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“We’re not talking about this right now,” I said.
“They said that?” Logan asked.
“Yes, and you know Cameron and Xavier will follow.”
While Dianna knew of my previous history with Imogen, her presence might still ignite Dianna’s jealousy, making her even more volatile. I did not wish to test that theory just yet. If I summoned the rest of The Hand, it might push her further over the edge. It would also solidify the one thing I did not wish to be true. If The Hand were here, then I’d lost her forever.
“I do not summon The Hand lightly. You know that, and I do not need all of you here yet. If I summon you, all of you, it’s not for capture. It’s for war. Kaden will see it as such, and we do not have even the slightest hold on Dianna yet.”
“And you don’t want to fight two Ig’Morruthens?” Vincent asked.
“Tobias makes three,” Logan added.
“Nevertheless, we are not talking about this at the moment.”
Vincent raised a single brow. “I wouldn’t jump to war, but judging by this room, we could use the help. We have no leads, and we’re a step behind her and Kaden. Again. We need more people.”
“Not. Yet.” The words hissed out of me, clipped and short, and Vincent didn’t fight me this time.
My gaze caught on the dark smudge on the far wall, and I stared, transfixed. It blossomed in the telltale splatter of arterial spray, and I wondered just how hot the fire had to burn to brand the blood so deeply into the wood.
A young celestial came through the door, tripping over the rubble as he approached.
“We collected data from the owner as you requested,” he said. He focused on Vincent, seeming unable to hold my gaze.
“This was the only footage we found of anyone coming in and out of this room.” He spun the tablet toward us, pressing a few concave buttons. Blue lights sparked above it before the screen came to life. A video of the hallway showed a few mortals entering and leaving. I moved closer, Logan and Vincent flanking me, towering over the celestial. He remained in place even as his hands shook, causing the tablet to wobble.
My heart stopped as a handful of women appeared, giggling and dancing. One that stuck out amongst the crowd. There. I saw her. Only it wasn’t her. She wore another mortal disguise, but I recognized Dianna no matter what form she assumed. It was the way she moved, her every gesture inherently Dianna. She could not hide behind cloaks and gimmicks. Not with me. Her skin was shades paler than her natural golden bronzed in this form, and a pink that matched her minuscule dress tipped her short blonde curls. She squealed and laughed with the others as the crowd approached the door. My head lifted, and I glanced around the room. Now I knew why the reek of blood and death was so pervasive. They were all still here.
“At first,” the young celestial started, “we didn’t think it was even her. Not until… Well, you’ll see.”
I looked at the tablet and recognized her body language. She always used the same tactics in her seduction—a sway of her hips, a flip of her hair, and the slight touches to her upper torso. Dianna reminded me of a serpent, slowly, deliberately drawing in its prey before she snapped. It hurt to watch, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away. I rubbed my hand over the smooth line of my jaw, hungry for the sight of her, even if she wasn’t in her natural form. The outfits she favored always showed a little too much, but she didn’t need them to garner attention. Her smile lit up the entire room, drawing men and women alike to her. Her laugh was like music to my soul.
A man ran up behind her, grabbing her around the waist with one arm and swinging her to the side. They laughed, and my stomach turned. He handed the suitcase he carried off to another man and opened the door. The women ran inside, but Dianna hung back, leaning against the wall. She beckoned him closer with a slim finger and an invitation in her eyes, a temptress baiting a trap. He fell into it eagerly, his hands running down her sides and over her hips to cup her ass so tightly she grunted and jumped. My teeth ground and my jaw clenched as he pushed his body against hers before claiming her mouth.
I knew what it felt like to kiss those lips. It was pure bliss, and I hated him for tasting what was mine. Pain twisted my gut, the agony enough to make my breath hitch. I had been nearly cut open in my youth learning how to wield a blade in battle, and this felt worse. It was pure, intense agony, and I wanted to summon Oblivion and rip into him. How dare he touch her, caress her? He did not know her or care for her. She was just another body to him. The lights flickered in the room, and the tablet’s screen went black for a brief second. Everyone stopped and looked at me. I needed to get myself under control. What was wrong with me? I took a breath, trying to calm myself and settle my emotions.
My fists clenched behind my back, and the screen came back on. No one said anything and for a good reason. The primitive part of their brain in charge of their survival told them to stay very still and quiet. I was not a hundred percent certain I would not incinerate them by mistake. I have not wanted nor craved anyone for over a thousand years, but Dianna woke some long-dead part of me. The emptiness and loneliness that had become a reality of my existence faded when I was in her presence. Now she was gone. She had shown me what it meant to feel at peace and then ripped it away.
On the screen, the man lifted Dianna. She wrapped her legs around his waist before they disappeared behind the door. “Why are we playing this?” Logan asked, coming to my defense after a quick glance at me.
“I-I’m sorry.” The celestial pressed another button, the small white numbers on the edge of the screen fast-forwarding through hours. They had been in there for hours. Anger rippled off me as I struggled not to imagine all the things they could have done. Had he taken her in every part of this place? Had she liked it? Had she made the same noises she’d once made for me? I bit back a groan, feeling as if I were being eviscerated.
“See, this part?” the celestial said, thankfully pulling me from my thoughts. He slowed the video, the seconds clicking by. The door opened, and an orange glow lit the dark hall. Dianna stepped out in her true form, her beautiful dark hair cascading down her back in waves. She turned and strode down the hall without a backward glance, ignoring the flames that followed her from the room. “She left without the suitcase. The man she came with had a suitcase, and she left without it, which means it is still here.”
“You made me watch that for a suitcase you could have merely mentioned?” I asked, barely keeping the snarl from my voice.
The celestial swallowed, glancing toward Vincent before he stammered, “I-I…”
“Your position is terminated,” I said. Vincent plucked the tablet from his hands, and the celestial hurried away. I turned, fighting the urge to go after him and strangle him.
“Samkiel, think clearly.” Logan stepped closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Why would she allow herself to be caught on camera? She knew it was there. That whole display. This? She wants to send a message. She is unhappy with your decision to close Onuna. Think reasonably, and with all due respect, don’t fire anyone else.”
I ignored Logan, unable to process what he was saying, even as he tried to make sense of the situation. The other celestials avoided my gaze, returning to work. I moved further into the room, aiming for the center. Logan and Vincent followed me but stopped short when I rolled up my sleeves. They reversed direction, waving the celestials back to the edges of the room. Focusing on the growing knot of pain in my chest, I pulled on my power. The skin along my arms lit with the intricate design of my people, the tattoos burning with molten silver. I knew they matched the lines on my face and the irises of my eyes.
The room vibrated as items, charred and damaged, began to mend. Celestials clung to the walls, trying to stay upright. I lifted my hands, returning the room to what had been only hours prior. Chairs, tables, and couches reformed from the destruction. Several celestials jumped back and out of the way as the room became what it had been before the fire.
“Oh, gods.”
