Origin of Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Protector #3)(6)

“Exactly. His men are disposable, his mission is not. But they couldn’t say what that mission was.” Aidan scrubbed a frustrated hand through his hair.

“Did they say anything else?” I asked.

“Only that his men called him Drakon.”

“Dragon?” Fire burned low in my belly. “He doesn’t deserve that name.”

“No. But it’s what he’s after.” Ares spoke for the first time, his rough voice and light accent curling around me like a caress at the most inappropriate time.

I turned to him. Despite the exhaustion shadowing his green eyes, he was the handsomest man I’d ever seen.

“Please tell me that the Cathars could help,” I said.

While I’d been hunting information about the beaker, Ares had returned to the Cathar stronghold in Southern France where we’d first learned of the prophecy that Drakon sought. Ares shook his head. “They could not help, nor would they. Though they protected the prophecy for centuries, the one who encrypted the prophecy is long dead. They know no more than we do.”

Damn. “At least we now have a name. And a few more clues. Maybe we can find someone to read the history of the beaker.”

“Tomorrow.” Del yawned, the exhaustion of the last two days clearly wearing on her. “For now, let’s get some sleep. Start fresh tomorrow.”

I couldn’t help but feel like we didn’t have time to sleep, but my own eyelids were drooping. “Fine. I’m going to keep the beaker in my trove. It’s safest.”

“Agreed,” Cass said.

I picked up the box containing the beaker and looped the strap over my back, then followed my friends out of the shop, Ares at my side. They stopped to wait for me when I turned to ignite the security charms on the doors.

“Go on ahead.” I clutched the box to me and ran my fingertips around the edge of the doorframe.

“See you tomorrow,” Del said. A chorus of goodbyes followed, and they headed down the sidewalk toward the door to our apartments.

Ares stood at my side, his presence a constant reminder of the attraction and tension that shimmered under the surface. Every inch of me was so aware of him.

“How are you holding up?” His voice was rougher than normal, no doubt from lack of sleep. He’d been hunting answers as aggressively as the rest of us.

“Fine.” I finished igniting the enchantment and turned to him. His shoulders blocked out the light from the streetlamp across the road, bathing him in shadow. “Thanks for helping with this.”

“The Vampire Court has a vested interest in this. I have a vested interest.”

“Because of what Laima said?” A couple days ago, the Vampire goddess of fate had done me a real favor by telling the Vampire Court that they’d better back me up.

“Because I like you, Nix.” His green eyes bored into mine. Truth reflected in them.

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Walk me to my door?”

His lips turned up and he turned. I joined him, walking down the sidewalk toward our apartments. Ares’s hand closed around mine, warm and firm. A shiver raced through me. I glanced up, brows raised.

“I shouldn’t hold your hand?” he asked, his voice held a hint of playfulness that I’d never heard before. It was so small that I might have imagined it.

“No, I didn’t say that.” We’d had a rocky start, with the murder accusations and the Vampire Court trials, but this was definitely moving us in a different direction.

I’d had more of his blood after my injuries at Drakon’s compound. More than ever, I felt like I got a sense of his feelings. And if I wasn’t mistaken, he was totally into me.

I clutched the box to my stomach and held Ares’s hand, enjoying the warmth of his touch. We’d only shared a few kisses, but they’d blown my mind. Touching any part of Ares always had the same effect.

I’d seen Cass and Del with their guys and wanted the same thing. Then Ares had shown up—in circumstances that weren’t exactly the greatest.

I was still processing, to say the least.

The moon was just a sliver in the sky as we walked, the air chill. Street lamps shed circles of golden light on the sidewalk around us, insulating us in our own little world as we walked.

“I’m headed back to the Vampire Court tonight,” Ares said. “I need to pick something up. It’s important, or I wouldn’t leave. But I can meet you in the morning. We’ll start the search fresh.”

“Sounds good.”

We were only ten feet from the door leading to my apartment when magic crackled on the air. I got a brief whiff of rotten garbage before a hand landed on my shoulder, yanking me backward. I lost my grip on Ares.

Instinctually, I clutched the box to my chest. I conjured a sword as a strong arm wrapped around my waist, heaving me upward. My stomach dropped as panic chilled my skin.

“Nix!” Ares roared. He spun and plowed toward me, his shadow sword already in hand. He thrust the blade near my head. Blood sprayed my cheek, no doubt from the head wound he’d just delivered to my attacker, whose arm loosened around my waist.

From behind Ares, four more figures appeared out of thin air. Demons—huge ones wearing leather vests and carrying big swords.

“Ares! Behind you!” I dove away from the man that Ares had stabbed.