“I was his sister. His older sister. He owned me homage and obedience.”
It was a statement that showed just how far she’d stepped away from the sanity barrier. “He owed you nothing—not if you were about to destroy everything you and he had spent centuries building.”
She snorted. “As creator, it was mine to do with what I wished. He knew that, just as he knew the consequences of going against me.”
There was nothing I could say to that. Nothing that was going to get through to her. Jack’s death was a great loss to the Directorate, but many more good men and women would lose their lives—both within the Directorate and without—if Hunter wasn’t stopped.
“But we digress,” she continued. “I gather, given your attack on Janice Myer, that you have found the key, and right on time, too.”
“Yes.”
“Then why the attack on Myer?”
I snorted. “Because I didn’t believe you’d actually let me retrieve it without attempting to snatch it from under my grasp. I had no intentions of losing control of another key.”
“And yet you will lose control of it; otherwise, Rhoan Jenson will die.”
I clenched my fingers but otherwise didn’t respond to the threat. “When and where do you want to meet?”
“You may bring it to me here, at my office.”
Her office? At the Directorate? My gaze shot to Azriel’s. That was the one location neither of us had expected—and the one place where she certainly had the odds on her side.
“What, no smart reply? Have I finally rendered you speechless?” Hunter paused, and a stronger hint of amusement crept into her voice as she added, “What about you, dear Riley? I’m gathering you’re there, fuming away in the background?”
“That I am,” Riley growled, “and you had better not hurt my brother—”
“My dear former guardian,” Hunter said, a patronizing edge in her voice, “I am more than aware of your capabilities thanks to your years under my employ, but you have no idea about mine. Please control your temper, or I might just end your brother’s life for the fun of it.”
The anger that exploded from Riley was so fierce that it knocked me back a step or two. And yet, somehow, she controlled it.
“Do not hurt my brother,” she said softly, and for the first time in a long time, I saw the guardian in her. It was every bit as scary as the change that happened in Rhoan. “As my former boss, you also know that I keep my promises. And if Rhoan dies, then there is nothing—in this world or the next—that will stop my vengeance.”
“Oh, I believe a threat or two to your children might just do that,” Hunter drawled. “Do not play this game, Riley. You have far more to lose than me.”
Riley opened her mouth to reply, but I held up a hand, stopping her. “Let’s stop the threats and concentrate on what actually matters right now.”
“Good idea,” Hunter said. “I want the key. Now.”
“No. Not until I know Rhoan is safe.”
She snorted. “I’m hardly likely to release Jenson before I get the key.”
“And I’m hardly likely to give you the key, given you then have no reason to release Rhoan. Sorry, but I trust you as little as you appear to trust me.”
I could almost see her smile. It wasn’t a particularly nice smile. “Undoubtedly true. The only difference is, I’m willing to destroy not only Rhoan Jenson, but everyone and everything else you might hold dear until I get what I want. You, I’m afraid, cannot say the same.”
No, I couldn’t. But I’d be more than happy to destroy her. Only trouble was, that wasn’t going to be easy, either. If the bitch was inviting me to her place, then it could only mean it was protected against all comers—human, nonhuman, and possibly even those not from this world.
“What about a compromise?”
“Not a word I’m all that familiar with, but I’m willing to listen.”
Eat this one, Amaya muttered. Enjoy will.
Eat her slow, I growled back. I want it painful.
Slow good, she replied. Slow fun.