"I'd tend to agree, but she was quite different when we saw her. I'm not saying she's not capable of faking it, because she's as devious as they come, but I don't know … at the time, I didn't sense duplicity."
"If she wants the Kris after we kill Kasdeya, we find Shilan, and Kai is safe with me, then by all means witchy woman is welcome to it. But until then, I better not see her spiny ass anywhere near us."
"So then … the Kris? It has markings on it. We should take a look at it before we get there."
"Yeah, I've thought about this. If Kai is somehow hidden by our mating and doesn't need the Kris for that, then maybe it's supposed to protect her some other way. But I don't think it's as simple as stabbing Kasdeya with it. Something else … I don't know." Jake sensed Kai as soon as she'd woken, going on alert as she opened the door.
"We need my book," she told them.
The Alpha's heart tightened as she moved into the room, the bottom of her ass peeking through the hem of the t-shirt. His world stopped as her smile brightened the room and his lips turned upward at the sight of her. Mate. Mine. His magical creature had captivated him, and he inwardly laughed at how quickly he was falling for her.
Jake reached for Kai, tugging her onto his lap, and pressed his lips to her cheek. His cock stirred as she shifted onto his thick length. She giggled in response, and he smiled knowing she could sense his arousal. Quintus coughed, bringing his focus back to their dilemma.
"Hey. Maybe we ought to focus on what we're going to do next before the wheels hit the ground? Or," Quintus shrugged, sipping his drink, "I could watch you two fuck again."
"What do you think, sweetheart? Strategize or fuck?" Jake joked.
"Hmm … definitely fuck." Kai winked at her Alpha and smiled at Quintus.
"See there. My mate is a smart woman."
"I'm a horny woman. But," Kai put her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. "I suppose I'd like to live. So yeah … maybe back to planning."
"The Kris," Quintus said.
"Kasdeya's demons or whatever the hell they are … the ghosts … they weren't afraid of it," Jake added.
"Maybe they weren't allowed to touch it," Kai guessed. "They aren't beings per se. They're ghosts, reporting to Kasdeya."
"But they're sure as hell capable of attacking," Jake said, recalling how they'd shot poisoned speared light.
"True," Quintus agreed. "My guess is they can't physically take an object with them."
"Something about this isn't right. I thought when we got the Kris I'd be magically protected, that other supernaturals couldn't see me, sense me. But when we were in the Serpent's Breath, it felt different," Kai said.
"I'm pretty sure that us finding each other, us being mates. It's changing things. But Ilsbeth? Samantha? Witches never tell you something for no reason. I texted Samantha and Luca before we left, trying to see if she knew anything. Haven't heard back."
"It's possible Samantha doesn't know. This information comes from the high priestess," Quintus said.
"Former high priestess," Jake corrected.
"I think we can all agree that no matter whether she remembers or not, Ilsbeth still holds power. I think I'd know if it was all an act, but it matters little. Her magick lies dormant but exists deep inside her. She wanted this Kris to be discovered."
"It wouldn't surprise me in the least if she knew about Dominique. Her kids being murdered," Jake said. "If there's one thing I know about that bitch, it's this … she's manipulative. Powerful. If she wanted Kasdeya dead and could do it herself, it would already be done and done. Nope. This screams of a set up."
"I hate to say it but I agree with you. Her memories are entirely different but deep within her psyche, her magick remains," Quintus agreed.
"So what are you saying? She somehow duped us into going to get this athame from the vampire because she couldn't get it?" Kai asked.
"Maybe she didn't know where it was?" Quintus suggested.
"Maybe Kai's presence … something about her jarred the memory, the desire to get the Kris. But there's no way Ilsbeth is going to ask for it because she's a different person, or at least that's what she's playin' at."
"I think we need the book. There might be something in it. We can go to the Elders. They might be able to help us. They will sense me as soon as we land," Kai told them.
"Yes to both," Jake agreed. "For whatever reason, San Francisco has no pack, and I'm guessin' that's because Kasdeya is a freak tri-breed."