“We’re not just bothering you,” Deacon said. “I’ve got—”
Catching his gaze, I shook my head. If they were out here, that meant they’d found out something about the warehouse. I didn’t want it brought up in front of Josie. I didn’t want her to know, because I fully planned on taking care of business without her knowing.
She’d be pissed.
But a safe and angry Josie was better than an in-danger one, because even though she had the bands on her wrists, she would want to be involved since it had to do with this bound demigod. She’d forgot our deal and I’d rather have her yell at me afterward than before.
I also didn’t want her to worry, because she would. She knew that, if we found Mitchell, it was likely we’d find a Titan. Hell, the damn bastards could just be waiting for us to figure out where Josie had been held.
Luckily Deacon caught my stare and clamped his mouth shut. I glanced over at Aiden, and he seemed to read the silent message I was sending his way.
“You’ve got what?” Josie asked.
“I’ve got a . . . a story to tell you?” Deacon said, his brows lifted high.
Luke frowned.
“You do?” she asked. “About what?”
“About, um . . . Well, did you know that the guy who played John Winchester who was on Supernatural is now on The Walking Dead and he plays this guy who pretty much bashes people’s heads in with a bat? Sam and Dean must be so proud of their dad.”
Josie blinked slowly. “I . . . I didn’t know that.”
“Yep.” Deacon dropped down beside her. “Maggie used to be on Supernatural too.”
I didn’t quite know if that was a good save or not, but hell, whatever worked.
“Where’s Gable?” Josie asked, picking up another fry. “Is he with Cora?”
Deacon stretched out his lanky frame as Luke sat on the nearby bench. “Yeah. Colin’s with them too.”
“How’s she doing?” she asked.
“Better every hour,” Luke answered, leaning back as he crossed his arms. “We still have that other demigod to find.”
“That one’s in Britain, right?” Aiden sat down next to Luke, and I guessed no one was leaving anytime soon. “The haunted town.”
“Gasp!” Deacon waved his hands. “You actually remembered that?”
“How could anyone forget?” Alex sat in Aiden’s lap. “It’s all you talked about the whole drive back to the Covenant.”
“Dude, who wouldn’t be excited?” he exclaimed, shaking his head. “It’s an entire town that’s supposedly haunted. Like, if I’m not scared to death when I go there, I’m going to be disappointed.”
“Who said you were going there?” Aiden asked, wrapping his arms around Alex’s waist.
Deacon groaned. “Can we not have this conversation again? I’m going to get the other demigod before they get . . .”
I looked over at Alex. She kept glancing at Josie like she was seconds away from bursting into a torrent of questions. I was surprised she hadn’t blurted anything out yet. Though I figured Deacon and Luke would discover what was going on.
Tuning them out, I focused on Josie. She was looking at the roses with a strange, almost perplexed look. I nudged her shoulder. She glanced over at me. “What you thinking about?”
She smiled as she ducked her chin. “Nothing. I just . . . I was dazing.”
I looked down and willed her plate closer to her. “You should eat more.”
“Look at you, being all godly and not even touching the plate,” she said.
Chuckling, I leaned into her. “Just imagine how creative I can—”
A fissure of energy rolled across the courtyard, rising the fine hairs on my arms. Everyone felt it. Grabbing Josie’s arm, I launched to my feet as ancient, bronze-colored doors appeared just in front of the gateway. Runes were carved into the metal—runes and symbols that represented the Underworld.
“What the . . . ?” Aiden was already on his feet, as were Alex and Luke.
I stepped in front of Josie as the doors opened, prepared for anything to come through those doors.
Mist rolled out, creeping over the grass and roses. Then a form appeared, and as the heavy mist retracted a blond boy I hadn’t seen in a long, long time strolled forward.
That I was not prepared for.
Stunned, I dropped Josie’s arm. What in the world?
“Caleb!” Alex shrieked, causing Josie to jump. “What are you doing here?”
He grinned in her direction. “Long story, but first, there’s something I’m here to do.” His bright blues eyes focused on us. “Something really important.”