The back entrance to the furniture warehouse opposite her studio was shut. However, the trails of boot prints in the wood dust leading to the next building caught his attention.
He scanned the boarded up place and his anger went into slow burn.
Chapter 13
“Eve, go back to the studio, lock the door and stay there ’til I come for you,” Reynner said, his attention on the barred warehouse decorated with grimy graffiti.
“What is it?” She looked around the alley. He didn’t want to alarm her about the danger he sensed. With a hand on her lower back, he gave her a nudge to get her moving.
Once he was sure she was safe and locked in her studio, with inhuman speed, he dashed across the street to the boarded entrance. He shoved hard with his mind. Timber exploded. Debris flooded the air and clattered to the dusty floors. Then utter silence ensued.
Reynner paused at the entrance and probed the interior with several darkened corners. Dust motes jostled in the slants of light pouring in from the windows. With preternatural swiftness, he lunged for the shadows in the right corner and seized a body. He slammed the male against the wall. A grunt echoed in the quiet interior.
Shit! It was the same Darkrean fucker who’d followed him last night. Anger tore through Reynner. His danger radar vibrated in alarm—he ducked. And a dagger whisked inches past his face to embed in the wall behind him. Mohawk tore free and joined his taller pal with the metallic colored hair and cold eyes.
Sebris. The Darkreans’ deadly combat leader. Only he possessed that distinct multihued nickel bronze mane.
The bastard didn’t move to strike. He simply stared with all the arrogance of their kind. As if he knew Reynner’s every dark secret. But that crap meant little to him, he just wanted their heads for daring to come after Eve. Preferably separated from their bodies.
“Darkrean,” Reynner drawled.
“Empyrean,” the leader countered. It surprised Reynner that he’d gotten a response.
“We fight for the same cause.”
“Oh? You have something to share, then? By all means, go ahead,” Reynner invited. Did they think him that gullible—that he’d believe they fought for the survival of Empyrea? The bastards wanted the power to rule. This was just a stall tactic while they waited for the chance to grab Eve and run.
“Give us the female—”
“Yeah, right.” Anger prowled through Reynner like a deadly beast ready to destroy anything in its path. No way in hell would they get their hands on Eve. He summoned his sword as theirs flashed into their hands. They charged him. Reynner deflected. Steel met steel, the sound resonating through the empty warehouse.
A red haze taking over his mind, Reynner spun around, his blade coming down in a brutal arc, slicing viciously through flesh and connecting with bone.
A growl erupted, the first sign of emotion from Mohawk.
“Hurt, does it?” Reynner snarled.
A winging hiss resonated in the dank air. Reynner jumped back and barely avoided the sword that nearly skewered him. But the damn thing sliced him across the chest anyway. Pain spread. Not a sound left his mouth as warm blood drenched his shirt. Rage erupting like wildfire, he leaped at the cold bastard, struck hard.
The leader grunted.
Blood spilled. More damage. Good. Reynner prowled around them, ready to hack them into fucking pieces for coming after his female.
***
Eve paced in front of the huge industrial windows, her gaze pinned on the dark doorway of the adjacent building. The only thing keeping her here was the knowledge that the last time she’d tried to help Reynner, he’d gotten hurt instead. Her stomach heaved at the thought.
Please, please let him be all right.
Her fear fled the moment he strode out from the broken doorway. Sun glinted off his pale hair, but his face was drawn tight in anger… pain?
She flew out of the studio like a gust of wind, as he crossed the narrow road. And stumbled to a halt. The blood drained from her head when she saw the slash on his tee and the sticky wetness saturating the material.
Oh, God. Not again.
She must have swayed. Reynner grabbed her arm, steadying her. “It’s nothing. I’ll heal.”
That brought her back fast. “Who was it—tell me you killed them!”
