Against the Dawn

by amanda bonilla

  Baldy flashed us a wide, mocking grin. “As you wish.”

  I was itching to throw down with a Princess Bride joke, but I had a feeling the present company wouldn’t find it as amusing as I would. I turned to Lorik and said, “We should leave. This could be a setup.”

  “If you’re worried about law enforcement, I can assure you that petty human interferences won’t be a problem.”

  “Aren’t you simply a petty human?”

  Aside from the slightest thinning of his lips, Baldy didn’t give me any other indicator that my words struck a chord. “Your track record is impressive, Lorik. And Mithras has no doubt that a relationship could be lucrative to the both of you. However, before he trusts you with the bulk of the distribution, he requests that you prove yourself worthy.”

  If I’d doubted Mithras was a supernatural, I didn’t anymore. There was something about the formal cadence of Baldy’s relayed words, coupled with the request that Lorik prove himself worthy that made me suspect we were dealing with a guy who had a few hundred years under his belt. Human or not, Baldy had been trained, either from instruction or immersion, to copy a more formal pattern of speech. Most supernaturals—especially the ones who’d been around for a while—stuck to old customs, old speech patterns… Hell, even Raif had a tendency to dress like he was staring in a period flick when he wasn’t out in public. As far as I could tell, Ty was the only exception to the rule. Probably because he didn’t want anyone to have a clue as to how old he really was.

  Lorik shrugged his shoulders as though Baldy’s request was no big deal. “I assure you I can handle the distribution, but if your employer wants to test me, I’m up for the challenge.”

  By “distribution,” I had a feeling Lorik wasn’t going to be handing out lollipops to sick kids in the hospital. In the thirties, his criminal activities had been limited to booze, bets, and the occasional scam. Vasili forbade his son from dabbling in the drug trade and the only guns they ran were the ones sitting next to them as they transported whiskey over the Canadian border. Times had changed, I guessed. Damn it.

  “Hang on a sec,” I don’t know why I felt the urge to keep Lorik out of trouble. He hadn’t been my responsibility in decades. He gave me a look that told me I was overstepping. He obviously didn’t want my input, merely my presence. I was good enough to kill someone for him, but apparently my opinion meant dick. So I decided to change course. “As your—” What? I didn’t have an official title. “Head of security, I’m more concerned about reassurances. How do we know this guy is who he says he is? Or that he has the authority to make offers on Mithras’s behalf. You shouldn’t have to prove yourself to anyone, Lorik. They should be begging for the chance to work with you.” If I gave him enough of an ego boost, I might be able to convince Lorik to slow his roll. “And likewise, who says we’re concerned about human interference? Where’s our assurance that you’re not working for the PNT?”

  Lorik gave me a curious look and it took everything I had not to roll my eyes. A criminal mastermind, he wasn’t. Especially if he didn’t even know who the ruling supernatural authority was. No way could he have managed to stay alive this long without the help of sorcery. He was completely clueless.

  “The PNT isn’t a problem,” Baldy replied. “Mithras is above all law.”

  “Because he’s a god?” I ventured. Damn was I glad I’d talked to Raif before meeting Lorik tonight.

  “The sun doesn’t care about the moon.” Baldy was rocking the melodramatic, mysterious vibe. I wondered if all of Mirthras’s people had to take acting classes. “The universe waits to do its bidding.”

  “Okay.” I cut Lorik a look. I mean, seriously, could he not see that this guy was off his rocker? “This is your deal, Lorik, not mine. But I don’t think you need to prove shit to anyone. Just my opinion.”

  “What do I have to do to prove I’m worthy?” Ugh. So much for ego. Lorik was desperate to be brought into Mithras’s inner circle. Good for me if I wanted to get close to my mark, but I’d be working double time to keep him out of trouble.

  “Tomorrow, you’ll receive a phone call. You’ll pick up a package at the address specified and make a delivery.”

  “That’s it?” Lorik said with a laugh. “It’s that simple?”

  When dealing with supernaturals, nothing was that simple.

  “If you complete the task, Mithras will consider your request to move his product. Fail…” he said with a shrug, “and your life is forfeit.”

  Well. That didn’t sound foreboding or anything.

  “All right.” Jesus. Did Lorik have even an ounce of sense? “Tomorrow, then.”

  “Tomorrow.” And with a low rumble of laughter, Baldy turned his back toward us and headed down the winding staircase and into the darkness below.

  Good lord. I needed a drink.

  I couldn’t stand Lorik for another second. I thought I might be tempted to wrap my hands around his throat and shake him to death. So, I dragged my tired ass out of there and headed for The Pit. Mithras wasn’t my only pet project. Tyler had refused to answer my questions about the Synod and Nys’Asdar the other night, but I was finally ready to woo Levi into helping me uncover a mystery or two.

  Weeknights were my best chance to nail Levi down. The bar was quiet, well, quieter and he wasn’t busy enough that I had to feel guilty about monopolizing his time. Whoever his boss was, he probably wouldn’t appreciate me hustling his bartender for information when he was supposed to be working. Which made me wonder…how did Levi come by his supernatural knowledge, and who the hell did own The Pit? I spent enough time there, you’d think I’d know these things by now.

  I didn’t bring any cash with me. I came to the table ready to negotiate a price. Levi didn’t like giving up information about the Jinn and I knew he wouldn’t pony up for a few hundred bucks. If I was going to get anything out of him, I was going to have to make it worth his while.

  “Nope. Sorry, Darian.”

  “Throw me a bone here, Levi.” Seriously, he was killing me. “You can’t tell me no, just like that.”

  “Yeah, I can.” He grabbed two wine glasses in each hand and hung them base first on the rack above his head. “I told you months ago that I can’t share any information with you when it comes to the Jinn.”

  “You haven’t even given me the chance to make an offer.” I knew he’d give me trouble, but I was hoping he wouldn’t shut me down from the get-go. “How about you throw out a number and we go from there?”

  “A billion dollars,” he said without breaking his stride. He finished stocking wine glasses and moved on to whiskey tumblers.

  “Come on.” Who did he think he was, Doctor Evil? “A billion dollars? I’m trying to be serious here.”

  “So am I.” He poured himself a soda and poked a straw down through the ice. “You want information I can’t give you. Not without risking my life. And even if you did have a billion dollars to pay me, it wouldn’t get me far enough away to save my ass if anyone found out what I’d told you.”

  “You have to give me something.” Really, he didn’t have to give me shit. But I hoped he’d take pity on me since my regular presence here was a clear indicator that my life was sad and pathetic. “I’m just trying to understand.”

  “You know how Ty is so laid back?” Levi said. “Walking around like any other guy on the street. No fancy clothes, no flashy cars. You wouldn’t think he had a cent to his name by the way he dressed.”

  It was true. Ty was about as laid back as they came. And his wardrobe—strictly t-shirts and jeans—looked fresh from the thrift store. “Yeah? So?”

  “Have you ever wondered why that is? I mean, he’s got money, we both know that. And he’s old. Like, oooold. He never throws his weight around, though. He doesn’t walk around acting like he’s better than anyone else. He’s got the kind of calm self-control that would make the Dali Llama jealous. Have you ever seen him lose it?”

  Once. At the PNT ball over six months ago. He’d gone af
ter Xander like a wolf taking down an elk. “He fought with Xander a while back.” I was downplaying it for Ty’s benefit in case Levi didn’t know the specifics, but he’d put Xander against a wall and damn near punched a hole through his face. And I still didn’t know what the repercussions for his actions would be.

  “Believe me when I tell you, Darian, that the Shaede King is damned lucky he’s still alive.”

  I knew that Ty was powerful. Wouldn’t you have to be to grant someone’s wishes? He was my bound protector, and so much more to me, but I guess I’d never truly considered the full scope of his power. Or his strength. “What is he, Levi?” That was the real question, wasn’t it? This had nothing to do with the Synod, or my ring. Because none of it mattered if I had no idea what Ty really was. Levi shook his head as though he wished I’d abandon my quest and leave him the hell alone. My curiosity had turned into an obsession, though, and I couldn’t stop now. “This is between you and me, okay, Levi?” Maybe if I confided in him he’d know he could confide in me. “There was another Jinn in the city—”

  “I know about Adira, Darian.”

  Levi knew everything, so I didn’t find that too surprising. “Okay, well, before she left, she told me that Tyler did something. Something he wasn’t supposed to and that if the Synod found out about it he’d be in big trouble.”

  The glass he was holding slipped out of his grip and after a few comedic juggles, he had it secure in his palm once again. “Did she say what he did?”

  “Not really,” I said. “All I know is that is has to do with my ring somehow.” I brought up my left hand and showed him my thumb. “She called it Nys’Asdar.”

  “Nys’Asdar is a myth,” Levi responded, his gaze lingering on my ring a few seconds longer than it should have.

  “Funny, that’s what Ty said.”

  Levi took a sip from his straw, and shrugged his shoulders. Like if his mouth was full of soda, I wouldn’t expect him to answer me? I stared him down, my expression calm, and simply waited for him to grow uncomfortable. To his credit, he went a full five minutes before he threw the towel he was using to dry the bar down onto the glossy surface and said, “If Tyler wanted you to know what it is he would have told you himself. And even though I think you’re cool, I’m not doing a damn thing to piss Ty off.”

  Welp, Levi was officially a dead end. Shit.

  “All right, Levi. I give up. I won’t ask you about it again. But you know I’m trying to protect Tyler, right? I don’t want to see anything happen to him because of something he might or might not have given me. Myth or not.”

  “I know that,” he said. “But the last time I checked, you’re supposed to be the protected, not the protector. Jinn can’t be managed. They can’t be controlled. The only rules that govern them are their own and without those rules, the world could be a pretty fucked up place. You wouldn’t have a chance in hell of protecting Tyler if he’s done something to piss the Synod off. You need to hope like hell that they never find out. And I gotta tell ya, going around asking questions is not the way to make sure that never happens.”

  Ouch. It stung my pride to have Levi take me to school like that, but he had a point. If I was going to keep Ty off the Synod’s radar, talking about any of this in a public place probably wasn’t the best idea. Especially now that Levi had put the fear of all things Jinn into me. “You’re right, Levi. I’ll be more careful.”

  He cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowed and I amended my statement to, “I’ll drop it.”

  “Cool. Now, go home. I need to close down.”

  Was it already that late? So much for a good nights’ sleep. “See ya later, Levi.”

  He nodded in acknowledgement, but didn’t respond. I hopped off the stool and headed for the door before my big mouth got me into any more trouble. I didn’t have many friends, I couldn’t afford to piss any of them off.

  As I made my way home I considered that I’d never really thought about Tyler in a supernatural sense before tonight. I mean, yeah, okay so I knew that he could pop in and out of thin air, grant my wishes—within reason of course—and he could shape-shift into a bear when he wanted a little extra muscle. And I came to the realization that other than that, I knew absolutely nothing about him.

  Or what he was truly capable of.

  Levi knew. Of that I was certain. And either he was scared to share his knowledge or he’d been sworn to secrecy. I replayed our conversation, looking for insight, any hints that Levi had implied and maybe I’d missed. And then, I thought about our meeting with Mithras’s lackey tonight and how he’d put on such a show for us, using the more formal speech patterns of an old supernatural even though he couldn’t have been more than twenty-five or thirty himself.

  You wouldn’t have a clue as to Tyler’s age if you talked to him. And though I appreciated his well-worn tees and jeans, those too were non-descript and forgettable. His good looks and well-muscled body couldn’t be camouflaged, but those were attributes not relegated to the supernatural community alone. I always assumed he wanted to blend in for my benefit, back when I thought he was nothing more than any other guy on the street. Now I suspected that there was more to his low-key appearance than met the eye. I had no idea why that was, but I was willing to bet there was someone almost as old as Tyler in my inner circle who did.

  I dug in my pocket and retrieved my cell. My finger scrolled through the contacts until I found the name I was looking for and I hit send.

  He answered on the fourth ring. Maybe he was debating on whether or not he should answer.

  “Hey, Reaver. Can I stop by maybe tomorrow or the day after for a quick chat?”

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning, I half expected to find Asher at my door with a box under each arm. And though I was glad to see Xander wasn’t going overboard, I sort of had a craving for an éclair. When I got home from The Pit, I’d fallen into a fast but fitful sleep, visited by nightmares I thought I was through having. I woke with images of Kade looming over me and chills broke out over my skin as my heart rate kicked into high gear. Just his memory made me uncomfortable in my own skin, reliving that addictive need that sent me past reason into a dark place that felt impossible to climb out of. I couldn’t afford the emotional and physical exhaustion weighing me down this morning. I had a busy day ahead of me: a much needed workout with Raif, followed by a visit to Reaver, and I’d more than likely be accompanying Lorik on his courier mission for Mithras which could happen at any time.

  I inhaled a bowl of peanut butter Cheerios and was out the door before nine with the mysterious mahogany box tucked under one arm. It unnerved me that I could feel the daggers’ presence through the wood and lining of the box, a vibration that traveled up the length of my arm and down my spine. With any luck, today would be a day of revelations, and honestly, thinking about the many mysteries I had to unravel was so much better than dwelling on the past and what happened to me six months ago. If I could, I’d resurrect Kade so I could kill him myself. Closure and all that…

  When I got to Xander’s I had a déjà vu moment, as I was greeted by the sounds of angry voices going at it. I became one with the light and headed in the direction of Xander’s study, more than a little curious because what was going on right now was some sort of brotherly tussle. I wondered, would I find Xander in a headlock while Raif gave him a noogie? Oh, god I hoped so. That image would keep me entertained for at least a century.

  “This has gone beyond infatuation, Xander. Your single-mindedness is undermining your ability to rule.”

  Huh. Single-minded was pretty much Xander’s M.O. He was like a dog with a bone. But I’d never heard Raif call him out on it before.

  “I expect this sort of rhetoric from Saben but I never would have thought my own brother would throw those words in my face,” Xander spat. From the sounds of it, they were gearing up for a full blown brawl.

  “Your obsession is out of control. Would you have me lie to you and pretend as though everything is fine?
Your throne is in peril for gods’ sake! Everything you’ve worked for. Fought for. Our father’s, and grandfather’s legacy thrown away. For what?”

  I had a feeling they were talking about whatever political unrest that had Xander’s regent’s panties in a bunch. And though I knew I shouldn’t be eavesdropping, I couldn’t help myself.

  “Obsession?” Xander’s tone was heavy with incredulity. “Oh, brother, this goes far beyond obsession. It surpasses any legacy or crown.”

  “Please,” Raif scoffed. “Spare me the poetic declarations. I’ve seen you behave this way before. Raena. Genevieve. Amelia. Padma. Do you think this is something new? The only difference between her and all of the others is that you can’t have what you want and your competitive nature forbids you from relenting.”

  Okay. I was starting to think that maybe this fight wasn’t about politics. And jeez, Xander, make the rounds much? My stomach dropped to the soles of my feet and my mouth was so goddamned dry it was sticky.

  “If this surpasses any throne, then simply let it go,” Raif said. “If you’re so certain that this is what you want, step down. Leave your crown to someone who wishes to rule his people.”

  “And who would you suggest?” Xander asked, a challenge inherent in his tone. “Perhaps you?”

  “If you think that, you’re not only blind but stupid as well. I have no desire to wear your crown, Xander. Though I would serve the male who wears it, be it you or someone else. But leaving your kingdom in state of purgatory is unfair, unjust, and irresponsible.”

  “I won’t return home without her,” Xander replied.

  “Civil war will follow on the heels of your stubbornness,” Raif countered. “Mark my words, brother.”

  “I won’t leave her.”