Sweet Ruin (21 page)

Just that he’d eventually submitted to it. . . .

Hours passed as she slumbered on. He occupied himself tracing the contours of her breathtaking face and musing which memories she might see if she had the ability.

When she woke, she blinked open thick lashes to reveal those bright hazel eyes. She drifted upright. “Will you really let me leave? I have to get to—I need to get home.”

He bit back his irritation. Her first thoughts were of escape. If he’d pleasured any other female so thoroughly, he wouldn’t have been able to get rid of her.

Not so Josephine. “I made you a vow.”

“Lemme get dressed.” She hopped from the bed, giving him a mind-scrambling view of her taut ass, and hurried to the bath.

He reached for his jeans, regretting he hadn’t said, “After another round.” He’d just strapped on his bow and quiver when she returned, fastening her necklace.

She’d stolen one of his shirts to wear over her dress, tying the ends and rolling the sleeves up. Her hair was pulled back in a haphazard ponytail. Even like this, she couldn’t look more fetching.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

He took her hand. “Of course.”

She stared at their clasped hands for several moments.

“Josephine?”

“Uh, yeah, can you trace me back to the Quarter?”

It’d be full dark there, roughly midnight. “I will.” An instant later, they were standing on a side street off Bourbon.

She regarded the area, then turned back to him. “So. We’re here.”

“So we are. Run along, little dove, back to your roost.”

She hesitated to release his hand, gazing up at him. The flickering light from a gas lamp reflected in her eyes. “This is it, then? You go from thinking about killing me to freeing me?”

“I believed you were a security risk. I no longer do.”

“Got it.” She opened her mouth to say something, closed it, then tried again: “I know you’re the hit-it-and-quit-it king, but for what it’s worth, I would’ve liked to see you again.”

Oh, you will. And shortly.
He could follow that tracking rune anywhere. He was merely using her to locate Nïx.

Though Rune would have the vampire back soon, he was still reluctant to let her go. They might be on opposite sides of an immortal war, but he wasn’t finished with this female. He’d use his silver tongue to persuade her back into his bed—even after he killed her ally. He forced himself to let go of her hand. “Perhaps we’ll cross paths.”

He thought he spied a hint of sadness in her eyes. “Sure. Cross paths. No big deal.” She started down the street.

Once she’d turned the corner, he drew another rune combination on his forearm, a concealment spell to cloak his scent and render him invisible.

He traced to the rooftops to pursue her, traveling from one building to the next. At first she strode through the neighborhood. Then she paused, seeming to catch a scent. She took off in a sprint, scanning each street she passed.

No doubt she was frantic to find Nïx and divulge everything she’d learned about Rune. He felt an unexpected sting over that, but reminded himself all was fair in love and war.

Wait—wasn’t that the Valkyrie’s scent? Yes, there Nïx was, silently trailing Josephine, with that bat on her shoulder.

Eyes locked on his enemy, he fingered the flights of his arrows, selecting one-and-done.

Rune nocked it and drew his bowstring, fingers to his chin. Had there ever been an easier shot?

Yet his fey curiosity stayed him. Perhaps he should eavesdrop on their conversation, to uncover how much Nïx knew of the Møriør’s plans. Secrets there for the taking. He could always kill the Valkyrie directly after.

Follow Orion’s orders to the letter and make the shot? Or listen in?

Old habits . . . He returned the arrow to his quiver, then dropped to the ground to spy.

TWENTY-FIVE

A
fter leaving Rune, Jo had picked up Thad’s scent, but it was always just out of her reach.

Was he in a departing car? A trolley heading away from the Quarter? No, the opposite direction!

She sprinted toward the Mississippi, following his trail to a riverside industrial lot. Stacks of rail containers bordered a worn-out patch of cement. She traced past the perimeter fence into the middle and scanned the shadows. Where was he?

She’d lost the thread altogether. “Damn it!” Somehow she would find him.

If possible, she was even more determined to reach Thad, to make sure he was safe. Rune’s memory of being separated from his beloved “dam” had devastated Jo. And then to learn of her death, to feel his grief . . . she’d woken in a panic to find her own beloved brother.

Alongside her worry for Thad, she hurt for Rune, the involuntary killer who’d only wanted to save his mother.

What won’t we do for the people we love?

She hoped Rune had gotten revenge on that vicious queen for his mother’s murder—if not for more. Magh’s mention of Rune’s “new occupation” had given Jo chills. . . .

“Oh, Shady Lady.”

Jo spun around to find that black-haired woman standing behind her. Nïx. Jo had never heard her approach.

So this was Rune’s target. “What do you want?” Jo peered past her. “Where is Thad?”

“I have our handsome lad tucked away.” Nïx was carrying that bat again. Tonight she had two boots on. Her eerie golden eyes glowed even more brightly than before.

Her T-shirt had writing on it, but Jo couldn’t decipher the words. “Tucked away where?” If need be, she could take this . . .
Valkyrie
.

A breeze flowed off the water, ruffling Nïx’s wild black hair. “He’s safe. Well, safe-
ish
. Perhaps, Josephine, if you cooperate, I will allow you to see him.”

“Allow?” This bitch had no idea. Jo didn’t cooperate; she squeezed till things broke. She Hulk-smashed. If Nïx didn’t take her to Thad, the Valkyrie would learn a lesson she’d never forget. “How do you know my name?”

“I’m a very important oracle, a leader of the Vertas army, and a soon-to-be goddess. Just have one teeny-weeny task to complete.” She gave a laugh. “I’ve been watching you for some time. Oh, the things I know.”

“You’ve spied on me?”

“Did you ever see that movie
Broken Arrow
? Naturally you have—it’s a cinema classic. Anyhoodles, I would
never
let my nukes out of my sight. Except for when I would.”

She was a nut-job. “Why would Thad be with you? Does he know what you are?”

“He does. And I know what
he
is.”

Jo’s mouth went dry. “What do you think he is?”
Is Thad like me?
No answer. “All you need to know is that he’s
good
.” Charity work, community service, generosity.

Nïx grinned. “If you say so.”

“What does that mean?”

“I have plans for Thaddeus this Accession. We all have parts to play.”

Plans?
Plans?
The Valkyrie was freaking dead. “No one makes plans for him—no one. Get me?” She closed in on Nïx. “You are going to take me to him.
Now
.”

“Not possible.”

Jo stared down the smaller female. “You say you know me? Uh-uh. Otherwise you’d know I’m about to break all your bones, one by one, until you tell me where he is.”

Nïx remained amused. “Break all my bones? One by one?” Lightning flashed nearby. “What a fascinating idea.”

What the hells?
From his vantage atop a stack of rail containers, Rune listened in disbelief.

How wrong he’d been. Josephine hadn’t been protecting Nïx; she’d been protecting the male. The vampire had mistaken Rune’s aim!

No, she wasn’t in league with Nïx, but she might be in love with
Thad
. What kind of ridiculous name was that?

Rune thought back. The male had been tall. Females would find him attractive. More than attractive.

If Josephine was in love with another, then everything she’d done in Rune’s bed had been a ploy to get back to this other male.

Rune ground his fangs. She had offered to let him do
anything
if she lost her bet, because she’d been desperate to return to another. From what Rune understood, a female could actually get
stronger
if she gave her heart into someone else’s keeping.

Josephine had known she wasn’t going to lose that wager.

That little bitch! For the first time since Magh had singled him out, Rune had pleasured without artifice. Without using. Yet tonight
he
had been . . . used.

I like you so much
, the vampire had cried—with a tear streaking her face. Bullshit!

She and the Valkyrie began circling each other. “Are you sure you want to challenge one like me?” Nïx asked. “You’re such a tender young creature. Just a quarter of a century old.”

Quarterwhatthefuck???
Josephine was only twenty-five?

He’d taken her to bed. He’d
devoured
her and given her a font of forbidden blood. Talk about taboos!
Gods, I sicken myself.

“Oh, I’m positive,” Josephine told the Valkyrie.

“Are we about to mix it up? No, no, that would indicate both sides landing blows. You won’t.”

Josephine raised her brows. “Just remember: you could’ve avoided this.”

“Very well.” Nïx turned to her bat. “Bertil, spectate!” The creature took to the air.

Josephine possessed formidable strength, but she was too young to go up against an ancient Valkyrie. Nïx would wipe the street with her.

Rune should let her, to punish Josephine for her trickery. But he had a kill to make. He readied his bow.

“You’d do anything to get to Thad, wouldn’t you?” the Valkyrie said in a taunting voice. “But you don’t understand. He’s not yours; he’s
mine
.” Another bolt of lightning flashed nearby.

Josephine’s body shook—with rage. They were about to godsdamned catfight over the male! “That was the exact wrong thing to say, bitch.” She lunged to tackle the Valkyrie.

“I know!” Nïx pivoted, neatly dodging her. “You’ve always thought of him as yours alone, belonging solely to you.”

Josephine traced for Nïx, but the Valkyrie anticipated her move and evaded.

“I
will
catch you. And then I will
break
you.”

“Josephine, you rare and wondrous thing. Such untapped potential. You’re death and death all rolled into one. There’s only a handful of your kind.”

Mad ramblings? Or partial truth? If Josephine was rare with potential, she might have more value to the Møriør than Rune had suspected.

Josephine drew up short. “Tell me what you know!”

“You come from a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long way away. You remember flames replacing seas. A hand holding up the night. Broken stars and spiders’ eyes.”

These utterings made Josephine go pale, swaying on her feet.

Time to end this.
The air crackled with electricity as he tautened his bowstring and loosed his arrow.
One-and-done . . .

The end of a long-lived immortal.

Lightning bolts shot down from the sky. White spears intersected, forming a cage to shield Nïx.

His arrow disintegrated to ash.

TWENTY-SIX

J
o whirled around, stunned. A huge cage of lightning had descended, trapping her with the Valkyrie.