“Put the gun down, Cole.”
“Give me one good reason.”
“He’s her only chance.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“She loves him. Let him help her.”
Isaiah met Cole’s gaze and lifted his lip in a snarl. There was no “let” about it. Whatever Addy needed, he would provide. Cole broke the stare first.
“Help her how?”
Isaiah took another step forward. And then another. He had to get to Addy. To protect her.
Reaper. He didn’t know if the warning made it past his mind.
“By getting out of the way,” Reese lashed out. His fist caught Cole on the jaw. The big man went down. Reese shook his hand out. “I’m sorry, brother, but you always did have a glass jaw on that side.”
Reese put the mirror under Addy’s nose again and swore.
“Get over here, damn it.”
Isaiah pushed the darkness away, and took a step. At least he thought he took a step.
Reese swore again. Dropping the mirror, he rushed to Isaiah.
The beast snarled and bared its fangs. Powerful muscles gathered for the strike.
No!
Closing his eyes as Reese slipped his arm around his waist and wedged his shoulder under his arm, Isaiah willed the beast under control.
“Damn, they really tore you up.”
The beast snarled again, ready to strike as Reese half led, half dragged him. Isaiah snarled right back. No!
“Are you going to be all right?”
Isaiah nodded and dropped to his knees beside Addy, gritting his teeth as the beast struggled to gain control, its instincts demanding the death of the threat that was so close to its mate.
Leave him be.
The beast growled and clawed at Isaiah. Isaiah clamped down harder, fighting the beast’s power and his own growing weakness. The darkness beckoned. He shook his head. Soon enough, but not yet. Addy needed him.
“Isaiah. Stay with me.”
Yes, I have to stay.
“You need to bite her,” Reese ordered. “Three times.”
No, he couldn’t do that. The memories of the women he’d had to kill flew at him, half morphed, eyes wild, tortured with the agony of a conversion that could never complete, caught between the world of human and Reaper, insane with the reality of it. Screaming women. Hurting women. Unable to die, unable to live. Women who chewed off their own limbs to end the madness of the third bite.
“No.” He forced the word out in a guttural bark. “Madness.”
“I told you, I’ve been watching. They don’t all go mad.”
He thought of the one he hadn’t killed. He’d always assumed she’d avoided the third bite, but what if she hadn’t? The beast howled, Yes! Hard, fast, and powerful, the order surged past the barrier, feeding his hope.
No! He shook his head. He couldn’t do that to her. Couldn’t risk it for the selfish need of the beast. He’d let her go to her God, whole, as she was meant to be. Let her live with the angels. He had the devil covered.
The beast howled a protest and clawed at its confines. As weak as he was, it was a struggle to keep it contained.
“Goddamn you, bite her. You’re not going to let her die with her only memory of this life being the hell she fought her way out of.” Reese grabbed his shoulder and shook him. “She loves you, goddamn it, be worth something to her. Bite her!”
A hand reached out of the hovering darkness, followed by a body.
Reaper.
“Who the hell are you?”
Isaiah recognized the scent.
“Blade.”
Blade looked around. “Hell of a fight you had here.”
Reese swore. “What the hell do you want.”
“I heard the ruckus.”
“From where?”
Reese was right to be suspicious. Blade was an unknown quantity. A Reaper with no loyalties other than to himself.
Isaiah didn’t need to see Blade’s face to know the look Blade was giving Reese.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“What are you?”
“Reaper.”
“The good kind, I hope.”
“If there is such a thing.”
The sound of the hammer of a gun being drawn back and Blade’s low chuckle preceded the scuff of leather across dirt as Blade knelt beside him.
“You’re his friend?”
The weight of Blade’s hand increased as the darkness encroached further. Keeping his gaze locked on Addy’s face, Isaiah held to consciousness.
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
Isaiah shook his head and touched a drop of blood sliding down Addy’s cheek, stopping its fall. She was cold, so cold. Her image grew fuzzy around the edges, but that blood spreading over his finger stayed bright. He was losing her.
“Make him bite her.”
Blade sighed. “You know they go insane.”
“Not all of them.”
There was a long pause in which Isaiah could feel Blade’s energy gathering. Isaiah gathered the remnants of his own strength in preparation for a strike. Reese protected Addy. He needed to live.
Finally Blade answered. “I’d be interested in knowing how you know that.”
“I bet you would.”
“You’re playing on dangerous ground, human.”
“I’m not playing.”
“So I see.” Air swirled against Isaiah’s cheek as Blade motioned to Addy. “What if she’s one of the ones that go insane?”
No!
“Then you’ll kill her.”
“That’s not a job I want.”
“But you’ll do it.”
Yes, he would, Isaiah knew. Blade’s ethics leaned toward not torturing women. It took tremendous effort for Isaiah to turn his head, but he needed to see Blade’s face. The man was looking at Addy, a strange expression on his face. With a twitch of his lips, Blade nodded. “Yeah. But not for the reasons you’re thinking.”
“I don’t give a shit what your reasons are, just make him bite her.”
“I’m not sure I can do that, either.”
“Then you bite her.”
Blade easily blocked Isaiah’s lunge. That shouldn’t be possible. The thought flitted through Isaiah’s mind. He and Blade were evenly matched.
Rest, Reaper.
The order slid easily under Isaiah’s beast’s confusion. Powerful and seductive, the command quelled the beast.
Reese brought up the gun. “I said, you bite her.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“It takes three bites to convert a human, but there has to be at least three days between the second and third bite.”
Three bites, Isaiah thought. He’d already given her two.
“She’d die before I could do her any good.”
But you can save her, Isaiah’s beast nudged.
Shut up.
“What happens if it works?”
“Your spying didn’t reveal that?”
“Just answer the question.”
“She becomes a Reaper.”
“Completely?”
“I don’t know.” Blade leaned in. Both Isaiah and the beast snarled a warning. There was the sound of cloth being disturbed and the scent of blood increased. Addy’s blood. “It’s just a theory.”
Easy, Reaper. Again that deft delivery of calm from Blade before he said, “He’s already bitten her twice.”
“How can you tell?”
“A Reaper can always tell.”
“Why did those other Reapers want her?” Reese asked.
Blade’s expression stayed carefully blank, but Isaiah could feel his tension. “To test a theory.”
“How did they know about her?” Reese asked, keeping the gun drawn.
“Through me.”
“Why the hell did you tell them?”
Isaiah’s beast snarled. Yes, why?
Blade nodded toward the gun. “Not only is that
empty, but I’d take off your arm before you could even pull the trigger, so put it down.”
Reese hesitated. Isaiah found the strength to reach over and take the gun. At Reese’s glare, he shook his head. Fresh blood dripped down his side. The small effort left him totally drained. Blade took the gun from his hand and set it on the ground.
Thank you. I didn’t want to kill him.
I don’t want to kill you.
Sending the thought back drained the last of Isaiah’s strength. He listed to the side. A shift of Blade’s position and he was unobtrusively propping Isaiah up.
Bold talk for a half-dead Guardian.
Try me.
“Did you tell them on purpose?” Reese asked, interrupting the mental exchange.
“That’s a stupid question.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Maybe I thought my influence could stop all this,” Blade snapped back. “Hell, what does it matter? We’re wasting time. He’s going to pass out soon.”
“He fought a good fight.”
“He’s fought a lot of good fights,” Blade corrected, sliding a hand under Addy. The move released more of her scent. The beast howled at the odor of impending death that rode it. “But I have to admit, he’s never been hurt this bad.”
“You’re a cold son of a bitch, aren’t you?”
Yes, Isaiah thought. Very cold.
“So I’ve been told.”
“So are you going to help or not?”
“I believe I am.” Isaiah knew what Blade was going to do before he felt the touch of his hand on his arm and the brush of his mind.
No!
Yes.
Blade could influence anyone, anyone but Isaiah. Blade had never been able to influence him.
Don’t fight me, Isaiah.
It was an impossible request. He couldn’t turn his Addy into a beast. He couldn’t see her struggle, couldn’t deal with her hate, couldn’t be the one to kill her if it all went horribly wrong.
There’s no point in fighting.
The order echoed in Isaiah’s mind, bouncing off barriers until it found a weak spot to glide underneath. It found his beast with unerring accuracy, soothing it into a semblance of calm.
She needs you.
Insidious and debilitating, the truth wended deep.
With you, she’ll have life.
His no wasn’t as strong as it should have been.
She’s your mate. It’s your duty to give her what she needs.
Duty. He understood duty.
She needs you.
He remembered her smile, her fear, the way she didn’t need her worry stone around him. Yes.
Complete the bond. It’s your duty.
No.
If you don’t, They will.
They’re dead.
No, They’re not. Without the bond, she’s not safe. You have to keep her safe.
He’d promised to keep her safe.
It’s the only way.
He’d never let Them have her.
She needs you.
Yes. She needed him, he needed her. Isaiah leaned down, or did Blade lift her up? He didn’t know. He heard a groan.
“Hurry up,” Reese said. “Cole’s coming awake.”
Addy’s scent grew stronger, even through the coppery stench of blood. So pure, so perfect.
She’s yours.
Yes. Mine.
She needs you to make her strong.
Strong. Addy was always strong. But she had to be stronger to fight Them.
Do it. Do it.
The order echoed in his head, gaining strength with every reverberation in his ears, different voices all with the same imperative—save her. His mouth flooded with that spicy taste he’d known only once before. Now, he thought, now I am ready. He touched his lips to her throat. His Addy. His sweets. He kissed the side of her neck.
In the second before he bit, he whispered, “Forgive me.”
His teeth pierced her skin. Her taste filled his mouth. All went dark and then there was a sensation of being in a tunnel, buried beneath an overpowering, cloaking darkness.
Wait. The beast? Blade? He didn’t know, but he waited, not trusting that darkness, holding Addy tightly. At the edge of the tunnel, sparkles of light appeared, tiny flickers that built to streaks. Around his hands more appeared, solidifying as he watched, glowing strong enough to push the darkness back. There was the impression of movement, of going deeper, yet he went nowhere at all. Another flicker of light joined the others. This one was more centered and blossomed at his approach, luring him closer.
“Addy.” Her name came out in a breath of recognition.
The light flared in response, filling his vision, before flickering. He lunged forward. The light surrounding him surged, too, wrapping around Addy, trying to hold her. Her light whooshed back down the tunnel, growing smaller and smaller. Somewhere a waltz played.
“He’s a heavy son of a bitch,” he heard from afar.
“Move him over before he crushes her.”
“If we can get them on these horses, can you get them somewhere safe?” Reese asked.
No, he wouldn’t leave Addy.
“Yes.”
The last thing he heard before the darkness smothered him was Reese.
“Make sure it’s far enough away that Cole can’t track them.”
“He’ll follow?”
“Yes.”
Yes.
17
REAPER!
Isaiah slammed into consciousness, nerves snapping taut. Keeping his eyes closed, he took stock of his surroundings. Clean air, scented with leather and wood smoke. Warmth on his feet and shaded light on his eyes. Two people—
“About time you woke up.”
Blade.
Images flooded his mind. Addy in her blue dress, laughing. Reapers attacking. Blood in a pool. Addy . . . He shied away.
“Hate to break it to you, Blade, but as ugly as you are, I just didn’t feel inspired.”
Fingers toughed his cheek in a fluttery caress. Addy.
“How about me? Do I inspire you?”
Isaiah opened his eyes. Addy stared down at him, a forced smile on her lips. He had a vague memory of that face streaked in blood, the lips pale, the eyes closed. Reaching up, he pushed a loose tendril of hair off her cheek. His beast moaned in pleasure at the contact. He knew exactly how it felt. The man was pretty pleased, too. “For you, I’d not only wake up, I’d get up.”
She chuckled. “That might be a bit ambitious. You’ve been unconscious forever.”
Her fingers quivered against his temple. Beyond her head he saw a mesh of twigs and leaves. They were at his lean-to. Interesting that Blade would bring them here.
“Forever? I must give ‘ugly’ a new definition.”
“You look good.” Addy’s smile was as soft as her touch and just as shaky.
“I was just thinking he looked about as attractive as a pig in a wallow,” Blade interjected. “So if you do get him up, steer him toward the pond.”
“Blade!” Addy pressed her hand against Isaiah’s shoulder in the delusion that she had a prayer of keeping him down.
His beast didn’t like her familiarity with the handsome Reaper. He wasn’t too fond of it himself.
“Just saying my nose could use a break,” Blade clarified.
“He was hurt.”
“So were—”
Blade cut him off. “Well, I’m the one who’s hurting now.”
Isaiah cut Blade a glance. He didn’t want him talking about her injuries? Running his hand over the beard on his cheeks, Isaiah sighed. “I must look a sight.”
“Been sleeping like an angel over there for two whole days,” Blade snorted. “You ought to look like something.”
Two days. It usually only took a few hours for a Reaper to heal, unless the wounds were mortal. Two days meant he’d been near death.
“Two days, huh?”
He ran his hand over his chin, rasping his nail on the rough beard. “I must have been tired.”
The wind changed direction. The aroma of roasting rabbit joined the other scents. His stomach rumbled.
“Must have been, but don’t think we’re going to let you lollygag once you get up.”
Addy gasped. “Blade, hush!”
Isaiah cocked an eyebrow at Blade. He was willing to bet that the last time the big Reaper had been told to hush was never. “Guess I can take a hint.”
“Don’t you dare get up.”
And the last time someone had given him an order had to be never times two.
“Sweets, I need to get up.”
“A bath can wait. You were very . . .” Addy’s fingers dug into his shoulder in a rhythmic pattern and her gaze skirted his. Licking her lips nervously, she finished, “There’s no rush.”
Rub on me instead.
He put his hand over hers, not stopping her rubbing, just shielding it from view. She must have lost her worry stone in the battle. He didn’t mind filling in.
“Sweets, I’ve been lying here for two days. There’s a need.”
Blade chuckled. The rubbing continued another second, hesitated, and then stopped altogether as his implication sank in.
“Oh.” She sat back. Blade chuckled. Addy snapped, “Shut up, Blade.”
Another chuckle. Isaiah caught Addy’s hand and brought it to his lips. Something he most likely would not be able to do later. She was Reaper now, but judging from her calm, she didn’t know it. When the reality hit, there’d be no more soft touches. Just hate and anger.
“And since when do you go calling a strange man by his first name?”
Her smile tightened. “Since he doesn’t seem to have a last name and since he saved both our lives.”
Blade turned the rabbits. “The lady is eminently logical.”
And Blade liked that. Isaiah’s beast snarled a silent warning. Blade tipped his hat. Isaiah bared his teeth before nodding to Addy.
“I thought his name was Billings.” He shifted up on his elbows.
“He says it’s not.”
“Always the man of mystery.”
Blade didn’t deny it. “Yup. You going to lie there all day?”
“No.”
Addy pressed her hand against his shoulder again and shot Blade a dirty look. “I’m not sure you’re ready.”
Isaiah met the worry in her gaze calmly. “I’m getting up.”
She took her hand away with a huff, clearly not happy.
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