Page List

Font Size:

He opens it with his magic, pulls out the paper, and reveals a dirty magazine.

Scrawled on the front cover, across the boobs of a lady with long blonde hair and puckered lips is a message:

I killed more than Myers.

I’m too tired to decipher its meaning.But Caden seems to understandashe’s over there in a heartbeat to pick it up with his own hands. He flips it open, and a grim line straightens his lips.

“David’s ledger,” he says.

I close my eyes, knowing Leon’s name is in there. “Get it away from me.”

He sends it out of the room with his telekinesis, but he doesn’t leave my side. He stands with me as I spread out my arms, pouring shadows forth from my palms. Sweat glistens his brow, no doubt as he remembers nearly dying because of me the last time I did this, but he doesn’t move, doesn’t waver in his position beside me.

He loves me.

More than his own life.

Holding on to that, using it to combat my grief, I pullevery box of Leon into my shadows.

“I want to learn to fight,” I say as the last one sinks into the darkness swirling around our feet. “I want to be the one who tears Aleric’s head from his fucking shoulders.”

“You’re too valuable to be on the front lines,” he says.

“Then bring him to me alive.”

Thirty-Eight

HER

3MARCH1949

I draw my shadows into Aleric’s silhouette, building them up until they stand taller than me, taller than Caden, athisheight. The darkness swirls like smoke in a breeze that’s constantly changing until I solidify it into his shape, his bulk. I remember everything about him – the way his hair falls across his face, the cut of his eyes as he laughed at me, the size of his fists, his biceps. The feel of his teeth, his fingers –

Grunting, I swing my fist into the shadow’s jaw. It goes straight through the poor imitation of the monster I want to kill, but Caden won’t let me spar with anyone. The men all need their rest when they’re not on duty. I hate it, but I get it. Our numbers are still lowa year and a halflater; unlike the werewolves and the vampires, we can’t make more of our kind overnight. They need their downtime so they stay sharp when out on the streets.

So I am forced to fight this damn fucking thing that doesn’t move unless I make it. I’m learning nothing, but at least I get to take out my frustration, get to practice some of the punches and kicks I begged Caden,Jonathan,and Myers to teach me over the years.

I force the shadow to swing for me, and I duck under its arm, then lash out at its leg. There’s force behind my blow, but there’s nothing solid to hit. And still I train for hours, wanting to be ready for when Caden finally brings him here to me.

But it’s beenover ayear, a little voice says as I punch Aleric’s shadow straight through the chest to rip out his heart.Perhaps it’s time I use myself as bait. Draw him out…

Caden will never go for it though. Nor will Myers or any of the capos. I’m too damnvaluableuntil one of our children makes it to the age of twenty-two.

Scowling, I drop ‘Aleric’s heart’ and then dismiss the shadows with a wave of my hand.I hate this. This feeling of being trapped, of being useless.Of beingsafebehind our wards. I’ve not left this street since Aleric kidnapped me.

Perhaps it’s time I did.

Perhaps it’s time I sought him out rather than waiting for him to come to me.

Caden is out…

Myers is too...

Notgiving myself timeto talk myself out of it, I sink into my shadowsand race towards the end of the street.I know where the vampires’ nest is. If Aleric doesn’t find me wandering the city, I can just make my way there.

But I know he will notice as soon as I step past these wards. It’s beenover ayear since I’ve seen him, but I have never been more sure of an outcome.

Slipping through the natural shadows, evading the eyes of the guards who will most definitely reach out to Caden if they see me, I make it to the end of the street. My heartthunders inside me, but I don’t stop. Don’t slow. I just dart through the wards and come out the other side. I travel a few more blocks down, outside of the patrol of our guards, before re-materializing into flesh in an empty alley.