Black and Blue

The Bree Lian peered down at Blue with resignation. He had just realized he was going to die. It was only a question of how painfully. “Tyson Star.”

Tyson? Not Gregory, the father? “Why?”

“I don’t know. I’m never told why, only what to do.”

“And what were you to do?”

“Pick up Miss Black and escort her to Mr. Star.”

Where she would be beaten? Killed?

Fury stampeded him. “One last question. Have you seen a Rakan with the Stars, or heard of one’s skin being sold?”

“No. The Stars are the most secretive family I’ve ever met. They’ll assign different aspects of hired hits to different men, so no one knows the whole of what’s going on.”

Secretive, and smart.

“You’ve earned your death. I’ll make it fast.” He sheathed his gun, intending to take the guy out with his bare hands, when a noise caused his ears to twitch. He spun, a stream of bright azure light shooting out and nailing him in the chest. Every muscle in his body turned into stone, though his mind remained utterly aware. He heard the Bree Lian slam into the ground, no longer held by Blue’s power.

His fury found a new target: himself. Should have suspected the Stars would send more than one.

A second otherworlder stepped from the shadows. A Cortaz Blue he saw guarding Star’s country estate. The male was a few inches shorter than Blue, with dark hair, green eyes, and skin that looked as if it had been dipped in a honey pot. “I’m not sure how you pegged my partner, Mr. Blue, and I don’t really care.”

Blue let the worst of his emotions shine in his eyes.

The man wasn’t impressed. “I only gave you a partial stun, so you’ll be as good as new in a few hours. In the meantime, I’m going into the store and finding your girl. And she is yours, isn’t she? A very surprising development, I have to say. You’ll get to watch me have a little fun with her before I take her to see Mr. Star.”

“Hmm. I don’t think that’s how this night is actually gonna go down.” Evie’s voice echoed through the alley as a stream of azure light erupted and slammed into the Cortaz.

Like Blue, he froze in place.

Then she shot the Bree Lain, freezing him, too, just in case he decided to fight.

Blue had never been so relieved to see a woman he wanted to strangle.

Evie, his beautiful, irreverent Evie, flipped the Cortaz off as she passed him, then stopped in front of Blue. “You are so lucky I’m on your side.” She dug in her purse—that glorious, magical purse—and withdrew a ring with a big oval in the center. “This will counter the effects of stun.”

Before she could stick him, her arms were grabbed, twisted, and pinned behind her back. The ring fell to the dirty ground.

“Good thing I came as an insurance policy,” a gleeful voice said from behind her.

Still unable to move, Blue glared at the tall, muscular Arcadian spinning Evie and slamming her against the brickwork. It was like watching a horror movie in slow-mo. Every detail was in Technicolor. From the surprise on her face to the dust that sprayed from the building.

An indignant gasp left her.

Absolute, utter rage detonated inside of Blue. He drew all of his power into his core, letting it concentrate there, building layer upon layer.

“I’m giving you one chance to let me go,” she gritted. “And then things are going to get nasty.”

“I think they already are nasty.” The Arcadian patted her body down, looking for weapons.

“Yeah? Wait till you see this.” She slammed the back of her skull into his nose.

Bellowing, the Arcadian released her and stumbled away. She whipped around and punched him in the throat. As he gasped for air, she kicked him between the legs. He collapsed face-first, a writhing puddle of agony.

Blue released his grip on the power, and as it exploded through him, life twitched into his muscles, allowing him to trip forward. He grabbed Evie by the arm and drew her behind him . . . then whaled the Arcadian.

He punched, and punched, and punched. “You don’t hurt her. Ever.” Punched, and punched, and punched. Blood sprayed. Teeth flew and skidded across the ground.

Soon, there was nothing left of the guy’s face.

“Uh, I think he’s dead now,” Evie said. “You can stop and maybe we can go the hell home.”

Blue jolted at the sound of her voice. He was panting, and he knew he had to look fearsome. Still, he straightened and jerked her into his arms, needing her close, if only to soothe the bestial rage inside him.

She offered no resistance. Even curled closer.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry I let him get to you. He’ll never harm you again.”

“Hey, it wasn’t your fault. I was so primed to get to you, I forgot to scour for a third hit man.” Very gently, she began to pet his chest. “And you killed him real good, Blue. Watching you work was a real pleasure. My review will be glowing. He’s not going to harm anyone ever again. Promise.”

If anything had happened to her . . .

He wasn’t sure what he would have done. Right now he was having trouble muting his emotions. Panic. Fear. Relief. Anger.

A long while passed before he felt calm enough to speak again. “You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady!” he snarled, pushing her away while maintaining his hold on her shoulders. Dude. Maybe you should have waited a bit longer. “Why the hell did you leave the house?”

She broke away with a single step back, and a rumble of irritation cut through his chest. “Do you really want to do this here and now? Some of our audience is still alive.”

He turned and shot both the Cortaz and the Bree Lian in the face. Yellow beams. Not azure. Death rather than stun. “Not anymore.”

“Blue!” she said, and stomped her foot. “We could have interrogated them.”

“I got all the answers I needed from them. So. I ask again. Why did you crawl out the freaking window, Evie?”

She threw her arms up in a what-did-I-do-to-deserve-this gesture.

“Well?”

“Several reasons,” she said, raising her chin.

“Name one.”

“I saw the guys lurking in my yard.”

“And you didn’t call for me?” he shouted.

“I didn’t want to lose them, and, quite frankly, I needed a little time away from you. Time to think.”

Inside him, the fury chilled, becoming far more dangerous. “Is that so? Well, then, take all the time you need, princess.” He stomped away, never looking back.

* * *

Evie knew she’d made a mess of things.

Blue was in the guest room and she was in her room. They were like boxers in their respective corners. Sunrise would be the starting bell, and only one of them would be declared the winner.

I can’t wait that long.

She had to make things right. Already she missed their easy banter. Their . . . friendship.

They really were friends, weren’t they?

Wearing a tank and shorts, she marched down the hall and into his room. For once he wasn’t working. The lights were out, and she couldn’t see jack, but she could feel the hum of his power.

“You awake?” she asked loudly.

“I am now,” he grumbled.

“Good. You promised we’d have snugs and then you dare not deliver? Don’t be that guy.” She climbed into the bed and stuffed herself under the covers. Divine body heat enveloped her, and she shivered, her lust level rising quickly.