“You stupid, Darkling fool,” his uncle sneered, turning several nearby wraiths into stone. “You’ve single-handedly destroyed Tanselm. Led by your cock instead of your brain. Typical.”
Arim blurred, and the world around him faded until all that remained were two blindingly bright blue eyes and the sound of feminine laughter as he lost all that was dear to him.
Cadmus woke with a start, sweat streaming down his face. He glanced over at Ellie lying face down on the bed beside him. His hand trembled as he touched her skin, and the heat of her flesh served to shake him from the cold chilling his body. Warming, his thoughts began to clear, and he slowly nudged Ellie to her back, bemused to see her sleeping so peacefully.
Like the dream, she looked angelic, perfect in sleep. A tremor shook him, and as he stared down at his affai, he wondered whether his dream had possessed any truth, or if his fears of the future were simply trying to leech away his happiness. He continued to study her, looking for flaws, for anything that might tell him if what he’d dreamt might have a hint of foretelling. But try as he might, he found nothing, and the tiny seed of doubt that had plagued his sleep took root.
Chapter 30
Sin Garu
Sin Garu blinked into the dark recesses of the between and bit at his lip, his teeth itching to tear into flesh, to soothe the new hunger that both strengthened and weakened him. He searched the stark, dank space of Orfel, a Dark Lord retreat, and found only wraiths, to his disappointment.
Contemplating his needs, he couldn’t help the sudden smile that lit his face. So easy to tap into the Storm Lord’s dreams. The Darkness in the Earth Lord continued to grow, a delightful surprise Sin Garu planned to take due advantage of. He wanted to extend his thanks personally to Elliara al il Ruethe. Such a lovely Djinn, and completely unaware of her potential. He pursed his lips and flashed into Ethim’s home, only to find it empty. He teleported to Ellie’s apartment, scowling to find it also empty and disturbingly neat, not at all as his Netharat had left it.
Damn Arim.
With a glance out the window, he spied an attractive woman with dark hair and a shapely body walking across the street. Much as he disdained what he was about to do, he knew he needed to bolster his strength. In just a few days, his plans would come to fruition, and he had to be ready. Closing his eyes, he looked inward and spied the source of his entry into Tanselm. He would have to hurry this feeding.
He walked into Ellie’s bedroom and snapped his fingers. In a flash, he had his arms full of a stunned yet feisty brunette. “And what’s your name, lovely?”
“What the hell? Where am I?” She struggled, unable to understand what was happening.
Sin Garu chuckled. He loved when they resisted. “I think, lovely lady, I’m going to like you very much.” He gripped her hair and ripped several strands out of her head, making her scream. “Do I have your attention yet?”
“Fuck you,” she sobbed as her strength faded. “What do you want? Why are you doing this?”
Her terror enhanced his hunger, and he stared at her with an emotion akin to affection. “Ah, pet, just turn your head away and all will be well.”
She remained still in his arms, obstinate, and he sighed, his teeth lancing his cheeks as they grew, the tangy taste of blood filling his mouth.
“I picked a winner,” he murmured as he yanked her head to the side and bit deep. Quickly draining her of what he needed, he dumped her the moment he finished, conscious of the mess she made on Ellie’s spotless wooden floor. With a wave of his hand, the dead brunette and her blood teleported to Orfel, where her carcass would be a welcome appearance to his starving Netharat.
Wiping his fingers on his sleeve, he picked at the flesh in his teeth with his tongue and spit it out, disgusted that he’d been reduced to a blood drinker by that bitch, Lexa. Her deceit vexed him as much as it pleased him. Quiet Lexa Van Norsen, his timid little sister, had so much to answer for. Because of her, he’d killed his brother sooner than he’d planned. Because of Lexa, he’d lost a golden opportunity to exterminate not only Arim, but the conniving Aellei as well. He growled, extremely pissed he’d have to work twice as hard to kill Aelle’s new king, that fucking Sava, once he’d conquered Tanselm.
He told himself to be patient, that the blood drinking tampered with his logic. Closing off that part of himself, the part that strengthened his physical body but hurt his mental faculties, he gathered himself together and shimmered, taking on the form that had recently garnered him much in his battle against the Light Bringers.
When his Djinn informant tentatively requested an audience, Sin Garu was ready.
He closed his eyes, concentrated, and opened them once he felt the welcome return of his arousal that had lately been all-too-lacking. He shifted his head, letting his new, long black hair sway against the small of his back. In this form, he felt decidedly different, and extremely wicked. He grinned, looking forward to this new adventure.
Remir, one of the Sarqua’s most experienced warriors, stood before him, looking bemused. “Mistress?”
Sin Garu smiled, knowing he had the young warrior’s attention. In this guise as his sister, Sin Garu had found more than he could have hoped to aid him against the Storm Lords. Especially now that Cadmus had fallen to a Djinn’s enticements.
“Yes, Remir, what have you to tell me?” He couldn’t help talking slowly, captivated by the sounds of his sister’s husky voice. By Dark’s deceit, he liked being a female. While most shapeshifters, to include the Djinn, merely presented the illusion of transformation, Dark Lords actually transposed their genetic material to match their target. In truth, at this moment, Sin Garu was a female, and a carbon copy of Lexa at that.
“Why do we meet here and not in Tanselm, as you had initially requested?” Remir studied Sin Garu—Lexa—with puzzlement.
Shit. He’d forgotten what he’d earlier told the Djinn. But how could he step foot in Tanselm without the fucking Light Bringers knowing the instant he entered their plane? He might have been able to mask his presence for a brief time earlier, but not now that he’d consumed blood. “Do you question your Dark Mistress?” he asked silkily. “Do you not remember how well I reward those in my care?”
Remir’s eyes darkened and he licked his lips, his gaze centerd on Lexa’s breasts. Pleased he’d recaptured the Djinn’s attention, Sin Garu listened attentively to what Remir had to report.
Then he removed his clothing, urging Remir to do the same. In moments, he had Remir’s undivided attention, and the secret to the Earth Lord’s downfall.
Chapter Thirty-One
When Ellie woke up, it was to an empty bed and a brief note from Cadmus.
