mechanism.”
“We are not like you,” Tetsuya said, looking more than a little offended.
“And yet you came here looking for my help. I may be different, but I was raised by the nightwalkers of the West. I’m not that different.”
“We cannot help you,” Hideo firmly said.
“Because of my ultimate plans of betrayal?” I raised one eyebrow at him.
“Because working with the naturi would be a betrayal of our promise to fight them,” Hideo corrected.
“Then maybe it’s time to rethink that promise, if you have any hope of protecting your people in the long run,” I said, and held up my hand to stop his next comment, which I knew would be a rejection of that very suggestion. “Remain in my domain for a few nights. It is a long flight back to Japan, and you and your people will need some time to regain your strength. Think about what I have told you. If you would like an audience with Cynnia to further discuss her vision, it can be arranged.”
“And the coven’s position on your plans?” Kojima asked.
“The coven has no position on my plans because I am handling this as the keeper of my domain. If we succeed in ridding the world of Aurora, I will then deal with the coven.”
Hideo frowned at me, his dark eyes narrowing. “While we appreciate your offering and the position that you find yourself in, we believe that our situation is direr at the moment. We politely request that you accompany us back to Japan where you will aid us in ridding our lands of the naturi pest.”
My voice dropped to a low warning. “I’m afraid that I can’t do that. My job is to protect my domain, not yours.”
“And I am afraid that your refusal is not an option,” Tetsuya countered.
I took a step backward while both my hands dropped down to the knives on either of my hips as I waited for the attack. “You can’t force me to assist you. My work is here.”
“We are confident that you will come if it means coming for your consort,” Kojima said with a dark grin.
It was then that I finally felt it. He had been cloaking himself deep in the woods, but now that he had drawn close to the clearing, I could sense his power clearly despite his efforts to hide himself from me. I growled, stepping in front of Danaus to block the other three nightwalkers in front of me from approaching.
I twisted around to find the smaller man hanging onto Danaus’s back, his legs wrapped around the hunter’s slender waist while holding a short blade to his throat while his other hand held a knife close to Danaus’s heart.
The fireballs that circled the clearing crashed to the ground in an explosion of sparks and debris as I launched myself at my three opponents. It wasn’t that they had hoped to kidnap me for their own ends. I was pissed over the fact that they thought for even a second that they could lay a hand on Danaus. It would not be tolerated.
Knives spun out of my hands in a flurry of glinting silver across the clearing. They were easily blocked by my skilled opponents, but it gave me enough time to draw my sword. As it cleared the sheath, I coated the sleek blade in dancing flames. The trio hesitated to approach, allowing me to back to them to the edge of the woods.
At the same time, the screams of their secret companion echoed through the clearing, bouncing off the trees and soaring into the black sky above. There was a heavy thud as the body hit the ground behind me. I could hear the scrambling in the dirt as he writhed about, undoubtedly clawing at his flesh.
“Drop your weapons now, or your companion will be boiled from the inside out,” I threatened.
“Nomura,” Tetsuya whispered, his gazed locked over my shoulder.
“Do it now! He doesn’t have much time!”
“Agreed,” Hideo said, throwing down the sword strapped to his back. His companions quickly followed and then held up their empty hands in acquiescence.
Turning sideways, I looked over at Danaus, who released the Japanese nightwalker from the ugly grip of his powers. The nightwalker named Nomura stopped writhing about and curled up into a tight little ball on the ground, moaning.
“In case you were wondering, Danaus can more than take care of himself,” I said smugly. “Touch him again and he will not hesitate to kill you all. Touch anyone else in my domain and we will both hunt you down. I can sympathize with your desperation, and that is why I have spared your companion’s life.”
“How?” Hideo whispered.
“That’s my secret,” Danaus said in a low voice.
I took a step backward and put my sword in its sheath on my back. “Take your companion and return to your daylight resting place. My offer stands. You may stay in my domain for a few nights to give your companion some time to recover. Consider my plan. The elimination of Aurora may also succeed in helping your own people in Japan.”
“We do not welcome the Great Awakening, but working with the naturi to avoid such a fate is equally abhorrent to us.”
“I’m not thrilled with the idea either, but we have been backed into a corner.” I frowned. “It’s time to make some tough decisions.”
“Agreed,” Hideo said with a slight sigh, sounding tired for the first time. I couldn’t blame him. Dawn was drawing close and it had already been a very long night.
Cautiously, the three members of the Soga clan approached their fallen member and carried him from the clearing, keeping as much distance from Danaus and myself as possible. Kojima paused long enough to pick up their weapons at the edge of the clearing.
When my eyes finally fell on Danaus, I considered rescinding my offer and burning all four of them to a crisp, but I got hold of my temper at the last second. Hurrying to the hunter, I put my hand over his, resting on his throat. He had been cut deeply enough that blood was leaking between his fingers, while a second more shallow wound had sliced through his shirt and cut through the flesh over his heart.
“I’m fine,” he reassured me in a low voice that danced across my skin.
“You’re not. That bastard cut you. He could have seriously injured you. I thought their goal was to kidnap you. How could I possibly agree to help them if they killed you?” I ranted.
“I honestly think it was an accident.” Danaus weakly smiled at me, trying to ease my fears and cool the anger bubbling just below the surface. “When I started to boil his blood, he jerked away from me, pulling the knife across my throat as he rushed to get away from me.”
Danaus lifted his hand, wiping away the blood to reveal a long, angry red cut, but at least the bleeding had stopped. I pulled away my own hand, covered in his blood, my fingers trembling. A deep, unrelenting longing rose in my chest, nearly dragging a whimper from my throat. I wanted to lick my fingers clean of his blood. I want to suck the blood from his fingers and run my tongue along this throat to clean away the last of his blood. And if I was honest with myself, something dark inside of me longed to sink my fangs in his throat and finally drink deep.
With jerky movements I grabbed the edge of his cotton shirt, wiped my hands clean of the temptation, and took a step away from him. It was more than the fact that Danaus would not let me drink from him. It was that I refused to ever allow a nightwalker to feed from him, including myself. Danaus was above such things. He was my lover and constant companion. He was too precious to ever become a source of sustenance. I wouldn’t allow it.
But that didn’t mean my instincts didn’t scream for his blood. Danaus understood that longing and was smart enough to give me space when I needed it.
“It’s been a long night. You need to feed,” he murmured.
“Yes,” I reluctantly admitted, looking away from him.
He placed his hand under my chin and tipped my head so I couldn’t hide from his direct gaze. “Go feed. I will take the car back to the city. Do you want me at the house?” His thumb gently stroked across my cheekbone, and my eyes slipped shut for a moment, easing some of the hunger pains.
“No need. It’s late. I will go directly to bed when I return to the house. I have much to think about tonight.”
