Damn, woman. You’re looking great for two hundred and twelve.
Shay had faced ice witches, Russian spirits, and naga, but she still managed to be surprised by magic.
Brownstone stared at the woman, not saying anything. There was confusion and concern in his eyes.
Heavy footfalls sounded from above. Someone else wanted to kill them before the fire had a chance to do the job. They didn’t have time to play biography with the Oriceran woman.
“Damn it,” Shay hissed. “I’m hearing movement upstairs, Brownstone. We need to move now.”
Nicole slid off the table and slowly made her way toward the stairs, passing James.
Brownstone grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?” He leaned over. “You stay here. We’ll deal with the assholes upstairs, then we’ll figure something out. I may not know much about healing and magic and shit, but I solve problems.” He jerked a thumb upwards. “These types of problems.”
Nicole shook her head and smiled grimly. “It’s too late for me. Too much of my magic has been expended trying to save my life.”
“Can’t we take you to some Oriceran healer to help you?”
She shook her head. “No. To keep myself alive, I’ve been feeding off my own life force. All things have a cost. At this point I’m only delaying the inevitable, but I have enough magic left for one important task.”
“What’s that?”
Nicole’s expression and eyes hardened. “Vengeance.”
Shay blinked a few times. The Oriceran woman kept her priorities straight, and Shay could appreciate that.
Brownstone released her arm. “We’ve killed two housefuls of Harriken already.”
“Do you think my vengeance too much, human? I would destroy these men over and over if I had the ability.”
“Brownstone killed dozens of people for murdering his dog. Trust me, he’s not judging you…and I’ve got my own past.”
Whoever is fucking left has it coming and then some. They should be fed to some naga.
Nicole’s eyes glinted in satisfaction. “Then you understand what I must do, and why I must do it.”
Brownstone nodded. “I just wanted you to know that no matter what happens, they’ve already felt pain. And I hope they feel more.” He glanced at Shay. “We’ll back you up. These fuckers would kill us anyway, and I don’t mind going after a few more after what I just saw.”
Shay nodded in agreement.
Nicole shook her head. “No, I may not be able to fully control myself when I do what I must do. You have killed my enemies and saved my daughter. I’d not wish to kill you by accident.”
Shay stepped away from the stairs after Brownstone gave her a reluctant nod. She wasn’t about to tell some centuries-old Oriceran how to go about getting her revenge.
Nicole padded toward the stairs, something elegant and lethal in her movements. “These men will learn why you do not earn the wrath of a princess of the Drow.”
Brownstone looked at Shay and she shrugged. She didn’t know much about what a Drow was, let alone anything about their royalty.
“Do not come up if you value your lives.” Nicole went up the stairs, determined.
Shay whistled as the Drow turned the corner above. “You ever wonder what would happen if the Oricerans decided they want to take over?”
Brownstone grunted. “No, they’re just like us. Lots of good people. Lots of assholes.”
“Man, I feel for her…” Shay shook her head. “Fuck, I am her, except I’m not centuries old and magical.”
“What do you mean?”
“I just got tired of my old life, too. Wanted something different.”
Brownstone eyed her. “Being a tomb raider isn’t simpler.”
“Didn’t say simpler, just different. But I wonder if I’m doomed the same way.”
“What are you talking about? You don’t have any wish to steal.”
Shay sighed and nodded toward the stairs. “No, I just meant no matter how much I run, maybe my past will always catch up with me.”
“Maybe, or you can just keep running.” Brownstone shrugged. “And thanks for your help. You didn’t have to do any of this.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Shay gestured around the torture chamber. “After seeing this, I only regret that I’m not getting to kill—”
The sound of automatic weapons fire rang out above, along with screams.
“Looks like she’s starting the party,” Shay muttered.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Shay paced at the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t hear any more gunfire or screaming.” She shook her head. “We should have been up there, not sitting here in the basement of a burning building like some dumbass JV kill squad.”
Brownstone shrugged. “When someone gives you a warning like that, you listen.”
“And what if they killed her?” Shay didn’t want any asshole leaving the property alive.
“She was already dying. You heard it, and if they did, the answer is simple.”
Shay put her hands on her hips. “Oh? Enlighten me with your great wisdom then, Brownstone.”
“The answer is, we kill the people who killed her.”
“Okay, fair enough. I like that plan.”
Brownstone grunted. “Anyway, you’re right. Whatever happened is over. Let’s go.”
They pulled their guns and hurried up the stairs. Thick smoke hugged the ceiling, and the crackle and hiss of the fire grew louder.
Shay coughed as she ran through the room. “Yeah, leaving’s definitely a good idea.”
The pair traveled down the hallway to where four new bodies lay on the ground.
“Grayson,” Brownstone commented as he viewed their patches. “I know these guys. Mercenaries. Real scum. Never really had a run in with them since we hang in different circles, but I’ve known people who have. They’d shoot their own mothers for money.”
Shay despised mercenaries like Grayson. They liked to pretend they were anything but hitmen in fancy uniforms. A criminal should at least be honest about what they are.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of them.” Shay’s nose wrinkled as she gestured to the three crispy corpses. “Smells like burnt pork.”
The bounty hunter’s gaze shifted from the burn victims to the other man, who
