Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter 11)

Kytara was merciless as she approached him. "Then he will kill you when he awakens." She met Kat's gaze. "You have no idea what you're up against. I've been in the dreams of every kind of evil. But these..." She visibly shivered. "They make Stryker look like a pussycat. And now they're in your dreams. You're going to need an army to guard your rest."

"What army?" Kat asked.

"A strong one."

Well, that was helpful, not at all. Kat stepped around the pulled-out bed to stand beside Kytara. "I don't understand."

Kytara took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I was only in contact with Kessar for a brief time. You weren't kidding about his powers-they are unbelievable. We need some serious muscle in the dream realm for you two whenever you sleep. They know how to find you now and they will weaken you there, then swoop in here for the kill."

Her face paling, Kytara placed the heel of her hand over her eyes. "I wish I could burn the images I've seen tonight out of my memory. It's enough to make me want to be Oneroi again." She lowered her hand so that they could see the tears in her eyes. "I wish to Zeus that I could go back to feeling nothing. It was the most horrific thing I've ever seen and now I'm scarred by it. You have to kill him, Sin. Trust me."

"No," he said emphatically.

"Then I'll do it for you." Kytara pulled out a knife and headed for Zakar.

Sin grabbed her and pushed her back, away from the bed. "Hell, no. You want to hurt him, you'll have to come through me. I'll be damned if I ever let anyone hurt him again."

The cold look on her face as she raked him with a sneer could have made glaciers. "Fine then, I'll make sure and mark that on your grave." She moved to stand beside Kat. "Do yourself a favor. Get out of here before that one"-she indicated Zakar-"wakes up. Trust me. You'll thank me for it later."

Kat ignored her words. She wasn't about to leave Sin alone in this. "Can you speak to the Oneroi and see what can be done about the gallu in our dreams?"

"I can try. I'm sure M'Adoc, M'Ordant, and D'Alerian would love a chance to be able to keep someone else in line."

Kat thought about the three Oneroi leaders Kytara had mentioned. She was speaking out of turn and had no idea how right her prediction was. Kat was one of the few people who knew that the Oneroi's emotions were coming back to them. Because of that, it meant they had emotional outbursts that were sometimes hard to disguise. A mission like this could very well help the Oneroi leaders maintain control of themselves. It would definitely be something they'd relish.

"Tell D'Alerian he owes me and I need to collect my favor."

Kytara cocked her head at that. "D'Alerian owes you a favor?"

Kat nodded. "From years ago, and I know he hasn't forgotten it."

A mischievous glint entered Kytara's pale eyes. "What did you do?"

"It's between us. Now go."

Curling her lip in response, Kytara dissolved.

Feeling Sin's concern and sadness, Kat went to Sin's side as he pulled the blanket up higher on his brother's body.

As soon as Sin's hand neared Zakar's neck, Zakar came awake with a curse. He reached for Sin's throat, but he caught Zakar's wrist in his hand.

Time seemed suspended as their identical gazes met. Neither moved, and like them, Kat was held transfixed by the tenseness of the moment. The only difference between them was their hair. Sin's was well-groomed and fell just to his collar, while Zakar's was long and gnarled.

But other than that, it was like watching someone stare at himself in a mirror.

How extremely unnerving.

"Zakar?" Sin whispered, finally breaking the tense silence. "It's me. Sin."

Zakar let go and leaned back. He looked around as if dazed by his surroundings. "Where am I?"

"My place. We rescued you from the cavern."

Even though he'd been with them in their dreams, Zakar seemed unable to believe what he heard, what he saw.

An odd twinge went through Kat as she watched him. She sensed something inside him... something cold and evil. Something powerful. She wanted to warn Sin, but by the look of affection on his face as he watched his brother, she knew he wouldn't listen to her any more than he had to Kytara. And why should he? This was his family.

All Kat could do was stand by and be ready should Zakar attack.

Zakar's golden gaze met hers. "You're the Atlantean."

"Half Atlantean," she corrected, wondering why that was important to him.

His gaze went back to Sin. "How did you heal me?"

"I didn't." He indicated her with a tilt of his head. "Kat did."

Zakar turned back toward her. "Thank you."

She inclined her head to him. "Anytime. How do you feel?"

He gave a short laugh, but the smile on his face didn't reach his eyes. "Free."

That could be a good thing or a really bad thing. If Kytara was to be believed, it was really, really bad.

"Are you hungry?" Sin asked.

"No, but I'd kill for something to drink."

That wasn't exactly something Kat wanted to hear coming out of his mouth given the nature of the gallu and the warnings of Kytara.

"Wine?" Sin asked as if unfazed by his brother's words.

Zakar nodded.

Kat stepped forward as Sin went to the bar to get his brother a glass. Not moving from his bed, Zakar turned toward her with a taunting grin. "You have a problem with me?"

"Nope. I'm just thinking."

"About?"

She narrowed her eyes on his neck, which, courtesy of her, no longer held a single trace of the bite marks that had once marred the tanned flesh. "Blood exchanges."

"And what do you know about them?" His tone couldn't have been more patronizing had the man been a militant kindergarten teacher asking a student to define the Hobbesian State of Nature.

"A lot more than I care to," she said, duplicating his snotty tone. "For one thing, they usually link the participants together."

"What are you saying, Kat?" Sin asked as he rejoined them.

She didn't know why, but she took comfort in his presence. "It's never the enemy without that destroys. It's the one from within."

She expected Sin to argue, but he didn't. He simply handed the glass to Zakar and remained uncharacteristically quiet. There was something in his demeanor that made her think he might have used that phrase himself a time or two.

Zakar sat up and downed all the contents in a single gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before returning the glass to Sin.

Zakar then cast that gimlet glare back at her. "You don't trust me."

"I don't know you."