“Can I take that for you, Darian?”
I looked up to find Xander’s driver standing in front of me, arms outstretched. I couldn’t think of his name to save my life. Good lord, it’s like I’d had a full-frontal lobotomy in the past few hours or some shit. “Yeah, thanks.” I held out the box and he took it from me.
“Is there anything else?”
“One more small box, but I’ll grab it.”
He put the box in the trunk with a few others. “I don’t mind.”
“I’ve got it. Besides, I should probably give the place a last once-over before we go. Make sure there isn’t anything I’ve forgotten.”
“Want me to come with you?” Jesus, what in the hell was this guy’s name? It was driving me batty. “You’re not supposed to be without an escort. Raif was quiet specific.”
What did everyone think I needed protection from? I was pretty damned good at taking care of myself. Hell, before Raif and Xander had come along, I’d been relying on no one but myself. The dull ache at the front of my head pounded a little harder and I reached up to massage my temples. “Raif worries too much,” I said through the discomfort. I refused to admit that I couldn’t be happier for his concern no matter how misplaced. “I’ll be out in a sec. Keep the engine running.”
Without giving him a chance to argue, I turned and headed back into my building. Since the elevator was shot, I left my corporeal form behind and caught a wind current to the second story. The place looked like a set from a disaster movie. Thousands of dollars’ worth of Xander’s fancy decorating blown to bits. My chest tightened at the sight. This place had been my home for so long, the thought of having to leave was like leaving a limb behind. I skirted the section of floor that had begun to sink as I took one last look around the place that was marked off with yellow caution tape. I’d taken all of my clothes that I could salvage. Emptied out the bathroom. Gathered up my weapons: my old saber, some throwing knives, and a couple of daggers that weren’t half as useful as the pair Xander had given me. All of my dishes and the cupboards they’d been in were shot. My pantry had been obliterated as well though I’d managed to salvage one last box of Peanut Butter Cheerios. I didn’t think you could find that variety in many stores anymore. Those suckers were like gold.
As I took one last lap, I couldn’t help but think that I’d forgotten something. That I’d hidden something here that I needed. The pounding in my skull persisted and I swore under my breath. Supernatural creatures weren’t supposed to have headaches. At least, not ones that lasted for more than a minute or two. I supposed that the niggling worry at the back of my mind was leftover stress from my morning with Xander, Raif, and Asher. My emotions were still raw and simmered just below the surface.
Maybe a little downtime wouldn’t hurt.
I walked toward the kitchen. Not sure why, I’d already grabbed everything I could from there. The flat of my palm wandered across the brick wall and I paused where it looked like a few of the bricks had come loose. Weird. This part of the building hadn’t really been damaged much in the explosion. But the mortar around the masonry was gone and it looked as though the bricks could be shimmied free. My brow furrowed as another pulsating round of pain ricocheted inside my cranium.
God fucking damn it that hurt. What was wrong with me?
I turned from the brick wall and the pain abated slightly. I gave my head a gentle shake, as though it would dislodge whatever was giving me grief. No such luck. The stress of the past week had obviously gotten to me. I just needed to get settled in at Xander’s. I’d promised him that I’d take care of Anya and baby Dimitri for him. And given my and Anya’s antagonistic relationship, I didn’t think she’d be the easiest person to take care of in Xander’s absence. I supposed that was too damned bad, though. I was going to prove to Xander that he could entrust his most valuable possessions in my care. And by doing so, I’d ensure my spot on the king’s payroll for years to come.
A girl’s gotta make a living, right?
I gave my once pristine apartment one last glance as I scooped up the last cardboard box. With a sigh, I stepped into the light and only regained my corporeal form as my booted feet hit the sidewalk.
A strange energy signature brushed against my senses. I looked up to see a man striding down the sidewalk toward me, his expression pinched. Fae? No. I’d never felt power like this before. It hit me in almost pleasant waves, like a full-body massage. It was an amazing sensation even if the punch it packed put me on high alert. I tried to focus my gaze on the sidewalk and not the supernatural anomaly barreling toward me. The daggers hummed in their sheaths at my sides, and I resisted the urge to drop the box in my arms and reach for them. No use freaking out before I had a reason too…
Only a few feet separated us now and his eyes met mine. My breath caught in my chest as our gazes locked. I’d never seen such gorgeous hazel eyes in my entire existence. And the body they were attached to wasn’t so bad, either. Wow. He looked almost pained as he approached me, and the urgency of his expression caused my own heart to pick up its pace in my chest. An unfamiliar shock of cold raced up my arm and my step faltered. I forced myself to ignore him. A look of stark realization crested over his beautiful face and his expression fell. A sense of sorrow welled in my chest. Good lord, my emotional compass was seriously off kilter today. As we passed one another, that same strange chill snaked around my arm and the box I carried fell from my grasp. Xander’s driver rushed forward and scooped it up from the sidewalk before I could do it.
“I’ve got this Darian. Are you ready to go?”
I turned and watched as my mysterious passerby continued down the sidewalk. He paused, and turned back to face me. I stood rooted to my spot on the sidewalk and simply stared. His full lips quirked in a sad smile, the expression so knowing that it sent a wave of anxiety crashing over me. A year passed in that moment. The world melted away until there was only the two of us.
“Darian? You okay?”
The voice of Xander’s driver—damn it, I needed to be better with names—broke the spell and I gave my head a shake as I turned to face him.
“I’m fine,” I said with a nervous laugh. “Let’s get out of here.” I turned back to get a glimpse of my mystery man, but in the space of a couple of seconds he’d vanished. As though he’d poofed into thin air or some shit.
Creepy.
I paused with the car door open as I took one last look up and down the sidewalk and then again at the burned and broken façade of my building. I let out a sigh that did nothing for the tension that pulled my shoulders taut before I climbed into the backseat. After I buckled my seatbelt, I massaged my left arm. Remnants of that strange zing of cold tingled on my skin. I reached out and twisted the ring on my left thumb before tracing the strange engraving with the pad of one finger. I couldn’t remember where I’d gotten it, but I’d always loved this ring. It was beautiful in its simplicity. I never took it off. The only piece of jewelry I wore.
As the driver pulled out onto the street, I cradled my still throbbing head in my hands. I couldn’t quell the feeling that I’d left something behind at my apartment. Missed some detail or more to the point, forgotten it. Damn it, I hoped that when I felt better and had a chance to settle into life at Xander’s house I’d remember what it was. Because I suspected whatever I’d missed was something important.
Something I couldn’t live without.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks so much to everyone at NYLA including my amazing agent, Natanya Wheeler, and my fab beta readers, Chelea Mueller, Windy Aphayrath, and Meredith Moore. The biggest thanks of all goes out to my readers, though, whose enthusiasm and dedication to series are why I can’t let Darian’s story end until it’s truly over. Props to my family as always for putting up with my love affair with my computer. Any and all mistakes are my own. I’ve been known to make more than a few in my time.
DISCOVER AMANDA BONILLA
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The Shaede Assassin Series
Shaedes of Gray – Book 1
When Shadows Call (novella prequel to Shades of Gray)
Blood Before Sunrise – Book 2
Lost to the Gray (Tyler’s novella)
Crave the Darkness – Book 3
Against the Dawn – Book 4
Shadows at Midnight – Book 5
The Sentry of Evil Series
Vengeance Borne – Book 1
Haunted – (a Sentry of Evil short story)
Book 2 in The Sentry of Evil Series – coming in 2016!!
The Sexy Shifter Shorts
The Sweetest Torture
The Sweetest Temptation
The Sweetest Mercy
The Sexy Shifter Box Set
Discover Mandy Baxter (Amanda Bonilla’s contemporary romantic suspense alter ego!)
The US Marshals
One Night More
One Kiss More
One Touch More
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Bonilla lives in rural Idaho with her family. She's a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshipper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. She loves the outdoors, black clothes, pink appliances, and thinks junk food should be a recognized food group.
She is the author of the Shaede Assassin urban fantasy romance series, which was nominated for Best Urban Fantasy Protagonist by Romantic Times, The Sentry of Evil dark and gritty urban fantasy series, and the Sexy Shifter erotic romance series. Amanda also writes contemporary romantic suspense for Kensington under the pseudonym, Mandy Baxter.
Amanda first fell in love with urban fantasy and paranormal romance when she read MOON CALLED and hasn't once looked back. She's an avid reader and firmly believes that nothing is better than new book smell!
For more information on Amanda's books, including chapter previews, reviews and publication dates, go to:
http://www.amandabonilla.com/
http://magicandmayhemwriters.com
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https://twitter.com/amandabonilla
Mandy Baxter
http://www.mandy-baxter.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMandyBaxter
https://twitter.com/MandyJBaxter
Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
DISCOVER AMANDA BONILLA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
DISCOVER AMANDA BONILLA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
shaede assassin 05 - shadows at midnight Page 24