Darkness Hunts (Dark Angels 4)

“He will not.”

I thrust a somewhat shaky hand through my hair, then said, “I guess I’d better take the car. I don’t think it would be wise to let Taylor know I’m something more than a werewolf.”

“I agree,” Azriel said. “And him not knowing might also give you the advantage—especially if you travel near the umbra.”

The umbra was the area where the real world and the gray fields merged, but I couldn’t see how that actually became an advantage.

“The Dušan,” he said. “She can take full form in the umbra.”

“Then all I have to do is get the bastard there and let her loose.” But how did I do that? How would I even know when I was getting close to it?

“The plane works in much the same way as your atmosphere,” Azriel said. “The closer you get to the umbra, the thinner or more distant this reality will be.”

I frowned. “So all I have to do is imagine myself flying up toward it?”

“It is not that simple. Nor would Taylor allow it to be even if it was.”

“Then how the hell do I reach it?” Frustration, and perhaps more than a little panic, edged my voice. I didn’t want to do this, even if I would never be entirely alone on the astral plane.>He does not know about me, Azriel said, his words warm and comforting as they whispered into my mind, and he will not know I am there unless someone attempts to harm you.

But it means we have no choice but to involve Markel.

I do not think he will mind.

Maybe not, but his boss might. Hunter had put him on watch duty, and she was the sort to expect exact compliance with her orders.

But she does not want you harmed, unless she is the one doing the harming. She will allow this.

I guess. But it meant Markel was yet another person being drawn into the web slowly closing around me. And while he might be an elite killer for the high council, that didn’t mean I wanted his death on my conscience any more than I wanted Rhoan’s on it.

“That isn’t really much of a test for my guardian, Taylor. It’s a choice for me, not him.”

“True. But you will not choose death, huntress, and we both know it. Therefore, your guardian will remain and he will be tested.”

And things would attack. Undoubtedly nasty things. While I had no doubt Azriel would cope, that didn’t make me feel any better. I rubbed my forehead wearily, then said, “How do I know you won’t explode the place when I win?”

“You don’t,” he said. “That’s all part of the game.”

Some fucking game. “What address do I have to go to?”

“Ah, so eager to begin. The address will be sent to you, huntress. And do not bother to trace the phone, because it will not be anywhere near my person by the time you find it.”

“Fine. See you shortly, then.”

“I look forward to it.”

He hung up. I did the same, then threw the phone at the nearest wall. It hit with a satisfying thud, then clattered to the floor. It didn’t make me feel any better.

“That,” Azriel said calmly, “probably wasn’t wise given that you need the phone to receive the address.”

“I know. But I doubt I did any real damage—the cover is thick enough to protect it.”

As if to prove my point, the damn phone rang. This time I didn’t recognize the tone, so it wasn’t a call from anyone in my contacts list.

I climbed to my feet and walked over to retrieve the stupid thing. “Risa Jones.”

“Risa, it’s Jack from the Directorate,” he said, voice brusque. “I’m afraid there’s been a—”

“I know,” I interrupted. “I just got a call from our favorite psycho.”