Chapter Twenty Six

Julian’s Pov

“So, just to make sure I’ve got this…someone is possibly breeding an army of incubi and succubi to take over the world as we know it?”

Seraphina’s tone perfectly conveyed her disbelief and, to be fair, if I hadn’t been in the thick of it, I would have had just as much difficulty swallowing it all.

“Yup, that’s about it. We’re hoping that isn’t what’s going on but talking to the mother should give us a bit more insight.”

At that, Sera raised a brow. “The mother? You’re meeting with one of the women who’ve been impregnated?”

I hummed, gripping Dimitrius’s hand as I answered. “Yes, we were actually going to her after hitting the last base, but…well you know what happened.”

The pinkette scoffed, Elle–her familiar–sending me a pointed look as her master spoke. “You mean you recklessly jumping in front of a spell that nearly killed you? Yes, that would slow down your plans, wouldn’t it?”

Groaning, I fought back. “Really Sera? I couldn’t see what her hands were doing! I just saw enough to know it was high level. You have to understand why I did it.”

Her lips quirked in amusement. “Well, considering I haven’t been able to see in the strictest sense of the word in years…No, I wouldn’t know the feeling, but I understand what you mean. While the risk you took was reckless, it was to save someone you care for and I can respect that.”

Relaxing a bit, I questioned hopefully. “Does that mean you’ll drop it?”

Sera barked a laugh. “For now, but I’ll definitely be adding this to my list of ‘Reckless Things Julian Did That I Highly Disapprove Of’.”

Fair enough.

Turning to Dimitrius, I prodded. “Before I forget, did you call that mother, Dimitrius?”

He nodded, coming into the conversation with ease. “Yes, I did, but the phone rang through. IT could simply be that she was at work.”

Despite his hopeful words, every hair on my neck stood on end as if to refute that. Trying not to be negative–for once–I stood from my place reclined into his side. “When then, we should head her way immediately. I’ll apologize for not showing up on time when we get there. With us so close to finally getting some answer I don’t want to leave anything to chance.”

Before we could start getting ready though, Sera spoke. “Wait, I’m coming with you two.”

Turning, confusion boiling away in my gut, I asked. “Not that I’m saying you can’t, but why? You hate planes.”

She grunted in agreement. “That I do, but something tells me I’m going to be needed for whatever dumpster fire we’re about to set foot in.”

Well, if I hadn’t been on edge before I certainly was now! A dire feeling from me was nothing new, easily brushed off as paranoia, but one from Seraphina? Better to break out the umbrellas because shit was going to hit the fan.

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Not saying that, I waved. “Alright, always better to have someone else with us, especially given the gadgets you have for battle. Hopefully it won’t be needed, but if whoever is behind this is actually making an army, I’ll need your help and anyone else we can rope into it.”

She stood, following swiftly as we led the way towards the weapons room. On the way there, she asked.

“Didn’t you say you knew an Exitium mage? If it comes down to it you can always call him.”

If it came down to it, I would. Vladimir was by far one of the scariest motherfuckers I knew. Between his Exitium, Spectrum and Mortuus magic types he could drive someone to the brink of insanity while ripping every ounce of water from their corpse before raising it from the blasted grave to do it again.

But with our shared history and I sincerely doubted Dimitrius would be comfortable with having him under this roof. Our relationship was going well, better to not add unnecessary tension.

“I do know one, but let’s try not to call him in. We’re hoping it isn’t that severe anyway.”

Dimitrius nodded. “We are most likely overreaching. The amount of power it takes for an incubus to impregnate a human female is impressive. While this may also be a group of incubi doing this, it is unlikely. Generally, women are born, not males.”

Fascinating bit of information there, but not one we needed to focus on right this minute. “We’ll talk to the mother and get an idea of where we stand after that. No reason to start screaming about the sky falling yet. Unfortunately, so far she’s the only one of the mothers we contacted who can remember the face of the man who impregnated them. If she’s a dead end, we’re back to waiting for something else to pop up.”

Just another reason I was anxious to get to the woman. In situations where the information I needed could only be acquired from one place, the world had the cruel habit of removing it from my reach. As proven with the Frenwere.

With any luck we would get there and she’d have the information we needed.

Sera broke me from my thoughts, Elle now turning to face Dimitrius curiously. “She’ll have the information, I can feel it. Though the sooner we get there, the better. After we talk to her, I advise putting her and the child under some kind of protection. It isn’t safe for her right now and if your enemy learns she helped you…”

I winced, “Then she’ll have a target slapped on her back, so will the kid.”

Thankfully, Dimitrius chimed in before my mind could go any further on that. “Then I shall see to ti that they remain safe. On the plane ride over I will have everything set, but for now, let us make haste. Every moment wasted could be vital.”

Agreeing silently, I followed as he walked into the weapons room. The walls were lined with everything from daggers to full on great swords. I’d drooled more than once over his collection, but for now I shook it off.

Tugging on my leather absentmindedly, I loaded up on weapons before throwing over my shoulder. “I don’t think we have anything you can use here Sera.”

Most would assume that–due to her blindness–Sera didn’t fight, and that was generally the last mistake people made when facing her. She’d never let anything stop her before and now was no exception.

Elle turned to me with a huff as Seraphina traced over the weapons on the table. “I have everything I need on me, as you should know.”

Not surprising. Before I could tease her though, Dimitrius broke in curiously.

“Forgive me if this is overstepping, but what weapon do you use?”

Sera’s mouth twitched upward as she finally stopped examining the table’s contents. “Most of my attacks aren’t magic, which is why I have this.” Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out a small metal cylinder.

At first glance it was harmless, fitting in her palm with ease, but I knew better and if the wary look Dimitrius threw it was any indication, he knew it too.

Noting his look, Sera smiled in approval. “Not underestimating it just because it’s small? Good, you might survive in our world after all.”

Then, in the next heartbeat, the cylinder lengthened until it formed a long, sleek pole.

Runes circled it from the tip to base, moving as she did and fluctuating between the many different spells she’d paid to have enchanted into it.

She tapped the ground with it. “This is my weapon of choice. It doesn’t look like much, but I have various protections embedded into it that have saved my life over the years.”

I could all but see the curiosity burning in Dimitrius’s eyes as I hooked my arm through his and dragged us out the door. “Come on, we can explain how enchantments work on the place ride. We’re in a hurry, remember?”

They both nodded, following without complaint as the itchy feeling at the back of my neck picked up its pace again. Damn it all, I hoped that was just my paranoia and everything was fine. We’d dealt with enough setbacks lately.