Page 43 of Kiss of Light

She ran back up to the roof, cursing her lack of shimmer ability. She had no idea how long that was going to last. She just hoped it would return when the magic poisoning her system ran its course.

She grabbed Kaeron’s body and hauled it to the edge. Silently muttering an apology for the indignity, she threw it over the parapet. It landed with a dull thump next to his sister. The rapid-fire weapon followed suit.

She’d never liked the twins much. They were evil, double-crossing backstabbers. But they’d been devoted to each other and in a perverse way, it was fitting that they had died together.

She collected Seraefa’s blades and Kaeron’s sword, and ran back down the stairs, not yet confident enough to test her newly-returned strength by jumping from the rooftop.

Throwing the weapons in the boot of the Charger, she grabbed the spare can of petrol Blake always carried. She poured it over the fae bodies.

“Sorry, not exactly an elven burial but we can’t have you raising questions at the coroner’s office.”

She lit a match and let the whole thing go up. She didn’t stick around to watch. The motel would be crawling with police and fire engines soon enough.

She eyed the silver-tipped arrows littering the motel parking lot. In an ideal world, she’d pick them all up and remove them from the scene. But there were too many and she didn’t have time. The gods only knew what the authorities would make of them, but one thing was for sure.

When the other hunters got wind of this, they’d come running.

She slid into the driver’s seat. Predictably, Blake had left his keys in the glove box.

“Always ready for a quick getaway,” she murmured.

She revved the engine, surprised by how good it sounded. Maybe there was something to be said for muscle cars.

“Where we going?” asked Lemar. Her stomach clenched at the pain in his voice, but she answered lightly.

“I know someone in Amarillo. He owes me one. A big one.”

“Big enough not to turn us over to the hunters?”

Tala didn’t answer. That was something they’d find out soon enough.

Eighteen

Tala studied the man who’d met her in the alley behind the club. Tall, well-built, maybe a little thinner since she’d last seen him. He’d cut his sandy blond hair short which only seemed to make the dark blue of his eyes stand out more.

She didn’t waste any time.

“I need somewhere to crash, Avery.”

“Nice to see you too.” He raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you’d call me so soon after our last encounter.”

“Yeah, well, I had no choice. I need your help.”

His gaze switched to the man she was holding up. Lemar was barely conscious, his head lolling on her shoulder.

“Another of your conquests?”

“Funny. He’s hurt. I need somewhere to lay low so I can see to his wounds.”

“The hospital not good enough?”

“Not an option. He’s got hunters on his trail.”

“There’s a bounty on him?” Avery’s gaze sharpened. “I don’t need that kind of heat, Tala. You told me to keep a low-profile. Why the fuck would you bring him here?”

“Because you owe me. Remember?”

Grudgingly, Avery nodded.

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