“I think you can let go now.” I shifted in his arms, but he only tightened his hold.
“I could, but you don’t really want me to, do you.” It was a statement, not a question.
Shocked by his forwardness, I started, then stared into his face.
Heavens above, he was gorgeous…
Breathing became difficult; my insides twisted. My mouth clamped closed and I averted my gaze. I had told myself it would be easy to overlook Darius’s confession from before, especially knowing our feud-rich past, but this new Darius was making it difficult.
After a moment, he chuckled. “I didn’t think so.”
Again, I was caught off-guard by his growing directness. “You’re incredibly full of yours—”
And then he kissed me. Soft, yet firm, his mouth sent a shiver through my body.
I tensed, my own lips unresponsive to his sneak-attack, but he seemed to be fine with my forced indifference. He broke away, the tip of his nose resting against mine. Heat flushed my cheeks, but despite my shock and my outrage at my lack of outrage, I couldn’t tear my focus from his beautifully sculpted mouth.
“Just so there is no question of my intentions toward you.” His breath upon my skin warmed my face and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment.
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
When I finally was brave enough to meet his gaze, his light brown eyes—the color of golden amber—ensnared me, rendering me speechless. Keeping my attention captive, he once again pressed his lips to mine. Then again.
“Twenty years, Ava Matthias.” His lips teased, lightly nipping on my bottom lip. “That’s how long I searched for you. You have no idea—”
But before he could finish his sentence, my mouth crashed against his. All thoughts fled when Darius growled. He deepened the kiss and my arms of their own accord snaked behind his neck. I shifted, wrapping my legs around his torso, and cinched the space between our touch.
There was no guilt with this kiss. No strange, supernatural warning that it was wrong—which elevated the sensation even more. I could enjoy every square inch of him without it being forbidden. And what was even better, the realization that I wanted this. For so long I had been fighting against the instant tug that had been there from our very first meeting, and now that I had given in, a part of me reveled in this new awareness.
My body quaked and trembled with an almost all-consuming longing… and then… with anger. A mind-splitting fury that raged even stronger…
But not my own.
My vision clouded over as a picture erupted into my mind: a blurred view of Darius kissing her enemy encroached dark and ugly upon my brain.
“You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.” Charlotte’s voice cut through the vision like a serrated knife.
I inhaled sharply, kicking out of Darius’s embrace. I fell into the water, forgetting how tall he was and how deep the lake went.
“Charlotte.” I coughed, standing on tiptoes.
Hands on hips, she glared at me from the edge of the embankment.
“What do you want, Charlie?” Darius asked from behind. Beneath the water, his fingertips gripped my waist protectively.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve been sent to find you.”
“Report,” he ordered his second-in-command, ostensibly unashamed by his actions.
“There’s been an attack at the compound,” she said. “I was told to retrieve you.” She turned on her heel and disappeared.
My heart plummeted into my stomach. How had I missed an attack? Shouldn’t I have felt something? Seen something?
Darius took my hand and together we double-timed it out of the water. We grabbed our shirts from where we deposited them, and I took off after Charlotte, who already waited in the back of the truck bed. She averted her gaze.
“What happened, Charlotte?” I asked, pulling my tank top over my head. It clung awkwardly to my cold, wet skin.
She flashed me a deadly glare that caused me to stop. Such anger coursed through her soul that it confounded me. “Maybe your visions would have shown you what was happening—if you weren’t so busy playing suck-face!”
My breath was knocked from me like a sucker-punch to the gut.
Charlotte sneered, sensing my pain. “Some great Defender you are.”
“Enough,” Darius barked. He came from behind carrying the shoes I had all but forgotten. “Ava, get in the truck,” he ordered, giving me a gentle push.
I jerked the door open.
Was she right? Was it my fault again? Regret surged through me. My body trembled, unable to control my reactions as I searched through my mind for any glimpse, any feeling, any soul that was open to me to learn what I had missed.
“You’re cold.” Darius’s voice was worried.
I shook my head. My body was numb, but not from cold.
The closer we got to the compound, the more I felt from the inhabitants. Confusion, terror, indignation, sadness. It seeped from multiple open souls, blending together, disallowing me to see any one individual it was attached to, so I stopped trying.
Roman and Hector waited for us near the front of the complex, strong, intimidating figures standing sentinel over their home. I flung open the door before Darius could bring the truck to a full stop.
Hector was at my side in an instant, matching my direction and speed. “The courtyard, my Defender.” But he didn’t have to tell me. I already knew where to go.
My head pounded with every step I took, then split when I entered the square.
Payton lay face up, spread out on the ground, his eyes staring off into the sky. Blood coated his shirt; dirt covered his fingers. Fiona knelt next to him, his hand resting in hers. She rocked back and forth on her heels; her deep sobs penetrated the air. Her profound and primitive style of mourning cut through me like a knife and my heart bled from the pain.
Her friend the gardener was dead.
“Who did this?” Darius asked, but Fiona only shook her head. Tears leaked from her eyes. Black mascara streaked her cheeks.
Noah stood guard over his Healer. “We don’t know.”
“Maybe our Defender could tell us,” Charlotte added.
“That is enough, Charlotte!” Darius voice rang out low and feral, and I flinched.
But she was right. I should be able to tell them.
I grabbed my head as anger and pain exploded within my brain. Tuning out all else, I used my energy to reach outward, seeking for some kind of control, for anything that could stop me from releasing that dark monster that would do more harm than good at this moment. I needed to focus, to find who did this to Payton.
Darius took a defensive position behind me.
I closed my eyes, searching through the souls open to me on the complex, looking for anything different from the feelings of agony and pain.
“Ava.” Laith rushed into the courtyard, Elisa right behind, but I silenced him with an outstretched hand.
Souls flashed open for me, at first only one by one. Still unused to using such powers, I intensified my pursuit, allowing the emotions of despair and grief to blend into one another, eliminating the commonplace reaction to losing a friend forever, and focused on anything different. Anything that stood out.
And then it came.
Only a momentary spike of fear. Sensing my probe, Zane opened to me. He hadn’t meant to kill his friend and he didn’t want to kill again, but…
His weakness was quashed by a dark power that he couldn’t control. His soul cowered, closing to me as the dark spirit took over again.
I grabbed Darius by the hand. “Go find Zane. He’s possessed.”
“What?” Charlotte questioned me, but I ignored her.
“He’s here. He’s close,” I said.
Darius nodded. “We don’t know where Cedric is. Please, stay here with Noah and protect Fiona.”
Charlotte stepped forward. “I’ll protect—”
“We’ve got it,” Noah said to Darius, interrupt
ing Charlotte.
Laith, Elisa, Hector, and Roman all ran from the courtyard. Noah stayed behind, keeping his guard over Fiona. I crouched low, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. She reached out to close Payton’s eyes.
Charlotte stood over me. “What? You think Zane did this?” She hissed. “What is wrong with you? First you take Darius from me, and now Zane? How dare—”
Fiona’s muscles tensed beneath my arms. “Darius was never yours to have. Now stand down, Charlotte, before I put you down.” Her intensity caused me to flinch, and even though she didn’t address me, I backed away, distancing myself from her. Noah mirrored my reaction.
Fiona blazed red. Anger pulsed with the beating of her heart, dark and foreboding. Charlotte obeyed. For the first time I had ever witnessed, fear caused her to shrink, silencing her. I almost felt bad for her.
Several minutes went by and I all but lost my mind. Pacing the square, I caught the attention of Madelyn as she scurried through to the other side.
I called to her. “Who has Yvette?”
She wrapped her hands over her middle. “It happened during her lessons. They’re keeping her in her room with her tutor. Laith sent guards to protect her. I just took her a snack. She doesn’t know yet.”
My heart twisted. “Where are you going now?”
“Back to the library. In emergencies, we’re all asked to meet in the library and wait for word from the council for when things settle.”
I nodded. “Noah, we don’t know where this demon is hiding. Escort Madelyn to the library and get back as soon as possible.”
Worry crossed his features before he concealed them. He nodded once, and together the two walked quickly toward the entryway.
Charlotte glared at me from across the space but remained quiet, unwilling to face the wrath of her Healer. I kept her gaze, meeting her challenge, until commotion sounded, drawing both of our attention.
He is here, the Demon’s Eye warned me.
The pendant grew cold against my skin as my gaze shot toward the main entrance into the courtyard. Darius entered the space, his back toward me. He fought to keep something controlled. Zane. Hector held one arm, Roman the other, while Laith grasped the demon by the shoulders.
The blood drained from my face when Elisa came last, aiding a very pale and bleeding Cedric.
“Fiona,” she called. “Come quickly.”
Roused from her mourning, Fiona cried out when she saw her husband. “No!” Faster than I thought possible, she ran to his side. I followed and together we laid him on to the cold pavers.
“What happened?” Fiona asked, but without waiting for an answer she lifted his bloodied shirt, exposing a deep gash into his abdomen.
“Tis not so bad,” he slurred, trying to smile, but he grimaced as pain laced through him. “I found it.” He jerked his head in the direction of the demon.
I glared over Elisa’s shoulder at the struggling demon waging war inside Zane. The demon kicked hard, almost breaking free. Darius grunted, but got his legs under control. I began to shake, my anger splitting me at the seams.
“Go,” Fiona said, giving me a push. “You will need to interrogate the demon before he leaves the body. I will take care of my husband. You take care of that.”
I took two steps, but my eyes slid down to the dead body of Payton. I had met with him only two days before. Had seen inside his soul to the good man he was. The dedicated father, the brilliant scientist, and Fiona’s beloved gardener.
My blood boiled. “Who are you?” I asked the demon, but it didn’t answer, didn’t look at me. Revenge coursed through my veins.
The group holding the demon, holding Zane, maneuvered him toward me. It writhed in their grasp, but they were able to push it down to its knees. It growled at being forced so low, but finally, it looked at me. The dark pools of its black eyes reflected frustration as well as delight. When I took a step closer, something within its black eyes triggered a memory.
“Who are you?” I asked again, but it only smiled, refusing to answer.
I smiled back, exposing my teeth, ready to explode with the power within.
It will only hurt those you love, not the demon, the Demon’s Eye warned again. I growled, trying to control the surging negative energy, but it was too strong to keep contained.
“Ava,” Laith warned. “Get yourself under control.” My hand clasped the necklace at my heart, silencing the fear that hummed from the Demon’s Eye.
But that kind of energy is short-lived and can only be used for one thing: destruction, Fiona’s words reminded me.
And it gave me an idea.
If this power was meant for destruction, then destructive it would become.
Turning from the others I walked to where my window overlooked the courtyard. The demon laughed, sensing defeat, but I was far from done.
With a smile and a blast of energy, I unleashed the destruction upon my window. It burst with a high-pitched clash that vibrated the building and shook the ground. Souls from all around opened, and I felt their fear, heard their cries for help.
And I would help them.
Stepping through the opened window, I went to my nightstand. My shoes crunched on broken shards of glass. The sound tinkled musically in my ears. Opening the top drawer, I pulled a long dagger from its new home and lovingly stroked the center of the blade, down the engravings of ivy. I gripped the twisted, black handle. My audience watched me on the other side of my window, shock etched upon their faces.
Exiting my bedroom through my new doorway, I prowled toward the demon. “Do you recognize me?” His jaw tightened. Was that fear in his eyes? I casually held out the dagger. “Do you recognize this?”
Another voice snarled from Zane’s mouth. “That does not belong to you.”
I hummed, admiring the craft of the weapon. “Oh, but it does.”
“So, the new Defender is a thief.”
“When you stabbed me, then ran from my room like a coward, I assumed you didn’t want it anymore. It is beautiful, though. One of my absolute favorites.”
“I didn’t stab you, but I know the one that did. The dagger is his. When he returns, he and my master will kill you. Grayson will reclaim his weapon and carve out your heart.”
I tsked. “Strong words for someone on their knees, shape-shifter.” It smiled at me when I finally made the connection to who possessed Zane. Darius tensed as I leaned toward the demon, bringing our faces mere inches apart. My anger and the desire to protect my compound family made me bold. “Why did you come here?”
“There was a willing soul, but no one was there to trade. So I did what I could.”
I glared. “What? You and your filth aren’t watching the veil anymore? Where’s your master?”
The demon laughed, shaking his head. “It’s a surprise. A wonderful surprise.”
“Why not swap places yourself? Are you so afraid to risk your worthless hide?”
The shape-shifter smiled. “Sticks and stones. Sticks and stones. I cannot maintain a physical presence by myself inside this realm, so your mortal allowed me take over for a time. So nice of him to do so.”
“Ava, is Zane inside?” Elisa asked. She had avoided me since I made my confession about Jonathan, but now she stood by me. The shape-shifter tried to lunge, but the four men still controlled him.
Not sure what I was doing, I reached for his face.
“Ava,” Darius warned, but I didn’t stop.
I took Zane’s face in my hands. Heat burned my fingertips. Closing my eyes, I ignored the demon’s curses and obscenities as I searched for him. A flicker of recognition dawned before he opened to me.
Fear filled his soul, bringing with it memories that tormented him even into adulthood. Now Zane was but a mere weak boy again, huddled into the corner of his childhood bedroom, cowering from his abusive mother.
I am here, Zane. The boy looked up. Deep-purpled bruises, as well as shame, shadowed his tear stained and swollen face. My heart melted. This was not a c
old-blooded killer. It’s okay. I see you, I soothed again.
The boy nodded.
I re-opened my eyes to the black tar-pit iris. “Yes, he’s inside.”
Charlotte moaned in relief and melted to her knees, as close to her boyfriend as Elisa would allow.
“Is he willing to return?” Elisa pressed.
“More than willing, but how do we get this thing”—I reached out and squeezed the demon’s smug smile away—“out?”
“Now that we know he’s in there, and that he is willing, that is incredibly simple.” Elisa closed her eyes, bringing her face to the sky. Opening her arms, she welcomed the sunlight until it enveloped her in power. She leaned toward the demon; her eyes flashed open as she released the warmth. “Be gone,” she commanded.
The shape-shifter sneered, fighting the Herald’s authority. Then its eyes rolled, and Zane’s body went limp.
Charlotte cried out, but Laith caught him before he could hit the ground. “Hector, you and Roman take him to the complex prison.”
My head jerked as they gathered Zane’s limp body from Laith. “There’s a prison?” I asked.
Laith pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course there’s a prison. We just haven’t had to use it in over two hundred years. Will he give them any problems if he wakes up during transport, Ava?”
I flinched, shocked that Laith would ask that question. How would I know that?
“I—” But I did know. The Zane I saw, the soul that opened to me, was scared and confused. He wasn’t a true killer. I shook my head. “No.”
“Of course he wouldn’t,” Charlotte mumbled beneath her breath.
Laith nodded to his security team. “Let me know when he wakes up. Darius and Ava will be in charge of interrogating him. We need to know why this attack happened.”
Hector and Noah carried Zane toward the complex prison. Charlotte sat back. Her dazed expression both surprised and sickened me. I wasn’t sure I wanted to believe her capable of any appropriate feelings. Despite that, I suppressed my immediate judgement and sat down next to her. She shifted away but did not get up from the paved floor.
She huffed as a tear streamed down her face. “I suppose this is my fault,” she said, swiping at her eyes. “I mean, I was the one that broke up with him in the first place to be with Darius, and I was the one to run back to him when you took Darius away.” She glared at me over her shoulder. “But I had no idea Zane would resort to this.”
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