The Fury (10 page)

“What brings you here, Time Walker?”

Dagan ordered them both another drink then rested his forearms on the bar. How would he find out what he needed to know without making Nazi suspicious? He’d never been very good at subterfuge.

“I’d venture to say your dilemma has something to do with the human female. The power radiates from her blood and her body. Kur will definitely zone in on her for just that reason. It is Enki’s bloodline.” Nazi downed his drink and snapped his fingers to get the bartender’s attention.

“This isn’t about Reese Whittaker. I had to bring her along until I get rid of the vermin trailing her.”

“I see. So why have you come here to seek me out?”

Dagan threw back the whiskey and ordered another shot with a beer chaser. He glanced toward the stage to collect his thoughts. The band had begun their next tune.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind and faced Nazi. “Have you ever heard of a
go’ras
not working?”

Nazi’s head whipped around. He stared at Dagan, who did his best to concentrate on the shot and beer, which had just arrived. “There is no instance I can recall where a
go’ras
did not work. It is powerful magick. Why do you ask?”

Dagan shrugged. “Curiosity.”

Nazi lifted a light brow. “And you say this has nothing to do with the woman?”

Dagan resisted the urge to run his hands through his hair or wipe the small trickle of sweat from his brow. “No, nothing to do with her.”

Nazi turned hard, skeptical eyes toward him. “This is a strange question coming from you, a time walker. I wonder whether you’re being truthful with me.” He held his hand out with his palm facing Dagan.

Dagan had erected a barrier to keep the God of the Mind from reading his true thoughts. He hoped it worked. One did not generally hide anything from this particular god. His heart rate increased as Nazi probed, and he fought to remain nonchalant while being scanned. Every ounce of energy he could spare went to strengthening the barrier.

Nazi lowered his hand. “I get nothing from you, which in itself is unusual. You’re blocking me.”

“I told you the truth.” Dagan turned and ordered another beer.

“You know Abu’s behavior was a little bizarre even for him this evening.”

“He and I have come to blows for things far less than a woman.”

“True,” Nazi agreed. “I’m sure you were too caught up in the situation to notice that his eyes had changed and his aura had deepened as well.”

Dagan faced Nazi. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“The power in her is stronger than any I have felt in centuries. When you draw near, her aura changes and power surges through her body.”

Dagan frowned. He’d never intended to be anything more than a time walker. But, in the last forty-eight hours, things in his predestined world had tipped—toward Reese.

With an unspoken hunger, Dagan watched Reese dancing with Ninti on one of the raised circular spaces. In those black pants that did nothing to hide her delectable form, her body swayed to the music. His temperature rose by leaps and bounds and his cock thickened.

“I don’t need to be in your mind to know your thoughts.” Nazi’s words tore Dagan’s gaze away from the woman who tormented him.

“What do you mean?”

“With the power she holds it will be difficult not to get drawn in by her. Kur will not give up this prize easily.”

“I know.”

A gorgeous redhead walked by, catching Nazi’s eye. “Well, I wish you luck.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Nazi caught up with the redhead and put his arm around her shoulders. Dagan shook his head.

He stared at Reese. Something unusual had happened when he’d touched her in the shower and she’d touched him. Fires the likes of those in Mount Cradacus fueled his body’s reaction to the female. The torture of caressing her soft skin had nearly caused him to combust. Tonight when he’d seen Abu touch her so intimately, a red haze had clouded his mind. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think it was the
fury
.

The
go’ras
should have rid her of any knowledge of him. That it didn’t created a new set of problems.

Dagan gathered Reese and her things for them to go.

The drive back to her house seemed to take forever. Over the past few days, she’d strained to hold onto a small thread of sanity; add in Dagan and some ancient demon out to kill her and she had the makings for a full blown psychiatric meltdown.

When they arrived at her house, Dagan said, “Go inside. Make sure all the windows and doors are locked. I’ll be there in a moment.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to speak with Rufus.”

She raised a questioning brow. “Rufus?”

Dagan nodded. “He’s out there keeping watch.”

Grinding her teeth together, through tight lips she said, “What do you mean he’s out there?”

He shot her a droll glare. “He has been out there all day and this evening at Slow Burn, keeping in the shadows.”

“Why in God’s name would he be doing that?”

“Because I told him to.”

She crossed her arms and frowned. “A bodyguard?”

“Exactly.”

When she opened her mouth to fling harsh words at him, he got out of the car, leaned his head in and smiled. “Yell at me later.”

Count to ten, count to twenty.

A nervous itch raked up her spine as she climbed the front porch steps and faced the scorched spots on the wood. She chalked the shiver that raced across her skin to the chill in the air. Stepping inside the front door, she flipped on the light. A whirlwind blasted by her nearly knocking her to the floor. Spinning, she found an enigmatic man standing in her living room. Uninvited.

“Hello, Reese.”

The tone of his voice caressed her like that of a lover, his smile cold and calculating. His short, elegantly styled hair was a cross between blond and white. She allowed her gaze to travel over a well-toned body encased in black leather to rest on glittering, intense amber eyes.

“Who the hell are you and how did you get into my house?”

He laughed. “I must say, the strong invisibility ward did its job well. I knew I wouldn’t find it on my own, so I waited for you to come home. When you opened the door, I took the opportunity to rush in before you could close me out again.”

The stranger waved his hand and the front door slammed shut.

“What do you want?” Reese angled toward the fireplace, putting greater distance between them. If she could play for time, Dagan would show up.

“He’s busy,” the stranger said, as if he’d read her mind. “I could have you before he breaks through the door.”

Her gaze wandered around the room, searching for the best escape route.

“Running is futile. I am meant to have you, Reese. Surely you realize that.”

“I don’t realize anything. I’m guessing you’re Kur.”

He inclined his head.

“You won’t get me without a fight,” she stated with bravado.

His amber eyes swirled like molten lava. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. The fight makes it more intoxicating.” Kur reached out his hand. “Come to me.”

His silky voice echoed in her head. The command to come toward him replayed over and over. Against her will, her right foot stepped forward, then her left. She struggled to gain control of her body, but she was losing.

“That’s right. Come to me so I can inhale the sweet scent of your blood. My enemy’s blood.”

Reese fought to keep her senses. She reached inside her purse and wrapped fingers around the Beretta she’d put there before leaving for the nightclub. Gripping the pistol with both hands, she dropped the bag and pointed the barrel at Kur’s heart.

He lifted a blond brow. “Your will is strong. That is interesting.” Kur smiled. “Give me the weapon.” He held out his other hand. “Place it here in my hand and let me kiss you.”

She released the safety. Her hands were shaking but she didn’t take time to worry about it. If she did, she’d be dead.

Anger crossed Kur’s face and he took a step toward her. She pulled the trigger. The sound reverberated through the room. The impact caused Reese to step back but she recovered and took aim again.

“
Felkah
,” Kur screamed. He pulled a bloody hand away from his shoulder. “You shot me.”

“And I’ll do it again.”

He laughed. “I bet you would. The nice thing about being me is that the injuries heal quickly.” Kur glanced at his wounded shoulder and then back at her. “Even the nasty ones.”

He took another step toward her and she screamed. Fragments of the splintered front door flew everywhere. One lodged in Kur’s thigh and he cursed loudly. Reese’s hopeful gaze fell on Dagan’s powerful form.

“Are you the welcome wagon?” Kur sneered and pulled a piece of wood from his leg.

“Hardly, I’m your ticket back to the Underworld, permanently.” Dagan raised his arm, reached behind him and drew his sword.

“Ah, I see Pyre has been busy.” Kur carefully removed his jacket and dropped it on the floor. A long scabbard hung at his side from which he pulled a thick bladed sword. He glared at Dagan. “I seem to remember being here before.”

“Not quite. The last time you had five others with you.” Dagan rolled his wrist swinging the sword. It made swooshing sounds as it cut through the air. “This time it’s just you and me.”

Kur smiled. “Let the fun begin.”

The first clang of blades startled Reese. She didn’t know what to do. Should she raise her weapon again and shoot Kur? No, she wouldn’t be able to get a clean shot. She might hit Dagan. Where was her bat when she needed it?

The men knocked over lamps and smashed tables in the ferocious battle. The seasoned warriors took pieces of each other. Dagan’s muscular arms delivered powerful strokes. Kur countered with fine moves and backward spins. She could have been watching a well-staged movie scene.

Kur slipped on some of his own blood and stumbled forward. This gave Dagan the opportunity to slice him across the shoulders, close to his neck. Kur whirled around and cut Dagan’s forearm. Weakened, Kur struggled to stand straight and his blows were less forceful.

Two minions appeared in the shattered doorway. Reese swung around, pointing the gun in their direction. From out of the darkness, a whirring sound came just before a jewel-handled dagger imbedded itself in the back of one of the
galla
’s heads.

The second one growled and spun around. He was larger than the dead one and skilled. Rufus wielded a Simitar and sliced toward his middle, but he managed to scoot back enough to avoid it.

“You’ll have to do better than that,
doghume,
” the demon growled. Reese recognized his voice from before.

Rufus smiled. “Oh, don’t worry.” He lunged forward and nicked his opponent’s left shoulder. The other roared and ran toward Rufus. Reese held her breath.

The demon’s roar was enough distraction to give Dagan the upper hand in his battle. He stabbed Kur in the right thigh which left a gaping hole to match the bloody one in his other thigh. Kur stumbled back against the wall. Propping himself up with a blood-covered hand, he puckered his lips and blew Reese a kiss. Turning his glowing eyes on Dagan he said, “This isn’t over, Time Walker.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Dagan responded before Kur evaporated into mist and disappeared.

At the same moment, Rufus managed to stab the one he was fighting in the stomach. The creature fell to the ground, passed out and disappeared.

Dagan nodded at Rufus then rushed to her side. “Are you all right?”

Her legs gave out and she withered to the floor, but not before Dagan wrapped her in his bloody arms and went down with her. She shivered. Grabbing onto him she laid her head on his shoulder. She didn’t care that the blood would ruin her clothes. She needed his strength and his warmth to chase away the terror.

Chapter Seven

“Did he touch you at all?”

“N-no, he didn’t touch me.” Her body shook as she gazed at him with a slight smile. “I shot him.”

Dagan snorted. “Damn straight.”

Her eyes did a slow survey of the room. “You tore up my living room.”

He laid his cheek on the top of her head. “After everything we’ve been through tonight, you’re angry because some furniture is broken?”

“And the door,” she added.

“Okay, okay. By the gods, you’re exasperating.” He hugged her closer. The shivering had ceased, but he wanted a few more moments of holding her.

Even in this state, she drew him like a tiger on a blood scent. His cock enlarged and his heart sped up. He wanted to remove his clothes, strip her naked and hold her until the shaking passed, hers and his.

This was wrong on so many levels. The
sukkal
would peel the skin from his body using whips and chains, beating him to a bloody pulp.

The sounds of Rufus cleaning up filtered through to him. “Why don’t you go take a shower and get yourself pulled together? We’ll take care of things in here.”