The Inquisitor's Mark by Dianne K. Salerni

backpack off Jax’s shoulder.
    â€œWatch where you’re going, jerk,” said the girl.
    â€œSame to you,” Jax replied, picking up his backpack.
    Dad hailed a taxi, and the boys climbed into the back together while Dad sat in front with the driver. Jax flung himself into the far corner and looked at Dorian. “You always dress like that?”
    Dorian realized he’d been wearing the same clothes on their video call. “It’s my school uniform.” Jax wrinkled his nose and turned away to look out the window.
    When they arrived at Central Park West, Dad discovered his wallet was missing. “Pickpockets,” he growled, waving down the doorman to come pay the cab driver.
    Jax, meanwhile, tipped his head back to stare at Dorian’s apartment building. “Holy crap!” he exclaimed. “Is this the place from Ghostbusters ?”
    â€œNo, that’s down the street,” Dorian said. Jax glanced at him skeptically, but it was the truth. “This one belongs to the Dulac clan.”
    â€œThe building’s full of Dulacs?” Jax stopped in his tracks, likehe was about to enter a vampire lair. “How many of them are there?”
    â€œNot just Dulacs. Their relatives and vassals, too,” Dorian clarified. “Everyone who lives here is part of our clan.” Everyone who worked here, too, down to the doorman and the security guards. But Jax looked spooked enough, so Dorian left that out. “There are a few buildings along Central Park owned by Transitioner clans. You can tell which ones because they’re some of the oldest—no electronics in the elevators—but they all have solar panels on the roofs. To make and store electricity for the eighth day.”
    â€œYou don’t try to hide it?” Jax asked.
    â€œWhy would we?” Dorian and Jax looked at each other, equally confused. Then Dorian remembered the dinky little house where his cousin had been living with the Pendragon guy. Flying under the radar and hoping not to be discovered. “It’s perfectly safe here,” Dorian assured Jax. As if anyone would mess with the home base of the Dulac clan!
    Once inside, Dad patted down his pockets and cursed under his breath. “Keys are gone too,” he muttered.
    â€œI’ll have to report that, Mr. Ambrose,” said the doorman, using his own key to let them on the elevator. “We can’t afford any lapses in security, especially now.”
    â€œOf course not,” Dad agreed, but he jerked his head toward Dorian and Jax with a warning look, as if to remind the doorman not to talk about the big secret in front of thechildren. Dorian practically ground his teeth together in frustration. Does everyone know except me ? Then the elevator jerked to a start, and Dad made the effort to paste a smile on his face for Jax’s benefit. “Welcome home,” he said as the elevator climbed to the fifth floor. “This is where your father and I grew up.”
    Jax had abandoned his swagger now and seemed completely overwhelmed. He faltered when they entered the Ambrose apartment, looking at the vaulted ceiling and the crystal chandelier as if he must be in the wrong place. Then he spotted his friend and heaved a sigh of relief. “Dude! You had me worried!” Jax left Dorian and Dad behind to hurry down the steps leading from the foyer to the sunken living room.
    Billy stood up to meet him, grinning. “I told you I was okay.”
    Jax grinned back, heaved his backpack off, and hit Billy playfully in the arm with it.
    All the color ran out of Billy’s face. He staggered backward.
    Mom crossed the room swiftly, putting herself between the two boys. “No roughhousing in the living room,” she said, brushing a hand against Billy’s elbow. Then she grabbed Jax’s face with both hands and planted a big kiss on his head. “Jax, honey, we’re so happy to have you here.” She pushed