After what felt like forever, the vehicle came to a stop, and I took in a great gulp of air to steady my quaking limbs. The thought that I might leave this existence and pass permanently into shadow sent a wave of anxiety washing over me. I prayed I would die with a sword in my hand. I hoped I would leave this solid form with dignity and with the respect of my adversaries.
“I wish I could kiss Ty one more time,” I whispered.
The back doors of the van opened, and I was hauled out by several pairs of hands. My head bounced against the pavement, and my hips and legs followed suit as I was dumped on the ground. Someone standing above me snickered, and I connected the sound to Anya. Of course she’d be delighted to see me suffer.
Lifted as if I weighed nothing, they carried me through a door, and the familiar smells of a home drifted up my nostrils. We weren’t in a musty warehouse or unused residence like the town house. This place had a lived-in scent that lingered everywhere.
My head knocked uncomfortably a couple of times as I was towed up a flight of stairs. Again, my captors did not make much of an effort to see to my comfort. I could hardly blame them. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t crazy-pissed because of it.
They threw me down on a soft, cushiony surface. The blindfold was removed, and I felt the air shift as my kidnappers departed under the cover of shadow. It took a while for my eyes to adjust, even though the room was relatively dark.
The surrounding space boasted rich furnishings. Sporting an enormous bed, couches, chairs, a table, and a desk, it was a suite unto itself. Antique dressers and vibrant oil paintings decorated the walls. Doors led from the central room to other unknown places, waiting like dark chasms branching off from the main body of a cave. The smell of Shaede permeated my senses. New, fresh scents, and old as well, wafted around me, but the most prevalent scent in this room belonged to him.
“What shall I do with you, Darian?”
He startled me with his velvety voice; it trailed out to wrap me in its embrace. I hated him for his voice, for the way it made me feel, what it sparked in me. For that reason more than any other, I despised him.
I bucked my chin toward the ceiling. Screw you. I locked my defiant gaze with his when he came around to sit on the edge of a wing chair and face me.
“What are you going to do with me, Xander?” I asked.
He laughed and the sound touched every square inch of my body. Reaching out, his balmy fingertips crossed one of the raised welts on my face that had yet to go away. He turned on every light in the room, and I tucked my head against my shoulder, squinting. Pulling up my long sleeves, he examined the welts with interest, a sound not unlike a growl erupting from his chest. In my incapacitated state, he left me little choice but to accept the appraisal as he continued to search, lifting first my shirt over my belly and then my pant legs, blazing a path across my skin as he surveyed the damage done.
“Lyhtan,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Who?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Not who,” he said, his voice soft. “What. A Lyhtan did this to you. When did it come?”
“This morning,” I said, loathing myself for letting my guard down. “What is it?”
“The Lyhtans are creatures of the light,” Xander explained, “and vicious, deadly beasts. But whereas you can pass into shadow at night, so can the Lyhtan move unseen in the day. They are confined to their corporeal forms once the sun sets.”
Oh, goody, more surprises. What next—aliens living among us? “They’re like us?” I asked, chagrined that I even had to ask.
“More like us than I’d care to admit. We’re cousins, in the true sense of the word. Both our lines were born to brothers, Artis and Rannan. They defied their father, as the legend goes.” Xander paced the room, and a thoughtful expression graced his face. “Kreighton was a foolish king and let fear ruin his kingdom. The brothers took brides that displeased the king, and their descendants paid the price. Kreighton had favored Artis before his rebellion, and rather than exact the harsh punishment he planned, he graced Artis’s children with Fae beauty so they’d blend with society, and cloaked them in shadow at night. Rannan was not so fortunate. Kreighton cursed his less-favored son’s offspring, banishing them to the light, where they’d be forced to hide their ghastly forms, marking them as outcasts. They’re uncivilized beasts. We’re the lucky ones, I suppose. The Lyhtans”—he looked away wistfully—“are jealous. Vengeful. They despise all Shaedes for our very existence. A Lyhtan needs no excuse to attack a Shaede. They’re dangerous. Especially to us.” His gaze, burning gold flecks in melted caramel, pinned me right where I stood. “Especially to you.”
I stiffened at Xander’s words. What did they want with me? Which raised an even bigger question: Why hadn’t the Lyhtan tried to kill me? Xander had just said they needed little to no excuse to kill a Shaede, and yet it had let me live. My nerves stretched taut and my pulse skipped. The damn thing had been playing with me. It had admitted as much. But why? “I’ve never seen one before,” I whispered. “I had no idea anything like that existed. Didn’t even get a look at the one that attacked me.”
“They’re solitary creatures,” Xander said. “Lyhtans do not live in groups, and though they want for much, they need very little. They hunt like lone wolves, glutting on the weak, and do not seek prey for weeks afterward.” His warm gaze scorched over me again as he continued. “Lyhtan claws and teeth contain deadly venom. We’re allergic to that venom. Those welts on your lovely skin are scratches. Because of the allergy, it will take longer for you to heal. You’re lucky to have come away with only welts. This is . . . disconcerting, Darian. I don’t understand why it didn’t inflict more damage. By all rights, you should be dead. To your attacker’s discredit, it must have barely broken the skin.”
My attacker’s discredit? Like he did a piss-poor job of trying to kill me? Well, the damn thing had said that no harm was to come to me. At least not until the eclipse, though what that meant, I had no idea. And at this point, I didn’t trust Xander as far as I could throw him. No way was I divulging that little piece of info. “Are they allergic to us?”
Xander’s lip curled. “Not really. There, they have the upper hand. Though shadow does have its effect on them. But deadly shadow is hard to come by. Lucky for you, I know just where to get it. The most stalwart Lyhtan can’t defend itself against true shadow. Once extracted, the shadow becomes a solid thing, impervious even to magic. It can squeeze bones to dust and render an opponent immobile.” His eyes roamed over me once again, his lips curving in a seductive smile that would have melted the resolve of any number of women.
I moved against my bonds and remembered that no matter how good he looked, I wanted nothing more than to flay the skin from his body. He had kidnapped me, after all.
“Untie me,” I said.
He must have been mulling over his options, because he stood and paced about the room, tapping his chin with a finger. “I’ll let you go,” he said from behind me. “If you agree to not run away.”
How many victims would agree to that demand? And how many times was he going to restrain me and then ask me to stay? But I agreed, knowing as well as I know myself that I would come to regret it.
He fiddled with the knots, and a moment later, the cord relaxed and drooped from my body. As soon as I was assured of my freedom, I dissolved, reappearing inches from Xander. I drew back my hand to strike him.
Rather than stay my hand, he wrapped his own around me, pulling me tight to his body, which exuded so much heat that I thought I would melt right into him. He buried his face in the strawberry curls of my hair and whispered, “Do you hate me that much?”
“Yes!” I shouted into his chest. “You wooed me by wrapping servitude up in a pretty bow. You gave me gifts only so you could use me, and when I turned my back . . .” I took a deep breath so I could really let him have it “You . . . had . . . me . . . kidnapped!”
A low rumble of laughter erupted in his chest. Bad move. It was li
ke pouring gasoline on an already raging fire. I shoved at him, pounded a fist into his muscled chest, and screamed my frustration.
“You should stay here. For your protection,” he said, as if I hadn’t tried to punch my fist right through his heart. “I wouldn’t wish a Lyhtan on anyone. The next time you encounter one, you might not live to talk about it.”
Oh, great. Not that I planned on encountering one anytime soon. “There’s no way I’m staying here with you. You got your money and your sword back. I’m done with you, Your Highness.”
“This is no coincidence, Darian.” Xander leaned away, though he didn’t let go of me, and tilted his head thoughtfully to one side. “I don’t believe in coincidence. My enemy is now your enemy by virtue of association. And my enemy wants me dead. A Lyhtan is a skilled and thorough killer. It will tear you limb from limb if it gets the chance. It’s a miracle you’re alive.” He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “I can’t help but wonder why it didn’t try to kill you. You have no choice but to be the stealthy assassin and do the job I’ve paid you for. It’s the only way to guarantee your own safety.”
“Bullshit.” I was tired of playing his games. I wanted answers. “Who’s the mark?” I asked yet again. Even Xander believed the Lyhtan’s visit hadn’t been a coincidence. Fucking thing was connected to the job. “It’s connected. Is that what you’re saying? The Lyhtan is connected to whoever you want offed?”
“I’m fairly certain,” he answered. Reluctantly, he let me go, and his strong fingers lingered against me as if trying to savor every second of contact with my body. His thumbs were the last to leave me, and they climbed up my torso, stroking outward, brushing against my ribs.
Just perfect. Like I didn’t have enough to worry about. Now I had to watch my back for invisible attackers. Attackers that might rip my arms right out of their sockets. Just because I’d decided to work for Xander. Some jobs just suck. I so did not need this shit. But I couldn’t logically find any way out of it. I couldn’t fight something I couldn’t see, and I couldn’t prepare for an attacker that I knew little to nothing about. Continuing with Raif, and thereby this job, seemed to be my best line of defense. “I’ll do this for you,” I said, feeling the manacles of slavery tighten. “Only because I’m interested in saving my own neck. But I will not, under any condition, stay here with you.”
“What makes you think you have a choice?” He was the high-and-mighty king again, looking down his haughty nose at me.
Give me a break. “Because if you don’t let me leave, you can take this job and shove it right up your—”
“My king . . .” Anya stormed into the room. I thought briefly about delivering a sharp kick to her gut while she wasn’t looking. But I decided to ignore her instead.
“What is it?” Xander sounded a little less than gracious. Good. She needed to be put in her place.
Anya took to her knee. I wanted to gag. She wore hot pink leather tonight. I wondered how she even managed to move, wrapped up in that much tanned and dyed flesh.
“Her companion is here,” she said with contempt. “He’s demanding her release.”
Xander laughed. The sound of it tickled my flesh like warm rain. I forced myself to disengage from the sensation and focused on my anger.
“And what does he propose will happen if I don’t meet his demand?”
Anya’s eyes widened for a moment. She rose and stood very close to Xander’s side, whispering something in his ear that made him shake with another round of laughter. I shivered from head to toe at the sound.
He gave her a pat on the shoulder like she was a good little pet and sent her on her way. She shot me a furious glare before leaving, and I blew her a kiss. Someday I’d crack her skull open.
Xander gave me another of his contemplative stares and then let out a great sigh. If he was put out, I was glad. “You’ve drawn an interesting admirer. I don’t know quite what to think of him.”
Aside from his scent, Tyler was about as interesting as vanilla ice cream. Lucky for me, I’m partial to vanilla. But I wondered why she said her companion. What the hell was that supposed to mean? And how the hell had he known I was here? Had he followed us? “He’s not my anything.” I hoped that by showing disinterest in Tyler, it would protect him from Xander’s interest as well. “I don’t know why he’s here. Get rid of him if you want. I don’t need rescuing.”
“I’ve decided to let you leave,” Xander said, as if making a great proclamation. “But you will continue your training with Raif, and when you are deemed ready, you will perform the task I’ve paid you for.”
“I want to know who the mark is.”
“No. Not yet. It’s too dangerous for you to know. When you’re ready, Raif will explain everything.” He turned his back on me. “Until I can give you a means of protection from the Lyhtan, you should guard your every move. You can go now.”
Well, if this wasn’t just a huge waste of time. The King of Shadows needed a lesson on how to properly kidnap someone. He’d wanted me to take up residence a moment before. Now he was throwing me out on the street. Not that I was upset. And as far as the Lyhtan was concerned, for the time being, I’d just have to watch my back. But Xander’s ineptitude was to my benefit, so I didn’t argue. I turned to leave, determined not to look lost, even though I hadn’t the first clue how to get out of there. I stomped to the door and yanked it open.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Aren’t you? I thought. Like, oh, I don’t know . . . how about some information? God, I was tired of being jerked around. I wanted answers, damn it. Unknown marks and now Lyhtan attackers—and me, smack-dab it in the middle of it all. And if Xander thought I was going to bow or kiss his ring or anything like that on my way out, well, he was dead wrong. “Am I forgetting something?” I asked, turning to face him.
From the table at the far end of the room, he retrieved the case that held the katana and my money. “I don’t appreciate having my gifts returned,” he said.
I didn’t hesitate for a second. I’d regretted my decision to give the sword back. I took the case and the cash from his hand and strode to the door without a parting word.
The house was full of creatures like me. I felt their presence though I didn’t see a single one. The air stirred around me as the curious Shaedes brushed against me, too timid or else too good to show themselves.
I found my way out well enough. A long hallway led to a flight of stairs, and at the bottom was the exit. I didn’t even warrant a good-bye as I opened the heavy oak door and walked out. My release wasn’t exactly that. I’d be even more under Xander’s thumb from that moment on. I ventured down a long walkway, past a sprawling lawn, and found Ty waiting for me near the street. He paced back and forth, fidgeting.
“Tyler, you really do have a screw loose, don’t you?” I would have socked him if he hadn’t smiled so brightly in my direction.
“Your wish is my command,” he said in answer.
“What are you talking about, you idiot? You’re lucky they didn’t dismember you. How did you know I was here?”
Rather than give me the straight answer I wanted, he took me in his arms and laid a kiss on me that would have blasted the clothes right off my body if I’d been in my right mind. He trailed his fingers along my cheeks, down my neck.
“Do you have some kind of mental condition I don’t know about?” I asked, breathless.
Tyler chuckled. “Come on.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder in a protective manner and glanced back toward the house as if declaring something to someone behind him. “I’m taking you home.”
Chapter 10
My release from Xander’s captivity had nothing to do with his ineptitude. Just as the actual kidnapping had nothing to do with him making me a prisoner. It did, however, have everything to do with teaching me a serious lesson. Taken with such ease, I hadn’t stood a chance against Raif and Anya together. And if ordered to do so, they’d kidnap me again. Xander was telling me very plainly
that no matter what I thought, I was his subject, his servant, and whatever else he wanted me to be. But more than that, it taught me I was far more vulnerable than I’d imagined.
In a rage, I took the katana and sliced clean through a watermelon. It rested on the kitchen counter undisturbed. If not for the juice bleeding from the line in the rind, you wouldn’t have known I’d cut it at all. I flipped the top half over and dug through the juicy flesh with a spoon, shoveling the sweet fruit into my mouth while I continued to stew.
“Xander,” I muttered under my breath. “Good-for-nothing pain in my ass.” I shoveled another spoonful of watermelon into my mouth. “He’s useless. All I want is a little fucking information, and he gives me the runaround.” I shook my head and looked Tyler dead in the eye. “That Lyhtan should have killed me. Why didn’t it? I’m tired of knowing absolutely nothing.”
Tyler stared right back, a look of near pain flashing behind his hazel eyes. A crease marred the smooth skin of his forehead. As if he wanted to tell me something very important, but the words, for some reason, failed him. “If you want some answers,” he began, “some real answers, go to The Pit and talk to Levi. Take plenty of cash; he won’t talk to you unless it’s worth his while.”
“He’s human!” I blurted, filling my mouth with more fruit to prevent another outburst.
“And he’s got the information you need,” Tyler said. “Just go before he closes for the night.”
My mistrustful glare sent his gaze toward the floor. That’s right, Ty. You’re being a little too helpful. What’s up with that?
“I’d like to go with you,” he said, as if he could read my mind. “But this is probably something you should do on your own. Go. Before I change my mind and tag along. But after tonight, do me a favor and call me whenever you go out.”
I stabbed the spoon into the melon I’d been gutting and secured the katana to my back. “Turn around,” I said, and without asking why, Tyler turned his back. I retrieved a wad of cash from my safe and secured the false bricks back into place on the wall. If Levi had answers to my questions, he’d be worth every damn bill. “Thanks, Ty,” I said as I headed for the elevator. “You can show yourself out, right?” Without waiting for a response, I ran toward the lift, scattering into shadow and disappearing from his sight.
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