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Santiago gave a slow nod "Always"

Chapter 2

The Oracles’ current lair

Halfway between Chicago and St Louis

Nefri h bluff overlooking the Mississippi River

She shivered, wrapping her long cape tight around her tall, slender body Not froht held a chill that had been absent during her last visit to this side of the Veil But instead froht of sensations

It was all sooverwheled the banks of the nearby river The screech of an owl and the rustle of dead leaves The feel of her long black hair stirring in the breeze

And, of course, the er

Passion

Standing perfectly still, Nefri smoothed her pale, oval face to an unreadableher lips and her ebony eyes revealing none of her inner turers in this world, but the Commission was made up of the most powerful deht

It was always like walking a tightrope when she was forced to ht snap at any second and plunge her to her death

At last prepared, Nefri stepped through the entrance of the caves that had been hidden behind a spell of illusion and e chamber On cue a Zalez demon appeared

Just for a second there was the ie head and tilted, almond-shaped eyes Then the creature shifted into its hu warrior with short, spiky blond hair and eyes the stornificent body was bronzed and fit for a god, which wasn’t surprising considering he’d been worshipped by nificent for low on his hips

Nefri gave a s her female reaction to the sexual pheromones released by the de whatever form their companion most desired Nefri had no desire to reveal her deepest fantasy

Not after she’d devoted the pastthose fantasies didn’t exist

"Recise," she ood of you to come" His voice stroked over her like war despite the fact they both knew she hadn’t had a choice

An invitation from the Commission was an inore

"Your er insisted that it was iave a slow blink "The Oracles do not interfere in matters of the world unless it is of the utance

"Yes, of course"

"This way"

Moving with a fluid grace, Recise led Nefri through the darkness, the pulse of his sexual energy easing as if realizing Nefri wasn’t in the h the tunnels that angled deep into the earth The air was cool but surprisingly without the dah she could hear the splash of a waterfall not far away

More distantly she could catch the sound of es as diverse as the creatures who made up the Commission Like the United Nations, only with lethal de

Nefri hid her grie cavern

"The Oracle is waiting for you in the back chamber"

"Thank you"

She waited until the Zalez continued down the tunnel before stepping into the cavern and allowing her senses to floard It wasn’t that she expected a trap If the Oracles wanted her dead, she’d be dead

But the Oracles had a varied sense ofa public orgy, or sacrificing an innocent to their particular gods

It wasn’t until she caught the scent of brimstone that she moved forward She was fa the ss that were hardly suitable for the most powerful creatures on earth

Each of the Oracles had their own private, and usually lavish lairs, but during the battle against the Dark Lord they’d gathered together in these caves The fact that they re the back of the cave, Nefri caught sight of the tiny de into a shallow pool of water, her three-foot body covered by a long white gown

At a glance it would be easy to mistake her for a human child, with her heart-shaped face and silver hair that was in a long braid nearly brushing the ground But a closer look revealed the strange oblong eyes that were a solid black Eyes that were filled with an ancient knowledge

Oh, and then there were the sharp, pointed teeth

And the barely leashed power that could shatter cities

"Siljar?" she aze into the water, studying soe she’d scryed