Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 (4 page)

“I thought you weren’t going to hunt him down without me.” She grabbed her black duster from the hood of the car and slipped it over her shoulders.

“If he wasn’t already here,” Gray corrected.

Keegan grinned. “Did Gray misbehave? Should we spank him?”

“Shut up, Keegan.” Brenna glared at him. “You’re next.”

“I took an opportunity and ran with it.” Gray pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the van. As he moved to open the door, Brenna pressed her hand against the window to slam it shut.

“I’m not done talking,” she continued. “You planned all along to come down here and have Lilura summon Keegan. Did you even look for him first?” Brenna took the keys from Gray’s hand and opened the car door. “I figured it out when Seraph told me the Victus Pendant was missing. You gave it to her as payment, didn’t you?”

“Brenna–”

“This is why we aren’t together. I still can’t trust you.”

Gray reached for her, but she stepped back. His hands fell to his sides. “I didn’t lie to you.”

“You didn’t tell me the whole truth. It’s the same thing.” Her gaze fell on Keegan. “And you, Mr. Vigilante, where have you been? You’re not in this alone, you know.” Shaking her head, she motioned to the passenger seat. “Get in.”

Keegan pressed a hand against his chest.

“Yes, you.” Brenna sighed. “Get in before I change my mind.”

Gray batted down a sharp denial. Walking to the back of the car, he reached for the door handle. The metal burned his fingers. He jerked back, stunned.

“Not you.” Brenna shook her head. “Keegan and I have some catching up to do. Alone. We’ll see you back at headquarters.” She jumped into the driver’s seat, slammed the door and hit the gas. Keegan waved, a wide grin on his face.

Gray watched them go, torn between rage and guilt.

Brenna’s temper began to cool as she drove back to headquarters. Gray claimed he wanted her trust, to be her partner, then he pulled crap like this. Part of her wondered if he truly wanted to be with her, or if he was still hanging on to old prejudices. He clearly didn’t trust her. He wouldn’t act this way if he did.

“He lied to me again.” She made a hard right onto the dirt road.

Keegan slammed against the door. “Make him pay for it, then get over it.” He righted himself. “We all have to work together, might as well make the best of it.”

Brenna shot him a wary glance. “Since when are you willing to play nice?”

“I want Adare.” He stared out at the fading landscape. “Tell me about the new bodies.”

Brenna filled him in.

“Sounds like the others.” He considered. “They had no symptoms. Nothing tied them together except where they lived.”

“They never went anywhere together?”

“No. They weren’t friends. They were roommates. The only thing they shared was the wine.”

Brenna glanced at him, confused.

“Humans bring me things so I don’t eat them,” Keegan explained. “Once it was virgins, now it’s alcoholic beverages.” He shrugged, thrumming his fingers against the dash. “Someone dropped off a case of wine. It seemed legit, so I gave it to the others. It was long gone when they died. I’ve searched everywhere, even the landfills, but I can’t find the bottles. Even so, I doubt the residue would still be present.”

Brenna considered. “Did they say the wine tasted funny?”

“They loved it. Said it was the best they’d ever had.” He put his hands behind his head, leaning back in the seat. “One of the girls was convinced it was spelled. Claimed it calmed her nerves.” He shook his head. “She was a cheap drunk. One glass and she was under the table. That would calm anyone.”

“Did you keep the package it came in?” Brenna asked.

“There wasn’t one. Only a stack of wine bottles and a note.”

Brenna sucked in a breath. “Please tell me you kept it?”

“The note?” He shot her a surprised glance. “I probably burned it.”

Frustration reared its ugly head, but Brenna held it back. Keegan loved to rattle people. The more buttons he pushed the happier he was. “Do you at least remember what it said?”

He shrugged. “Why would I read it?”

She sucked in a sharp retort. “Do you have anything at all that might help us?” she wondered aloud.

“Yeah.” He grinned, smoke drifting from between his lips. “I have the person who delivered it.”

Damn. Brenna hoped the poor bastard wasn’t human.

“You can’t kidnap people,” she said. “He was probably a messenger boy. Why didn’t you bring him to Seraph?”

With a snort, he sank back into the seat. “Seraph would have let him go. I wanted to find out what he knew.”

“Not fair.” She shook her head. “You know Seraph is invested.”

“Why isn’t he doing anything? The whole time you were gone, he sat on his ass. Adare didn’t take a vacation. He was still killing people.” Keegan shifted in his seat. “I’m done dealing with Seraph.”

“No, you’re not. We need each other if we’re going to win this war.”

Keegan snorted. “No. I need you and Gray, not some pompous prick that won’t pull his head out of his ass.”

Brenna rolled her eyes. “Play nice, Keegan. It might get you somewhere.” She slowed the SUV to a stop in front of the tunnels. Once her seatbelt was unfastened, she turned to face Keegan. “Is this messenger you kidnapped human?”

“A shifter.”

“What did he tell you? Anything useful?”

He shook his head. “He’s useless. Hasn’t given me a damn thing that’s helpful. Course I haven’t had him very long. It was a bitch to find him.”

Brenna stepped onto the dirt, slamming the car door. “We need to fill Seraph in, then we can go get your shifter. He better be in one piece.”

“I’m not a monster.” Keegan moved to her side. He was close to shifting form. He wavered between the iridescent blue scales of his beast and his human skin. “You can’t blame me for not sitting around like Seraph.”

“That’s not the point, Keegan.” Keegan tended to lose control when he lost his temper. They could go neck and neck, but she wasn’t sure who was more powerful. Now wasn’t the time to find out.

“Go home.” He ordered. “I’ll bring him to you, but I’m not bringing him here.” He glanced at the now open tunnels. “I’m done with this place.” He turned to her, a smirk on his lips. “And, as much as I’d like to piss Gray off, you’re not coming with me. You’re just going to have to trust me.” Smoke swirling in the air around him, he crossed his arms across his broad chest and vaulted into the air in a cloud of fire. Once airborne he shifted, his long bluish-green wings slipping through the icy wind. Brenna watched until he disappeared into the night.

Chapter Four

“He better come back,” Gray moved to her side. She had felt him arrive earlier, but hadn’t acknowledged him.

“He will. Though it would serve you right if he didn’t.” She turned to face him. “We’re partners. You make plans like that, you tell me.”

“We’re a little more than partners,” Gray replied. He moved closer, his hands resting on her shoulders. She fought the urge to lean into him. “We’re around each other twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Sometimes I need a break.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She took a step back, and his hands fell to his sides. “You need a break?”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. The heat of his body sank into her, his magic playing across her skin. She closed her eyes and tried to control the flood of desire pouring into her blood. Her body went haywire when they were this close, and her self-control evaporated. Somehow her hands became tangled in his hair, her breath coming in short bursts.

“I need you too much,” Gray whispered, his breath hot against her ear. “I haven’t been with a woman since we took our vows. Even if we weren’t married, there’s no one else I want.” He shifted and she felt him hard against her thigh. “I’m not going to pressure you. Being with me is your choice, but give me a little grace. I can only take so much.”

The urge to wrap her arms around him was nearly debilitating. And she could barely remember why that was a bad thing. “I’m not ready to give up my freedom. The bond requires us to complete three rituals, and we’ve already done two. That third step will link our souls. We’ll be bound forever. I have to be sure, and sex complicates things.”

“I know, Brenna. It complicates things for me too. But that doesn’t make me want you any less. I’m just asking you to see it from my perspective. I’m not going to wait forever.”

“No pressure.” She was trembling when she stepped from his embrace.

“I’m being honest. That’s what you said you wanted. I want you, but, once this war’s over, I
will
return home and rule my Clan, with or without you.” He leaned against the vehicle, putting some distance between them. “Tell me what Keegan said.”

She stared at him. That was it? Didn’t he realize her emotions were flinging themselves around her brain like a hummingbird on crack?

“I shouldn’t have brought it up.” He gave her a wry smile. “It’s better if we change the subject.”

“Fine.” She moved closer to the tunnels, needing more distance. “Keegan refused to come to headquarters. He’s got a link to the item he thinks infected his friends. Once he gets him, he’ll meet us at the house.”

“Him?”

“The only thing the first victims have in common is the wine Keegan gave them. He kidnapped the shifter who delivered it and has been trying to get information from him.”

“Typical Keegan. He should have brought him to Seraph.” Gray shook his head. “I hate dragons. They act first, think later.”

Brenna raised her brow. “Funny. I’d say the same about you.”

He shot her a quick glance. “Only when I have to. And you don’t seem to mind it when it saves your life.”

“Touché.” She tossed him the car keys. “Let’s go. I don’t know when Keegan’s going to get to the house.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He caught the keys and shoved them in his pocket.

She followed him, lost in thought. Until they could trust each other they were like hamsters spinning in an exercise wheel. Sweaty and exhausted, but never going anywhere. Trust was a tenuous thing. Once you lost it, you had to work twice as hard to get it back. And no amount of lust could heal those wounds.

The dirt roads flew by as they traveled to the house they shared on the outskirts of the city. Gray parked beneath the enormous cottonwood tree on the far side of the property and switched off the ignition.

Together they walked the shattered concrete path to the house. An enormous structure, it tilted to one side, vines wrapping around the faded white siding. The light from the street lamp danced across the aged windows and light blue shutters.

The house made her smile. It was home. The only place she belonged.

She picked her way across the rotting wooden porch to the massive stained glass door. The purple, orange and yellow monstrosity cast macabre shadows across the front yard. An antique from before the Fall, it was their pride and joy.

She could hear Sam and Hilda fighting in the dining room as she walked inside. Brenna took a long breath. She didn’t want to deal with their drama. For the most part, the housemates tolerated each other, but the house was filled with criminal miscreants. Making them hunters hadn’t changed their nature.

“It could be hours before Keegan gets here. Let’s go over the evidence and make sure we didn’t miss something.” Gray walked inside, tossing Seraph’s file on the end table. “We can do it here or in my room. Your choice.”

The noise from the dining room began to escalate.

“Your room.” She picked up the file and put it under her arm. “I’ll get us something to drink.” Giving him her back, she walked inside the kitchen.

The wooden floor creaked beneath her weight as she moved across the small room to the pantry in the far corner. With a quick swipe of her key, the locked door swung open. On the bottom shelf, inside a locked mahogany box, laid her stash. She cast a release spell and slipped the box free. The lid swung open to reveal a burgundy wine bottle. A small amount of liquid swirled against the glass.

Her magic was powered by her blood, which functioned like a magical battery, but if it wasn’t replenished regularly it would lose its charge. Unlike a vampire, for her blood wasn’t food, it was power. And only pure Shadow Bearer blood would work. Without it her blood could regenerate itself, but it was painful and time-consuming. Bottled blood was nowhere near as effective as fresh, but if she went to Gray without an alternative, she may not have the self-control to resist him. One taste of his blood could strip away the distance she had pushed between them.

The bottle clasped in one hand, a bottle of whiskey in the other, she left the kitchen and climbed the staircase to the upper floor. The wooden rails shook precariously. No one had time to fix them, and there weren’t enough funds to pay a repairman.

When she reached Gray’s bedroom, she stepped inside, not bothering to knock. He was stretched across the king size bed. His hair hung free, splayed across the ragged blue and yellow quilt. He hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights, and the candlelight played across his features.

Brenna bit her lip. No matter how angry she got, or how much they fought, one thing never changed. She wanted him. Badly. He was like the last bite of dessert that pushed you from full to uncomfortable. But you took it anyway because the temptation was impossible to resist.

Determined not to succumb, she moved across the room and grabbed two wine glasses from the top of his dresser. The oak atrocity shifted tenuously. “You should get rid of this thing. One day it’s going to fall.”

“I like it. It’s unique.” Gray shifted to his side to watch her. “Are we done fighting?”

“Are you done lying?”

“I said I was sorry.” He sat up. “Where’s the folder?”

Brenna handed him a small glass of blood then poured another for herself. Normally she wouldn’t have bothered replenishing her magic, but times were dire. Adare was dangerous and could strike at any time, so they had to remain at full strength. Once she had taken a long drink, she handed him the folder. “The more I study this, the more I think I’m missing something. I feel like the answer is right in front of me, but I can’t see it.”

Gray drained the glass, then placed it on the floor and flipped through the papers. “I feel the same way. Neither of us is at our best.” He glanced up, his violet eyes bright in the dim room.

Brenna stepped away from him. “That’s why I brought this.” She lifted the wine bottle.

He shook his head and his hair fell across his face. “We both know that’s not good enough.” He tossed the folder onto the bed and stood.

Brenna backed away. The blood in her glass sloshed, staining the sides. He was right. It was like ground round compared to filet mignon. Nothing was as sweet as drinking blood from the source. Gray moved closer, his intentions clear. Shoving the bottle toward him, she asked, “Do you want it or not?”

“In a few days there won’t be any left. All you’ll have is me.” He smiled and moved closer, his breath hot against her forehead. “Why wait?”

Brenna tried to step back, but his arm slid around her waist and held her still. He held out his free hand and murmured an incantation. A silver dagger appeared on his palm. She took a long swallow and licked her lips. “Don’t you dare,” she warned as she pushed against his chest.

He gave her a wicked smile and released her. But she didn’t move. Her attention was riveted on the powerful forearm he had exposed. He shifted it in the candlelight, playing the blade across it.

Her mouth went dry.

“That’s not fair.” She closed her eyes, but the image was seared into her memory. His blood was her drug of choice. If he slid the blade across the smooth taut skin, blood would well in the wound. Once the smell of it hit the air, her control would be lost. And he knew it. Damn obstinate man.

But even as she cursed him, she opened her eyes and stepped closer. The plastic wine glass shook as he took it, drained it, and tossed it onto the floor. His arms circled her waist. He was hard against her, the heat of his body distracting.

When his lips pressed against hers, she didn’t push him away. Her desire overwhelmed her good sense. She slid her hands across his thick biceps, wrapped them around his neck, and pulled him closer. His breath tickled her skin as he kissed her cheek, his day-old beard stubble scraping her tender flesh. He stepped back, raising his forearm to brush it across her lips. The taste of his skin reminded her of the rich coppery flavor of his blood. Cradling her hand in his, he placed the dagger in her open palm.

It was her choice.

Brenna’s fingers closed around the blade. It was a mistake. It would put them another step down the path to eternity. But she wanted it. She didn’t care about the consequences.

The dagger sliced the tender skin of his arm. It wasn’t the most ideal way to share blood. She would prefer to sink her teeth into him, to taste him in the most intimate way. But she wasn’t ready. Not yet.

His essence streamed through her as she drank. It danced in her blood, cleansing and renewing her magic. The bedroom faded until it was only the two of them, inexorably tangled in their need.

After a time she released him, licking the wound closed. He pressed his body against her, pushing her against the armoire. Sliding his fingers into her hair, he tilted her head back to expose her neck, his breath hot against her skin. His teeth sank into her flesh, tearing a moan from her lips. Her magic sang, reveling in the glorious, renewing sensation. In that moment she would have done anything he asked.

Which meant they had to stop.

She pushed him away, and, with a sigh, he released her. She tried to steady her breath and pull herself together. Gray wasn’t much better off. His racing pulse echoed in her ears.

“What’s wrong?” He stared at her, his breathing heavy.

“I’m not ready.”

Frustration filled his violet eyes as he studied her, lips pursed. “We need fresh blood to stay strong and fight Adare. But we’re not doing this again. Not unless you’re willing to give me more.” He gestured to the blood-stained glasses strewn across the floor. “Until then, that’s all you get.”

“But—”

“I can’t do this anymore.” He stripped off his t-shirt, then opened the closet and threw it inside. “Get out.”

For a moment she stood, dumbfounded. Then she moved toward him. “I didn’t mean—”

“Get out, Brenna.” He moved across the room toward the bed.

Not willing to argue, she did as he asked. The bedroom door slammed as she stepped into the hall, knocking a picture off the wall. The frame hit the wooden floor and shattered. Brenna closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. With trembling hands she pulled the broom and dust pan from the closet.

The methodical motion of cleaning up the glass helped Brenna calm her emotions. For a hundred years she had believed Gray was dead, and she had stayed true to his memory. No other man had touched her mind or her body. She had guarded her heart for so long, it had become hardened, and it was difficult to let him back in.

As she stepped inside her bedroom, she struggled to ignore the call of her bed. Instead she moved to the walk-in closet and changed her clothes. If she had to wait for Keegan, she would do it comfortably.

She settled on the gold-braided rug in the middle of the room and began to stretch her aching muscles. As she moved through the series of yoga poses, it was impossible to ignore the feel of Gray’s blood running through her veins, stimulating her awareness. She sank into her body, testing its limits. His blood had served its purpose. Her power was not only renewed, it had increased.

The phone jarred her back to reality. Seraph’s voice was strained. “Six more bodies were found in the woods.”

“Who found them?”

“A half-breed shifter.” He paused. “But there’s a problem.”

“What?” Brenna sat on the bed.

“He was infected.”

“Did he survive?”

“Hold on.” Seraph put his hand over the phone. She could hear him barking orders. “I don’t know. Go find out.”

“Keegan is on his way here.”

Seraph took a deep breath. “Keegan can wait. I need you.”

“But—”

“That’s an order, Brenna. Lucy will call you with the coordinates.”

He ended the call.