Dawn till Dusk: An Urban Fantasy Romance (Genesis Crystal Saga Book 1)

by Becky Moynihan

  That voice.

  Ice froze the blood in my veins. I whirled to find Mordecai standing in the doorway. A dark head peeked over his shoulder. Jocelyn. My heart pumped double time. I should have known she’d run off to her boss after my probing questions. They’d caught me red-handed. I couldn’t talk my way out of this one.

  Even as a tremor worked its way through me, I strolled over to an exam table and sat, white paper crinkling as I settled in. Might as well be comfortable if I was about to get fired.

  Mordecai said something to Jocelyn, who scampered off to do his bidding, then stepped inside the room and closed the door, locking us inside with a soft snick. Despite my efforts to play cool, my pulse thundered. I was alone in a room with the Great Dragon, the man who made our Fae existence hell.

  My hands curled into fists where they rested on my thighs.

  “I knew you were going to be more trouble than you’re worth,” he said, tucking tattooed hands out of sight as his arms crossed over a barrel chest. His human size was intimidating—I couldn’t imagine how big his dragon form was. But in all my years trapped in this city, I’d never once seen him shift. Had never seen a massive dragon darkening the sky. Alec didn’t count. His dragon was puny.

  I shrugged. “Then why did you hire me?”

  His upper lip curled, pulling at the jagged scar running across the left side of his face. Scary. I was glad I’d relieved myself a few minutes ago. “Because I need you. Only Fae can work this job. Strong Fae, like you. Unless . . . Jocelyn informs me that you’re sick? Maybe I don’t need you after all.”

  My spine stiffened. He wanted me to beg. I could see the command in those mocking blue eyes. His lips tipped up. Checkmate. Everything in me rebelled at the thought of pandering to this slave-driver, but an image of Haven, broken on the ground, held my tongue. I swallowed the retort that wanted nothing more than to punch this man’s face. “No, sir,” I said. “Ate a bad burrito for lunch is all. It upset my stomach.”

  His nostrils flared as he took a step closer. Only an exam table separated us now. “Regardless, you were caught for the second time entering a room strictly off limits. This can’t go unpunished.” He paused, studying me. My skin felt too tight, like I’d spent the whole day baking under a sweltering sun. “I doubt you’d respond well to my preferred methods, so I tell you what. Step out of line one more time, one more time, and Reagan pays the price.”

  My head spun as those words sucked all the oxygen out of the room. If I wasn’t sitting down, I might have fallen from abject shock at his threat. This guy was pure evil incarnate. The words on my tongue were boiling hot. I couldn’t control them. I couldn’t stop them. “What, you don’t think one brand is enough? Does she need a twin on the other side of her neck?”

  I’d done it now. Maybe I was imagining the fine wisps of smoke puffing from his ears. Lightning quick, he grabbed the exam table and flipped the whole thing in the air. Metal clanged against white tile as he stalked toward me, stopping only when his nose was almost pressed to mine. “The first thing I’ll do is cut Reagan’s tongue out. Maybe that’ll shut you up.”

  The vile threat stomped my rage to a sputtering ember, then tossed buckets of ice water over any lingering heat. I lowered my eyes in a show of submission, even as my knuckles bled white. “You don’t have to do that. I won’t give you any more trouble.”

  He quickly straightened, adjusting his suit jacket in short, jerky movements. I peeked at his face, and wished I hadn’t. Victory, his expression gloated. “See that you don’t. I know your routine, Tarik. The places you haunt, the people you see. One more foul word out of that mouth, and I’ll show you what misery is.”

  I didn’t respond. Couldn’t.

  “Now get back to work. I’ll see that half an hour’s pay is docked from your wages.”

  Head still lowered, I slid off the table and left the room without a sound.

  —

  Gaia.

  The miserable day wasn’t done yet.

  Now there was rain and the smell of overflowing sewage as I dodged muddy potholes and bags of garbage tossed into the streets. But I could see home. Only a few minutes more of this mess and I could sleep my troubles away.

  What I wouldn’t give for a stiff drink right now. The Pit was the last place I should be seen at, though. Mordecai was watching me. One false move and—

  “Well, you look like crap.”

  Without turning, I knew she was behind me. I had memorized her low, gravelly voice. My heart skipped a beat and I inwardly cursed at the stupid thing. “Slogging through the rain for three miles will do that to a person. Even Jocelyn.”

  “It helps that she spends an obscene amount of time primping in the mansion bathrooms. Go into any one of them and there she is.”

  I snorted. “Yeah. There she is.” I peered over at Reagan’s soaked form and tried not to notice how good she looked. “Are we gonna discuss Jocelyn some more or did you have another reason for being here?”

  “How was work?” Her tone was cautious. Nosy.

  “Really?” I sighed and faced her, dragging hair out of my weary eyes. “Work sucks. There, happy?”

  “You okay?” She frowned, fidgeting with the handles of her bike.

  “Yeah, I’m peachy. Your father is sunshine and my job is rainbows,” I snapped.

  “Tarik, did he do something to you? Say something?” Reagan inched closer.

  I laughed humorlessly, taking a step back. “You could say that. Threatened me, my job, and everything else he could think of. He even threatened—” Instead of finishing, I growled and kicked an empty trash can, sending the lid skittering across the street. I couldn’t do this with her right now. Not when everything was falling down on my head, crushing me beneath its weight.

  “He threatened your job?” Her eyes followed the silver disc, lips pressing together before she shrugged. “Well, honestly, you’d be better off if he fired you.”

  At those words, anger simmered beneath my skin. I almost walked away, too full of aggression and exhaustion to think clearly, but maybe this was best. Maybe if I expelled all the words, she would leave me be, once and for all, and Mordecai would remove the target from her back. I strode up to her, close enough to see the gold in her eyes.

  “What makes you think you know what’s best for me? You don’t know what I have to deal with, the responsibilities I have. And we all know the blasted shifters running this joke of a city won’t let dirty Fae near the decent jobs.” She stared, and I watched as my words slowly sank in. I had to look away, otherwise I might do something stupid, like apologize. I backed up, putting much needed space between us. “Go patrol, Reagan. There’s nothing to see here.”

  “Really? I have no idea about the responsibilities you shoulder?” she said, stepping closer again. She couldn’t take a hint. “You know, I have a job too. And I’m not talking about my official one. So if you want to endure whatever terrible things Mordecai has planned for you, be my guest.”

  Leaning so far in that she had to tilt her head back, I growled, “I won’t be the one enduring the terrible things Mordecai has planned. You will. Especially if you don’t give up this pipe dream of saving the Fae. Don’t you understand? You need to lay low or he’s going to hurt you again, and I can’t—” I balled my hands at my sides so I wouldn’t reach out and shake some sense into her. “You need to leave. Now.”

  “I can handle myself. You think I haven’t already been punished a number of times? I accept that as part of the deal.” Her eyes widened, then dropped to the ground. When she spoke again, the words were a soft mumble. “I knew his rules and got caught breaking them. I deserved his punishments.”

  That was too far. I could feel myself tipping over the edge, losing sight of what I was supposed to be saying and doing. I clamped both hands on her shoulders and yelled, “You don’t deserve to be abused!”

  She didn’t even flinch. “You have no idea how much I’ve been able to do for the Fae over the years. Healing, food, in
tervening when the shifters just won’t quit. I know the risks and I’m glad to take them. A brand is a small price for the things he does to your people. Who cares if he marked me? I knew I was breaking his rules, Tarik. But helping people? Helping you? That’s worth the risk.” She swallowed. “I don’t know what your problem is today. But I’ve had enough.”

  I yanked my hands off her and turned away, frustrated beyond belief. “And here I thought I was the one with a death wish. But you know what? I’m glad you’ve had enough, because I can’t save you. So walk away and never look back. You’re better off.”

  “Ha! You think I’m the damsel in distress in this situation? That’s hilarious. I didn’t ask for your help. I can handle myself. I’m not the one who keeps trying to get myself killed for an adrenaline rush.”

  She’s driving me insane! I threw a glare over my shoulder. “Yeah, that really is funny because I didn’t ask for your help either! But go ahead, get yourself killed. I won’t be there when you fall.”

  Reagan rolled her eyes. “Mordecai needs me. He would never kill me. And hell, I didn’t earn the title of unwanted stalker for nothing.”

  “You think too highly of yourself,” I bit out. “Mordecai threatened to cut out your tongue a few short hours ago.”

  “Okay?” She barked a laugh. “You know he threatens things like that all the time, right? Especially toward Alec. I could give you a list of the ways he’s threatened his own son. He wouldn’t kill me because I’m years of his hard work bundled into one neat little package. Wound or maim, sure. A tongue? That would interfere with my Enforcer duties. I’d be a damaged investment. He wouldn’t dare.”

  I gaped at her incredulously. “Okay, I’m done,” I said, backing away toward my apartment and a piece of sanity. “You’re completely brainwashed and I don’t think I can be the voice of reason in your head. Good luck being Mordecai’s pet dog. Or lion. Whatever.”

  As I turned my back on her, I muttered, “And maybe someday you’ll inherit this crap city and turn into a little Mordecai clone.”

  She gasped, then shouted, “What the hell did you say? You arrogant Fae prick!”

  I heard a crash as her bike hit the ground, then she was on me, arms wrapped around my neck and legs straddling my waist. I froze when she let out an unearthly growl and sank her teeth into my shoulder. At first, I was too shocked to feel anything. Then pain shot through me with a vengeance. I roared and tried to shake her off, but she clung on like a leech, digging her teeth in deeper.

  “You better not be using your fangs, shifter!” I bellowed. She wanted to play rough? Fine. My adrenaline rose to the occasion. While she was preoccupied with chewing on my shoulder, I wrenched one of her arms forward, sinking my own teeth into skin and muscle. I broke through and a coppery tang flooded my mouth.

  Her teeth unlatched as she shrieked in fury. She jerked her arm away and I let her go, whipping around when she hopped off my back. Worst mistake ever. Her fist rained an uppercut into my chin. I tipped over, back smacking the ground with a great splash. Air whooshed out of me, not only from the fall but from the fist Reagan rammed into my gut a second later.

  I probably looked like a gasping fish as I struggled to inhale oxygen, helpless to stop her from pounding me to raw meat. But that’s what I’d wanted for three solid years—for a shifter to put me out of my misery and end this rat-race of an existence. And who better than her? She didn’t deserve Mordecai’s cruel punishments, but she deserved to end my pathetic life after everything I’d already put her through.

  So I closed my eyes and relaxed my muscles, giving up the fight. Rain pelted my face as I waited. The rain stopped. I blinked, confused, only to find Reagan hovering above me, a wrinkle between her brows. What, was she concerned for me? This wasn’t working. She wasn’t leaving!

  There was only one thing left to do then. She would never forgive me for this, and my chest ached at the thought of what it would do to her.

  What it would do to me.

  But, Gaia, I knew it would work.

  I snaked a hand around her neck and yanked, bringing her head down, down, down, then kissed her on the mouth. Hard. The action surprised her, as I’d assumed. Her body stiffened where it brushed against mine. But my plan started to backfire. The kiss lasted too long. I couldn’t tear myself away. I desperately dug my fingers into her hair and pulled her back, breaking the connection.

  When I met her wide gaze, I wanted to shoot myself. She almost looked . . . frightened. My mind screamed at me to apologize, to beg her forgiveness. Crap, I couldn’t do this. But I had to. I dragged in air, my voice hoarse as I said, “That was goodbye.” With a grunt, I shoved to my feet, effectively rolling her off me. She simply sat in a discarded heap, staring at the ground, looking lost.

  I’m a monster.

  “Tarik!” The excited child’s voice was unmistakable and I stifled a groan. I moved away from Reagan, not wanting to add to her confusion.

  “Benji, you shouldn’t leave your mom alone. Is she okay?” I strode toward him, trying to block his view of the bedraggled Night Enforcer.

  He leaned to the side, curious as a cat, and I grasped his shoulder. Finally, he blinked up at me. “She—she’s crying a lot. I think her leg is really hurting her. She won’t eat and she keeps saying strange things.” His bottom lip quivered, the stress finally getting to him. He didn’t cry often.

  “Don’t worry, kid, I’m coming in to check on her. Let’s go.” I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and firmly led him away from the havoc I had wreaked.

  Another life I’d destroyed.

  Tarik took five steps before I dove for my bike. I didn’t know if he noticed, if he heard my bike as she roared to life under me, but my heart skipped with relief when she lurched forward. Main Street flew past, my tires skidding dangerously as I swerved to avoid potholes. Adrenaline shot through my system, almost enough to shake the other feeling, the one that sat like a weight in my chest. I needed distance, and now.

  That kiss. That stupid kiss.

  My first—did he know? Did he care? Shifters could be an affectionate race, even if the brutes in Nathra City made it hard to believe. We had a natural inclination to touch others, to stick together. As a race so open with every facet of our bodies, something had to remain sacred. A kiss? Uncharted territory for the girl locked away by a dragon. A valued moment of emotional intimacy that I had been robbed of, like he had taken a small piece of me. And not because he wanted to kiss me, or wanted me at all. No, he had wanted to steal a moment to crush between his hands, and he had chosen that one. A moment I couldn’t replace. Because he wanted to hurt me.

  My elbow almost bit blacktop when I took a turn too sharply. I kept going, trying to inhale against the fire in my lungs. The bite on my arm throbbed, my knees smarting from kneeling on hard concrete. Nothing hurt as badly as the ache in my chest, though. The tightness. My breaths came in painful, arduous gasps. I drove blindly, foot pressed heavily on the gas. I needed to stop, pull over, get off the bike. My thoughts were skittering across my mind like spilled marbles—driving in this state wasn’t safe. I would wreck.

  Swerving, I cut through an alley. A stray cat darted out of the way as I shot past, not slowing until I found the abandoned ruins of an old high rise. My favorite spot, when the days were hard or I had failed. When Alec went too far, and I couldn’t do anything but watch as he brutalized innocent Fae. I ditched my bike on the street corner, jumping over the jagged edge of a rock wall. This building had collapsed years ago, before I had even left the mansion, one of the first to go in this district. The second floor had fallen shortly after, creating a small overhang above the rear corner.

  My dark, quiet little corner. The one place in the entire city I knew no one but Nevaeh could find me.

  The one place I could cry.

  Hot, heavy tears fell noiselessly onto my legs, catching on the fishnets wrapped around them. My body shook, chest heaving under the effort to pull in air. I didn’t know how else to react or pro
cess the flood of emotions.

  He had to know what he’d done—he had acted with purpose.

  One kiss.

  Taken. Used for revenge.

  What kind of cruel, cold-hearted person did that? Simply took what they wanted of a person, with no regard for their victim?

  Heat simmered through my veins. If he never even looked at me again, I would be all too happy. And if he did, he had better keep his damned hands and cursed lips to himself. Because after that stunt, I didn’t care if he lived or died.

  Did I?

  Love is pain, Reagan.

  A scream of frustration tore from my throat. That voice. Mordecai’s voice. I didn’t want to hear him in my thoughts—now or ever again. He dictated every facet of my life. Every choice, every decision. Helping the Fae was my only solace, the only way I could cope with what I was.

  Night Enforcer.

  A title that literally brought fear wherever I went. But then, how could it not when my failures didn’t only punish me?

  I stifled a sob. I thought Tarik would be different. He was a Fae unlike any I had met before, one whom I thought might understand how I felt as the black sheep of my race. I had thought he might even be able to look past my title. That maybe Tarik—

  I choked on the name.

  Mordecai was right.

  No. He wasn’t.

  I didn’t love this Fae. My feelings weren’t anywhere close. I might have liked him a little, though. Might have been drawn to his fire.

  But at the end of the day, was he really so different from the shifters he proclaimed to hate? He, like them, disregarded the feelings of the people they hurt in an effort to lift themselves.

  He was no better than the scum at The Pit.

  My head throbbed. Fingers shaking, I struggled to pull my cigarette case free. My thumb brushed the embossed lion on the front, fumbling for the clasp on top. I took several deep, steady breaths, enough to even out my trembling, and snapped my lighter open. The bright flame flicked to life, casting a faint orange glow on the concrete rubble. I managed to spark the end of my cigarette, taking a long draw.