Page 92 of The Death Dealer

When he severed their link, she was sure of it.

Her desire to jump up and defend him was strong. She wanted to hold his head to her breast and stroke his luxurious hair until he understood he was worthy to be loved. But she’d encountered his impenetrable wall before, and there was no breeching or scalingitwhen he was in this mood.

Deni began speaking. “Damian isnoth?—”

Had Soleil been any less prepared, the sinister twat would’ve succeeded in flipping Trevor’s kill switch. But her reaction to Deni was instinctual, and she sent one of the vials on the defendant’s table flying in the other woman’s direction the instant she opened her mouth to speak. The glass smacked Deni in the chest and shattered on impact. Dirt particles danced in the air before her, then formed a bony hand. It grew in size, elongating its skeletal fingers, until it was triple human size. The sight shockedeveryonesilent.

For a moment, Soleil took great delight in Deni’s terror, and as the woman opened her mouth to scream, the hand fisted and plunged inside. Her shriekwas choked offas the air left her lungs. The magic expanded, and the soil tripled in quantity, pouring out her mouth, nose, and eye sockets. She began to gag and claw at her throat and, in doing so, sucked in the ever-growing mound of dirt.

There shouldn’t have been that much. Not enough to suffocateher, only the right amount to keepherfrom speaking. Yet the earth magic had a life of its own.When Deni fell to the floor, her pallor gray and blood vesselsburstedin her eyes, thosesame eyes, although those of a deceased woman, were accusing.

Soleil covered her mouth to hold back her cry of horror. She needn’t have.Any sound she might’ve made wouldn’t have been heardover the grief-stricken shrieks of Melvin and the outpouring of complaints from Agnes.

Damian rose and cautiously approached Soleil as if she were a wild mustang ready to bolt. And perhaps she was because she feared the Authority’s wrath for inadvertently causing Deni’s death.

“She murdered my daughter! Before witnesses,” Agnes charged. “Red Guard, arrest her! I want her to stand trial.” No tears poured from her, only demands.

Lifting her gaze to meet Trevor’s, Soleil saw grimness with an underlying compassion.

“It’s no small thing to take a life,” Damian said in a carrying voice as he wrapped an arm around her. “But Soleil Stephens saved two others by stopping Denillia’s plan.”

“What plan?” Councilwoman Doyle stared at them. Worry tightened the skin around her mouth, deepening the lines. “What just happened?”

“Join hands, please.”

“This is highly irregular, Aether. Even for you,” Councilman Reed stated, frowning his displeasure.

“I intend to show you what my future wouldbe hadmy sister-in-law not stepped in. I ask again, please join hands.”

Those along the table complied with the Aether’s directive, keeping a wary eye on Soleil as the Red Guard removed Deni’s lifeless body from the room.

Damian squeezed Soleil’s shoulder and motioned her to sit in his abandoned chair. With a wary glance around the room, she crossed to the table and sat. Trevor made no move to touch her or offer any comfort. He’d shut down, and the knowledge he’d blocked her hurt. For as tough as she could be and had been during multiple murder attempts against her, she was feeling an overwhelming urge to cry.

“Don’t stress it, Dalli.” Trevor’s voice was low and gruff when he eventually spoke. He was sweating it enough for both of them. “She deserved what she got. Damian was right. You saved two people tonight. You should be proud of the fact and hold on to it when things become too much.”

“I’ve never taken a life before.”

“Your reaction was self-defense. You saw a threat, and you ended it.”

She nodded, thoroughly miserable.

Leaning in, he kissed her temple. “You’re incredible. Never forget it.”

It sounded like he was saying goodbye, and Soleil wanted to cling to him.Wantedto hold on so tightly he’d never be able to live without her. But she couldn’t be the only one fighting to keep a relationship alive. Especially when the other person wouldn’t.

CHAPTER32

Trevor understood Soleil’s misery all too well. He’d been in a similar state after his first kill, sickened by what he’d done and throwing up in a bathroom stall after a hearty congratulations by Agnes Vector. Looking back, he had to wonder if his victim had deserved it at all. Or any of the ones who followed.

Yes, there were those like Loman O’Connor and Morcant Thywyll who had required putting down and more, but Trevor wantedevery single oneof his previous assignments re-examined. If any were undeserving, he intended to find out and make restitution. Or at least have Damian make it on his behalf if the Authority ruled against him.

As he waited for the Aether to make his point and show the council members Deni’s intent, Trevor considered the two remaining vials of dirt on the table before them. With a sleight of hand taught to him by Draven Masters, he pocketed one of the two.

Agnes Vector and Melvin Glen wouldn’t live out the rest of their natural-born days. Of that, he wascertain. If Trev had to go out of this world as a murderer, so be it. When the time came for him to stand in the Otherworld’s waiting room and the scales tipped one way or another, he hoped their deaths were in his plus column. The duo was evil, and he didn’t intend to give them another shot at hurting Soleil.

Trevor studied her stoic profile. Inside, in the private reaches of his mind where he could appreciate the ironies of life, he smiled. Was it such a short time ago that he thought her plain? It hardly seemed possible when she’d become soincredibly beautifulto him.

Her updo wasn’t perfectly coiffed, and she’d left some of her waves to frame her face and fall down her graceful neck. With her subtle makeup, she was astunner. The perfect mate for him.

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