Blaze (Dark in You 2)

Delia took in the slice on Harper’s abdomen. “You’re going to operate on her like you did Carla?” She shook her head. “Lawrence, no —”

“I have to. The child’s birth won’t happen for a while, but it will happen.”

“Listen to me for a minute.”

“No, this child cannot be born! It will unless I stop it. And that’s what I have to do.”

“Your mission is —”

“Leave, Delia.”

“No, you need to listen to me,” she insisted, but he pointed at the door.

“You can’t possibly be one of the freaking Horsemen!” Harper declared. “No way!”

“You’re right,” said another voice as footsteps approached. A voice she knew. A tall figure entered the trailer as he went on. “She isn’t. But I am.”

Harper glared at Roan. Motherfucker.

Delia looked from Crow to Roan, eyes wide.

Crow scowled at him. “How did you find me? You weren’t supposed to find me.”

“I followed Delia, though she didn’t know it.” Roan arched a brow at Crow. “You told her about our partnership?”

Crow shook his head. “I wouldn’t tell the bitch anything; she was trying to poison me. I don’t know how she found me.”

Roan turned to Delia. “Do I need to punish him or is that true?”

“It’s true,” replied Delia. “I was looking for him, and I remembered he used to come here as a kid with his dad.”

“I’m glad you remembered,” Roan told her. “I was counting on you to find him for me. You led me right to him. Thank you for that.”

She backed up as Roan moved toward her. “I’ll leave. I won’t tell anyone what I saw, I swear.”

“No, you won’t,” agreed Roan. He snatched the gun off the counter and shot her right between the eyes.

Harper jumped, despite the fact that there was a silencer on the weapon. He’d just… the bastard had… What. The. Fuck? And Crow just stood there, expression blank. “You don’t care that he just killed Delia?”

Crow frowned. “She was poisoning me with those pills. I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for Roan.”

“No, he told you to stop taking them because he didn’t want you to get better! He wanted to use you!”

As Delia slumped to the floor, Roan whirled on Crow and gestured at Harper. “I told you to kill her.”

“And I told you, killing her isn’t part of my mission,” snapped Crow. “My goal is to stop that child being born. Knox is loyal to Harper. He would never betray her. But if she’s dead, it frees him to be with another. That means we can’t kill her.”

Roan growled at him. “Forget your damn mission for one minute and look at the bigger picture! If she dies, it will weaken him. He will be distracted. Vulnerable. Too angry to think straight or keep control of his demon. It will rise; then you’ll know what he is and know how to end him! Killing her will help your mission, idiot.”

But Crow shook his head. “No. I won’t do it.”

“You don’t need to.” Roan pointed the gun at her. “I’ll do it.”

Crow blocked his path. “No! You’ll ruin everything!”

“You’re not the only one with a mission.”

Crow tensed. “What does that mean?”

Roan rolled his eyes. “You really think you and me are in this alone? How do you think you got out of that cell?”

“Fate got me out.”

“Blood magick got you out.”

“You’re working with dark practitioners?” Crow asked, horrified.

The sick bastard wasn’t really in a position to be judging others, in Harper’s opinion.

“No, but a dear friend of mine knows how to use it,” replied Roan. “Now step aside. I’ve helped you with your ‘mission.’ Here’s where you back off so I can do mine.”

Crow grabbed the gun in Roan’s hand… and then it disappeared.

Rather than looking pissed, Roan seemed impressed. “You can make any weapons you conjure disappear, huh? Interesting.” He shoved Crow so hard, the guy stumbled. “Out of my fucking way.”

“If you want to know what Knox is, just ask her.”

Roan looked at Harper. “You’d never tell me. Would you? Even now, when you know death is close, there’s defiance in your eyes.”

And while he stood there, glaring down at her with malicious intent in his gaze, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pain in her chest. He was still her half-fucking-brother, dammit. That made no difference to her demon; it bore a soul-deep hatred for him and wanted nothing more than to end his life. “Why do you want Knox dead so badly?”

“He’s the only real thing that stands in our way,” replied Roan. “Even if we caused all the Primes to turn against him, it’s doubtful they would unite to kill him. Not unless they knew how to kill him.” Roan snickered. “He thinks he’s so smart and powerful. But look at the life he leads. He doesn’t take advantage of his power or success. He hasn’t sought global domination. There is an endless amount of women out there he could have, but he chose you.”

“If you hate me so much for not showing any concern for Carla, why haven’t you killed Crow for hurting her?”

Roan’s eyes hardened. “She deserved it. She’s no mother. She’s twisted. Sick.” He tapped his earlobe. “She cut mine right open once. I can’t even remember why.”