Page 45 of Bullets and Blood
Damnit.
“Run with me,” Lance whispered.
Nix squeezed his eyes shut tighter.He gripped the cup.He wanted to tell Lance where he was, so they could flee.But they’d both end up at Mirabella’s feet wishing for death.“I can’t.I can’t live like that anymore, waiting for the next attack, always on alert.”His eyes stung.“And I love you too much to do that to you.”He drew in a breath.“I told Mirabella I’d kill every Orlan I saw.Tell her… Tell her I’ll be at Conto’s Cliffs at six.”How many would she send?
He hung up, feeling as though he’d been knifed in both lungs and was drowning in his own blood.
* * *
The library was allbut deserted.Nix didn’t bother paying for computer time; he just ensorcelled the lovely lady and logged in.Zinnia hadn’t checked in.His was the last dot, and it was over a week old.He shouldn’t have left her…but they couldn’t have stayed together.
He curled his fingers into fist and stared at the screen, needing to write something but knowing if she hadn’t checked in, she may not even see what he wrote.Were they as close to her as they were to him?Or did they already have her?
I’ve reached a dead end in Whispering River.Sorry.XX
The curser blinked at him, and he wanted to erase the words and write something else.Something filled with hope.But there was nothing else to write and no need to keep his location a secret in case the Orlans had found a way in.
Reluctantly he logged out, closed the window, and cleared the history.
He needed to call the lawyer and tell him that if he hadn’t called him back in twenty-four hours, then he was dead and that he should report his disappearance to the cops in WA, the Feds, and anyone else who might give a damn.He’d do that after he’d given himself a very nice last meal…or at least the best he could do in this place.Then all he needed was a ride out to the cliffs.
There’d be no sunset picnic this time.No gentle touch and kissing and talking.
Just bullets and pain.
Another bloody day.
ChapterTwenty-Six
Lance parked the car.He was sure his aunt knew exactly where he was, even though he hadn’t passed on Nix’s message.It had been very tempting to destroy the phone, but that wouldn’t help him.His name would only be added to the list of traitors to be brought in for questioning.No one escaped his family alive.
If he didn’t bring Nix in, he was slowly dead, and even if he did bring him in, his ability would be doubted.His commitment questioned.He was fucked no matter what he did.He sat in the car a little longer, not sure when his plans had gone awry, only that the moment he got out of the car, he was a target, and he wasn’t sure Nix wouldn’t shoot him.
The only thing protecting him was the truce and Nix’s family honor.
He got out and closed the door as quietly as he could, then locked the vehicle and walked along the track.He was armed: gun, knife, the usual.One man stood by the edge of the cliff looking out at the ocean, his dark hair catching in the sharp breeze.
There was no one else around.It was too cold for most, even though this was a popular tourist spot.Lance took a few steps toward Nix.One bullet, and he could end this…and he’d be the one breaking the truce.He wouldn’t prove Nix right.He was Orlan by birth but not an oath breaker by blood.
The sun bled over the ocean in gold and pink.
Nix turned.He was dressed casually in jeans, shirt, and jacket, but the way he held his body was like so many of the photos he’d studied.This wasn’t the Nix he knew; this was the killer from the dossier.The man who made his aunt nervous and who’d been the most efficient killer in the Hadley family.And he’d managed to take down Scott, his aunt’s favorite.Nix would be armed to the teeth and then some.
There was no point in stopping or keeping a safe distance, so Lance kept walking toward him.
Nix pulled his gun when Lance got within ten paces.“You aren’t meant to be here.”
“I didn’t tell her.”He held his hands palms up.“I came to talk.”
“We’ve talked.”Nix shrugged.“What’s left to say?It’s not just you.It’s your whole damn family after my blood.”
“We can still disappear into the bush.Or leave the country.I have money, you can get an emergency passport.”
“Don’t you think the federal police will have my name flagged?They aren’t going to let me leave the country because of the gang war I was involved in.People like me don’t get to start over, no matter how much we want to.”He lowered the gun.“Thank you for the extra time.I had fun.”He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.“But we always knew this is how it ended.”
“No.We still have time.I’ll tell my aunt about the truce.”
“You don’t get to say no.”Nix closed the distance until he was close enough that Lance could lift his hand and cup his cheek.He didn’t.“You think she’ll care about our truce?That’s just one more nail in your coffin.You make it clean.You kill me and take back my corpse.Do that for me if you care at all.”He thrust the gun at Lance but kept the muzzle pointed at his own heart.Something flickered across his face.“You have to, or you’ll be treated as cruelly as me.”
