Embraced By Darkness (Riley Jenson Guardian 5)

Seemed I was more of a guardian - more like my brother - than I'd ever wanted to believe.

And right now, looking at their trophies on the wall, I didn't damn well care.

I shifted shape to start healing my wounds, then threw the gun on Yohan's remains and walked out of the room to find Rhoan before Jorn could. Rhoan took care of Jorn while I rang Jack from one of the phones in the house. He'd actually had a team out looking for us, having realized something was wrong when both of us failed to report in. It might be normal for me not to, but Rhoan always did. He was the good twin when it came to that sort of stuff.

It took a good six hours for Jack's cleanup team to get to the island, because, as I'd suspected, we'd been shipped up to the twin's privately owned island off the Brisbane coast. The blackmailing business was obviously a well-paying one.

While Rhoan waited down near the dock for the boat, I went searching for our IDs and wallets. I not only found them, but Adrienne's soul as well. She was waiting in the back of the house, close to a huge walk-in freezer where her body undoubtedly was. I didn't go check. I had no need to see her flesh when her spirit was standing right in front of me.

You seem familiar, she said, her words running through my mind, as ethereal her body, which merely hinted at red hair and gray eyes, and little else.

And yet there was a strength in her, a surety in her words, that I'd not found with other spirits. Especially other spirits who'd been dead for a while. Generally when I saw the older spirits, they were little more than wisps who had no shape and who could form no words. I wondered if it had anything to do with the psychic gifts she had in life, or perhaps even the fact that she'd known her death was coming, and had been prepared for it.

We share the same pack. I'm Riley.

My reply was somewhat reluctant. There was nothing to be gained by talking to her now, because there was nothing that I could do to help her. We'd stopped her killers and found her remains, so that she'd be scattered on home soil and her soul could rest in peace.

So why was she still here? What was keeping her bound to this earth?

Ah. I remember. My grandfather disliked you.

To put it mildly. Yes.

He sent you to rescue me?

He did. I didn't make it in time, though. I'm sorry.

She smiled, though it was a warmth that washed across the air more than any real facial movement in the mist that was her body. Sometimes fate will not be derailed.

Very true. I hesitated. Is there something you would like me to do for you?

Tell Jodie I'm sorry. Tell her that I loved her, no matter how often it seemed that work was more important. She hesitated. And tell her not to join me too soon. She has a long, good life yet to lead.

If Jodie had her way, she'd be joining Adrienne in the afterlife as soon as possible. But perhaps Adrienne's words would give her the courage to go on in this life. Can do.

And make sure my father obeys my will. Jodie is to have what is mine. Promise me you'll make him give her what she's due.

The grin that split my lips was decidedly nasty. I wondered if she would understand why. Wondered if she could even see it. I promise they won't cheat Jodie out of a cent.

She sighed, and it was a sound filled with relief. Thank you.

Her words hung on the air as her image began to fade. Obviously, that had been the reason she'd been clinging to this existence. She'd wanted to take care of her lover.

Nice to know that love lingered even in the afterlife.

"Be happy, wherever you're going, Adrienne," I said, oddly wishing that I'd known her better. I had a feeling that she and I would have gotten along just fine.

Which was odd really, considering my overall hatred for her whole damn family. But then, I guess she'd been an outsider, just like me. Only her fault was her sexuality, not her parentage.

I left the room and the fading warmth of her presence, and went down to the dock to wait for the team with my brother.

It was another six hours before we finally stepped out of the terminal at Tullamarine. As Rhoan waved clown a cab, I sucked in the cool evening air and felt an odd sense of peace run through me. Cold or not, this was home, and it felt good to be here.

It would feel even better once I had Kellen's arms around me. But before I could go to him, I had a promise to fulfill. To do that, I needed to go back to the Directorate and start investigating. Threats wouldn't bring Blake to heel. He'd lived with violence all his life, and it held no fear for him. Blackmail was a different story. And the pup who had listened unnoticed at too many doors knew more than a few pack secrets. Now that my grandfather was dead, I had no reason not to use them.

The long shadows of night were creeping in as I walked up Miller Street, heading toward Brighton beach. Houses worth more than I could ever imagine loomed around me, but my gaze barely left the main prize - a modern brick and glass house at the far end of the street.

Blake was inside. So were Patrin and Kye. The pack didn't actually own the house. According to the records we'd found, it belonged to a judge who just happened to be one of Blake's buddies. He was currently overseas on holidays, and had given Blake the run of his "beach hut." I was betting he was also the reason Blake had gotten his hands on all the police files he'd sent to me.