when he met the real Kaye if he was already running hot for this one.
“I take it you’re supposed to figure out what the mages are doing?” Adam asked her. Jack was glad Adam didn’t renew his offers of employment.
“Yes,” she said.
Jack didn’t miss the glint that came into her eye, and neither did Adam.
“And then what?” Adam asked.
Jack intended to curb the rising power of the Houses before it came to bloodshed. He wanted to quash any attempt at a new hegemony of Shadow on the world, putting humankind under mage dominion. But Kaye did him one better.
Her skin took on that seductive, almost solar glow. “And then I think there will be fire.”
Certainly no more offers of employment today. A hundred years ago they’d have burned her at the stake.
Jack gave Adam assurances of cooperation, and then, ladies first, he and Kaye exited the mobile trailer and started down the outside steps. The clouds hung low, turning the sky white, but he
“No wraiths is good, right?” Kaye asked. “How do they manage it?”
“We’ve discovered the same phenomenon,” Jack said. “And we’ve identified at least twenty-five urban areas globally that are not troubled with wraith attacks. And yet, the neighborhoods surrounding the peace zones have a heightened wraith presence.”
Adam looked over his shoulder. “The cause?”
“We believe it’s the mage Houses,” Jack answered. “They’ve begun working with the wraiths.”
Not the first time in the history of the world.
“Begun?” Kaye said from behind him. “Wraiths have been around mages for more than a decade at least.”
“In what capacity?” Adam asked her, turning, surprise in his voice.
“Bodyguards, security,” she answered. “Anything that needed brute force.”
“And no one was concerned?” Adam shook his head in disbelief. “They’re hungry predators. No one is safe with them around ...”
Adam’s sentence trailed off, but the train of thought continued. ... except, of course, someone who doesn’t have a soul.
“That’s right,” Jack said. Adam understood now.
Jack saw Kaye glance over, as if suddenly aware of the telepathy. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he remained impassive.
Adam sighed hard. “Well, this bears some serious reflection. I can’t believe I hadn’t considered it before. I guess I just couldn’t fathom that anyone would accept, condone, and use monsters that feed on the souls of humankind. It’s beyond cold-blooded.”
“The wraiths are only a weapon,” Kaye said, voice smooth. Too smooth for truth. “Like any other that takes a life.”
Adam sat back in his chair, his thoughts roiling with interest.
“A weapon? If you’ve killed wraiths before, you must have seen how they feed,” Adam argued. “They are much more than that.”
Jack let them disagree, though he had no idea what had set Kaye off. No ... he thought he knew. The “cold-blooded” comment about the mages. And she was set on proving Adam right. On owning the description herself—though there was no way Kaye would ever be associated with the word cold . Kaye burned.
“I’ve seen how they feed.” Kaye smiled. “How do you think I got my scars?”
Adam’s eyes widened, horrified. “Good God. You survived a wraith’s bite?”
“The mages are a race apart, Adam,” Jack said. “And they are no longer hiding in their Houses. They are taking steps; using wraiths was just one of many. The peace zones are another.”
“But the peace is a ruthless kind, isn’t it?” Adam looked at Kaye. Jack knew he saw her scars more clearly now.
Kaye’s expression went aloof. And suddenly Jack knew that was how she coped with appraisal—making herself remote, above, beyond anything that sought to reach her. People looking all the time. But it wasn’t the real woman. Heaven help him when he met the real Kaye if he was already running hot for this one.
“I take it you’re supposed to figure out what the mages are doing?” Adam asked her. Jack was glad Adam didn’t renew his offers of employment.
“Yes,” she said.
Jack didn’t miss the glint that came into her eye, and neither did Adam.
“And then what?” Adam asked.
Jack intended to curb the rising power of the Houses before it came to bloodshed. He wanted to quash any attempt at a new hegemony of Shadow on the world, putting humankind under mage dominion. But Kaye did him one better.
Her skin took on that seductive, almost solar glow. “And then I think there will be fire.”
Certainly no more offers of employment today. A hundred years ago they’d have burned her at the stake.
Jack gave Adam assurances of cooperation, and then, ladies first, he and Kaye exited the mobile trailer and started down the outside steps. The clouds hung low, turning the sky white, but he
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