Page 5 of Shadow Touched

“The shadow of death … it’s gone.”

If possible, his scowl deepened even more.“Don’t throw that paranormal shit at me.”

“You don’t understand,” she said. She didn’tknow why she wanted to convince him, but this was a monumentalmoment and she needed him to understand. “The only time I’veseen it go away is when it takes the soul. But you’re here. Notdead.”

For a moment, her fear had been replacedwith confusion. He was the first person to defeat death, at leastfrom her point of view. She had spent her whole life hiding fromthe specter. Never did she think there was a way to escape it.

“What did you do?” she asked. “How did youmake it go away?”

“You don’t want to know.”

She frowned. “Yes, I do.”

He didn’t answer right away, which lockedthem in an odd silent battle of wills. Where she got this burst ofbravery she didn’t know, but something compelled her to learn howhe had defeated the shadow.

“Please,” she finally said, not in the leastbit ashamed to beg.

“The assassin was right where you said he’dbe,” Brim replied. “I never travel anywhere without a way toprotect myself. I made sure to get him before he got me.”

Understanding flooded her. “You gave theshadow of death another soul to take, instead of yours.”

He blinked, looking slightly confused. “Didyou just hear what I said?”

“Yes.”

“Do you understand what I said?”

“Yes. You killed him.”

“You don’t seem too scared about myconfession.”

She shook her head. “That’s where you’d bewrong. I’m scared of everything … including you. But I think I’mmore scared of that black hole of death.”

“He was the enforcer of my club,”Brim said harshly. Anger was still present in his countenance.“Tell me the truth, Leia. Are you working with someone in my clubto bring me down?”

“No, of course not! Why would I give you awarning if I was working for someone who wanted you dead? Didn’tyou question him before you killed him?”

“I thought it was that drunk asshole!”

“And I told you it wasn’t.”

They stared at one another, and she had noidea how to convince him she wasn’t his enemy. Slowly, he let go ofher, although he didn’t take a step away. He kept her confinedagainst the wall by placing his hands on either side of herhead.

“I’ve been gone for a while,” he said,finally breaking the silence. “I went nomad to get my head onstraight. I’m not stupid in knowing that politics can shift duringan absence, but sending someone to kill me is a layer of betrayalthat can tear a club apart. This runs deep.”

Just when she thought she would be free ofhim, he took hold of one wrist and clicked one end of a handcuffaround it. Then quick as lightning, secured the other side to hisbeltloop. A new type of horror shot through her, and she tuggedfutilely at the confinement.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Are youcrazy? Let go of me!”

She was no match for his indomitablestrength. He didn’t even budge when she used her shoulder to raminto his frame.

“Stop it,” he ordered. “Until I get to thebottom of this, you’re coming with me.”

“This is kidnapping! You’ll bearrested.”

He gave a sardonic smile that in no wayresembled humor. “Darlin’, I just told you I killed a man. Do youthink I give a flying fuck about a kidnapping threat?”

“I don’t care about that! I’m not involvedwith your group. Please! Let me go.”

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