Page 2 of Gargoyle Sentinel
Dante regarded him, his lips set in a grim line. “If you're really interested in meeting our new baby, she’s in an upstairs bedroom with Amir and Leonardo.”
Malachi froze mid-step. “Did something happen? Why did you leave home?”
“Nothing specific happened. It’s more that I…” He cleared his throat. “If you say one word of this to anyone, I swear to allthat is holy…” Dante narrowed his eyes. “Promise you won’t say anything.”
Mal chuckled. He sensed that Dante’s hyper-masculine pride was behind his pleas. “Sure. I promise.”
Dante lifted one eyebrow. “You can do that?”
Mal let out a tired sigh. “Yes, I mean it. Michael’s going to have a fit if we don’t hurry up, so tell me what happened already.”
Dante dragged his hand across the top of his head. “I freaked out. I never cared so much before, you know? I always figured, oh well. If I go down, that’s the way it goes. Get dumped into heaven and deal with everlasting boredom. But now with Amir and the kids…” His voice cracked. “I couldn’t bear it if something were to happen to them. So I might’ve told Michael that Amir was scared, and I brought them all here to appease him. Safety in numbers and all that.”
Malachi’s lips twitched with amusement, but he kept his promise and didn’t mock his fellow Slayer. Instead, he clasped Dante’s shoulder with genuine understanding.
“The mighty have fallen.” He smiled, hoping that Dante knew his words held no judgment. “But I get it. Having something to lose changes everything.”
“It’s fucking terrifying.” Dante shook his head. “I'd rather face a hundred shadow gargoyles at once than see a single scratch on any of them.”
As they approached the main entrance of the estate, Malachi noticed the intricate sigils etched into the doorframe. Michael’s signature handiwork was apparent. The archangel had warded the massive home with the highest level of protection.
Mal’s voice dropped to a professional tone. “So what do we know about the kidnapped Nephilim?”
Dante’s expression darkened. “Young man named Danny Rutherford. Local ski instructor, but there’s a lot more to it thanthat. Michael was getting some additional intel from Ronen and Cassiel when I came out here to wait for you.”
Malachi tilted his head. “I thought they were in the Boston lair?”
“They were, but activity there died down to nothing after Zeke’s victory at the harbor over Lysander. The Slayers here began to notice an unusual amount of activity in this area, which seemed odd.”
Malachi nodded. “That is strange. Too difficult for them to remain undercover.”
Dante sighed. “I’ll admit that’s what led to my fears about my family. We’re as remote as it gets up in the Cascades.” He glanced around as if checking to see that they weren’t being spied on. “I only found out about Cassiel and Ronan when I arrived. Several other top warriors were brought in from other lairs as well.”
“Is the kidnapped Nephilim mated?”
His stomach roiled at the thought that he could be pregnant or being tortured. If only the war could be ended and the enemy banished back to hell. It would certainly get Lucifer off their backs. Having to continuously run into that asshole on the Earth plane during strategy sessions grated on his nerves. He wished he had Michael’s ability to look past the fallen angel’s treachery, despite their ultimate goal being the same.
Dante shook his head. “No. All I got from the brief conversation with Michael before he called you in was that there’s an outrageous demand from the rogues for the safe return of Danny.”
Malachi sighed. “Damn. I guess we’d better get inside then. Am I the last to arrive?”
As if in answer to his question, Ezekiel touched down next to them, quickly shifting to his human form. “Well, what do we have here? The elusive Dante gracing us with his presence?”Ezekiel clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. “How’s home life treating you?”
Dante’s eyes darted in Mal’s direction before he answered Ezekiel. “Couldn’t be better. They’re here, as a matter of fact.”
Ezekiel’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? Wow, that’s terrific. I’d love to visit with little Chara.” He grinned. “I haven’t seen that cutie since I delivered her and you snatched her from my arms.”
“There was no snatching,” Dante growled. “Just excitement over meeting my daughter, that’s all.”
Ezekiel barked out a laugh. “Don’t get your gargoyle undies in a twist.”
Dante frowned. “Who says I’m wearing undies?”
“Hello!” Michael yelled from the open French doors off the large patio. “Are you goofballs planning on joining us this evening?”
“I’ll show him a goofball,” mumbled Dante.
“Of course,” answered the ever-cordial Ezekiel while simultaneously elbowing Dante. “I just landed, so I’m afraid I held everything up while greeting them.”
