Dead After Dark (Companion #6.5)(80)

“You know nothing, human.” Her father’s eyes roved over Drew’s naked body. “Are you the reason my wayward daughter has grown disobedient? I can remedy that problem.” His eyes went the deepest crimson. He stalked toward the two.

Odin and Loki, but he was going to kill Drew. He would, without a thought. Freya felt panic sweep through her. She was no match for him. He was the Eldest. Still, she called for power. Companion! The surge up her veins snapped the world into red.

“Father, no!” she shouted.

But he kept coming. Companion, more! She thought about pressing him back. He hesitated, looking over at her. Did he feel her push?

“You can’t stand against me, child. You know that.” His voice was a boom, amplified by his power. He reached out and grabbed for Drew’s shoulder.

Drew struggled in her father’s iron grip. He couldn’t escape. Her father would just twist his head off. She had seen him do it. All would be over in an instant. Irrevocable.

“No!” she shouted. Her father had both Drew’s shoulders. Companion, more! As much as you have ever given.

The world went white. That was shocking. Where was the red? What was happening? Her veins throbbed with power. Her father put both hands on Drew’s head as Drew tried to twist away. A glow spread out from her like a white corona. She thought about pushing at her father. She even thrust her hands out. They glowed white, too. She knew that glow.

Her father jerked back, taking Drew with him. He turned his crimson eyes on her. They widened and he gasped.

“Let him go, Father.” Her voice was like the wind, a whooshing sound she did not recognize.

Her father turned to her, seeming to forget Drew entirely. Drew slumped to his knees. “You . . . you are a Harrier, daughter. I have never seen such power.”

The corona of light contracted and the room went back to dim. Freya was left gasping. How had this happened? She had seen the corona of power on other Harriers and knew what it could do. She had trained a hundred Harriers over the years. But how had she become one? “I . . . I guess all the time I was training Aspirants, I was also training me.”

“Excellent.” Her father actually rubbed his hands. “Now we won’t even have to wait through the training of another Aspirant for our Harrier.”

She was as powerful as her father. How odd. And that changed everything. “Don’t think I’m going to be your emotionless instrument of revenge, Father. I’m staying here with Drew, and now I am almost certain there is nothing you can do about it.”

He snorted in derision. “Humans are not worth the abandonment of your true purpose, Freya. What can they understand of the scope of our existence? They do not even live long enough to become wise.”

In some ways that was the best thing he could have said. All became clear to Freya in that moment. “There is a wisdom of the heart that you have lost, Father. Or maybe you never had it.” Tears sprang to her eyes. She looked past her father to where Drew was struggling to stand. “Drew is already wiser than you are, for all your age. I only hope I can learn from him.”

Her father looked back to Drew. Did he see the softness in Drew’s eyes? Would he recognize it for what it was? Freya was fairly certain it was love.

When her father snapped his head back to her, he said, “Remember the Rules, Freya.” She smiled. He recognized the look, all right. And he knew what she intended. She did intend it, though she couldn’t name the moment she had decided.

Drew was standing now, his feet apart. Lord, but he was magnificent. “A father has to let his daughter go, Rubius. Even if she makes mistakes. Your mistake was that you never learned that.” Freya was proud of him.

And wonder of wonders, she saw her father look away. Was he ashamed? He took a breath and let it out of his massive chest. Maybe the fact that he recognized the look in Drew’s eyes meant something. “You must have loved someone, Father, or been loved.”

He didn’t acknowledge anything. He looked at her. “Had it occurred to you that I might want you by me because I missed you as well as needed you? If you want to see me, you will know where to find me. I’ll find another way to make Harriers.”

The whirl of blackness engulfed him in mere seconds, much faster than she had ever been able to muster. He was . . . gone.

She turned to Drew. “Are you all right?”

He nodded, and ran his hand through his hair, half laughing. “You have one scary father, my love.” He shot a glance her way. “How do you feel?”

The smile that welled up in her brought a threat of tears with it. “Good.” She shrugged, trying to make light of the fullness she felt inside. “Maybe . . . whole.”

His eyes widened in memory. “You . . . you were quite amazing.”

“I amazed myself. That was a demonstration of a Harrier’s powers, in case you’re interested.”

“I love a young lady whom I can truly call accomplished.”

But did he? “Having second thoughts now that you know who I really am and have seen my very scary father?”

“I always knew who you really were, if you did not. And I think your father loves you in his very frightening way.” He stepped in to her. They stood a handbreadth apart, not touching, the surface tension of attraction and hesitance in perfect balance. “And no, no second thoughts. You should have asked if I’m afraid.”