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I sank farther into my chair. I’d forgotten Kat had told me there was a Vessel in New York. Poor woman. My mind conjured up Danté, leering over me.
Jude pressed his mouth to my temple, a comforting gesture. Interesting that George nor Kat found our cozy seat together in the chair odd or strange. I suppose they both knew we were…what were we exactly?
“Who’s covering for you now, Katherine?” asked George.
“Dorian. He’s assured me nothing unusual has happened, not since I left anyway,” she answered in a much more professional, and less hostile, manner than she used with him before.
“Dorian’s covering his province as well as yours?”
George’s devil-may-care expression faded behind an austere one. I suddenly had no doubts about his capabilities as leader of the demon hunters.
“He’s had no trouble,” she assured him. “I only left New York at Jude’s request because of, well, because of Genevieve and the odd circumstances surrounding her.”
I realized that while George was their commander, he gave them leeway to make decisions on their own. There was trust in this hierarchy. I liked that.
“And what’s so odd about my circumstances? Besides being attacked by demons on a daily basis, I mean.”
Kat smiled. “That’s just it, Gen. Vessels aren’t usually attacked, as in, to be killed.” The clarification made me a little uneasy, but she went on to avoid that awkward pause. “They’re collected by high demons to harvest their power, to use as weapons for darkness.”
“So something unusual did happen before you left New York?” I asked.
“There have been a number of high demons, barons and dukes, coming and going to his penthouse residence. No princes, but lots of courtiers of the underworld.”
“Is this so odd?” I asked. “Wouldn’t demon princes always be surrounded by them?”
“No,” said Jude. “High demons are territorial and extremely paranoid of anyone usurping their power. If he’s gathering them to counsel, you can bet there’s a big reason.”
“But let’s just say I’m the one in this prophecy, why would they want to kill me?”
The three of them glanced at one another before Kat looked at me. “You’re right. I think it is because Bamal wants to a player in fulfilling the prophecy. Bamal thinks you’re the one as well, the Vessel mentioned. Do you remember, the prophecy said, ‘Two great sons of Morning Star’? Bamal must see himself as one of these two sons in the prophecy, and Danté as his other rival. He’s been trying to destroy you, while Danté has been seeking you for his Vessel.”
I tightened the fleece around me, ignoring the prickly sensation of fear tingling down my spine.
“Danté?” asked George. “Who the devil is that?”
“Ru’um,” clarified Jude. “He’s going by Danté these days.”
“What a pompous prick. So now he thinks he’s Danté Alighieri, creator ofThe Divine Comedy? That’s a laugh.”
“But why the sudden change?” I asked, repeating George’s question from earlier. “If Bamal thinks I’m this one in the prophecy, why would he tell Dommiel to just do surveillance? What is he watching me for? Waiting for? To kidnap me instead?”
“That would make sense, actually,” said Kat. “The prophecy mentions a face-to-face sort of showdown, Vessel to Vessel. Perhaps, Bamal thinks you’re supposed to challenge his Vessel.”
The thought of fighting another woman to death sent a chill up my spine.
Kat tapped her high-heeled foot nervously. “No matter the reason, I need to start doing surveillance of my own when I head back, which needs to be soon.”
“I agree,” said George. “What we really need is a way to draw him out or other minions he may have in play. Dommiel is a local high demon, and we’ve taken him out of the equation. Have we not, Katherine?”
“Yes. He’ll stay out of it now.”
George nodded. “Then if he’s serious, he’ll send some of his own demons.”
Jude leaned forward. “He has. There was one the night I met Genevieve. And another, Garzel, a lower demon who attacked her in a local bar. Of course, that was before this incident with Dommiel. It seems Bamal has changed tactics since then. You’re right, George. We need to set a trap. Someplace public that would also offer a way for his demons to stay hidden. They’ll know we’re watching Genevieve closely, so they’ll be cautious.”
I cleared my throat, shifting sideways in Jude’s lap so I could see him.
“I know of a place,” I said, twisting the frays of the fleece absently. Three pairs of eyes turned to me. “Mindy and I are invited to the Crescent City Masquerade coming up. It’s exclusive but will be very crowded, and of course, it’s a masked ball. Anyone could stay hidden.”
