by Cynthia Eden
He blinked at that. “You been looking into the future?” There was a price for that. A heavy one. And looking forward took dark magic.
She gave him a weak nod and rubbed her right hand over her forehead. “It was the fire. I had to make sure I wasn’t going to—”
The door swung open. “Well, that guy is a pure asshole.” Dee stormed inside. “Won’t listen to a thing I say, and the woman—Nina—she’s doesn’t even seem to know where she is.” She stopped, blinked. “Uh, what’s going on?”
Catalina’s spine straightened. “I’m leaving.”
Dee gave a fast smile. “Good. I knew you’d see reason, at least. I mean, you could have stayed in the city, you didn’t even have to come this far.”
“Everyone is going to die, Dee.”
Her lips parted. She hesitated. “Wh-what’s that?”
“I looked.” Catalina shook her head. “I saw death. Zane was surrounded by flames. I burned. Nina—her throat was cut.” She swallowed.
“And you…”
“What about me?”
Catalina’s eyes darted to Simon.
Shit. Not good.
“You die, Dee.” Said again, softly. Sadly.
“I’ve already died once.”
“You won’t come back this time.” Catalina looked back at her. “You can’t win against Grim. I saw—”
“You’re afraid.” Dee’s arms crossed over her chest. “I know you are.
Hell, I’m scared, too, okay?”
Had Dee just admitted that? No way. Simon stepped toward her but she threw up a quick hand. “Just…hold on. When you touch me, it’s hard to think.”
Well, damn.
She turned that hand and pointed at Catalina. “You can’t look into the future when you have fear in your heart. Even I know that.”
Catalina didn’t speak.
“You mess with the Dark, and it’ll show you the things that scare you the most, not what will be.” Dee gave a hard sigh. “I’ve been playing these games for a while, and I know about witches. And what you can and can’t see.”
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“I saw death.” Catalina’s hands clenched. “I’m not going to a slaughter for a fight that can’t be won.”
“He killed my family. Simon’s family. Nina’s family. He won’t stop.”
Dee paused, then said, “We have to stop him.”
“You’d kill us all for vengeance?”
“Watch it, witch,” Simon warned. The fear in Catalina was new. The fire had ignited the terror and the strong woman he’d met now seemed to have vanished. Fear could do that. Twist you. Change you. “Walk away if you want. This fight isn’t yours.” It was his. There’d be no stopping for him.
No choice.
Her gaze held his. Sadness there. “You’ll kill her,” Catalina whispered.
Simon’s heart shuddered in his chest. No, no, he wouldn’t.
He’ll start to control you once again.
His vision dimmed. Fear, his own, licked at his gut and rose to his throat as—
“If you send her after him, you’re as good as killing her,” the witch finished and Simon’s breath came back.
“No, I’ll stand by her. Grim’s afraid of her. He knows she can kill him.” Or else he wouldn’t want her dead so badly.
“Can.” Catalina’s eyes closed. “Just because she can doesn’t mean she will.”
“I will.” Absolute certainty in Dee’s voice.
He’d back her any day.
Catalina’s lashes lifted. “You’re always so sure of yourself. From the first moment I met you, you were so strong—”
“You mean when that idiot warlock came and tried to bind you?”
A warlock like Skye. A former wizard who’d turned to the dark.
“We kicked his ass, didn’t we?” Dee murmured and Simon wished he could have seen that.
Wished he could have known Dee, before hell came calling at both of their doors.
The witch licked her lips. “We did.” A pause. “And I thought—I thought we’d be able to kick ass again. When he”—a weak flutter of her hand toward Simon—“came to me, asking me for the promised Born, I thought we could make everything all right. Thought we’d be strong enough to face what’s coming.”
“We will be,” Dee said. Her voice was sure and confident but Simon happened to glance down, and he saw that her fingers shook.
“I’m not.” Simple and as certain as Dee sounded. “I’m leaving 165
tonight. I don’t even know where I’m heading,” Catalina said, lips curving down, “I just have to get away from here. The fire—”
Fire. The one thing that could scare a strong witch. Grim had known exactly what he was doing. Separate. Yank Dee away from the friends who could help her.
Grim could have gotten the Ignitor to attack Dee at any time. But, no, he’d waited until Dee sought shelter with Catalina.
He’d sent his other goons with fire the first time. But the second time, he hadn’t been playing. Grim had brought out the big guns. Ignitor.
Burned around her.
One down. Grim was working his twisted magic.
Dee stepped away from him and crept close to Catalina. She pushed a hand through her short hair and stared in silence for a moment. “I understand.”
No pleas to stay. No guilt trips that they could use the witch’s magic.
Dee’s arms wrapped around the other woman. “Just be safe.”
He caught a glimpse of Catalina’s face. Simon saw the tear that leaked down her cheek. Her arms clamped tight around Dee. “You, too.”
Friends.
But Catalina was still walking away.
And Dee was trying to force the demon to leave her side.
Friends.
She wanted them safe and being safe meant that she didn’t want them anywhere near Grim.
Catalina eased back and swiped her hand over her cheek.
Then she walked away. The door shut behind her with the softest of clicks.
Dee’s shoulders straightened. “You want to tell me…” she began slowly, then glanced back at him, “why I had a vision of you, dying, in some freaking blizzard right before I stormed in here?”
He blinked. How had she—
She rubbed her eyes. “Damn, Simon, that was bad. One minute, I was talking to Zane—idiot won’t listen to me. The next, all I could see was you and you were—”
“It wasn’t me.” He could give her that much, at least. It had to be their blood link. Grim was trying to tune back to him, but Dee was slipping inside his mind, without even trying.
Her body turned fully toward him. Her gaze dipped over his chest and she crossed to him. “Uh, yeah, it was.” She walked behind him. Her fingers trailed down his back and Simon stiffened at the light touch. “What they did 166
to you—”
“Not to me,” he said again, his breath sucking in. Her scent always got to him. Sensual and rich.
“I saw you.”
Because she’d been in his mind, and the images had taken hold of his consciousness and hadn’t let go. “Grim.” Her palms pressed into his back, seeming to burn his flesh even through the T-shirt. “What you saw—it was him.”
Her breath feathered over his flesh. Warm. His eyes closed. She lifted the back of the shirt and her lips pressed into his skin.
Simon swallowed. “They called it the blood eagle.”
Her fingers slipped down the skin of his back and he knew she’d remember the image from the dream. Vision. Whatever the hell it had been.
Torn, broken, ribs spread to look like an eagle’s wings. “An old Viking torture.” One he knew had been used on Grim. Their link had shown him that before.
Her lips rose and he missed the touch of her mouth. “Why?”
Glancing over his shoulder, he met her stare. “Not all monsters are born, Dee, some are made.” Once upon a time, a very long-ass time ago, Grim hadn’t been the sick twisted bastard of today. He’d just been a man.
/>
One who’d been broken. Savaged.
“If the stories are true,” Simon said, watching her carefully, “the first thing he did on rising was to find every man who’d participated in his torture, and he ripped them apart.”
Her gaze held his. “Revenge.” The same thing she sought.
He gave a nod. “There’s a price, you know.” Why hadn’t he realized how heavy the price would be for her? Why had he only thought of himself?
Of the way he wanted his life to be?
He’d pulled Dee into this war, yanked her into the blood.
“I’ve always known there was a price.” A mirthless smile tilted her lips. “Why do you think I put a kill order on myself?”
His hands knotted at that. No way. No damn way would that demon Zane ever come at her with death in his eyes.
“I’ve seen death for the last sixteen years,” Dee said. “I’ve always known I was living on borrowed time.”
Not borrowed.
“What I don’t understand is why me?” Pain there, breaking beneath the surface. “Why the hell am I one of the Born? I’m nobody. Nobody. I was a freaking clueless kid when the vamps came after my family. I wasn’t special. I’m not special.”
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He caught her hands. Held her tight. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met.” True. He’d never seen her back down. A fighter, straight to the soul.
Her gaze fell. “When I was a kid, my family used to go to church together every Sunday.”
He waited. Dee’s life, before the nightmares.
Her stare didn’t meet his. “A lot of people think God cursed vampires.
Cursed the Borns and they spread the virus—”
Was that what people were calling it these days? A virus?
“—like a plague. That’s why the holy water works on vampires.”
Yeah, he’d been burned by that once. Holy water and vamps didn’t mix—that one wasn’t a myth.
“So what did I do, Simon, that would have condemned me at fifteen?”
Her eyes rose. “What did I do that was so bad, I was cursed, too? I lost my whole family—what did I do?”
Nothing. His fingers tightened around hers. “I don’t know why you’re a Born.” He’d chosen this path. For her, fate had chosen. “I know the stories, too. That the first Born committed a betrayal, that all vamps were punished for his crimes.” He shook his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong.
Nothing, got me?”
Her face was as blank as a doll’s. “But I’ll still wind up like Grim, won’t I?”
“No! You’ll never be like him.”
She flashed a bitter smile. “I think I already am.” A pause. Then, quietly, “And deep down, so do you.”
No. “Dee, I—”
“Fuck!” A snarl from outside. “Dee!” Zane’s voice. His fist thudded against the door. Half a second later, the door came crashing open. “She’s gone.” His chest heaved and his eyes glinted back.
Dee nodded. “I know. I told Catalina that—”
“Not her!” He shook his head and snarled, “We both knew the witch would cut and run. Cat can’t handle fire. That shit just brought up too many bad memories for her and she’s too afraid of burning.” He slammed a hand against the door frame. “Nina’s bolted.”
A curse erupted from Simon’s lips. Her family killed—yeah, they’d had that confirmed by a quick call to Dee’s friendly cop contact.
A massacred family.
An Ignitor who knew the location of the Born vampire behind the slaughter.
“She’s gone after him,” Dee said, and it was what they all knew.
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“How long of a head start?”
His jaw clenched, Zane gritted, “At least three hours. I thought she was sleeping in her room. She’d been crying so much, I didn’t even think to go in there and check.”
Shit. Three hours.
Hell of a lead she had on them. With that much time, she’d definitely get to Grim first.
Ignitors were so strong psychically. Strong enough to create and control fire with their minds. But nature was a sly bitch. For all their psychic strength, Ignitors were so very weak physically.
A careless touch could bruise them, like when Zane had wrapped his fingers around the Ignitor’s wrists.
And killing them would only take one blow.
If Grim saw her coming, if he felt her, Nina would be dead.
But if he didn’t…
Burn, bastard.
“Simon.” Dee’s voice, vibrating with tension. “Let’s get on the road, now.”
He was already moving. He grabbed his bag. This was it. Final match.
Should have never brought Dee in on this.
He’d thought they would make the perfect team. Same enemy. Same goal.
But if anything happened to Dee…
Can’t lose her.
Won’t lose her.
How had his master plan gotten so screwed up?
Zane braced his legs apart. “He’s gonna kill her. We have to get there before—”
Dee marched up to him, that weird, faint smile on her face. Her hand pressed against his chest. “I told you before, this fight’s not yours. Not yours. Not Cat’s.”
Zane’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at her. “You think I’m walking away from you? You’re not going out on a death fight. I’ve had your back before, I’ll have it again. I’m not—”
“You don’t have a choice.” Her right hand snaked up his neck.
“Sorry.” Her left hand came up, and delivered a hard, fast hit to his chin. The demon went down. “After all the times with Tony, you should have seen that coming.” She stared down at him, her body taut.
Simon approached her slowly and very, very cautiously. “Wanna tell me what that was about?”
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She glanced up. The demon lay sprawled across the threshold. “In case Cat’s vision wasn’t pure shit, no way am I gonna risk him.” Emotion there. Affection. Love.
The fist that slugged his gut told Simon that he was jealous. Had been jealous of the demon from the very first. A bond existed between Dee and Zane. One born from time and struggle. Trust.
What he wouldn’t give for Dee to care enough to punch the crap out of him.
Trust.
Love.
Her shoulders sagged. “I pulled the punch, you know. I used my left hand.” Still, she had vampire strength now, so the punch wouldn’t have been anywhere near soft. She bent, ran her fingers over Zane’s jaw. “But demons are strong and he won’t be out long.”
No, he wouldn’t be. And when he woke, Simon knew Zane would come after them. Because the demon cared for Dee, too. Cared enough to come on his own with a kill-order.
If you cared enough to kill…
Simon lifted his gaze. “Let’s get the hell out of here.” Not lovers. Dee and the demon had never been together sexually, so he shouldn’t even think about attacking the guy while he was out.
But he’ll be there for Dee when this hell is over. When she doesn’t have to fight the nightmares of her past any longer, the demon will be there.
And where will I be?
Would Dee even want him in her life once Grim’s threat was gone?
He hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Dee dragged Zane inside the room. Simon grabbed Zane’s legs, and they hoisted the demon onto the bed. Dee shoved a pillow under his head.
“Don’t come after me,” she whispered.
Zane wouldn’t be able to hear her.
She reached for his hand. Turned his wrist over. “I-I have to know where you’ll be. I can’t risk you. Won’t. Not for my revenge.”
You’d kill us all for vengeance? The witch’s question.
No, Dee wouldn’t.
She stared at the demon, swallowed, and bit him.
Simon froze. No, no—he didn’t like to see her mouth on the demon.
Not one bit. Taking his blood. A growl rumbled in S
imon’s throat. Not her.
Not him. No—
Dee wrenched her mouth away. Her eyes met Simon’s.
“Not…another.” His snarl was a guttural demand.
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“Simon?”
He grabbed her arms and hauled her away from the bed. No time. His jaw locked. “Get in the car.”
And away from the demon.
A demon now forever linked to her. Just what he needed. More competition.
As if he didn’t have enough shit going on.
Simon hauled her out, left the demon, and didn’t look back. As far as he was concerned, there had never been any use in looking back.
They climbed into Dee’s SUV. Zane’s motorcycle was gone. Either courtesy of Nina or the witch. Either way, he knew the demon wouldn’t be slowed down for long.
Backup would come, whether they wanted it to or not.
“Uh, it’s my vehicle, you know, I should be the one to—”
He floored the accelerator and they shot out of the parking lot, leaving a trail of spewing gravel behind them.
The black SUV fishtailed out of the lot. The two in the vehicle were so intent on their prey that they didn’t glance around. Didn’t take notice of the one watching.
Pity.
Another mistake.
The key turned and the ignition kicked to life. Trailing them would be too easy.
Killing them—harder. But not impossible. Nothing was impossible.
The slow twang of country music filled the car’s interior, and the vehicle pulled from the concealing shadows.
“How long until we reach Hueco?” Dee’s voice was steady. The words were the first she’d spoken in the last hour.
Simon kept his foot stomped all the way onto the accelerator. Even burning up the black interstate road, it would still be “after dawn.” A piss-poor time to go riding into the town. He’d be weak. All the vamps would be.
He and Dee would be outnumbered. Grim would have a guard force.
Lots of vamps and who knew what else.
“Then if we’ve got nothing to do for the next six hours—”
Probably longer.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s got your butt in such a twist?”
His knuckles whitened around the wheel. “You didn’t have to drink from him,” he bit out. Your butt in such a twist. Nice.