The book jumped beneath Janie’s hand, but even then, she couldn’t look away from the determination and intent on Zane’s face. What was he going to do? Her breath caught, and anticipation lit her from within.
“One more demand.” Zane kept her gaze hostage. He leaned forward, his jaw hard. “There will be no Kurjanaccessto Janet Isabella Kayrs, and she will make a choice as to her destiny.”
He kicked back from the table and broke all the rules by standing. A massive man, a true predator, a dangerous warrior. His deep voice easily reached around the cavern. “At the end of these talks, regardless of books, science, and geographic boundaries, Janie becomes mine.”
Chapter 3
An abandoned gold mine and adjacent ghost town comprised the demon temporary headquarters in a lost section of Idaho. Near enough to the peace talk site to make travel convenient, but far enough away to allow for a decent getaway if necessary, the lonely ghost town hinted of lives lost and fortunes wasted.
In the madam’s office of a refurbished whorehouse, Zane accepted the full punch to the jaw from his uncle, allowing his head to jerk back before slowly turning to face Suri. The hit pissed him off less than the futile eight hours underground at the so-called peace talks. Thank God the first day was over. “Was that supposed to hurt?” he asked. They stood eye-to-eye, and there was no doubt Zane cut a harder warrior now. The last few years warring in hellish conditions had guaranteed his fighting condition.
Being an assassin tended to rip the soul from a man.
Suri hissed out. “How dare you?”
“What?” Zane lifted a shoulder and sauntered across the room to drop onto a bright pink settee. The furniture groaned under his bulk. Odd that Suri had kept the feminine piece. “I improvised.”
“Improvised?” Moonlight glinted through the window to illuminate Suri’s eyes a pissed black. “Janie Kayrs is mine?”
“Janet Isabella Kayrs is mine.” Zane stretched and ignored the pounding pain in his jaw from the punch. “Using her full name had more impact, I think.” Plus, the words rang true. He knew her; she had decided she’d sacrifice herself to the Kurjans years ago. Even so, he was surprised she thought he’d allow it. She had set her destiny the first time she had invaded his dreams; she should’ve stayed out if she’d wanted to choose her own path.
While his own future remained uncertain, he couldn’t go out knowing Janie had sacrificed herself. He owed her more than that—just for being his friend.
Suri growled and swept an antique desk clean of a myriad of maps and papers. Three Degoller Stars fell to the floor, their deadly sharp points glinting. “Putting aside the fact that you acted independently and without orders, what in the hell was your purpose in making that claim?”
Zane kept his expression calm. “I meant what I said. Janie is mine.” Even if he never truly claimed her, she wouldn’t belong to the Kurjans. No doubt he’d die soon, but he’d ensure her safety first.
Suri’s upper lip curled. “I thought I’d beaten the vampire out of you.”
“You certainly gave it a try.” Every hit Zane had taken had protected his two younger brothers, and it had been fucking worth the bloodshed. “Each prophet, oracle, and seer in the world has decreed that Janie’s twenty-fifth year is crucial, and her powers will be known. She’s twenty-five. If we give access to her to the Kurjans, Kalin will force her to mate with him. The Kurjans can’t have her, and the vampires have no clue what to do with her. I do.”
“Oh, you do?” Suri snarled, his broad face contorting. “She needs to die.”
The simple words punched Zane in the gut. “No. We need her powers, her gifts, whatever they turn out to be. If I mate her, I’ll get those gifts.” He had no intention of binding Janie to him for a lonely eternity, but he needed to keep Suri off balance. Zane eyed his watch as he bluffed. His brother should be checking in any minute, and he needed to get away from Suri.
Suri picked up the Degoller Stars and leaned back against the desk. “My prophets have declared in no uncertain terms that the Kayrs woman will destroy the demon nation if she lives. She will die, and you will obey orders. Don’t ever forget I own you. One phone call, and your brothers die in battle, or your mother disappears.”
Anger slowly burned down Zane’s spine. “My mother? You meanyour sister.You’d end her so easily?”
“Yes.” Suri lowered his chin, the medals on his chest proving his prowess in battle. The guy was a master in hand-to-hand and had never lost a fight. Most brutal bastards who enjoyed inflicting pain won every damn time. “She betrayed me when she mated a vampire and is lucky I didn’t kill her when she came crawling back.”
Zane slowly stood. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked to ensure her safety.” God. The things he’d done in battle, in the name of war, just to keep his family safe would plague him for eternity.
“Yes.” Satisfaction coated Suri’s deep tone. “Keep that in mind.”
Zane bit back a growl and gestured toward the devastating Degoller Stars. If thrown correctly, the weapon neatly sliced off an immortal’s head, leaving no chance of survival. All immortal races on earth had reached a rare agreement to refrain from using them. “Those are banned by treaty, and you know it.”
Suri glanced down. “We’re at war . . . and treaties be damned.” He shook his head. “After the talks tomorrow, we need to take the Arias book. Make it happen.”
Zane lifted an eyebrow. “Everyone agreed to keep the book on that rock ledge for the duration of the talks.” Though he could see how badly Janie had wanted to take the bound volume home. Her hands had actually shaken when she’d returned it to the ledge.
Suri shook his head. “I don’t care. Get the book.”
“Why?” What the hell was it about the ancient text?
“The book has prophesies beyond our oracles, and it has details about our enemies we need, and information about us we must hide.” A knock sounded on the hand-carved oak door. “Enter.”
Nikolaj Veis, Suri’s head strategist, walked in. His gray eyes sizzled, and his white-blond hair had been ruffled. Harsh lines cut grooves into the sides of his generous mouth, proof of the difficult exile he’d endured the last decade when Suri had sent him to the Arctic to fight after he’d plotted strategy regarding land holdings with a beautiful witch. Suri had required Nick’s help with the peace talks and had finally ordered him home. He’d only been back in civilization for a week. “We need to talk.”
