Demon by My Side(50)

For his mate. His other half. A human woman who wouldn’t trust him, who was afraid to love him. A woman who had screamed her pleasure in his arms and allowed him to feel, just for a moment, a peace he’d never known existed. Right before she’d run from him.

“What would you choose, Liam, your mate or your throne?”

Silence greeted his question. “That’s a choice I’m glad I’ll never have to make, my friend.”

“Give me the damn name and get me home,” Jaral said. “I have a score to settle with my hunter.”

And a decision to make that would alter his life. One way or another.

* * *


“We should have waited,” Cailin whispered as they made their way toward the warehouse by the docks.

“There’s no time,” Darcy replied. “Jaral won’t be far behind me. I can’t be more than a few hours ahead of him.”

“There wasn’t enough time for Blake to sound the alert. Only a few hunters will be able to make it in time.”

“Doesn’t matter. As long as we manage to toss this blood on the rift everything else is gravy.”

“Says you. I plan on living through the night.”

Ahead of them the warehouse came into view. Darcy scanned the shadows for demons or spirits but nothing sent up a red flag.

“I thought you said this place was being watched.”

“It was,” Cailin replied. “Since you left there’s been a demon presence here. We’ve had hunters on this place round the clock, trying to kill off any spirits that leaked through. I don’t think we were entirely successful.”

“We can track the spirits down after this portal is shut.”

Cailin grabbed her cell and typed out a quick text. “I’m letting Blake know we’re headed in. He needs to speed up that cavalry.”

Together they raced across the road, trying to keep to the shadows to hide their progress.

“This isn’t right,” Darcy hissed.

“Do you have a better idea?”

“Use your spidey senses.”

Cailin closed her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. “Nothing.”

“Good.”

“No, nothing at all. I can’t pick up anything and I should at least be getting a tingle in a place like this. Something is blocking me.”

“What?”

“Someone with similar abilities, I suppose. At least we know we’re not alone.”

Darcy fingered the syringe in her pocket. All they needed was to get close enough to smash it over the portal. Cailin might want to live through the night but Darcy was far less optimistic.

Dark eyes flashed through her mind and she allowed herself a moment of regret. If she didn’t survive this she’d never be able to make things right with Jaral. He’d never know what their night together had meant to her, what he meant.

She shook her head to clear it. Now was not the time for second guesses. She had a job to do.

“Come on,” she whispered, ducking through the side door.

Cailin followed close behind as they made their way as silently as possible to the main room. As they walked through the dark hallways, every hair at the back of her neck stood on end. Something was far from right.

“Ready?” she mouthed as they reached the end of the hall.

Cailin drew her gun and nodded.

She eased the door open and stepped out into the large, empty warehouse floor. It looked just as cavernous as it had the first time she’d come here. In the center of the room she could see the black stain on the stone ground marking the spot where Kerilyn had died before her lover had brought her back.

“Are we alone?” Cailin whispered.

“No.” Darcy’s gaze locked on a moving shadow in the corner.

The figure stepped closer, into the moonlight streaming through the upper windows, and revealed a face she’d hoped not to see until this was over.

“Jaral,” she murmured.

He moved forward until he was between her and the rift. “Hello, Darcy,” he replied. “I warned you not to run twice.”

She lifted her chin and tried to ignore the way her heart shriveled and died at the coldness of his voice. “You know I’d do anything to see this mission fulfilled.”

“Yes.”

“Just as you promised me you would. Step aside, Jaral, and let me close the portal.”

The demon didn’t move.

“Hell,” she heard Cailin whisper at her side.

Darcy ignored her and stepped forward. “What are you doing, Jaral?”

“There is more at play here than you know.”

She nodded, fingering the dagger at her side. “That’s not news. But I want to know why you are standing between me and our goal when you promised you were on my side.”