Cornered, the dead sucker summoned another bolt.
With his mind, Blaéz pushed into the demonii’s thoughts and let loose his deadly ability. The scourge’s eyes bulged. Then, like the pop of a fizzy drink, he exploded into pieces; blood and gore turning to ash and raining back on the dingy tarmac.
Cooooome, warrior…
Held in the grips of his invasion, the oily darkness crawled around in Blaéz’s head. Compelling. Urging him to respond to the slick voices.
Drunken laughter erupted like a gunshot to his head. Cab doors slammed shut, yanking Blaéz back to cognizance. With no emotions to ground him, slipping into the demoniis’ tainted mind was always a risk, a one-way ticket to Hell. Why he rarely used that ability. He shook his head to clear the thick black haze, brushed the dust from his clothes, then he checked the time on his cell. 9:21 P.M.
He was late.
* * *
Darci left the library a few minutes after nine. She stepped out of the staff entrance that opened into a narrow thoroughfare. Within seconds, the humidity had her top sticking to her clammy skin. She scrunched her nose at the foul stench drenching the muggy air and glanced around.
Hewas nowhere to be seen. She lingered for a few seconds. Ugh, she was seriously out of her mind to wait for a complete stranger whose name she hadn’t even thought to ask.
Sure, he looked better than any guy she’d dated. Heck, he was outright good-looking, but that wasn’t what that drew her. It was, she thought with wry acceptance, that untouchable level of arrogance when he’d held her trapped against her door and had said she would kiss him if he wanted her to. Oh, his ego had ticked her off. But more, it was the way he wouldn’t accept no for an answer, his sheer determination in pursuit of her. He fascinated her.
However, he’d stood her up, that much was clear. Sighing, she headed down the lane, the dim lights barely illuminating the way, and tried not to think about why her heart sank at the fact that he hadn’t shown.
She noticed Irina and Maria almost at the end of the alley and hurried to catch up. She didn’t care for this gloomy road, but it got her to the subway and home much quicker. The hardcover book she’d borrowed slipped from her hand and fell to the asphalt. Dammit. She picked it up and dumped it into her tote bag, grimacing at the added weight.
Footsteps sounded behind her. Wariness prickled along her neck. Darci cast a look over her shoulder and quickened her pace, only to be grabbed from the side and shoved against the wall. The rough bricks scraped her cheek. Pain escalated.
“Well, now,” a crude voice rasped. Fear churning her stomach, Darci grabbed the arm fastened around her neck and tugged, but her assailant held on. She brought her heel down hard on the fiend’s foot. Snarling, he let go. She swung her heavy tote bag and hit him across his jaw.
A curse rang in the air. “You bitch!” A stinging blow exploded across her face. Stars burst through her darkened vision. Nausea rushed up her throat.
“Hijo de puta!No marking on her,” another growled.
A screeching of tires, and the next minute she was shoved into a vehicle. The pungent odor of sweat, stale aftershave, and liquor made her stomach heave. All the things she’d read about in the papers, in books, came screaming through her mind. They would rape her—kill her—
She clawed at the man following her inside. His fist lashed out. Her head hit the door, pain spread through her jaw. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth. Another man got in on her other side. Doors slammed shut. Her wrists were wrenched behind her back. She cried out, the searing agony overriding the pain in her head. Rough hands yanked at her top. Buttons flew. He grabbed her breast, squeezed hard. “We’re going to have so much fun,puta.”
Darci cried out, squeezing her eyes tight, fear and helplessness taking hold of her. She had to find a way out of this,if she didn’t—no-no,she couldn’t bear to even think about what would happen…
* * *
Blaéz took form in the shadows of the buildings opposite the library. He crossed the street when the sound of a faint scuffle reached him, followed by a cry of pain.
With inhuman speed, he tore down the alley alongside the library. Two males were shoving someone into a car. Beneath the piss and dumpster stink, the faint scent of lilacs drifted to him. Thoughts of total annihilation filled his mind. They dared to touchhisfemale.
He dematerialized. As the vehicle slowed down to turn onto the main street, he took form in front of it. The black Camry shuddered to a halt. Despite the dark interior and shadows, with his heightened sight, he could see Darci sandwiched between two males.
A window lowered. “Get outta the way, asshole,” an angry Spanish-accented voice yelled at him.
“Let. Her. Go.”
“He wants to order us.” Cocky now. “Why don’t you come and get her, eh?”
They thought to taunt him? Bad mistake. Blaéz lifted his hands.
A snicker followed. “You move us with your hands now, eh?”
With his mind, Blaéz ceased the engine then ripped the doors off of their hinges and flung them away. A tinny sound filled the alley as metal hit the building and landed in a heavy clunk. He seized the humans who touched the woman he’d claimed as his and flung them out of the car in opposite directions. They hit the walls skull first and landed in a heap…silence reigned.
Blaéz walked around the car to the back seat and reached for Darci. She scurried away from him, her fear so thick it left an acrid taste in his mouth. But with the door on the other side ripped off, she fell out of the vehicle—and cried out.
