Blood Before Sunrise (21 page)

A shriek that should have broken glass erupted from Moira’s throat, and the smug look she’d worn earlier transformed into one of mindless rage. Someone was a sore loser. Maybe that was why Reaver didn’t keep board games in the house. The break in her attack had given me the advantage, though, and positioned me close to the door. I took off running as if ghoulish fiends were chasing me, but that bitch was faster than any undead creature I’d ever seen in the movies. All I knew was one second she leaned against the wall favoring her injured arm, and the next she had me by the hair, dragging me through the open door and back into the house. I used her movement for momentum, slamming her back against a wall, but froze when I felt the cold barbs of her blade resting just below my jaw.

“No!” Reaver shouted from the top of the stairs. “Moira, you can’t!”

Her labored breath caressed my cheek, and her grip on me tightened, the steel biting farther into my skin. I felt the trickle of blood and the fusing of my skin as it healed. Reaver approached us slowly, his arms held out imploringly before him as he calmed his sister with soothing tones.

“Moira, let her go.”

What. The. Hell? My eyes widened in disbelief as I took in the worried expression on Reaver’s face. How could he possibly be concerned for the person who stole
from him? If I’d found someone in my apartment stealing my stuff, the fucker would have been toast. Believe it.

“She’s not worthy,” Moira said, her voice shaking with rage. “Let me kill her or we’ll all suffer for her stupidity.”

Not the first time I’d been called stupid in the last few days. I drove my elbow into Moira’s stomach, eliciting a grunt of pain. She tightened her grip, grabbing my hair so hard, I felt strands pulling loose from my scalp. “I want her blood!”

“Get in line,” I seethed. “Let me go and I won’t separate your head from your shoulders.”

“A bold statement, indeed,” Moira laughed, “considering it’s
my
sword about to draw
your
blood.”

Reaver might be able to make some ground with his sister. At least, I hoped so, because if he didn’t, I was pretty sure Moira was going to chop me into bite-sized pieces. But before he got his chance, the front door blew off its hinges, and shit really hit the fan.

The force of the impact nearly knocked Moira off her feet, and me along with her. Splinters of wood and shards of glass littered Reaver’s pristine floors—probably the biggest mess the place had ever seen. Tyler strode through the gaping hole he’d left in the front of Reaver’s house, his hazel eyes glazed over with rage and his expression no less murderous.

“Let her go,” he said, power emanating from every syllable. “Now.”

Moira shrank against the wall, her grip on my hair becoming loose and the dagger no longer touching, but still hovering near my skin. “You shouldn’t have come here, Jinn.” Moira’s tone became sharp as a razor’s edge. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“She’s mine,” he growled. “Making this one hundred percent
my
concern.”

How…in…the…hell did he know where to find me? Then again, I’d always suspected our bond gave him an internal Darian tracking system. God, he was more breathtaking than any avenging angel, standing in the midst of the chaos he’d created, armed with nothing
more than his good looks. It might not have been the best timing, but it sent my heart to hammering in my chest, and all I wanted to do was strip him bare and taste every inch of his flesh.

Reaver seemed to share my opinion. His eyes roamed freely enough over Tyler’s body, his interest no longer on his sister or me. He took a step forward and then another. But Tyler raised his palm as if to stay Reaver’s progress across the floor. Another surge of power wafted from the spot where Tyler stood, and Reaver stopped dead in his tracks, unable to take another step forward.

Your lover has skills
. Jesus, even his thoughts projected in my mind carried a sensual appreciation for Tyler.
But if you want him to come out of this in one piece, I’d get him as far away from my sister as possible
.

Agreed. If this was going to boil down to a pissing match between that Sidhe witch and Tyler, I had a feeling I’d be less than happy with the outcome. Reaver gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head, no doubt agreeing with my assumption. Too bad Moira wasn’t so agreeable.

She tightened her hold on my hair, forcing my head to tilt back. With deadly purpose, she positioned the blade below my left ear, clearly ready to slice me from ear to ear. My eyes met Tyler’s, and through my fear, my guilt, the bitter taste of my deceit, I sensed his anger, his raw power, his determination to keep me safe. God. I
so
did not deserve him.
I love you,
I mouthed, knowing damned well Moira’s blade would take my head right off my shoulders in a matter of seconds.

“I’m not going to tell you again,” Tyler said to my captor. “Let her go.”

The teeth of Moira’s wicked blade bit into my flesh, and I closed my eyes, unwilling to see my death reflected in Tyler’s face. But before she could send me to my end, Tyler lashed out with a blast of energy so powerful, it sent us both sailing across the room. I waited for the impact, for the jarring of every bone as I hit the floor. I should have known what would happen next: Tyler caught me before I could land.

He held me close, one arm wrapped around my torso, his grip fierce. “Damn it, Darian.” His voice broke as he spoke close to my ear. “Why can’t you
ever
ask for help?”

Moira pushed herself up from the floor, a gash in her head spilling blood down her temple. She stumbled as she tried to stand, her knees giving out and sending her back to the floor. “She’ll destroy everything we know,” she said from between clenched teeth.

“Trust in Fate, Sister,” Reaver said, still glued to his spot on the floor. His wolfish gaze was locked on mine as Tyler hauled me toward the gaping hole that had once been Reaver’s front door. “Have faith.”

Moira glared at her brother before turning the full force of her hatred on me—or not. Tyler gripped his head, hissing in pain as he dragged us both onto the front porch. That bitch had aimed her Sidhe magic at Tyler, not me. I felt his anguish as he held me, the confusion swirling in his mind and the pain assaulting his body all at once. I’d never had such a strong connection to him before; our bond seemed to fuse us together in the moment. It had to have been Moira all along. She’d been the cause of Tyler’s weird mood swings and illness. She’d been at The Pit. I
knew
she’d killed that Lyhtan and tried to kill me. The pieces fit too perfectly together. “Tyler,” I said as he pulled me toward the street. “Ty, wait. I’ve got to go back. It’s her!”

My genie wasn’t having it. He held me fast as he murmured a few unintelligible words next to my ear. “No!” I screamed, fighting against him. “Goddamn it, Ty! She’s hurting you! She’s hurting you!”

“Stop,” Tyler said, pulling me farther back. “Leave it, Darian. I’ve got to get you out of here.” His power snaked around me, that same invisible shield that had kept me nice and cozy in the alley behind The Pit. Damn him and his gallantry. He’d die to protect me, and there wasn’t a fucking thing I could do to stop him.

As he dragged me away, Moira appeared from out of
the rubble, but before she could come after us, her brother grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back. I sent out a thought I knew Reaver would hear.
When I see her again, and I will…she’s going to die for hurting what belongs to me
.

Chapter 18

I
locked the hourglass in my safe and slid to the floor. The cold of the hardwood seeped into my pants, drawing my attention from the warmth of the pendulum. Reaver’s words haunted me:
“You have the potential to do good things for those you love. But you will only cause them to suffer.”

Hot tears streaked down my face, and a deep, rich pain bloomed from my sternum, spreading through me. Reaver was right. By staying my course and helping Raif, I had only brought pain to someone I loved. Without a thought to his welfare, I’d put Ty in danger. Assassination attempts, threats from Fallon, and Moira’s magical assault. I would
never
be out of harm’s way. Never. And because he was my genie, that harm extended to Ty. After I found Brakae, I had the mysterious Man from The Ring to deal with. And after that, the emerald and the raven-haired women. Not to mention, I’d be watching my back for Moira to lop my head off unless I got to her first. She didn’t strike me as the kind of girl who let go of a grudge.

Tyler’s eyes hadn’t left me since we’d arrived at my apartment. I wiped my sleeve across my face to dry the tears that ran in rivulets down my cheeks. “So, do you want to continue going off on your own like a stubborn fool?” His soft voice sliced through me like a blade. “Or are you finally ready to let someone in?”

“She already has.”

As Raif stepped out of the elevator into my apartment, a wave of power burst from Tyler, and the temperature
seemed to drop by about thirty degrees. I expected him to be pissed, but the deep-freeze routine was unexpected. Pushing myself up off the floor, I got my shit together quick, fast, and in a hurry. From the look of him, Ty was gearing up for a fight. And if our earlier episode at Reaver’s was any indication, this was going to get messy.

“I told you to stay the fuck away from her.” Tyler’s voice brought with it the promise of death. “What part of that didn’t you understand?”

“I’m going to take into consideration that you’re not yourself, Jinn. Because otherwise, I’d consider your behavior nothing but a lot of jackassed posturing. I’m the least of your concerns. And you know damned well I have no romantic notions about Darian.”

“Bullshit.” Tyler crossed the space between them in the snap of a finger. “You’re on her like a goddamned shadow lately.” His voice continued to escalate, the words reverberating with menace, like the echo of thunder. “And if you think you’re going to take her from me—”

“Tyler!” I couldn’t take it anymore. Moira had worked him over and good. The mindfuck was obvious: He’d never in a million years pull this shit on Raif. I should have killed the bitch when I had the chance, but instead I’d let Ty get me clear of Reaver’s house. What really stuck in my craw, though, was that I had no idea why she’d targeted him, not to mention how she could get to him, no matter the distance between them.

Ty stood nose to nose with Raif, trembling with suppressed rage. His nostrils flared with his heavy breath, his chest rising and falling in a quick, steady rhythm. He was magnificent in his anger. Dangerous. Ferocious. Beautiful. Too bad the target of his rage was my best friend.

“Calm yourself,” Raif said in a soft, even tone. “Think, Tyler. Consider where you’ve just been. What you’ve seen. You’d know there’s something wrong with your instincts if you’d settle down long enough to examine how you feel.”

“He’s right, Ty.” Probably not the best idea to take
Raif’s side. But my only other option was to let Tyler rip him to shreds. I stepped between them, pushing Raif behind me. “Look at me, Ty. You can see the truth right here. Just. Look. At. Me.”

He always had a way of making the world melt away. And as his gaze locked with mine, there was nothing but him, me, and this moment. By small degrees, the spark of rage left his hazel eyes, and his expression softened. The bones in his jaw creaked as he unclenched his teeth, and as I brought my arms to his wide, strong shoulders, they relaxed as well, no longer tensed and ready for a fight.

“I have to leave,” he whispered, his body trembling from the immense self-control he exerted. “I’ll kill him if I don’t.”

The last thing I wanted was for Tyler to leave, but I knew he couldn’t stay here. “Go.” I began to shake from my own suppressed emotion. “Be safe.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, a slow, deep, urgent demand that I answered and then some. When he pulled away, I was breathless, on the verge of tears, aching to the point where I wanted to scream in hopes of releasing the pressure. “I love you.” He kissed me again, a kiss good-bye, and turned on his heel. “Darian.” His voice became strained again. Not a good sign. “I need for you to wish me out of here. I—I can’t leave you here with him. My brain is screaming for me to stay. All I sense is danger, as if I leave I’ll lose you—forever. Get me the hell out of here before I do something I’ll regret.”

Where? I wondered. Who could help Tyler? Keep
him
safe? I stepped behind him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and laid my cheek against his back. “I love you,” I murmured. “Tyler, I wish you were at The Pit with Levi for the rest of the night.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Tyler said.

I closed my eyes and filled my lungs with his scent. A wave of energy pulsed around me, and I stumbled forward, my once-full arms slack and holding on to nothing but air. My eyes met Raif’s, his cold determination echoing mine. “I’m going to kill her, Raif.”

“Tread lightly, Darian.” I envied Raif’s unflappable attitude. “First things first. Tell me everything.”

This was going to be a long night.

The next morning, I walked through Ty’s door to the delicious aroma of pancakes and bacon. Tyler stood at the stove, a wan smile on his face. My heart lurched in my chest, tearing a little at the sight of him.

“How was your night?” Tyler did nothing to mask his accusatory tone as he flipped a huckleberry pancake onto a stack and handed me a plate.

I shrugged. “How was yours?”

“Not bad.” His hazel gaze locked with mine, as if he were trying to see into my soul. “It actually took the edge off, hanging with Levi. Worked better than I expected. Don’t think that just because I feel better, you’re off the hook, though. As soon as I’ve got your stomach full and your guard down, you’re going to tell me everything that’s been going on, starting with why you agreed to turn thief for this Fallon.”

He grabbed a plate for himself and joined me at the bar, scooting his stool close enough to mine that our bodies touched. I tried to stop my hand from shaking as I raised my fork to my mouth. Eating was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to throw up. “Was Levi able to help you find a way to resist Moira’s influence?” Maybe if I kept him distracted long enough, he wouldn’t press me about what had happened the night before.