Blood Before Sunrise

“What about your Jinn?”

“I need to keep him out of this if I can. It’ll be safer for him the less he knows.” Then again, as I thought of Delilah’s warnings and my strange dreams, someone could be fucking with Ty and me for an entirely different reason. I hadn’t forgotten about the mysterious Man from The Ring. And if he was truly coming for me, I’d handle that little problem all by myself. “If I need you, I’ll call.”

Raif answered with a nod, and I joined with the shadows stretching beyond our feet before he might be tempted to follow me.

I walked into The Pit, armed to the teeth and carrying a wad of cash. Levi waved and flashed his boy-next-door smile, pushing up the long sleeves of his rugby shirt. A flock of girls turned from the bar to see what had snagged their eye candy’s attention, and a few of them sneered. If I’d been feeling more playful, I would have given them a real show. Instead, I let my natural charm shine. “Back off, ladies,” I said, and sidled my way into the middle of their little group. “He’s got an appointment. You can come back and drool all you like after I’m done with him.”

The downtrodden groupies gathered their drinks and scattered. Guess I’d burst their balloons. Misery loves company. I felt like shit-so should they.

“You’re in a mood tonight,” Levi said, sliding a Malibu and orange juice toward me. “And thanks for ruining my chances at a good mood.”

“They’ll get over it. And so will you. You can have a one-nighter some other time.” I downed half my drink before fishing in my pocket. “Besides, I brought more engaging company. His name’s Ben, and he’s got a lot of brothers.” I slapped the roll of hundred-dollar bills into his hand.

Always smooth, Levi didn’t even flinch as he stowed the money. He took my glass and freshened it up before pulling a couple of imported beers from the fridge below the bar. “I haven’t found anything out about your ring man.”

“That little project is going to have to go on the back burner for now. What I need tonight is information about a couple of Sidhe.”

“Playing with the big boys, huh?” Levi motioned to one of the cocktail waitresses. “Can you watch the bar, Monique? I need ten or fifteen minutes.”

Monique looked as though she’d walk out into traffic if Levi asked her to. And fortunately, the bar wasn’t very busy. I followed as Levi led the way to a quiet corner. He took a seat and I followed suit, sipping the drink he’d made me when what I really wanted was to abandon it and go straight for the bottle.

“Sidhe are the oldest of the Fae lineage. Their magic is the strongest too. Time hasn’t been kind to the nonhuman population, Darian. But the Sidhe have held on to their ways and shunned humanity for the most part. They’ve got power and then some. Are you sure you want to get involved with them?”

No, but it was too late now to rethink my decisions. “Honestly, Levi, I don’t plan on making friends. Besides, I’m only interested in two Sidhe. A sister and brother called Moira and Reaver.”

Levi let out a low whistle. “Might as well douse yourself in gasoline and light the match, Darian. Why in the hell would you want to tangle with them?”

Oh fucking fuck. How did I always manage to pick the baddest of the bad to get involved with? I couldn’t tell Levi why I was interested in the siblings. Letting everyone in the city know I was out to steal from them wouldn’t exactly help me in the burglary department. But I had to know who and what I was up against. Fallon’s request smelled like a trap. Either that or he knew it was a suicide mission and was hoping I’d at least get my hands on the merchandise before they killed me. In which case, he wouldn’t need to bother with Delilah or lifting the spell. “Levi, I gave you a shitload of cash. Let me worry about my own ass. Moira and Reaver,” I said slowly, “tell me about them.”

Levi sighed and looked around as if afraid someone might overhear our conversation. “From what I’ve heard, Moira is the more dangerous of the two. She’s got a lot of magic up her sleeve. A Healer, I believe. And a Herald.”

“What’s that?”

“A Herald is someone who can talk to the dead or the crossed over. Most of the supernatural don’t view death as a finality. They tend to see it as an evolution or a passing into another realm. They don’t harbor the spiritual existence as a joining with God or going to heaven. Think Avalon. You don’t die die. You just leave this realm, and your soul takes up residence somewhere else. But I guess I don’t have to tell you that.”

I knew Shaedes didn’t believe in conventional death. Xander said our physical bodies might die, but we would forever live in shadow. And apparently this Moira could speak to our dearly departed brethren. “What about Reaver?”

Levi leaned close. “Reaver is called the Keeper.”

I knew that much already. “Do you know what he keeps?”

Levi gave a nervous chuckle. “I don’t have a fucking clue.”

Well, I knew something Levi didn’t. The thing that Reaver “kept” was the exact thing Fallon wanted me to steal. If Levi was corroborating Fallon’s information-that Reaver was, in fact, the Keeper-then at least I knew he hadn’t been playing me. It didn’t matter that Levi didn’t know what the Sidhe kept. Fallon knew. “Do you know where they live? How I can find them?”

“I don’t know about Moira, but I’ve heard Reaver likes to hang out at a place called Atlas. It’s a high-end, private club. Caters to nonhuman clientele only. Very exclusive.”

“Where is it?”

“Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s underground. Industrial District, maybe. They’re only open at night; watch for the flow of luxury traffic-should lead you right to him.”

I left The Pit a thousand dollars lighter but rich with information. Levi was good for it, I had no doubt. That preppy bastard knew more about the supernatural world than I did. The waterfront called, and I was itching to check out the Industrial District for any sign of the esoteric supernatural hangout, but the gray-streaked eastern sky told me I’d have to wait another eighteen or so hours before I could begin my quest for the Keeper.

Sandpaper would have been softer than my eyelids as I blinked. God, I was tired.

I hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in…I couldn’t even remember how long. When this was all over and done with, I was going to sleep for a month. I headed toward downtown and my apartment, when the sound of wings flapping drew my attention. As I looked skyward, a golden red form swooped down, nearly clipping my head with its talons. A falcon, the same falcon that had given me the pendulum, dove and spun, twisting in midair and digging at my pocket while it beat against me with its wings.

Insistent shit, I thought as I batted it away. Gaining altitude, the falcon regrouped and began anew, clawing at my pocket and tugging with a swift flapping of wings. I fought the bird off with my left hand while my right ventured to my pocket, which had begun to grow warm. Strange. Since I’d returned from my little field trip, the gem had been dormant, its warmth and otherworldly light seeming to have disappeared. But with the appearance of the falcon, it had awoken. The emerald pendulum pulsed with bright green light as I drew it out into the open air, watching as it swung to and fro before my eyes. With a parting screech, the falcon soared into the sky and out of sight. Guess it had delivered its message.

Two days I’d been gone the last time I had allowed myself to become drawn into the pendulum. And I’d kept the damned thing tucked in my pocket ever since. But I pulled it out of its hiding place and stared into its depths anyway, unable to tear my gaze from the fathomless green light. The gem swung toward me, pulled by some unknown force of gravity, and I leaned toward the light, mesmerized by the sudden peace and unequivocal quiet it offered. Seconds slowed, the pulsing beat of time came nearly to a halt, and I felt a strange tug at my center, urging me toward something I couldn’t identify. I allowed my eyes to drift shut, and when I opened them again, I no longer stood on the gray Seattle streets but at the top of the knoll, looking down into the green valley and at the dark-haired woman who waited for me.

Chapter 15

Another blink of my eyes and I no longer stood on the knoll. Without taking a step, I’d appeared in the valley below, standing face-to-face with a woman I recognized and yet didn’t know.