Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(79)

Evalle kept her power leashed to prevent Vyan from sensing her presence. She could understand how Vyan saw in this darkness, since he’d have some form of preternatural sight, but how was that human woman getting around without a flashlight?

“I mean you no harm,” Vyan said.

“What do you want?” the woman asked.

“I want to warn you. Someone is coming who is a danger to you.”

Evalle studied the woman closer this time. Nothing radiated from her body that would indicate anything other than human, so this might have nothing to do with the Ngak Stone.

Was Vyan trolling for bodies again like he’d been doing outside the Iron Casket the other night? Was someone forcing him to do that against his will so he tried to warn people in advance?

The possibility loomed in Evalle’s thoughts, but she couldn’t let him hurt a human, intentionally or otherwise.

And this might be a lead on the Ngak Stone.

“Who are you? I’ve never met you.” The woman pulled her free hand out of her pocket when her dog ran around her legs. She reached down to grab his collar and missed twice.

Was she blind? That would account for no flashlight.

“I am a stranger. My name is Vyan, but I do not want you harmed.”

“Then we’re on the same page, Skippy.” The woman managed to untangle her dog from her legs and straighten up.

“You must leave this park now.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Vyan continued in a nonthreatening tone. “No, that’s what I’m trying to explain. You have to—”

A whip of bold energy raced across the park, slapping Evalle’s exposed skin. She swung toward Tenth Street, easily locating the source. Striding toward the woman and Vyan was a statuesque man with a gorgeous face and light hair. He wore jeans and a button-down shirt.

Who was this guy?

He also wore a pair of sunshades, hiding something about his eyes. The air literally buzzed as he approached.

Considering how her luck had been rolling in the crapper lately, Evalle figured that would be demon-red eyes hiding behind his sunglasses.

Vyan stepped between the woman and the new guy. “Do not come closer, Tristan.”

“Get out of my way, Kujoo.”

Ah, crud. These two knew each other. Evalle blew out a breath and started toward them from the side. They were not harming a human on her watch.

Tristan whipped a hand at Vyan and a blue strike of power lashed across Vyan’s shoulder. He yelled in pain.

The girl shrieked. Her dog barked wildly, then she turned mute. Fear would do that.

Vyan recovered his footing and drew a wicked sword from inside his coat. “You’ll have to kill me to get to her.”

“As I’m a generous man, I’ll grant your wish,” the one called Tristan answered, chuckling.

What was this all about? Evalle shoved a wall of power at this Tristan guy and he stumbled sideways.

Then he jerked his head around at Evalle.

Vyan noticed her then, too. “See what you’ve done?” he told Tristan.

“What’s going on, Vyan?” Evalle asked.

“Get out of here, Belador,” Vyan said. “I have no quarrel with you.”

“Belador?” Tristan said the word as if he’d found something he’d been looking for a long time. Something he wanted to mount the head of.

Evalle opened her channel to the Beladors. Trey, Tzader, Quinn, get to Piedmont Park. Now. To Tristan she said, “Stand down or I’ll have to hurt you.”

The bastard laughed as if he hadn’t heard anything that funny in decades. “First I get to kill Vyan then I get play time with you? And here I thought it was going to be a boring night.” He ignored her and switched his attention to Vyan. “Move or die. Now.”

Vyan turned to the woman, who stood shell-shocked still, and told her, “Run and get rid of that rock.”

Rock?

The woman didn’t move.

Tristan sent another blast at Vyan that knocked him back into the woman.

Evalle rushed forward and stepped in front of Vyan, blocking Tristan’s next attack with a wall of energy. She turned to see the woman pull a glowing stone from her coat pocket.

The Ngak Stone. Holy crud.

Vyan had fallen at the woman’s feet and across her dog’s leash, pinning them to the spot. He moaned. Blood ran from his shoulder and his leg.

Tristan roared and slammed Evalle’s power field with another shot of hot energy, rocking her backward. If she let her guard down he’d get to Vyan, her and the woman. Had to get that woman and the rock out of here right now.

She could only hope Storm was heading back this way and would intercept the woman if Evalle sent her to him. Evalle told the woman, “Put the rock down and run toward the steps over there.”

The woman looked at her with bright eyes that weren’t blind. She mumbled, “I just want to go home.”

Poof. No woman. No Vyan. No stone.

That just left Evalle with one pissed-off Tristan thing.





TWENTY-FOUR




Evalle couldn’t believe what had just happened. She was positive that woman standing in this park a minute ago with the Ngak Stone was human.

How could that be?

The roar of fury coming at her meant someone else was just as surprised and didn’t like surprises.