Playing with Fire

‘‘There?’’ I asked, nodding toward a closed door. Gabriel moved so fast I couldn’t keep up with him, although the sound of the door being slammed back made me jump. I hurried after him, stopping in surprise at the doorway.

Gabriel knelt on the bed between two people.

‘‘Are they all right?’’ I asked, coming out of the shadows to offer him my dagger. He cut the bonds holding Maata and Tipene, both of whom had been securely bound and gagged.

Maata started talking the second Gabriel had her gag off. I didn’t understand what she was saying, it being in some language that had an oddly beautiful cadence. As soon as he got her arms free, she sat up and saw me, switching immediately to English.

‘‘I knew it was only a matter of time before you found us, although it took a little more time than I’d hoped. Excuse me.’’ She bolted to a room leading off the bedroom.

Gabriel cut the bonds holding his other bodyguard. Tipene looked furious as he leaped off the bed.

‘‘We have failed you, Gabriel. I will resign my post immediately.’’

Gabriel looked at him with somber appraisal for a moment before gri

‘‘Kostya? Is he here?’’ Tipene asked with a puzzled frown.

‘‘It wasn’t Kostya who kidnapped you?’’ I asked.

Tipene shook his head. ‘‘No. It was two others, the two ouroboros who took us in Greece. They used drugs on us!’’

The outrage in his voice was clearly evident.

‘‘Several times,’’ Maata said as she emerged from the bathroom. Tipene shot Gabriel a glance.

He nodded, and the bodyguard hurried off to the bathroom.

‘‘How long have we been gone?’’ Maata asked Gabriel.

‘‘Four days.’’

She swore. ‘‘We were drugged the entire time.’’

‘‘You have no idea how long you’ve been here, in Paris?’’ I asked Maata.

‘‘I had no idea we were even in Paris until I could hear the radio from the street. We woke up about six hours ago. I was getting worried that no one would come to give us water and let us relieve ourselves, at least.’’

I exchanged a look with Gabriel. ‘‘Kostya said he didn’t kidnap them,’’ I reminded him.

His face worked for a moment. ‘‘It fit, though.’’

‘‘Possibly, but I think more and more that Porter’s boss, whoever that might be, is involved in all this. Ouroboros dragons indicate it might be a dragon, but we can’t know that for sure. It could be anyone, really-a demon lord, a dragon, one of the wyverns you mentioned, or even Baltic come back from the dead. Not to mention someone unknown to us.’’

Gabriel shook his head and questioned his bodyguards for a few minutes, but they had nothing to explain what happened other than that the original people who snatched them off the street in Greece were dragons, but dragons not known to them, and not members of any sept. We conducted a brief examination of the apartment, but there was nothing to identify the occupant.

‘‘Did you recognize the dragon who was here in the last couple of hours?’’ I asked when we gave up searching for information.

Maata blinked at me for a moment. ‘‘What dragon?’’

‘‘Whoever came here a little bit ago. Possibly with my twin, Cyrene.’’

‘‘I didn’t see anyone, although I dozed for a little bit. Tipene?’’

He shook his head. ‘‘I was awake since noon, and no one entered the apartment.’’

A strange chill ran down my back as I thought about the trail clearly leading to the apartment. A memory tickled my brain and sent me back to the tiny kitchenette off the entrance. A window overlooked an unkempt minute garden at the back of the building. The window was unlocked, and when I half crawled through it, I saw one little glimmer of dragon scale on the stone ledge outside.

‘‘He left through the window,’’ I said, climbing back into the apartment. ‘‘Probably came into the apartment and didn’t bother going into the bedroom-just left via the window without being seen. Agathos daimon.We’re being led, Gabriel.’’

‘‘So it would seem,’’ he said, looking thoughtful. ‘‘Do you think you’ll be able to pick up the trail outside?’’

‘‘No. Too much time has passed. But what happened to Cyrene? If that was Kostya I was following, Cyrene must have left him at some point. Probably that spot in Montmarte where I lost the trail for a bit. I’m sorry, Gabriel.’’

He nodded in acknowledgment of my regret. ‘‘It ca

Maata made a face. ‘‘You have no idea.’’

Our trip back to Drake’s elegant house was made in silence broken only by the rumbling of Maata and Tipene’s empty stomachs.

I left Gabriel, Drake, the bodyguards of both, Aisling, and Savian closeted together to discuss the assault on the committee’s vault. I had no stomach for pla

‘‘Whatcha doing?’’ a voice asked from the other side of the fountain.

I jumped at the unexpected intrusion. ‘‘Jim! Oh, you scared me.’’

‘‘Sorry. Was taking a pee. What are you doing in Aisling’s outdoors sex spot?’’ Jim emerged from a shrubbery.

‘‘Outdoors sex spot?’’ I repeated in confusion.

‘‘Yeah. If you go over to that corner, the hedges block the view from all the houses around us. Aisling keeps a blanket out here in summer just so she and Drake can get naked. You and Gabriel going to get it on? Should I bring you a blanket?’’

‘‘I’m fine, thank you.’’

‘‘Your loss. What are you doing if you’re not scouting for an illicit love nest?’’

‘‘Wishing that it was a few hours from now,’’ I answered, rubbing my arms against a little prickle of goose bumps. ‘‘All this waiting around with nothing to do leaves me feeling itchy.’’

‘‘You sure it’s not fleas? I had a little bout with that myself last month, and Aisling just about had a fit.’’

‘‘I doubt it’s fleas,’’ I said with a little laugh. ‘‘It’s just a bit… irritating, if you know what I mean. Everyone is so concerned about plotting and pla

The demon tipped its head on the side. ‘‘You really think it’s going to be that simple? The committee has had almost a thousand years to keep people out of their vaults, and I’ve never heard of anyone breaking in, let alone breaking in and getting away with anything.’’

‘‘They’ve never faced a force like ours, though.’’

‘‘True that,’’ it agreed. ‘‘So what are you going to do about Magoth? You still thinking of going dybbuk? ’Cause if you are, I want to watch when Magoth gets wind of it.’’

‘‘You’re an evil little beastie,’’ I said, tightening my lips.

‘‘Hello! Demon!’’

‘‘Sixth class, which means you weren’t born that way.’’ I inspected it carefully. ‘‘What were you originally? Elemental being? Demigod?’’

Jim snorted. ‘‘Ha. Like I look like I have that sort of power? I was a sprite in the Court of Divine Blood.’’

‘‘Fallen angel, I should have known.’’

‘‘Oh, puh-leeze,’’ it said, rolling its eyes. ‘‘Don’t even go there. It’s bad enough Aisling found out. I don’t need anyone else going on about it.’’

I laughed again and patted the top of its head. ‘‘Fair enough. To answer your question, no, I don’t intend to go dybbuk. I won’t have to. The situation will work itself out.’’

‘‘What situation?’’ a silky smooth voice asked behind me. Gabriel strolled toward me, his movements controlled and graceful, like a lithe tiger. He had changed clothes and was now dressed completely in black, the darkness of the clothing and the enveloping night making his eyes glow like moonlight on mercury.