Dead After Dark (Companion #6.5)(101)

At the bottom of the stairs, Trey stood with his jacket on, clearly waiting on her to return. “I’m heading out,” he announced. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“I’ll go with you.” Sasha raced past Lucien to Trey.

Lucien strolled past them, exiting through the front door and closing it behind him.

Trey kissed her forehead. “Stay with your sister until I return. You’re the only reason I’d risk a battle. I hope to find him and come up with another way to solve this.” When she nodded, he stepped through the front door.



“I have to trust you to protect Sasha and Rowan,” Trey told Lucien, who stood at the edge of the porch, his face turned up to overcast skies.

“I don’t harm defenseless women.” Lucien swung around, arms crossed. “Not even witches.”

Time to go while Trey had optimum use of his power. At midnight he’d begin to weaken until the point of total vulnerability at the first rays of daylight tomorrow morning. His powers would fade in and out like a bad radio signal.

“Rowan isn’t entirely defenseless while she’s possessed,” Trey pointed out, just so they were clear.

Lucien shrugged. “I’m not worried.”

That still hadn’t been a straight answer so Trey told Lucien, “Just know that I won’t let a breath pass without coming after you if anything happens to either of those women.”

“Sooner you go, sooner you’ll be back,” Lucien quipped.

Trey sighed with the weight of responsibility balanced on his shoulders, but he’d been taught that his fate was set the day he drew his first breath and had little control. He had to repay past sins committed by others. The end of the civil war between Beladors and the Kujoo had come on this same night eight hundred years ago. Their goddess Macha had cut a deal with the Hindu god Shiva to end the blood shed by her wiping out male Beladors and only allowing future generations to thrive if they upheld an oath of honor. Shiva in turn sent the Kujoo to live beneath Mount Meru because they had spit in his face by swearing allegiance to Ravana, a demon god Shiva believed he’d killed.

Now Trey faced breaking the truce.

“I’ll be back by midnight if I don’t find him,” Trey said, then strode to his Bronco where he traded his glasses for a set of goggles with the same unbreakable lenses. He climbed in and drove away, ready for the confrontation.



The sun had dropped out of sight hours before by the time Trey returned to the house having found no Vyan, no nightstalkers, and no other supernatural entity.

Something was definitely going down tonight.

When Trey stepped back on Sasha’s porch, Lucien pushed the front door open. “Any luck?”

“No.”

“Why do I get the feeling midnight means something significant to you?”

“It does, but I don’t want to discuss it.” Thunder pounded the heavens. Cool air filled with a dangerous scent washed across Trey’s skin in advance of the storm building. “I won’t be here long,” he told Lucien, then walked away to find Sasha curled up on the sofa staring at the blaze in the fireplace. The warm room smelled cozy and inviting after racing through the cold downtown streets.

Trey wanted to stay, but time wouldn’t let him.

Sasha jumped up when she saw him and dashed into his open arms, hugging him close. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I haven’t found him yet.” He hoped that came out as encouraging rather than the bad news it was.

She turned her face up to his for the kiss he needed, too. Trey broke the kiss and touched his forehead to hers, willing to do whatever it took to keep her safe from harm. Even take on the gods who might interpret his actions as starting a war.

“I’ve got to go back out . . . for a while.”

Lightning crackled outside and flashed against the windows. A boom followed close behind.

“I’ve waited a long time for you to come back.” She sounded angry, but he knew it was her way to hide her fear.

“I’m going to do everything within my power to come back tonight,” he whispered. “No matter what, please forgive me.”

A tear snaked along her cheek. She swatted it away. “I already did. I love you.”

He opened his mouth to tell her he loved her, too, but thunder echoed through the still air, making him rethink his words. How could he say he loved her then never return?

“There’s been no other woman to equal you,” he finally said, his voice rough from the knot in his throat. “Stay here and be safe until . . . this is over.” His watch beeped. Midnight.

Trey kissed her for all the yesterdays they missed out on and all the lost tomorrows. He deepened the embrace, silently giving his heart to her. An easy gift since she’d owned it from the day they’d first met.

He set her away from him, wishing things had worked out differently, but his destiny was set a long time ago. Turning, he took a step on the longest journey he’d ever faced, one that would likely lead to his death. He stopped to speak with Lucien.

“If I don’t make it back, take Sasha and Rowan to a VIPER safe house.” Trey cringed inside at the thought of his free-spirited Sasha locked away in an underground vault, but she’d be safe until the war ended if he failed tonight.

Lucien gave a terse nod of agreement.