Belly of the Beast

Chapter 45

Traveling with an infant made the experience more complicated in so many ways, but Vincent remained patient as he helped me into the Escalade and secured our son in his car seat. If we'd been flying, we probably would have been there already. Rizzo was asked to accompany us for added protection, since I refused to leave Henry at the penthouse, and none of us knew what to expect when we arrived at the warehouse.

"We aren't going far," Vincent said as he climbed up front. "You two ready back there?"

"Roger that, chief." I attempted to provoke a smile from him, but he had slipped into serious mode after our discussion about Henry tagging along, and Mr. Hard-As-Nails now had the reins.

Despite the short distance, traffic had us creeping along for half an hour. To hell with flying, walking would have been faster, but I wasn't about to walk when I was losing blood like a dam during the rainy season. Henry remained alert as we did the evening crawl, turning at the sound of horns and blinking up at the lights reflecting through the windows. No doubt, he would be citified before his first birthday.

By the time we reached the warehouse, the car ride had put Henry to sleep, and I kept him tucked inside the car seat, letting Vincent do the honors of carrying his son inside. Rizzo shadowed me closely as we traveled the short distance between the alley and a non-descript brick building. The foyer inside looked like any other apartment block, with rows of mailboxes and a freight elevator to the upper floors. We took our ride to the top level, and when we landed, Vincent stepped aside to let Rizzo enter the space first.

"Give Rizzo a second to do a security check," he said.

While I had trouble believing both Adam and Titan could have been subdued by a single demon, there was always the chance her backup had arrived to bust her out. Rizzo called from inside, letting us know the coast was clear, and Vincent waved me forward.

When I stepped across the threshold, I was momentarily stunned to find myself inside a beautiful two-story loft. Sure, it was technically a warehouse, with boxes and crates stacked around the perimeter, but the place had swagger. The furnishings looked new, and the kitchen boasted top-of-the-line appliances, including what appeared to be a fully stocked bar. The large transom windows looked like they hadn't been cleaned in a while, but they still offered a nice view of the city.

I gazed up at the rafters traversing the vaulted ceiling. They appeared to be original, probably made of oak, and caged lights hung from poles between the planks. The brick walls had been left unfinished, giving off a nostalgic vibe, like I'd just walked into a speakeasy. "Wow, I didn't know you had this place. I wish I'd brought my camera. This is a photographer's dream."

"You can do that next time. Tonight, we have other business to take care of." Vincent gestured me further inside, and I finally noticed two figures sitting in the alcove beneath a staircase. One was seated in a metal chair, while the other appeared to be chained to the staircase railing. A second chair lay on its side nearby. As we drew closer, I recognized Titan as the seated figure. He looked exhausted, although the eye bags and disheveled hair wasn't far from his norm.

"Where's Adam?" Vincent asked as he set a still slumbering Henry down beside the couch.

"He's picking up food."

"Any progress with our prisoner?"

"Nope." Titan groaned as he stood from his chair, and his bones cracked loudly. "She decided to throw a fit. Kicked her chair over. So, I'm giving her a chance to stretch her legs."

The girl had her back to us, ignoring everyone, including the chair. From the back, she looked taller than the average demon, which made sense, since her uncle had the physique of a gnarled oak tree. She wore a black hoodie that immediately reminded me of Christoph, and her dark hair was cut in a straight bob just below her earlobes. Without even seeing her face, I could tell she was a badass, and I took my time stepping casually around the couch to sit on the side closest to the staircase. All she had to do was turn her head a few degrees to see me.