Blaéz? Despite his impossibly fast mode of travel, it would still take him a few minutes, at least. She answered and found Grace’s friend and neighbor on the porch. “Hey, Karen.”
“Darci. How are you?” The older, bubbly blonde stepped inside. “Just popping in to see Grace. How is she?”
“Much better. She’s resting.” Darci shut the door and leaned against it as a thought took hold. “Karen, do you mind staying for a little while? I have a quick errand to run.”
“You go on ahead, honey.” Then Karen added with a grin, “Hubs can handle the twins for a few hours.”
Darci laughed. The five-year-olds were a handful. She jumped at the sudden sharp rap on the wood she leaned against. Yep, that sounded more like what she’d expected.
“Thanks, Karen.” She pivoted to answer. Now to cross the next hurdle. Blaéz turned on the threshold as she opened the door. Piercing pale eyes narrowed.
“It’s not me, I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Come inside.”
She stepped back. Blaéz snagged her wrist, pulling her along with him as he walked in and shut the door. He yanked her to him. “Don’t ever hang up on me without an explanation, we clear?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I know-I know, I’m sorry. But I needed to see you—” She broke off when she found that Karen had stopped on her way to the stairs to watch them—or at least watch Blaéz with a wide-eyed stare.
Right. How could she forget the power of this man? He wore jeans and a t-shirt since he wasn’t on patrol tonight, but nothing, she realized, could eliminate that dangerous air surrounding him. Or the fact he was so darn gorgeous. Darci introduced him. “Blaéz, that’s Karen. Grace’s friend.”
“Hello.” Karen smiled. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Blaéz nodded.
Karen then gave Darci a sly wink and headed upstairs. She probably thought she knew what that “urgent errand” was. If only.
Blaéz turned to her. “Before you turn my hair white—talk.”
“It’s Declan…” Darci quickly explained what had happened. The threatening phone call, the bet.
Not by a flicker did Blaéz reveal what he thought. He nodded then said, “There’s something you should know. That first night I found Daniel, he’d been in a cage fight. With a demon.”
“What?” Darci stopped cold. “That’s why he was hurt?”
“Yes. Michael healed him. I cleared his memories. I had no idea there was more to this. I just didn’t want the lad back there.”
Oh, dear God! If Michael had healed Daniel, then it must have been pretty serious. Blaéz could heal, but not severe wounds.
He grasped her fingers, stopping her from rubbing the skin off her arms. “The boy’s fine now. That’s all that matters. It will be okay. Trust me to take care of the rest?”
She nodded.
“All right, then. I’ll see you later.” He headed for the door.
“Oh, no!” She darted after him. “I’m coming, too.”
“No, you’re not.”
She pushed herself between the door and his hard body. “Blaéz, you don’t take me, I’ll get a cab and come anyway.” His eyes narrowed at her threat. What could he do, lock her up? “You and Dec together—no, I’m not letting this tension between you two get worse. You both matter to me, dammit!”
A nerve pulsed in his jaw.
Without a word, he took her hand, and in the quiet living room, he dematerialized them. Darci shut her eyes. Christ on a crutch, she really hated that sensation. It was like all of her body parts were dissolving.
Several seconds later, they took form in the shadows of a building in a dank alley. She stumbled and he pulled her against his hard body. Anemic moonlight doused the place in an unhealthy glow. The stench of decaying fish and garbage nearly suffocated her.
“Good, God,” she muttered, struggling to breathe.
Blaéz glanced at her. A hint of amusement replaced his stony expression. “You’ll get used to it.”
