Page 114 of Shield of Fire

My gaze met Sgott’s. “We taking bets on who this is?”

He shook his head, his expression grim. “Answer it. The bug is still on and recording, so if it is him, we’ll at least have something tangible to work with when it goes to trial.”

If it went to trial. Halak’s mentality had always been that it was better to die fighting than to live and face a future of incarceration.

I would not give him that. Someone had to pay for all the deaths, and he was the only one left.

I hit the answer button. “Bethany speaking—who is this?”

“I’m sure you’ve already guessed who it is, dear Bethany, so please don’t attempt to drag this conversation out so Sgott can pin my location.”

“How did you get this number? It’s not listed.”

“I applied a little charm to a relation of yours. It’s amazing what you can get if you just ask nicely. Or un-nicely, as the case may be.”

Fear and fury hit in equal amounts, and my grip on my phone tightened so much my knuckles went white. “If you’ve hurt him?—”

“My magic doesn’t hurt, Bethany—not unless I wish it to, as you are well aware, given the games we have played in the past.” His laugh was softly mocking. “Of course, I might have delivered a punch or three after he was bound, but he’s awake and alert. You can even speak to him.”

There was a brief pause, then, “Bethany?”

I closed my eyes against the rage that swamped me, overrunning even the fear. I had to stay calm. It was the only way either of us would survive.

But that inner darkness was awake, and it wanted to hurt.

Badly.

“Bethany,” Lugh said again. “Don’t give?—”

There was a grunt and a curse, then Halak said, “If you follow your dear brother’s advice and don’t give, he will die. Painfully. And you know how good I am at the whole pain thing, don’t you, sweet cheeks?”

Outside, thunder rumbled, a deep sound that echoed my inner fury. There might not have been a storm on the horizon earlier, but there sure as hell was one now.

“What do you want, Halak?”

“I want you at Observation Point in the Bulkeley Woods, with the shield, in thirty minutes, or the ruby will consume your brother’s flesh as easily as it did your boyfriend’s home.”

I wanted to swear, wanted to curse, but did neither. An emotional response was what he wanted—what he always wanted.

But overhead, thunder cracked with such force, even the basement shook.

As Sgott stepped away to make the necessary arrangements, I said, “Thirty minutes doesn’t give me much time.”

“I know. But you’ll nevertheless get here on time, or I’ll start burning bits of your brother away. Oh, and leave your knives behind. I see them—or cops—he dies.”

He hung up. I swore and rubbed a hand across my face, sending dried flakes of blood flying. The wound on my head had been repaired, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to clean up. And maybe that was for the best. Seeing me in this bloody state might just rattle him—especially when I told him whose blood it was.

I looked up as Sgott returned and handed me an energy drink. “We’re ready to leave. I’ve ordered our shifters into the area, and they’ll keep to their alternate forms so that Halak won’t suspect?—”

“If there’s a dozen different birds suddenly flying over the woods, he’s going to suspect.”

He gave me a somewhat disparaging look. “Give my people a little more credit than that, please.”

I waved a hand in apology and popped the drink open. I’d never been a fan of energy drinks, but right now, I needed all the damn energy I could get.

“Astrid and I will wait at the Coppermine Lane entry point. He won’t be able to see us from there, and even if he does, he’s unlikely to consider one unmarked car dangerous. Especially when he knows your relationship with me and would be well aware the only way you could get there in time is via a police escort.”

I nodded and finished the drink. “We should go.”

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