“Trust in Fate, Sister,” Reaver said, still glued to his spot on the floor. His wolfish gaze was locked on mine as Tyler hauled me toward the gaping hole that had once been Reaver’s front door. “Have faith.”
Moira glared at her brother before turning the full force of her hatred on me-or not. Tyler gripped his head, hissing in pain as he dragged us both onto the front porch. That bitch had aimed her Sidhe magic at Tyler, not me. I felt his anguish as he held me, the confusion swirling in his mind and the pain assaulting his body all at once. I’d never had such a strong connection to him before; our bond seemed to fuse us together in the moment. It had to have been Moira all along. She’d been the cause of Tyler’s weird mood swings and illness. She’d been at The Pit. I knew she’d killed that Lyhtan and tried to kill me. The pieces fit too perfectly together. “Tyler,” I said as he pulled me toward the street. “Ty, wait. I’ve got to go back. It’s her!”
My genie wasn’t having it. He held me fast as he murmured a few unintelligible words next to my ear. “No!” I screamed, fighting against him. “Goddamn it, Ty! She’s hurting you! She’s hurting you!”
“Stop,” Tyler said, pulling me farther back. “Leave it, Darian. I’ve got to get you out of here.” His power snaked around me, that same invisible shield that had kept me nice and cozy in the alley behind The Pit. Damn him and his gallantry. He’d die to protect me, and there wasn’t a fucking thing I could do to stop him.
As he dragged me away, Moira appeared from out of the rubble, but before she could come after us, her brother grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back. I sent out a thought I knew Reaver would hear. When I see her again, and I will…she’s going to die for hurting what belongs to me.
Chapter 18
I locked the hourglass in my safe and slid to the floor. The cold of the hardwood seeped into my pants, drawing my attention from the warmth of the pendulum. Reaver’s words haunted me: “You have the potential to do good things for those you love. But you will only cause them to suffer.”
Hot tears streaked down my face, and a deep, rich pain bloomed from my sternum, spreading through me. Reaver was right. By staying my course and helping Raif, I had only brought pain to someone I loved. Without a thought to his welfare, I’d put Ty in danger. Assassination attempts, threats from Fallon, and Moira’s magical assault. I would never be out of harm’s way. Never. And because he was my genie, that harm extended to Ty. After I found Brakae, I had the mysterious Man from The Ring to deal with. And after that, the emerald and the raven-haired women. Not to mention, I’d be watching my back for Moira to lop my head off unless I got to her first. She didn’t strike me as the kind of girl who let go of a grudge.
Tyler’s eyes hadn’t left me since we’d arrived at my apartment. I wiped my sleeve across my face to dry the tears that ran in rivulets down my cheeks. “So, do you want to continue going off on your own like a stubborn fool?” His soft voice sliced through me like a blade. “Or are you finally ready to let someone in?”
“She already has.”
As Raif stepped out of the elevator into my apartment, a wave of power burst from Tyler, and the temperature seemed to drop by about thirty degrees. I expected him to be pissed, but the deep-freeze routine was unexpected. Pushing myself up off the floor, I got my shit together quick, fast, and in a hurry. From the look of him, Ty was gearing up for a fight. And if our earlier episode at Reaver’s was any indication, this was going to get messy.
“I told you to stay the fuck away from her.” Tyler’s voice brought with it the promise of death. “What part of that didn’t you understand?”
“I’m going to take into consideration that you’re not yourself, Jinn. Because otherwise, I’d consider your behavior nothing but a lot of jackassed posturing. I’m the least of your concerns. And you know damned well I have no romantic notions about Darian.”
“Bullshit.” Tyler crossed the space between them in the snap of a finger. “You’re on her like a goddamned shadow lately.” His voice continued to escalate, the words reverberating with menace, like the echo of thunder. “And if you think you’re going to take her from me-”
“Tyler!” I couldn’t take it anymore. Moira had worked him over and good. The mindfuck was obvious: He’d never in a million years pull this shit on Raif. I should have killed the bitch when I had the chance, but instead I’d let Ty get me clear of Reaver’s house. What really stuck in my craw, though, was that I had no idea why she’d targeted him, not to mention how she could get to him, no matter the distance between them.
Ty stood nose to nose with Raif, trembling with suppressed rage. His nostrils flared with his heavy breath, his chest rising and falling in a quick, steady rhythm. He was magnificent in his anger. Dangerous. Ferocious. Beautiful. Too bad the target of his rage was my best friend.
“Calm yourself,” Raif said in a soft, even tone. “Think, Tyler. Consider where you’ve just been. What you’ve seen. You’d know there’s something wrong with your instincts if you’d settle down long enough to examine how you feel.”
“He’s right, Ty.” Probably not the best idea to take Raif’s side. But my only other option was to let Tyler rip him to shreds. I stepped between them, pushing Raif behind me. “Look at me, Ty. You can see the truth right here. Just. Look. At. Me.”
He always had a way of making the world melt away. And as his gaze locked with mine, there was nothing but him, me, and this moment. By small degrees, the spark of rage left his hazel eyes, and his expression softened. The bones in his jaw creaked as he unclenched his teeth, and as I brought my arms to his wide, strong shoulders, they relaxed as well, no longer tensed and ready for a fight.
“I have to leave,” he whispered, his body trembling from the immense self-control he exerted. “I’ll kill him if I don’t.”
The last thing I wanted was for Tyler to leave, but I knew he couldn’t stay here. “Go.” I began to shake from my own suppressed emotion. “Be safe.”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, a slow, deep, urgent demand that I answered and then some. When he pulled away, I was breathless, on the verge of tears, aching to the point where I wanted to scream in hopes of releasing the pressure. “I love you.” He kissed me again, a kiss good-bye, and turned on his heel. “Darian.” His voice became strained again. Not a good sign. “I need for you to wish me out of here. I-I can’t leave you here with him. My brain is screaming for me to stay. All I sense is danger, as if I leave I’ll lose you-forever. Get me the hell out of here before I do something I’ll regret.”
Where? I wondered. Who could help Tyler? Keep him safe? I stepped behind him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and laid my cheek against his back. “I love you,” I murmured. “Tyler, I wish you were at The Pit with Levi for the rest of the night.”
“I’ll see you soon,” Tyler said.
I closed my eyes and filled my lungs with his scent. A wave of energy pulsed around me, and I stumbled forward, my once-full arms slack and holding on to nothing but air. My eyes met Raif’s, his cold determination echoing mine. “I’m going to kill her, Raif.”
“Tread lightly, Darian.” I envied Raif’s unflappable attitude. “First things first. Tell me everything.”
This was going to be a long night.
The next morning, I walked through Ty’s door to the delicious aroma of pancakes and bacon. Tyler stood at the stove, a wan smile on his face. My heart lurched in my chest, tearing a little at the sight of him.
“How was your night?” Tyler did nothing to mask his accusatory tone as he flipped a huckleberry pancake onto a stack and handed me a plate.