His expression smoothed over. “Very well. Let’s go.” He headedoutside.
The moment he touched her hand, her breath froze, an icy draft enclosing her entire body. But just as fast, the cold disappeared, like he’d drawn his shields upagain.
Without a word, he dematerializedthem.
They reappeared in the forest bordering the village. Shae quickened her steps to keep up with Nik’s long strides as they headed toward the busy main street. People hurried from their jobs, and others made their way to the bar. Her stomach in a knot, Shae searched the busy place. Several women watched them—or rather Nik—with carnal interest. She knew exactly what they were reacting to—the bucket-load of magnetism these Guardians possessed inspades.
“I found him,” Nik said. “Go wait inthere—”
“I’m coming withyou.”
“No.” His hard expression allowed no argument. “It’s dangerous, I sense him in a fight. Stay in the café, it’s safer among thecrowds.”
Exhaling in frustration, she glanced at the café-slash-bar he’d pointed to, one of those places with wooden tables and chairs spilling out onto the sidewalk. A lively crowd gathered, and much laughterflowed.
She didn’t want to make things worse, so she nodded and then quickly said, “Er, Nik, before you go…” She chewed her lip. Darn it, he was the only one who could help her with this, so she forged on. “Can I speak to you about somethingelse?”
He stepped back, avoiding the three older women passing them, his ice-green eyesnarrowed.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “It’s about Dagan and me—and hisfeeding.”
Expecting Nik to walk off, he merely folded his arms and waited for her to continue. Encouraged, she told him the rest. When she finished, he rubbed a hand over his jaw, his brow lowered in a frown. “I’ll have to think about it. Wait in the café. I’ll send him toyou.”
Rubbing her cold palms down her jeans, she headed across to the café and chose an outside table, wanting to see Dagan when hearrived.
He was fighting.Christ. She leaned her elbows on the table and rubbed her scar. As a Guardian, she understood it was his job, but still, her fear wouldn’tleave.
Shae anxiously searched the street then spied a familiar, lanky figure heading toward thebar.
“No, not now,” she groaned, not when Dagan would be byanytime.
* * *
Afist plowedinto his face. Dagan stumbled back, hitting the building wall in the darkened alley. He leaped through the air and kicked the demonii in the chest, sending him crashing into a dumpster. Breathing hard, he eyed the other two circling him like he was prey—theshitheads!
So damn glad he’d come across these three scourges shadowing a lonefemale.
But with self-loathing churning through him, he hoped this fight would give him what he needed. But nothing could wipe Shae’s agonized cry from his mind. He’d hurt her—he’d fucking hurther.
Hell, he finally understood Blaéz’s need for pain all those centuries before he met his mate—it blurred his guilt and forced his screwed-up mind tofocus.
The blond demonii grinned and hurled a hissing, red hellbolt. Dagan ducked, the thing nearly swiping off the left side of his face. He didn’t bother to summon his sword. He craved the physical fight—except his fun was cut short as three black ice lances pierced the demoniis’ chest. Within seconds, the spears transformed, and ice encased their entire bodies, freezingthem.
“Stop playing with the fuckers, D-man,” Nik barked from behindhim.
Reining in his frustration, Dagan flung himself into the air and, with a flying kick, shattered the demonii ice-sculptures. The pieces fell to the asphalt in a loud crunch beforedissipating.
With nothing else to take his mind off his remorse, he fumbled a cigar out of his pocket and lit the thing with unsteady hands, deeply inhaling the sedative smoke—nothing helped. He could still see the blood seeping from her nose…her chest. Gods! He shut hiseyes.
An odd sulfuric stench marred the air. Dagan’s eyes snapped open. Before whatever evil lurking in the shadows emerged, Nik moved like lightning, swinging his obsidian dagger, the blade a deadly black gleam in the cold moonlight. A raucous squawk erupted as the smoke vanished into the chilly nightair.
Dagan didn’t ask, he’d seen the shadows follow Nik a time or two through thecenturies.
He flipped his dagger into the air and caught it. “Shae’s looking foryou.”
Dagan shook his head, unable to faceher.
“Says it’surgent.”
