​Chapter One

~ Grayson ~

I finished tying my boots and quietly stomped them on Rachel's fuzzy red area rug as I stood. The legs of my black leather pants fell into place while I threw a charcoal gray shirt over my head, thrust my arms into the long sleeves, and tugged it down over my chest. Striding toward the bed, I freed my hair of the shirt and finger-combed the long black strands into a thick braid. 
Rachel stirred in her sleep, and I held my breath, praying she would not wake. When she settled into her pillow, I released a slow breath and listened. 
Nothing. 
Soon, I would be forced to leave her alone. The magical wards I put in place would keep her in the apartment, but being trapped, and alone, would only set off another episode.
I glanced through the open doorway of the bedroom, silently willing the front door to open.
Come on Jasper.
I watched Rachel take deep, even breaths. She looked so peaceful in sleep, so young and beautiful. Nothing like the shrieking banshee from the night before. 
The front door opened and closed so quietly that I almost missed it. While I breathed a sigh of relief, Jasper appeared in the bedroom doorway, back from his shift at the Myths and Legends front desk. Tall and blonde, the wolf nightshifter still wore his black slacks and matching tank top, but had his red button-down thrown over his shoulder. 
"Last night was a bad one, huh?"
Not wanting to think about how bad, I shook my head, and asked, "Isn't there anything we can do for her?" 
"Maybe. I've asked Doyle to drop by later tonight."
I met his eyes briefly before looking past him into the living room. Deep claw marks marred the walls. Beneath the scattered remains of Rachel's bean bag chairs, the carpet lay in shreds. 
Jasper glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "I'll clean up and make sure she's ready."
"I'd stay and help, but I'm working with Solomon today."
"You won't hear any complaints from me. We all have to earn a living." 
After a nod to Jasper, and one last look at Rachel, I whispered the words to open a portal. As my magic ripped through the fabric of time and space, a shimmering rainbow appeared beside me. 
I was about to step through the translucent barrier when Rachel sat up and rubbed her eyes. "You're leaving?" 
The red sheet slipped down to bare her full breasts. My cock twitched and I bit back a groan. Now was not the time to become aroused. 
Resting my knee on the bed, I leaned over and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. She gave me a half smile, and I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Jasper will take care of you now." 
Having kicked off his shoes, Jasper crawled onto the bed behind her. My shoulders tightened when he wrapped his arms around her, but I knew she needed us both—at least for now. 
I met Rachel's green gaze and held it. She looked so lost, I wished I didn't have to leave. "I'll see you later tonight."
She bit the inside of her lip and nodded.
Knowing I was already late, I tore myself away from her, stepped through the portal, and whispered the words to close it behind me. 
Tall trees with enormous trunks, and moss-covered buttress roots, surrounded me on the other side. Warm, humid air filled my lungs as I drew in the earthy scents of vegetation and soil, decaying plants and wood. High above, in the dense canopy, monkeys chattered and birds called, but here in the darkness of the forest floor nothing moved, nothing breathed. 
The eerie silence had me reaching for the ether between time. At ninety-nine, I was young for a half time demon. My immature power limited me to short trips back along the same timeline. Basically I fell back into my own body with an extra five or six minutes to avoid danger. 
New scents reached my nose, leather and steel.
On instinct, I went for the knife at my lower back. 
"It's not there, remember?" Gabriel, a member our security team, materialized from the shadows at the base of a nearby tree. Dressed in black from head to toe, the red-headed wolf nightshifter came forward and dropped a black duffel bag at my feet. "I told you it wasn't smart to suit up here. What if we'd been ambushed? You would have walked right into enemy hands." 
"I was prepared to shift time," I said, kneeling down to open the bag. 
"Yeah? I heard about the tournament finale. Rook couldn't even shift time." 
"That was a spell," I murmured, clamping down hard when memories from that night tried to shove their way into my mind. Dwelling on that nightmare would only prevent me from doing my job here and now. 
"Is it still working? How far did it reach?" Gabriel asked. 
"It only affected a certain time and place," I said, reaching into the duffel bag. 
My hand came out with a sheathed knife that I attached  to my boot. After hiding another knife behind my back, I shrugged into a harness. The crisscross straps held a leather scabbard diagonally across my back. Sliding my sword into place as I stood, I scanned the forest around me for signs of Solomon. 
Gabriel stepped in front of me, too close for comfort. "We both know who cast that spell. We also know he'll do it again." 
Not about to be intimidated, I took one step closer to him, and looked directly into his eyes. "I won't worry Rachel unnecessarily. She thinks I'm casting background spells at Supernova."
Too cowardly to hold the eye contact, he turned his eyes downward and shifted his weight to put distance between us. "Your safety is more important than her feelings."
"One does not have to be sacrificed for the other," I said, shaking my head. The idea that he could protect me was laughable. Thankfully others were out there that I trusted to stand their ground and fight if necessary. "Where's Solomon?" 
Gabriel jerked his chin east. "He's with Niko, already in the cave." 
I turned east and sprinted through the jungle. Though I felt eyes on me, the rest of our security team remained hidden. 
A mile later, I stopped at the edge of a cliff to admire the spectacular view. Red and gold streaked the early morning sky above miles, and miles of lush green treetops. Sorcerers had photographic memories, especially when we took time to soak in the details as I did now. One day I would cast a spell to recreate this spectacular scene for Rachel. As a nightshifter she could no longer tolerate direct sunlight, but I knew she missed it. She mourned its loss like the death of a close friend. 
With no more time to spare, I climbed over the edge and worked my way toward a narrow ledge, located about halfway down. It would have been easier to simply open a portal there, but Solomon's magic made that impossible. It was a standard security measure used during all United Clan operations. No one could open a portal within one mile of the mission site. 
Magic froze me in place when I dropped down onto the ledge. I couldn't move or speak, or even breathe. I let the password whisper through my mind. Several long moments later, I sucked in a much-needed breath when the spell finally released its hold on me. 
Turning sideways, I squeezed through a thin, jagged gap in the rock face. After a few careful steps, I entered a narrow passageway with a low ceiling, and ducked my head as I hurried toward its end. I passed several members of our security team along the way, all of them watchful and ready for anything that came their way. The tunnel eventually opened into a manmade cave just large enough for four, maybe five people. 
Tall and lithe, Niko stood off to one side. The leopard nightshifter had his arms crossed over his chest, his lips pressed together in a thin slash of frustration. 
"Did Solomon go through the gateway?" I asked. 
"Yeah. Been gone ten minutes." He shook his dark head. "How am I supposed to protect him when I can't follow him into danger?" 
I glanced around the cave and wondered if I could follow Solomon. The walls were smooth, with ancient drawings of hideous creatures. We knew the creatures as shadow demons. We also knew the cave was a gateway to their realm. The gateway limited access by blocking anyone with human blood. Sorcerers were the only exception. If strong enough, our magic masked our human blood, and allowed us to pass through the gateway. 
Through his father  and my mother, both human sorcerers, Solomon and I shared a family tie. The connection was distant, but deep down, we were blood. He made it through. Chances were good, I would too.
"Do you want me to check on him?" I asked.
Niko raised an eyebrow. "Think you're strong enough to make the trip?"
"Only one way to find out."
Squaring my shoulders, I reached out and touched the nearest wall. It was cooler than expected, given the sultry atmosphere in the cave. Applying pressure, I watched my hand push through the wall and vanish from sight. Excitement sent an exhilarating rush of adrenaline racing through my veins. 
Niko stepped toward me, eyes wide. "I thought you were just his apprentice."
"I need training," I said, unable to stop the smile that nearly split my face in half, "but apparently not raw power."
"Good thing you're on our side. Last thing we need—"
Something grabbed my hand and jerked me through the gateway. Off balance, I stumbled forward into frigid darkness. Deep, menacing growls came from all sides, one after the other. Chills raced up my spine, but I had no time to react before something hit me in the chest and shoved. I flew back through the gateway. When my back hit the ground I kept the momentum going and rolled to my feet. 
I was just about to draw my sword when Solomon strode through the gateway. Slightly less than six feet, he appeared to be in his late teens. His black cargo pants were still intact, but his band tee hung in shreds. He saw my hand on the hilt and shook his sandy blonde head. "The shadow demons can't come here. There's not enough magic." 
As I dropped my arm, Niko asked, "What the hell just happened?" 
"Grayson almost touched a caprius plant when he stuck his hand through the gateway," Solomon explained while he removed his ruined shirt. The same claws that shredded his shirt had torn through his chest. The vampire virus that made him a nightshifter had already healed the wounds, but streaks of blood remained. He used his shirt to wipe them off and then tossed it aside. 
Niko smirked at me. "You're lucky the shadow demons didn't tear you apart." 
I rubbed my hands together, thankful they were both still attached. "That's what I don't get. The shadow demons are vicious in the protection of their sacred plants. Yet, according to our source, our enemies are now harvesting them by the truckload. How is that possible?"  
Niko shook his head. "Beats me. They'd need an army to hold off the shadow demons. There simply aren't that many people who can cross over." 
Solomon pulled a ring of runic stones from his pocket. While he searched for the right stone, he said, "Doesn't matter how they're doing it, we can't allow it to continue."
Caprius plants were used to make Oblivion. Though harmless to supernaturals, the potent aphrodisiac was deadly for humans. 
Having found the right stone, Solomon removed it from the ring and tossed it to me. I examined the runes etched into the domino shaped stone. "I thought we were creating a ward.”
"We are." 
"Then, what is this rune for?" 
Solomon glanced at the rune when I pointed it out. "What do you think it's for?" 
As his new apprentice, I should have known he would make this into a teaching opportunity. 
I examined the rune again and shook my head. "It doesn't make sense. The other runes define and strengthen the ward. One requires human blood. That will keep the pure blood demons out. Another repels strong magic, which will take care of the sorcerers. The third one powers the ward by constantly pulling magic from the environment. I've only seen the last rune used in disarming spells."
"Exactly." Solomon nodded as if that made perfect sense. 
I opened my mouth, but closed it again when no response came to mind. 
Niko let out an amused snort. "Give him a hint, Solomon. We can't take all day." 
Solomon made an acquiescing motion with his hand. "What will happen once word gets around that we sealed off the shadow demon realm?" 
"Every sorcerer working for our opposition will try to deactivate our ward." It hit me as soon as the words left my mouth. "And because of that rune, our ward will not simply withstand their attempts, it will disarm their spells." 
"Now you're getting it," Solomon said, smiling. "You can hide behind a shield. You can also use that shield to bash in your opponent's brains. Magic can have dual purposes too."
I fisted my hand over my heart and bowed to Solomon. "Lesson learned."
He returned the gesture. And then turned to face the gateway. "I'll start the incantation. Jump in whenever you feel comfortable." 
Rubbing the runic stone with my thumb, I listened to him chant in the ancient language of magic. After a few moments, I moved to his side and added my voice to the spell. Together our voices rose and fell with a singsong rhythm that never failed to sooth my soul. 
The air warmed as we opened our shields and drew magic from the environment. As the magic built, every hair on my body stood on end. When my skin began to glow, I knew it was almost time. Solomon stepped forward and I followed. Together, we placed our hands on the gateway and poured magic into the spell.  
A chorus of blood-curdling screams echoed through the cave. 
Still chanting, Solomon and I both turned toward the tunnel. A sudden, blinding light filled the cave. As my eyes adjusted, Niko flew through the air, and tackled Solomon to the ground, covering him completely with his larger body. 
I watched in horror as the flesh on Niko's arms began to burn. He didn’t immediately burst into flames. It was more like glowing embers, or like watching a cigarette burn. 
I tried to reset time. 
The ether was cold and hard, impenetrable. 
With an angry growl, I drew my sword and charged into the light. I made it three steps before I felt Solomon's magic wrap around me. Skidding to a stop, I hit his kitchen counter and spun around.
"Quick, your sword!" 
Solomon held out his hand and I tossed him my sword. He caught the hilt and turned to Niko, who was on his back with his arms out to the sides. Jaw clenched tight, he nodded once and Solomon sliced through his upper arms in quick succession. The flaming steel blade, forged in the fire demon realm, had no trouble cutting through skin and bone, and everything in between. Niko grunted with pain, but managed to hold back any screams. The unattached arms continued to burn. Blood poured and spurted from the raw stumps near Niko's shoulders. Solomon ripped off his belt. While he secured it around Niko's right arm, I hurried to give him mine. When he had both belts in place, Niko closed his eyes and passed out. Solomon kicked the burning arms away from Niko and the pools of blood surrounding him. 
"What was that light?" I asked, breathless, my heart a rapid drumbeat pounding in my chest. 
Solomon collapsed onto a sturdy wooden chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "Sunlight. Once the reaction begins, the virus in our bloodstream continues to burn until there is nothing left but ash."
"How? The sun can't just walk into a cave."
"A solar demon can."
He was right. It was the only plausible explanation. But... "I thought Garrek was the last one. They're extinct." 
Garrek headed the now defunct Interracial Council. He was killed during the bombing at The Gateway to the Otherworld last winter. 
"Your skin is bright red and blistered, obviously sunburned, Niko's arms are ash, and someone is harvesting caprius plants by the truckload."
"Goddess," I breathed, leaning back against the counter. "A solar demon... The shadow demons wouldn't stand a chance." 
Solomon rubbed his hands over his face. Leaning back, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out his phone. "Dragon and Rook need to know about this."
"What about Niko?" 
"We stopped the bleeding. The more virus-laden blood he has, the faster he will heal. We'll make him as comfortable as possible while his arms grow back."
I watched Niko's chest rise and fall. He was alive. Soon he would be whole. No thanks to me.
"I tried to go back, Solomon. To save his arms. I couldn't access the ether."
Solomon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I should have let you kill him that night."
At the recent annual tournament, an enemy sorcerer known as Sergio unleashed magical hell during the finale. His spells nearly took out the Dragon King and his newest ally, Danarius Demarco, recently appointed Master of the New Orleans vampires. In the aftermath of that near disaster, we discovered Rachel, and Solomon's mate, Renee, both missing. A fire demon named Dimitri had lured them away from the crowds at the tournament, and with Sergio's help, taken them to his home world. By the time we tracked them to a mountain fortress surrounded by dry, cracked rock, and rivers of molten lava, Renee was in a magical sleep, and Rachel was a breath away from death. 
Thanks to the rumor mill, Rachel’s status as a conduit, a rare being descended from the Goddess of Time, was widely known throughout the supernatural community. Sergio was first to exploit the power of her heritage by draining her blood and using it in a spell to prevent time travel. We found her lying on a dirt floor and Jasper did the only thing he could. He fed her his blood and saved her life. Without any blood of its own, Rachel’s body could not combat the vampire virus as it took over and transformed her into a nightshifter. 
I caught up to Sergio outside the mountain fortress. Our swords clashed in a furious dance that would have ended with one of us dead. Then Solomon came over the hill. His appearance distracted Sergio, and I lunged forward to cut through his wrist. His hand fell to the ground, still gripping his sword, and apparently wearing the charm he used to hide his true identity. Sergio's dark hair and nondescript features melted away to leave an older version of Solomon standing before us. I left Sergio's fate to Solomon, who understandably chose not to end his life.
"He's your brother, Solomon. One you believed to be dead."
Solomon met my gaze with the bright gold eyes of his fox. "Ezekiel or Sergio, it doesn't matter what he calls himself. He cursed his own people. We suffered without our animals for centuries because of him. And now..." His body trembled as he struggled through the waves of rage pouring off of him. After a few deep breaths, he continued, "He's on the wrong side again. If our enemies succeed, if they produce enough Oblivion to take out the human governments, war and chaos will reign. We will never know peace in this world again."
I took a moment to choose my words. "We haven't known each other long, barely more than a week. But I know your reputation, and I know what I've seen so far. You would never condemn a man without giving him every opportunity to redeem himself. Take some time to think this through, before you make any rash decisions."
Solomon shook his head. "You may as well check on Rachel. I'll make the calls and do the explaining. We'll meet again tomorrow. I'll text you the time and place."
I inclined my head and opened a portal to my apartment. After dropping off my weapons, I redirected the portal to the hallway just outside Rachel's apartment.