“Necessary evils,” he said simply. Another glass bottle clinked onto the marble countertop. “I came to make you an offer, Detective …”
My fists tightened around my so-called weapons. The soap shot from my grip and hit the shower wall with a loud bang. Shit.
He was here. The shock was over. My weapons were stupid, and I had to concentrate. I closed my eyes and began to focus, to seek out the Elysian part of me that I was just learning how to use.
“Let me inside of your mind, and I’ll stop playing badly with others.”
I swiped away water from my face, my focus momentarily interrupted. “What?”
“It’s simple. I can’t promise it won’t hurt, but you give me access to that pretty little head of yours, and if I find what I need, I’ll leave the city.”
His words made me cringe. Llyran was not getting anywhere near my brain. “Stop killing? Just like that?”
The shower had turned lukewarm, but I’d started to shake as though it was freezing, taking a small step back so the spray hit below my thighs, totally baffled that Llyran had invaded my home to make me a deal. A freaking deal. I almost laughed. History proved I sucked at making deals.
I rubbed a hand down my face and tried to focus again while keeping him talking. “Why don’t you just take what you want?”
“It’s just easier this way.”
The small drops of water that bounced off my skin began to hover. I no longer felt chilled because the warm vibration of power began to hum through me, growing, strengthening, becoming attuned to my thoughts and my wishes. If I could keep him here long enough to gather my strength, I had a shot at ending his playtime for good.
“Well?” he asked.
“You know what I think, Llyran? I think you’re a schizophrenic sicko with a massive ego problem. I’m surprised you even got into my house with a head as big as yours.”
I let my hands fall to my sides, still gripping the razor, and closed my eyes, completely immersed in the thrumming line of power that ran through me, like a live wire just waiting for a signal.
The bathroom door slammed shut as the spray of the shower amplified, directing outward and blowing out the shower curtain. It flew straight for Llyran’s shadowy form, covering him. He cursed and flailed, struggling to remove it and slipping on the wet floor as the water swirled around the room.
His surprise would only last a second. I stepped onto the ledge of the shower and then dove at his curtain- covered body. We both went down to the wet floor, sliding to the wall. Elbows, legs, and shower curtain flailed. I absorbed the pain of random jabs and punches, trying my damnedest to wrap him tighter in the curtain. He growled, shoving me off. I spun across the tile and slammed into the wall.
Llyran tore the curtain away and sat up, furious. And there I was, on the floor, naked, the razor gone, both hands flat on the tile, sitting on my hip, facing him, my breath coming hard and fast. My eyes bored into his as I tried to gather my power again.
His red hair was in disarray, but the sight of him awed me just the same, despite the fact that I knew what he was, what he was capable of doing to another living being. He was a mass murderer masquerading in the gorgeous body of a Viking angel, his heart as black as iron.
He blinked, obviously shocked by the sight of me. But his aura practically glowed; he could unleash his own gifts any time he wanted.
“You are remarkable, Charlie.”
I sat back and angled slightly, so he only had a side view as his gaze flicked to my breasts. Asshole.
“Why are you killing Elysians?”
“Because it is necessary to my cause.”
I cocked my head. Daya had mentioned a cause. “And that would be?” My hip was starting to hurt. I’d have to move soon.
He pushed to his feet, his black tunic and jeans soaked, shaking the water from his red hair. His blue eyes were so light they appeared almost white. He smiled again as I copied his movement, pushing to my feet and standing—hell if I was going to sit on the floor while he stood over me.
Being bare like this, having to endure his blatant ogling, brought the dark power of Charbydon coursing through my veins. So easy and swift to rise, this dark energy of mine.
A ruddy eyebrow cocked and he grinned. “I have to admit I didn’t think I’d be seeing this much of you … so soon, anyway.”
“What is it with you Adonai? Not every female is going to fall down at your feet.”
A perverse smile tugged his generous mouth. “They all bend in the end, Charlie. And we hardly have to lift a finger. That’s why, when someone like you comes along, it makes the chase … thrilling.”
A shiver shot up my spine, but I kept from flinching. “Is that what this is, a chase? Let me tell you something, you fucking scumbag, not a single thing about you appeals to me on any level. I hunt and destroy degenerates like you on a regular basis, and I love my job.”
A deep, disappointed sigh whispered through his lips. “I know.”
Let’s see how he liked a little Charbydon justice.
I drew the power from every part of my body, sucking it into a tight ball in the center of my chest and then sending the dark energy surging down my arms. I clapped my hands together, forcing the power into a single bolt aimed straight toward Llyran’s chest. Rex taught me that one.
The Adonai tensed, his eyes narrowing. Just before it hit him, his big hand whipped out and snagged the bolt. He flicked his wrist, slinging the energy backward like a whip. The bolt wrapped around me, and then Llyran gave a big yank.
I screamed, slamming into him, blinking in shock at how he’d grabbed my power.
For whatever reason, he wasn’t using his powers, and I wasn’t complaining.
His curses filled the air as he lost balance and slipped, landing on his ass, his back against the tub. Finally he got hold of both my wrists, my stomach pressed flat against his chest and kept there by the fact that he held my arms wide, straight out on either side of me.
And then it started. The push at my mind. I cried out, shuddering at the searing violation as his will shoved its way into my head, too powerful for me to stop.
I never had a chance.
Completely immobile, I was caught like some terror-frozen animal as pieces and images of my memories flashed before me—the most stunning, unique pain I’d ever felt. The images slowed on Mynogan, on the night I’d killed him, sucked the blood from his body, and then he went deeper into those images I’d had during that horrible moment, as though I’d been inside Mynogan, inside the monster.
The desire to fold in on myself—to curl into a ball and rock, to scream and deny what was happening—tore through me. My chest was on fire with the scream, with the denial until, finally, it physically burst from me, making Llyran pull back and out of my mind.
My nose was inches from his face and I was panting hard, disoriented and weak.
“Well, well, well … The more I learn about you, Charlie, the more I’m intrigued. You have great power in you. Great … potential. I believe my plans have just changed. In the end, we’ll see exactly what you’re made of.” His eyes took on a fanatical glow. “In the meantime, I’m going to cut a path across your dark city until the streets bleed red. My next one will be just for you.”
“No,” I said, “there won’t be a next one, you bastard.”
I reared back, gritted my teeth, and slammed my forehead into his face, hoping I was strong enough to cause
