Blood Before Sunrise

by amanda bonilla

  “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.”

  Levi sighed and looked around as if afraid someone might overhear our conversation. “From what I’ve heard, Moira is the more dangerous of the two. She’s got a lot of magic up her sleeve. A Healer, I believe. And a Herald.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A Herald is someone who can talk to the dead or the crossed over. Most of the supernatural don’t view death as a finality. They tend to see it as an evolution or a passing into another realm. They don’t harbor the spiritual existence as a joining with God or going to heaven. Think Avalon. You don’t die die. You just leave this realm, and your soul takes up residence somewhere else. But I guess I don’t have to tell you that.”

  I knew Shaedes didn’t believe in conventional death. Xander said our physical bodies might die, but we would forever live in shadow. And apparently this Moira could speak to our dearly departed brethren. “What about Reaver?”

  Levi leaned close. “Reaver is called the Keeper.”

  I knew that much already. “Do you know what he keeps?”

  Levi gave a nervous chuckle. “I don’t have a fucking clue.”

  Well, I knew something Levi didn’t. The thing that Reaver “kept” was the exact thing Fallon wanted me to steal. If Levi was corroborating Fallon’s information—that Reaver was, in fact, the Keeper—then at least I knew he hadn’t been playing me. It didn’t matter that Levi didn’t know what the Sidhe kept. Fallon knew. “Do you know where they live? How I can find them?”

  “I don’t know about Moira, but I’ve heard Reaver likes to hang out at a place called Atlas. It’s a high-end, private club. Caters to nonhuman clientele only. Very exclusive.”

  “Where is it?”

  “Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s underground. Industrial District, maybe. They’re only open at night; watch for the flow of luxury traffic—should lead you right to him.”

  I left The Pit a thousand dollars lighter but rich with information. Levi was good for it, I had no doubt. That preppy bastard knew more about the supernatural world than I did. The waterf
ront called, and I was itching to check out the Industrial District for any sign of the esoteric supernatural hangout, but the gray-streaked eastern sky told me I’d have to wait another eighteen or so hours before I could begin my quest for the Keeper.

  Sandpaper would have been softer than my eyelids as I blinked. God, I was tired.

  I hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in…I couldn’t even remember how long. When this was all over and done with, I was going to sleep for a month. I headed toward downtown and my apartment, when the sound of wings flapping drew my attention. As I looked skyward, a golden red form swooped down, nearly clipping my head with its talons. A falcon, the same falcon that had given me the pendulum, dove and spun, twisting in midair and digging at my pocket while it beat against me with its wings.

  Insistent shit, I thought as I batted it away. Gaining altitude, the falcon regrouped and began anew, clawing at my pocket and tugging with a swift flapping of wings. I fought the bird off with my left hand while my right ventured to my pocket, which had begun to grow warm. Strange. Since I’d returned from my little field trip, the gem had been dormant, its warmth and otherworldly light seeming to have disappeared. But with the appearance of the falcon, it had awoken. The emerald pendulum pulsed with bright green light as I drew it out into the open air, watching as it swung to and fro before my eyes. With a parting screech, the falcon soared into the sky and out of sight. Guess it had delivered its message.

  Two days I’d been gone the last time I had allowed myself to become drawn into the pendulum. And I’d kept the damned thing tucked in my pocket ever since. But I pulled it out of its hiding place and stared into its depths anyway, unable to tear my gaze from the fathomless green light. The gem swung toward me, pulled by some unknown force of gravity, and I leaned toward the light, mesmerized by the sudden peace and unequivocal quiet it offered. Seconds slowed, the pulsing beat of time came nearly to a halt, and I felt a strange tug at my center, urging me toward something I couldn’t identify. I allowed my eyes to drift shut, and when I opened them again, I no longer stood on the gray Seattle streets but at the top of the knoll, looking down into the green valley and at the dark-haired woman who waited for me.

  Chapter 15

  Another blink of my eyes and I no longer stood on the knoll. Without taking a step, I’d appeared in the valley below, standing face-to-face with a woman I recognized and yet didn’t know.

  This was the woman who’d run from the charging Enphigmalé in my dream. She had the same thick raven hair, same peaches-and-cream skin, and the exact same sapphire eyes. She looked my age, maybe a little younger, but I realized with certainty there was no mistaking the kinship between her, the child who’d warned me about “the Man,” and the adolescent girl who’d brought me here the first time. Sisters? Mother and daughters? Did I really have time to wonder?

  She smiled. Again it struck me as familiar—not an openly hostile expression, but not exactly warm either. It didn’t suit her. A gentle breeze stirred her hair, and she looked to the sky, her smile fading into something more serious. When her eyes met mine again, there was a depth of sadness there. “I must speak with you,” she said.

  “Whatever you have to say, make it fast.” The sound thumping in my ears now was not the passage of time but my own racing heart. “The last time I wound up here, a few minutes cost me two days. What the hell is going on? Who are you?”

  “I’m nothing but a humble servant. A priestess and caretaker. And you are the Guardian. You must protect the Key and the natural order. You must give assistance if I call upon you.”

  Lovely.

  “I have to go,” I said.

  “He will deceive you,” she said, taking my hand in hers. “You have to be strong.”

  “I really, really do not have time for this.” I pulled my hand from hers. How long had I been standing here? A minute? Ninety seconds? “I have to get back home before someone notices I’m gone. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, and I’m not a damned Guardian. You got that?”

  “Please, Darian,” she said, too calmly. “You have no choice.”

  “I’m not sure what you think I’m responsible for guarding, but I don’t even own a key to my own apartment. As for giving you assistance…this looks like a nice, calm place. I doubt you have anything to worry about.” I held out the emerald, trying again to return it, but she took a step back and shook her head.

  A couple of minutes gone? A day—or more? I had to leave. Now. “I can’t help you,” I said. “I’m sorry. I’ve got my own shit to deal with. Find someone else to guard your keys, and quit bringing me here.” I let the pendulum fall from my hand, and it drifted as if it were a feather. “I have to go. I can’t stay here.” I turned my back to her, and the green landscape melted away as I heard the pendulum land in the grass.

  “Look out! Move out of the way!” someone shouted before a horn blared. My eyes flew open just in time to see the bus barreling toward me. I jumped, falling back against someone as I tripped on the sidewalk, the bus whooshing past me to turn the corner. Late afternoon. The sun was just about to sink into the western sky. How long had I been gone this time? I had to get back to Tyler fast, but becoming incorporeal on a street packed with humans wasn’t an option. Of course, no one had seemed to notice that I’d just popped out of thin air, so maybe no one would notice if I did it again. Above the din of engines, horns, and people, a high-pitched keen raised my hackles. The falcon swooped down; silver glinted in its talons as it released its cargo just above my head before spinning in midair and flying away.

  With preternatural speed, I reached out, catching the pendulum before it hit the ground. I looked at the emerald in my hand and could almost hear a woman’s calm voice saying, “You forgot something.” Pulling back my fist, I prepared to fling the damned thing into traffic, but before I let it fly, the emerald warmed my palm, absorbing the sound of time and delivering peace to my soul. Damn it. Instead, I shoved the pendulum in my pocket and watched as the falcon made its ascent into the sky.

  “You’re a pain in the ass—you know that?” I shouted. A few people stopped to gape, though I was only one of several people on this street talking or shouting to themselves. I meandered through the pedestrians, fighting to appear unruffled until I could find a hidden place to leave my solid form behind.

  On the plus side, I had less time to kill before nightfall, which meant less time until I could track Reaver. But I was terrified I’d lost more than seven or eight hours. What if it had been seven or eight days? I hurried toward my apartment, all the while racking my brain for a decent excuse for where I’d been, when I heard the scurrying sound of insects close behind me.

  I rolled my eyes to the heavens. Just what I needed. I fought the urge to turn and stamp their shiny little bodies into the pavement. In the light of day, a Lyhtan could choose to take the corporeal form of an unassuming insect. At night, they were formidable fighters, nearly seven feet tall and with sharp, venomous teeth that could turn their prey’s insides into a slurpable goo. I’d once seen one of them partaking of a liquid meal. In a word: Disgusting.

  Rather than flee like a coward, I stayed my course, waiting for the right time and the right place to turn and fight. I sensed the approach of sunset, my skin prickling with each passing second. Until the sun slipped completely away, the Lyhtans would be shielded from human eyes by their incorporeal forms. They could attack me right here and now if they wanted to. But I assumed they hadn’t attacked me already simply because they were worried that they’d run out of time and would be forced to regain their solid forms before they could kill me. I needed to find cover, and fast. Good thing dangerous, abandoned alleys were plentiful. Gotta love the city.

  The evening sun plunged beneath the horizon, and I felt its passage as a rumble that traveled the length of my body. Quickening my pace, I ducked into the darkest, dankest, most abandoned alleyway I could find—and I turned to fight.

  Son of a bitch, there were five of the fuckers. I could
easily have taken two or three. But five? Fate really had it out for me. I drew my katana, thankful I wouldn’t be hindered by my corporeal form. Post-sunset, the Lyhtans would be trapped in their bodies, but it didn’t make them any less deadly. Any one of them would be capable of ripping my head from my shoulders if I made one careless move. But if I could take their heads first…the better for me.

  I assessed the situation as quickly as I could. None of them appeared armed, though their taloned hands could deliver a poisonous slice or two. I wasn’t taking any chances as I backed deeper into the alley, drawing them away from the hapless public. “I’m having a serious self-esteem moment,” I said. “I mean, five against one? You guys must think I’m pretty damned tough.”

  One of them laughed, and I shivered at the sound. No matter how many years I lived, I knew I’d never get used to the many facets of sound that made up a single Lyhtan voice. “We’re going to enjoy eating you.” As a collective body, my five attackers took a step closer, greenish drool leaking from their gaping mouths.

  “You’ll make a decent meal,” another said. “A savory morsel, indeed. The world will owe us a debt of gratitude once we’ve finished with you. You are Other. Worse than you were when simply another Shaede scum.”

  Nothing I hadn’t heard before. Lyhtans bore a hatred and jealousy toward Shaedes for as long as their species had lived. And since my transformation into something more than both of them…let’s just say they wouldn’t be inviting me to any family functions any time soon. “Okay, you hate me. And might I add, maybe you’re just a little jealous that I can do what you can do—but better.” I swung my sword in a swirling pattern. “I might be outnumbered, but you’re outweaponed, and outskilled. Leave now and I won’t harbor any ill feelings.”