She smiled with wicked amusement as Styx muttered a curse, and with an airy wave of his hand, Levet left the room.
* * * *
Brigette watched Levet disappear from the office, bothered by the thought that the tiny creature might be putting himself in danger. After all, Levet had many fine qualities, but common sense wasn’t one of them. He followed his heart, not his head and would eagerly rush into disaster.
Just look at what had happened when they’d been together.
With a sigh, Brigette shook her head. There was no stopping the stubborn gargoyle. She might as well concentrate on her own lack of common sense.
As if reading her mind, Styx stepped toward her. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you returning to your home?”
“I have no home.” The words were out before she could halt them, and Brigette felt a blush steal beneath her skin as Xi studied her with that knowing gaze. Dammit. There was nothing worse than a whiny Were. Especially one who deserved her bleak fate. She shook her head, thrusting away her bout of self-pity. “I’m going back to the rebels.”
“Why?”
It was a legit question. Brigette had satisfied her curiosity. She knew the basics of Maryam and Roban’s rebellion. And why they’d sought out her help. Someone else could figure out the details. Plus, there was always the real possibility that once the word of her arrival in Chicago began to spread, there would be Weres who wanted to punish her for her past. No one had forgiven or forgotten what she’d done.
The only intelligent thing to do was return to her homeland. So, of course, she was going to stay.
“They’re plotting something big,” she at last muttered.
“You don’t have any details?” Styx demanded.
Brigette wrinkled her nose. She’d overheard bits and pieces, but she didn’t think anyone but Maryam and, perhaps, Roban actually knew the full endgame.
“I think it might have something to do with the clan chiefs. I also heard Maryam mention Chiron. But I don’t have any specific plans,” she admitted.
Styx paused, his dark gaze studying her with an unnerving intensity. “What do you care? You turned your back on this world a long time ago.”
She opened her mouth to tell him it was none of his damned business. He might be the King of the Vampires, but he had no right to question her. Instead, the truth spilled out.
“Ulric is the only family I have left.” There, she’d said it. Ulric might never forgive her, but she couldn’t bear the thought that he might be taken from this world. He was her only connection to the pact she’d destroyed. “And since he is a personal guard to Chiron, he’s in danger. I’ll be damned if I let that bitch do anything to hurt him.”
She braced herself, expecting some snarky comment. Or even a refusal to believe she couldn’t care about anyone but herself.
Instead, Styx planted his fists on his hips, silently considering his options. “The obvious choice is for us to storm the tunnels and clean out the vermin.”
Brigette was shaking her head before he finished speaking. “They’re expecting that,” she warned. “I overheard Maryam tell Roban to double the number of triggers hidden in the tunnels.”
“What kind of triggers? Magic or human technology?” Styx demanded.
“I’m not sure, but I would guess magic,” Brigette told him. “Plus, Roban added that he’d heard from someone named Perez that the other surprises were now in place and waiting for her command to set them off.”
Styx grimaced. “I’m assuming that means the mysterious triggers are someplace other than in the tunnels.”
Brigette nodded. “That would be my guess. I’m hoping I can figure out what they are and where they’ve been hidden.”
“Keep us informed,” Styx commanded.
She nodded, turning back toward the door.
“I’m going with her.”
Brigette froze in shock at Xi’s soft words. The was the last thing she’d been expecting.
“No way.” Whirling around, she stabbed the leech with a fierce glare.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Styx told her. “Xi can search in places you would never be allowed.”
“How? Does he have mind control?” There were a rare few vampires who could not only enthrall humans, but demons as well.
Xi answered. “I can hide my presence.”
She snorted, her gaze involuntarily absorbing the compelling beauty of his face before sliding down his slender body. A creature would have to be dead and buried not to notice this male.
“You’re invisible?” she mocked.
“Not quite.” Xi gave a lift of one shoulder. “But I can mute my powers and disguise my scent. You have to physically catch sight of me to know I’m there.”
Oh. That explained how he’d managed to sneak up on her. And why she’d been astounded when they’d arrived in Styx’s lair and she’d been hit by the full effect of his presence.
Brigette considered the possibility. It would definitely be handy to have someone who could move through the tunnels undetected, she silently conceded.
Not that she was going to let Xi know she welcomed his help. She was a lone wolf. Literally and figuratively.
She shrugged. “It’s not like I can keep you away,” she told the male.
“True.” A mysterious smile touched his lips, as if he suspected there were a horde of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. “Are you ready to go back?”
Brigette folded her arms over her chest. It was one thing for Xi to be in the tunnels, doing his own thing. It was another for him to hover over her like some gorgeous, sexy, highly disruptive babysitter.
“I don’t need an escort.”
“You can’t use the portal without Xi,” Styx pointed out.
“Of course I can’t.” Brigette’s jaw tightened. She could easily find her way back to the tunnels, but there would be no way to sneak back in without alerting Maryam. That would lead to questions she didn’t want to answer.
She turned away.
“Brigette,” Styx called out.
“What?” She marched toward the door. She wasn’t going to be stopped again.
“Don’t do anything rash.” Styx’s tone was stern. “If Maryam is as dangerous as you fear, we don’t want her to feel cornered.”
Brigette continued out of the office and through the maze of marble hallways. She didn’t need to be warned about the female vamp. Maryam had been welcoming to Brigette, but there was no doubt that she was in charge of the ragtag group of demons. If one of them stepped out of line, they were taken into the private office, and when they returned, they had the look of a creature who’d walked through the fires of hell. Whatever happened in there ensured that no one questioned Maryam’s orders.