Dagan followed him out into the small terrace rich with the smell of herbs and stuff that grew in pots. Damn, he had to tell him the truth aboutJenna.
Since Shae was still in the kitchen, Dagan lowered his voice, “Jenna is whom I’ve been searching for. She’s the psychickiller.”
“What?” Shock paled Hedori’s tan features. “Thatmeans…”
“The seraphim will demand justice, and Michael will have to carry out theexecution.”
“No!” Hedori spat in vehemence. “She has been through hell—trapped in that godsforgotten place. The heavens only know what horrors occurred there. Besides, what reason would she have to kill thosemales?”
“To protect Shae. Samael probably blackmailed Jenna then blocked or wiped her memories of the kills—godsdamn these fucking angel wars!” Dagan cursed. “We’ll need a miracle to stay thatsentence.”
Shae would bedevastated.
Hedori’s features morphed into hard, angry lines. “I won’t let any harm come to her. Notagain.”
“Me either.” Dagan exhaled a rough breath. “Shae doesn’t know anything yet, and I’d like to keep it that way for now until I speak withMichael.”
Hedori remained silent, his gaze on the trellised walkway, then those orange-green eyes came back to Dagan. “There’s something I meant to tell you, but it slipped my mind with everything that occurred. The marking you asked about? The one that resembles a rope with one side unknotted? It’s normally used as a brand of claiming by immortals. Once the deed’s done, the knot closesoff.”
Fury like wildfire raged through Dagan. The bastard! He slammed his palms on the wrought-iron table there. That was why the fucking thing repulsedhim.
“What isit?”
“Shae has a marking like that on her wrist.” It was a miracle he could force the words out, considering how hard his teeth were clamped. “She has no idea what it is, thinksshegot the damn tatt done. Aza must have wiped her mind of theincident.”
“It’s a tricky situation,” Hedori said. “He will come forher.”
Dagan’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he straightened. “Shae’s mine. Wemated.”
“True. The Fates chose her as yours. But he claimed her first. After Blaéz’s dangerous encounter with the law-keepers a few months ago, I got the tome of the Absolute Laws to look for loopholes. It’s all there. You didn’t get rid of the mark when you mated her, so your soul-joining will not be at full strength. You’ll probably experience everything a soul-joining bestows with her—telepathic communications, sense her emotions, etcetera—but all will be faint. If he mates her, itwilloverride yourbonding…”
Hedori brushed back a loose strand of hair that had escaped his metallic-gray braid, lines creasing his brow. “Though the Morrigan has ruled that the Absolute Laws do not affect the Guardians, you know the law-keepers will still keep watch. If Aza goes to them, you’ll loseher.”
Godsdammit! She was his mate.His!
Dagan paced the length of the terrace, his fury amping. Now Shae could be taken from him?No!Not fuckinghappening!
“You have two options. Find a way to get the mark off her before it’s too late. Or kill him,” Hedori said, like he didn’t know that. “And tell her the truth, Dagan. She needs toknow.”
Dagan. Downtown. We have a situation near Club Nocte.At Blaéz’s telepathic message, he bit back a curse. Hell, he should have left for patrol a half hourago.
“I have to go, work emergency,” he told Hedori. “I’ll speak to Shae when I get back. Keep her—keep them both safe forme.”
“With mylife.”
* * *
Dagan tookform deep in the alley where he’d first met Shae and crossed to Blaéz, who waited near a boarded-up building with aFor Salesign.
Blaéz nodded to the door. “Inside.”
Dagan followed him in then slowed to a halt, keeping his breathing shallow at the scent of fresh blood drenching the air. There, on the wall, the blond band member Shae had hugged was nailed to the surface, blood dripping down his body to pool on the grimyfloor.
“Found this on him.” Blaéz held out a smeared note, his expressiongrim.
The families of the Guardians’ mates will soon join him, all nailed to this wall. You took what belongs to me. I want herback.
Jenna orShae?
