Gideon's Promise (Sons of Judgment Book 2) (33 page)

I
t was late afternoon when he woke surrounded by the clean scent of soap. There was a warm weight draped over his chest that was suffocating him in fine strands of silk. It tickled his face and spilled around his shoulders. He opened one eye and peered through a wild mess of dark hair at the head resting just over his chest. A pale arm slashed across his abdomen and there was a long, naked leg tossed carelessly over both of his. He was completely pinned and harboring the mother of all morning boners.

The woman in his arms sighed and wiggled closer. Her breasts crushed against his ribs and rubbed lightly through the material of her t-shirt. The junction of her thighs rolled against his hip. The knee rode up and bumped his throbbing erection.

Gideon swore lightly. Careful not to wake his companion, he pried her off him and onto her back, freeing himself of her confinement.

Valkyrie seemed to like that about as much as a kitten losing her heat. She groaned and flopped onto her stomach, kicking him in the process. At that angle, she was sprawled starfish style across the width of the bed with her panty-clad ass exposed. The stretch of fabric hugging the seam of her sex drew his attention. His gaze traced the hill of her mound and the valley where the crack started and ended at her opening in the middle. It was so pervy, but damn if it wasn’t a sight he could get used to.

Being the gentleman his mother raised him to be, he drew the blankets up around her and padded quietly from the room. The corridor was empty when he snuck into his own chambers to hurriedly shower and dress.

“Oh Gideon!” His mom cornered him just as he was making his way downstairs, a stack of papers in hand and her glasses still perched on the bridge of her nose. “There you are.” She shook her head, making the highlights in her hair glimmer under the harsh lights. “It’s nearly impossible to find anyone in this place sometimes.”

“Hey Mom.”

She smiled up at him without the usual glow. “Hello darling. How are you feeling?”

“Like the biggest jackass in the world,” he answered truthfully. “I said some things last night in the heat of the moment and—”

Her small hand settled over his arm. “You were upset. Your father and I understand where you were coming from. Imprinting is confusing enough without the burden of worrying about keeping your mate alive.”

“Doesn’t mean I had any right to say the things I did. Truth is...” He sighed heavily. “It’s not your, or Dad’s, fault. I got carried away and let the wrong head do the talking. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.”

She squeezed his forearm gently. “I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault. This was always meant to happen. The rest is just things we will need to work on together.”

Gideon nodded slowly. “I am still really sorry.”

“I know, sweetheart.” She went up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. “Now.” She held out the papers to him. “These are the demons that didn’t return last night during roll call. Could you do a trace and take one of your brothers to help you?”

Gideon took the pages, counted about ten and nodded. “I’ll take Magnus. I think he’s about to climb the walls. This is the longest he’s ever gone without hunting.”

His mother sighed. “This whole business with veil creatures being killed has thrown all of us off our game. Hopefully things will go back to normal once we catch them.”

Rapping the pages on the palm of his hand, Gideon started around her when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back to her.

“There will be one more to dinner tonight. Daphne,” he added when she frowned.

Her eyes went wide. “Reggie’s Daphne?”

“The one and the same.”

She shook her head in amazement. “I’m not sure I understand. I thought Reggie said—”

“I asked her.”

“You? Why would you...?”

“Because Riley needs to realize she’s ready to leave this house and Octavian needs to see she’s not a weak little flower and because if Magnus whines about those two one more time, I might kill all of them. Also, Daphne needs to be here, if not for her own safety, then for Reggie’s sanity. He’s losing it, Mom. I’ve never seen him so ... angry. This whole thing is changing him in a way that isn’t good for him.”

His mother’s brows furrowed. “And how did Reggie take this theory of yours?”

Gideon touched his jaw where the pain was still very real. “He was a bit upset.”

She shook her head. “I can’t say I blame him, love. That wasn’t your call to make.”

Expecting that, he squared his shoulders. “I love you, but you’re wrong. You’re the one who’s always telling us we need to look out for each other. That’s what I’m doing.”

Her features softened. She took a step forward and drew him into her arms, which was a bit awkward for him as he had to crouch and bend his back to come to her level. Her hand stroked the back of his head lovingly.

“I love your heart,” she murmured. “It is always thinking of others.” She drew away and cupped his face. “It hurts me that you never think of yourself.”

Gideon snorted. “I think about myself all the time. I’m my own favorite person.”

Her frown was ruined by her grin. “That is not what I meant and you know it.”

Smirking, he gave her a salute with the papers and ambled towards the back door just as it swung open and Magnus ambled in.

“Christmas came early for you, my bloodthirsty little brother.” He smacked Magnus on the forehead with the pages and got a punch in the gut that was void of its usual pain, meaning his brother’s heart hadn’t been in it. “We’re running a trace.”

With that, Gideon pivoted on his heels and marched to the double doors leading into the diner. Magnus caught up to him on the porch.

“Half and half?” he asked, extending his hand for half of the papers.

He passed them over and fished inside his pocket for his keys while Magnus counted out five and held the rest back to him.

Not waiting, Magnus started down the stairs. There was practically a skip in his step. Gideon followed, not nearly as excited about hunting as his brother. His mind was still in bed with Valkyrie.

He thought of the girl he had met all those years ago, so desperate for approval. She had been so passionate, so warm and full of life. He had known he loved her from the moment she had been dragged into that clearing. He hadn’t known then who she was, or why she was there, or even that she was his mate. Only that she radiated a light that seemed to pulse with its own life. It had been magnetic, drawing him to her. Or maybe that had been the bond. It didn’t matter. She had been a different person then, and he had loved her with an intensity that burned hotter than any fire.

Then she changed. She withdrew from him and became the warrior her father had always wanted. The light inside her faded until he could no longer see it. Maybe forever. He still loved her. Whether it was the bond, or actual love, he didn’t know and that worried him.

Neither he nor Magnus said a word as they crossed to Gideon’s car. He paused with one hand on the door handle.

“Wait, does this mean...?”

Over the top of the car, Magnus smirked. “This is why I have a motorcycle.”

Muttering a curse, Gideon jerked open his door and slid in behind the wheel. Magnus did the same on the other side and they pulled out.

Eden, with its big front windows and glass door looked to anyone passing by like a normal pet shop. They offered the usual assortment of house pets, their food, and whatever else a pet owner required to care for the creatures. But unlike most business, it harbored a much darker presence.

The people running it were human. Like most of their business with the mortal world, few were selected by the Summit to assist the Casters in matters that would otherwise draw attention to them. Gideon didn’t know exactly what the process was, or how they were picked, but they always did what they were told without question. Most mortals would. He had a feeling it was because they’d been asked by angels that made them such willing sheep. His kind very seldom had anything kind to say about the holy beings. Humans were revered as precious while creatures from beyond the veil were evil. It was just the way of things. He had learned long ago to just live with it.

Jonas, the corn child, beamed broadly at them when they pushed through the door and stalked down the dog food aisle to the front.

Jonas was nineteen and the son of the owner and the entire family was blond, blue-eyed, and freckled. What was worse, they dressed like they were on their way to sell Bibles. Jonas had on a plaid shirt that was tucked into khakis with brown loafers and a fucking bowtie. His wheat blond hair was slicked to the right to show off his many freckles and the eager to please smile on his face. The guy gave Gideon the creeps, which was why he let Magnus do the talking.

Magnus didn’t talk. He never did. He pulled back the front of his long, dark coat to reveal the blade at his hip. To most people, that meant the store was being held up and to bring forth all the cash from the register. Jonas eyed the blade once, kept smiling as he motioned for them to follow him into the back behind the counter.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Jonas said excitedly. “Father said you would be by, what with what’s been going on.”

Magnus shot Gideon a wary glance from over his shoulder.

“What does your father know about it?” Magnus demanded.

Jonas looked back. “The killings,” he said like they were talking about the best deal for dog food. “It’s everywhere. Everyone knows.”

Magnus hummed. “Is that right.” He folded his arm and Gideon suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Did his brother really think he could intimidate this kid? “What exactly does everyone know?”

The kid just kept on smiling. “Well, that someone’s killing veil creatures and that no one knows who they are or what they want.”

Magnus arched a brow. “What else?”

Jonas shrugged. “Nothing else. Is there more?”

The eagerness in his face was unmistakable.

Magnus eyed the kid. “Where’s my dogs?”

Nonplussed by the curt brush off, Jonas turned to the large metal doors built into the back, behind crates of cat litter. A ring of keys hung from the wall by a thread and he snatched them up.

“You leave the keys to the dog pen just hanging there for anyone to grab?” Magnus growled.

Blinking his creepy blue doll eyes, Jonas looked down at the brass keys in his hand. “Ma used to have it at the front, but my sister, Sadie would always play with it so Ma moved it here.”

Gideon wasn’t sure what was more amusing, Jonas’s unwavering honesty, or watching Magnus restrain himself from throttling the kid.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous those keys are?”

Jonas eyed the keys again with a new sort of wariness, like he was suddenly not sure they could be trusted. “What should I do with them?”

Magnus looked to Gideon as if to say,
is this kid for fucking real?
Gideon just grinned and motioned him to continue.

“Put them somewhere safe!” Magnus snapped.

Jonas blinked rapidly. “Can I open the door first?”

There was no helping it. Gideon burst out laughing. Magnus looked like he was two seconds away from killing someone and Jonas was holding the keys like he was afraid they would grow teeth and bite him.

“Listen, kid, I’m about to break my oath and beat you bloody with your own damn arm, so I would stop playing stupid and get me my dogs.”

Not sure which to be more afraid of, Magnus or the keys, Jonas fumbled as he snapped open the lock and pulled the heavy door open. The thing groaned like an unsettled soul in the silence. Gideon casually muffled his next fit of snickers behind a cough and blinked innocently at Magnus when his twin shot him a death glare.

Nostrils flaring, Magnus marched through the doorway and into the dimly lit chamber beyond. A single square window cast a faint, blue tinge over the concrete walls and the three iron crates taking up most of the space. There were no air holes, or openings to indicate anything living lay dormant inside, but then again, the beasts inside weren’t really alive.

“Do you think you’ll have them back before suppertime?” Jonas wondered as he moved to the wall behind the door and pulled down two sets of harnesses. “Ma wants me home by six.”

Stalking over to him, Magnus snatched the first harness out of his small, pale hands and stalked back to the first crate. Jonas stiffened. He started edging towards the door and Gideon.

Without giving warning, Magnus yanked out the first peg that held the crate sealed. The five inch long nail struck the ground with a grating clang. The second one quickly followed. Then the third. Then the front cracked against the concrete and the crate was open to a deep, dark hole.

“
Karos
!” Magnus commanded and pulsing red eyes opened, a low rumble followed.

Jonas inched closer to Gideon as the first of six paws emerged from the depths, each one the size of saucers and tipped with two inch long talons. The light sparked off the needle sharp points of its claws as they clicked almost menacingly on concrete. Black fur glistened as the beast rose from its crouch and stood to its full two and a half feet of raw, sinewy muscle. It raised its flat head and its tail lashed the air as it sniffed with a ribbed snout.

“
Keese
!” Magnus barked, jabbing with one finger to the ground.

The beast trotted forward obediently and heeled at Magnus’s feet. A long, fat tongue lolled out from between three rows of serrated fangs and it looked up at Magnus with an adoration that almost made Gideon chuckle.

“Good boy,” Magnus muttered, reaching out a hand and rubbing the hellhound between the ears.

The thing’s tail whipped excitedly side to side.

Gideon rolled his eyes as he moved to get his own dog out. “You know they’re not actually pets, right?”

Magnus continued to stroke the beast’s head. “If this isn’t a man’s best friend, I don’t know what is.” Bending down, he began strapping the full body harness over the creature’s back and across its belly, careful to loop the straps around each long leg. “I would take him home if it was allowed.”

Gideon didn’t doubt it. Magnus had a way with vicious animals that most people would find disturbing. They obeyed him without question and became frighteningly loyal to him. Maybe it was because Magnus himself was as wild and dangerous as they were so they sensed one of their own. It was hard to tell.