“Tyler, the way you’ve been feeling lately, this is happening because you’re protecting me, isn’t it?”
He kissed my head, the gesture as good as a yes.
“I can’t let you do this. It’s killing me to see you this way.”
“You don’t have a choice, love.” His voice was like a soft caress. “My protection isn’t like a light switch, something to be flipped on or off. It’s uncompromising and something I can’t control.” Laughter rumbled in his chest again. “Whoever has it out for you-they’re powerful. Big mojo. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got big mojo too. And as long as I breathe, no one will harm you.”
Tyler relaxed beside me, his arms sliding away from me. “I’m tired.” He pushed himself up and moved to the bed, pulling me with him. “Just lie with me, for a while. Let me hold you, touch you.”
Hell if I know why, but I did as he asked. We should have been out searching every dark corner of Seattle for whoever was wreaking this havoc on our lives. I should have been out there, finding whoever had it out for me, no doubt the same person who’d been fucking with Tyler. He’d die to protect my life. Well, I’d kill to save his.
I curled up against him, listening to the sound of his slow and steady heartbeat against my cheek. He seemed weak-even his scent had lost its usual sweet potency, as if it were taking everything he had to protect me from whatever threatened my existence. He might as well have had a fucking target on his back. Murder attempts, magic bonds, theft, secrets, conspiracy all around, and I’d brought it to his door. I had managed to dig myself a damned big hole; if I didn’t get my ass in gear, I’d be buried alive and I’d take him with me.
Assuming my incorporeal form, I snuck out of bed with ease once I was sure Tyler was asleep. I sent Raif a text and waited until I saw him appear on the street below my apartment. Raif stood under a streetlamp, the fluorescent light casting the shadow of his corporeal body as a long black gash in the gray sidewalk. I stood next to him, watching my own shadow become one with his. I felt as close to him as our shadows, but my affection for Raif was nothing more than familial. What-or who-could be causing Ty to sense otherwise? I waited beside him and counted the seconds pounding away inside me until he was ready to speak.
“Please tell me this has nothing to do with my daughter.”
“Okay, I won’t.”
“Darian,” Raif said with exasperation, “what have you gotten yourself into?”
“Do you know what it’s like to be lonely, Raif? Truly alone? I do. I was an only child, ignored by my socialite parents, an abused wife, regarded as worthless. Azriel made me keep myself hidden from the world, and aside from the people I killed for, I had nothing. No one. Tyler made me feel like a woman again, made me feel loved. But you…Raif, you pulled me out of the dark. Not Azriel, not Xander, and not Delilah and her revenge. You. You’re my friend. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
Raif closed his eyes, and his head dropped. I was all about the heartfelt words tonight. Must have been Fallon’s lack of decency that spurred me to such emotion. But even I had a breaking point, and I wasn’t willing to let Raif reciprocate. Or maybe I was afraid he wouldn’t. Whatever my reason, I spoke up again before he could open his mouth. “Ty didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Raif’s brow rose in question, his blue eyes glowing in the dark. “He’s strong. Surprisingly strong. I think he broke a few of my ribs, but I’ll be fine. Don’t worry,” he said as I opened my mouth to speak. “I know this isn’t his fault. But if this threat to your Jinn’s sanity or the attempts on both your lives has anything to do with Brakae, maybe you should abandon this quest. I’ve come to terms with my loss. Looking for a ghost isn’t going to do any of us any good.”
“If any part of what’s going on has to do with her, then she’s not a ghost, is she?”
“Perhaps not.” The hope in his voice made him sound so much younger. Vulnerable. “But is it worth the risk?”
“I think you can answer that all on your own,” I said.
“Yes,” Raif said, “I suppose I can.”
We stood side by side, watching the traffic for a while in utter silence. “What do you know?” he asked. I had a feeling it had taken a huge leap of faith for him to make the transition from resignation to hope.
“Very little at this point. I’m going out. I have some things to take care of. Can I count on you if I need help?”
“What about your Jinn?”
“I need to keep him out of this if I can. It’ll be safer for him the less he knows.” Then again, as I thought of Delilah’s warnings and my strange dreams, someone could be fucking with Ty and me for an entirely different reason. I hadn’t forgotten about the mysterious Man from The Ring. And if he was truly coming for me, I’d handle that little problem all by myself. “If I need you, I’ll call.”
Raif answered with a nod, and I joined with the shadows stretching beyond our feet before he might be tempted to follow me.
I walked into The Pit, armed to the teeth and carrying a wad of cash. Levi waved and flashed his boy-next-door smile, pushing up the long sleeves of his rugby shirt. A flock of girls turned from the bar to see what had snagged their eye candy’s attention, and a few of them sneered. If I’d been feeling more playful, I would have given them a real show. Instead, I let my natural charm shine. “Back off, ladies,” I said, and sidled my way into the middle of their little group. “He’s got an appointment. You can come back and drool all you like after I’m done with him.”
The downtrodden groupies gathered their drinks and scattered. Guess I’d burst their balloons. Misery loves company. I felt like shit-so should they.
“You’re in a mood tonight,” Levi said, sliding a Malibu and orange juice toward me. “And thanks for ruining my chances at a good mood.”
“They’ll get over it. And so will you. You can have a one-nighter some other time.” I downed half my drink before fishing in my pocket. “Besides, I brought more engaging company. His name’s Ben, and he’s got a lot of brothers.” I slapped the roll of hundred-dollar bills into his hand.
Always smooth, Levi didn’t even flinch as he stowed the money. He took my glass and freshened it up before pulling a couple of imported beers from the fridge below the bar. “I haven’t found anything out about your ring man.”
“That little project is going to have to go on the back burner for now. What I need tonight is information about a couple of Sidhe.”
“Playing with the big boys, huh?” Levi motioned to one of the cocktail waitresses. “Can you watch the bar, Monique? I need ten or fifteen minutes.”
Monique looked as though she’d walk out into traffic if Levi asked her to. And fortunately, the bar wasn’t very busy. I followed as Levi led the way to a quiet corner. He took a seat and I followed suit, sipping the drink he’d made me when what I really wanted was to abandon it and go straight for the bottle.
“Sidhe are the oldest of the Fae lineage. Their magic is the strongest too. Time hasn’t been kind to the nonhuman population, Darian. But the Sidhe have held on to their ways and shunned humanity for the most part. They’ve got power and then some. Are you sure you want to get involved with them?”
No, but it was too late now to rethink my decisions. “Honestly, Levi, I don’t plan on making friends. Besides, I’m only interested in two Sidhe. A sister and brother called Moira and Reaver.”
Levi let out a low whistle. “Might as well douse yourself in gasoline and light the match, Darian. Why in the hell would you want to tangle with them?”
Oh fucking fuck. How did I always manage to pick the baddest of the bad to get involved with? I couldn’t tell Levi why I was interested in the siblings. Letting everyone in the city know I was out to steal from them wouldn’t exactly help me in the burglary department. But I had to know who and what I was up against. Fallon’s request smelled like a trap. Either that or he knew it was a suicide mission and was hoping I’d at least get my hands on the merchandise before they killed me. In which case, he wouldn’t need to bother with Delilah or lifting the spell. “Levi, I gave you a shitload of cash. Let me worry about my own ass. Moira and Reaver,” I said slowly, “tell me about them.”