Deidre's Death

His second-in-command appeared instantly.

"I'm going to meet with Darkyn. Stay available," he directed him.

"Sure, Boss."

Gabriel opened a portal and strode through the shadow world. Setting foot in Deidre's old apartment again was surreal. The human lived here for a few years with a boyfriend that one of Darkyn's demons killed. This very building was the one Gabriel dived off of in an attempt to keep the terrified human from trying to kill herself.

Maybe it was a mistake to come here. His gaze lingered on a picture of Deidre on one wall. It was her … but not. At least, not anymore. The Deidre he spent the night with and the Deidre who went to see Darkyn four days ago were very different.

On a mission to ensure there was a clean slate between his mate and Darkyn, Gabriel waited in the middle of Deidre's old apartment for the Dark One to arrive. He glanced around the tiny place, unable to rid himself of the instinct that warned him he was missing something. He didn't understand what. The sense of unease rose again, this time more strongly. He reminded himself why he chose this place: it was where Darkyn met him originally, before the Dark One had brokered a deal with Gabriel's mate. If Darkyn had a connection to Deidre, he'd be affected by the place as much as Gabriel was. Gabriel just had to watch for the signs.

"What brings Death to my door?" the Dark One asked, emerging from the hallway leading to the master bedroom.

Gabriel assessed the demon lord. A full head smaller than him, Darkyn was nonetheless the most lethal creature Gabriel had ever known. The demon's wiry frame was armed, his black eyes steady and quiet power restrained. Something about the demon was different enough to make Gabriel pause. Darkyn normally simmered with restless energy that emerged in sudden, unpredictable violence. Today, he seemed … calm, if the ruthless Dark One could be called that.

"Your choice of venue is …interesting," Darkyn said with a glance around.

"I take it you found what you were looking for, the last time we met here," Gabriel said. Darkyn had demons searching the apartment last week for what Gabriel assumed was the soul contained in the tumor of the human-Deidre's head. Why he wanted the soul that he then let go was another mystery Gabriel wanted to resolve.

A cold smile crossed Darkyn's face. "You would guess right."

"You made a deal with my mate."

"I did."

"Are the terms fulfilled?"

"They are."

"That easy?" Gabriel studied him with a frown. "You prevent one from dying, bring the other back from the dead-dead, combine their souls and release her from Hell. In exchange for what?"