“Nergal will soon have his Staff of Blight back. With it, he’ll demolish everyone in the city before spreading pestilence and war across the world.”
Everyone around them froze as awareness of a new and pressing danger impacted.
Khent added, “We’ve beentryingto stop this from happening. But now that you want to drag my mate into your tangle of idiocy and incompetence, you’re creating unnecessary problems I’m happy to solve for you.”
“Mate?” Duncan gaped and looked kind of cute, his fangs hanging out while he stared at Khent and Val. “You havea mate?”
“A humanmate?” Macy asked, equally agog.
“Yes. She is more than acceptable. A superior human well acquainted with death.”
Val stared at Khent, aware of the pride in his voice that warmed her and turned all that gooey affection she had forthe guy into something deeper. A strong bond between them becoming stronger.
One of the MEC enforcers rushed to Macy and whispered in her ear.
“What?” Macy glared at Val again. “Your necromancer is killing left and right while his undead take over Capitol Hill. In front of normal humans!”
“A right problem, eh?” Duncan grinned. “We haven’t had a good battle in a while. You coming, Khent?”
“Go on. Valentine and I have things to do here.”
“Duncan, I can’t just leave this?—”
The vampire squeezed his mate in a hug. “Macy, she’s not the issue right now. Let’s go kill demons. You know I missed the battle the others had with Hanbi. Still irks me, to tell the truth.”
Khent waved for them to go. “Yes, yes. Irkalla is all the rage. Go kill some galla demons. Tell them I send greetings.”
“This isn’t over,” Macy warned.
Val wanted to kill her and revive her, but the challenging look on Duncan’s face told her to wait.
“Come on, Macy,” her demon friend said. “He’s using upir too.”
“Cho. Wait. There are deadvampireskilling people? Shit. MEC, let’s move!”
The rest of MEC dove for their cars and lit out.
“I’ll meet you there.” Duncan kissed Macy and smiled. She smiled back.
Like an actual couple.
Val stared.
“Cho, back her up,” Duncan ordered.
Macy’s friend nodded.
“Fine, but hurry up, Duncan. And don’t get dead.” Macy glared at Val, who gave her the finger, which earned a low chuckle from Khent.
The witch and her buddy followed the others, leaving the premises in a cloud of dust.
Val didn’t know what to do.
Duncan approached.
Khent didn’t tense, so Val figured she didn’t need to worry.
“What’s going on?” Duncan asked. “We’ve been busy looking for the Bloode Stone.” He didn’t avert his gaze from Khent’s dark wings.
