Archangel's Shadows (Guild Hunter #7)(87)

“Her sessions with Janvier have honed that aspect of her hand-to-hand combat skills.”

“Good.” Dmitri was the one who’d recommended Elena train with Janvier. The Cajun was one hell of a street fighter and Elena needed every skill she could learn; a considerable number of people would like to see her dead. She was, after all, a living, breathing manifestation of Raphael’s heart.

Continuing to watch the session outside, he slipped his hands into the pockets of his black pants. “Trace got in touch earlier.” The elegant vampire with his taste for poetry and art had healed enough to take over the watch on Khalil a couple of hours back, only to have to hand it off to Emaya and Mateo forty-five minutes ago. “He found the Umber dealer—unfortunately, it appears the man’s head was separated from his body late last night.

“Trace believes his supplier didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, and I agree with him.” Whoever was behind this did not want to be famous or to have his name known to the Tower. “The dealer himself was low-level scum who was in all probability chosen for his contacts among the bored and the rich. I don’t expect Trace to find anything to connect the dealer with his supplier.”

Raphael’s expression changed to the merciless focus that made him a member of the Cadre. “It’s no coincidence this drug has made its appearance now.”

“Yes. The weak fear what may yet come.” The clash in the skies above New York had only been the first battle. “But the malaise is generally restricted to the cowardly pleasure seekers who scuttled into hiding rather than fight.” Dmitri had been happy not to have to deal with their pathetic uselessness during the hostilities. “I am sorry about Rupert. He fought with courage. He must’ve taken the Umber in a moment of foolishness.”

“Is his death and devolution chilling the ardor for the drug?”

“On the surface, but to some, the incident has lent it a deadly glamour.” Russian roulette played with a crystalline substance, murderous bloodlust only a taste away. “If we don’t shut off the pipeline, we’ll have more incidents.”

Raphael’s eyes tracked Elena as she managed to swipe Naasir on the thigh, but got her wing twisted in the process. “A mistake,” he murmured. “She won’t do that again.”

They watched the two outside for another minute before returning to their conversation.

“There’s a chance this drug is another move by Charisemnon or a different member of the Cadre who seeks to weaken the city.” The intense black of Raphael’s hair gleamed blue-black in the light pouring through the glass. “I’ve spoken to Keir and he tells me a drug of such virulent effect on the Made would be near impossible to manufacture using known chemicals.”

Dmitri agreed, especially since their own labs were having difficulty analyzing the compound. “The latest tests say it has an organic rather than manufactured base, but that doesn’t get us much closer to breaking it down.”

“Jason?”

“He’s spread the word among his operatives—he’ll have a report for us tonight from the other courts. So far, Umber appears to be a localized problem.” Folding his arms, Dmitri met the violent blue of Raphael’s eyes. “Of the vampire leaders, Severin and Anais are the worst offenders. Both have fed violently in public in the past two weeks.” Not disallowed in and of itself, but a stupid choice at the present time.

The two had to have known their actions would embolden and incite others.

“It appears Anais and Severin wish to be my guests. Let’s accommodate them after the meeting,” Raphael said, his tone ice-cold. “The three of us will have a private discussion after I clear this Cadre matter.”

“Michaela is truly continuing to insist that Lijuan’s territory be taken and split up?”

“Yes, and now Charisemnon is threatening to declare war on her. No one is taking either one of them seriously, but it’s a nuisance that needs to be handled.”

“The Refuge?” Meant to be neutral ground, the home of angelkind and the sanctuary of their young had suffered sporadic fighting during Lijuan’s offensive. Galen and Venom had been forced to stay in the Refuge to defend Raphael’s stronghold there against attack.

“It is safe,” Raphael answered. “Michaela won’t make the same mistake as Lijuan. She’s far too smart and cunning, where Lijuan was arrogant.”

Dmitri understood the difference. One relied on power, the other on manipulation and playing the tides right. “In many ways, Michaela is the perfect political animal. The vicious, manipulative kind who’d sell out her own mother to gain points.”

“There is a reason you’re my second, Dmitri.”

“I was speaking to Dahariel earlier—I can’t imagine why a man as intelligent as he is slides into bed with her.”

“Have you told him that, like the spider that eats its mate, she has a habit of being the final woman her men ever touch?”

Dmitri felt his lips tug up at the corners. “I may have reminded him of the long-dead Archangel of Byzantium, and of the more recently departed Uram.” He pointed beyond the window, where Naasir had Elena backed up to the very edge of the roof. “Perhaps you should intervene.” An uncontrolled fall could smash her into the Tower.

“No, I think not.”