He pursed his lips. “I hope you didn’t break his nose again. He’ll be hell to live with if you did. It’s bad enough I had to have it fixed once today.”

“I’m sure I didn’t.” Bee bit her lower lip, and with a muttered curse, opened the door and fetched Gary back. “I said I was sorry! No, your nose isn’t broken, that’s not even blood. The juice box that Constantine tucked into your little home is leaking, that’s all.”

Everyone stared at her. She coughed and set Gary down on the half-moon table again. Gary gave an injured sniff and looked noble for a few minutes.

“I’ve totally lost the thread of what we were talking about,” Aisling said, choking a little when Constantine took a few tissues, popped open the lid of the hamster ball, and wiped off the juice before getting Gary settled again.

Bee’s shoulders slumped.

“Thala,” Aoife said, obviously trying not to laugh. “We were talking about Thala being in Paris. And where Bael might be.”

“England,” Aisling said, nodding.

“Paris,” Constantine corrected.

“Because of Thala?” Bee asked.

“Yes. Thala’s sword must be at the top of his list.”

“That makes sense to me. If I were Bael, seeking instruments of power would be my priority,” Kostya agreed.

Bee looked like she wanted to argue the point. “But that takes us back to the question of why he wants a sword that offers power only to a mage. Why would he want that?”

Constantine didn’t answer until Bee poked her elbow into his side. He turned to face her then, hesitating to tell her the truth. He had a sudden, overwhelming urge to protect her, to keep her from continuing with the task of Charming the curse. He wanted her safe, tucked away somewhere peaceful where she would wait for him, greeting him with open arms and laughing eyes. He bowed his head for a moment as blackness blinded him to their surroundings. Arms, warm and solid, slid around his waist. He blinked when he realized it was Bee embracing him, the scent of her driving away the dark thoughts, instantly making him hard with desire.

“If you don’t want to tell everyone,” she whispered, her breath as soft as a feather against his ear, “you don’t have to. You’ve done enough soul baring for one day.”

“Oh, so it’s like that, is it?” he heard Aoife say.

Bee stiffened in his arms.

“It’s all right,” he told her.

“What is, them knowing about your father or my sister being a jerk?”

“Both,” he answered, and kissed the top of her head before turning to face the others, one arm comfortably around Bee. “Bael seeks the light sword not because of the power it offers him, but because it has power.”

“What are you thinking?” Kostya asked, his expression as black as Constantine’s thoughts.

“Bael was overthrown before he was banished. His leagues of minions were broken up and divided amongst the other demon lords, and the power he used to maintain control of Abaddon was lost to him. Now that he has been freed—” He paused to give Aoife a look. Kostya growled at him in response. “Now that he is free to move about the mortal world, he must gather power unto him again. He is basically repeating what he did when he first became a demon lord.”

“Which is what?” Bee asked.

“He made the Tools of Bael, and imbued into them a good portion of his power. They then focused that power, and allowed him to overthrow the current prince of Abaddon, taking his place and subjugating all the other demon lords.”

“I think I heard that the Tools were destroyed,” Bee said, frowning in concentration. “There was a rumor going around that they were used to banish Bael.”

“I assume something like them must have been used,” Constantine said, nodding. “It must have taken extraordinary circumstances to banish him. Logically, then, if the Tools are no longer available to him, he must seek new ones.”

“The sword,” Bee said, enlightenment dawning in her eyes. “He plans on using it to… what, make a new Tool?”

“I can’t think of any other reason why he’d want a mage weapon.” Constantine’s gaze held hers. “He must not get it.”

Her cheeks paled a little. “I can see him getting a hold of it would be very bad. You mean to stop him, don’t you?”

“I have to.”

“You don’t. It’s not your responsibility, but I see why you feel like you must do something.”

“I don’t see why,” Aoife said. “I mean, I get that you want to save the dragons, although it sounds like you’ve done a lot to wipe out the black sept—”

“Ancient history!” Bee said before Constantine could.

He grinned at her. She blushed in response, a fact that simultaneously delighted him and made him want to take her to bed and introduce her to a few of his favorite toys.

“I agree with my mate,” Kostya said. “That he would help us break the curse is understandable. But what reason does he have for wanting Bael stripped of his power? Is there something you’re not telling us?”

“What are they saying?” Aisling asked.

“Oh, it’s all very exciting,” Gary said, his hamster ball vibrating with his enthusiasm. “Down, please! Thank you, Bee. Evidently Connie knows something about Bael, and Aoife and Kostya are being a bit terse with him about it. Would you mind?”

Aisling lifted the hamster ball and set it on the cushion next to her, listening while Gary filled her in on the part of the conversation she couldn’t understand.

“Are you going to tell them? Don’t feel like you have to,” Bee whispered to Constantine while Aisling was being caught up. She put a hand on his wrist and gave him a supportive squeeze. “It’s really not any of their business.”

“Perhaps not, but I can’t see that hiding from the truth will do any good.” He smiled at her, warmed by her concern. When was the last time a woman took his side? “There is a ball that I think you would like.”

Bee blinked at him a few times before wrinkling her forehead. “One of yours?”

“Yes. It is metal, and filled with mercury. It can warm to the touch or be very cold, and has unexpected movements. I would very much like for you to experience it.”