The Devil's Soldier by Rachel McClellan Read Free Book Online Page B

being."
    "Why?" Lucien asked and sucked up the last of the blood. "Wouldn't it be better if they knew what they could be up against?"
    "If this is Boaz, then it would be better if they didn't know. There's nothing they can do to stop him, anyway."
    Lucien slid the empty blood bag away from him. "Then why hasn't Boaz tried something like this before?"
    "Because he hasn't had the support from other Supernaturals like he does now. Something's changed to make them more confident that he could actually take over."
    Someone knocked on the door. Lucien quickly grabbed the blood bag and hid it onto his lap under the table. There were many in the Deific office who didn't know the true purpose of the organization. They simply thought it was the accounting office they advertised themselves to be.
    "Come in," Henry said.
    Charlie opened the door and walked in, his nose wrinkling in disgust. "Rick's finally got something. He wants us downstairs." His gaze went to Lucien. "Thanks for making the place smell like a sweaty, high school locker room. Maybe you should shower before you come down."
    Lucien pushed himself to a standing position, swaying slightly. He felt a little better, but his muscles still burned like he'd been lifting weights too hard.
    "Let's go," Henry said, passing Charlie in the doorway.
    Lucien followed, dropping the empty blood bag into the garbage. When he walked by Charlie , he lifted his arm as if he was stretching, but made sure his armpit was close to Charlie's face.
    "Close that thing," Charlie said and moved away from him, scowling.
    Lucien smiled and continued toward the stairwell.
    "You were right to bring Rick into the Deific," Henry said over his shoulder as they descended the steps to the second floor. "I wasn't sure at first, but he's proved valuable."
    Henry opened a glass door. On the other side were two holding cells built out of heavy steel and fortified by magic, something Eve had done herself when she had worked here. The metal bars were pretty much impermeable to any supernatural creature. Rick was in one of them. He was lying on the floor, throwing a ball into the air and catching it again. He scrambled to his feet, smiling big. A vampire was in the cell next to him. This one didn't look as relaxed. He was standing at the back, arms folded tight and dark eyebrows drawn together.
    "About time," Rick said. "I am so bored."
    The vampire turned to him, surprise replacing his angry expression. "You know these guys?"
    Charlie unlocked Rick's cell. "It's only been twelve hours. What did you learn?"
    "You traitorous bastard!" the vampire spat.
    "His name is Riley," Ricky said, "but people call him Roudy. He's been a vampire for sixty years. He doesn't have a girlfriend, but wants one. And he has a sweet tooth for those little butterscotch candies."
    "Did you learn anything valuable?" Lucien asked, trying to keep his voice even.
    "How could you?" Roudy asked Rick. "You're one of us!"
    "Not anymore," Rick said without looking back at him. "Roudy has heard of Boaz, but doesn't know where his is. But he told me about this club, Eclipse, where a bunch of Supernaturals hang out. A few of them there claim to know Boaz. Apparently everyone's scrambling to find him."
    "Why?" Lucien asked.
    "They want to be put into a position of power in the human world." His gaze went to Henry. "You were right. Boaz is killing off top political leaders and replacing them with Supernaturals whenever he can."
    "Like in New Jersey," Lucien said. Charlie had told him that the new Lieutenant Governor to replace the state's recently deceased governor was a werewolf.
    "We need to act fast," Henry said. "More humans are going to die."
    "What about him?" Rick asked, motioning his head toward Roudy.
    Charlie walked up to the iron bars and asked, "Would you like to change?"
    "Change?" Roudy looked around at each of them. "What is this, some kind of gay club?"
    "Change as in gain back your humanity. Instead of promoting death and carnage, you