The Ripple Effect (Rhiannon's Law #3)(7)

I am a threat.

As soon as I came face to face with Victoria Delcroix—Graham Tavish’s half-sister—I planned on sending her to Hell with her brother. If I didn’t, she would try and take over the world and create a future in which humans were nearly extinct.

“What do you need me to do?” It was difficult not to move closer to Disco, to allow his scent and presence to surround me like a comforting child’s blanket.

“Put your trust in me, even if it isn’t there yet. You need to move into my home and show Marius the love we feel for each other isn’t something I created to keep you safe.”

The thought of going anywhere near Disco’s home terrified me. Once I was prepared to throw away my isolated existence and explore something more with him, ready to pack my bags and give our relationship a chance at permanency. All it took was one night in his bed, under his total control, to discover it wasn’t a place I felt safe. I shuddered as I recalled the violation of him forcing himself into my memories.

“I don’t know if I can.”


“You have to.” His breath caressed my mouth, swamping me with a need I had long denied myself.

I took a step back, pulling away from him. “I have a lot of work to do. In case you’ve forgotten, I have to repay a debt to a fallen angel.”

Marigold Vesta had returned me to the present time to save Disco, but her assistance had come with a price. If I didn’t find her resting place and return her to the land of the living, I would have to offer my own body as a vessel. She would take over my mortal form while my soul took a trip to Heaven or Hell.

“Listen to me.” Disco grasped my arm and tugged me close. “If Marius believes for one moment you’re a danger to our kind, you won’t have to worry about your debt. He’ll try to kill you, and I’ll be forced to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.” His voice dipped an octave, thick with emotion. “I won’t allow anyone or anything to harm you, even if it means going head to head with my maker. Do you understand what I’m telling you, love?”

Damn him. The endearment sent shivers down my spine. “He’s older than you.”

“He is.” Disco moved closer, until our hips touched.

I closed my eyes, breathing him in. “And stronger.”

“That too.”

“You care for him.” I sagged in his embrace, allowing him to hold me.

“I do,” he whispered against the top of my head. “But I love you. I never stopped loving you.”

Despite the nagging voice that warned me I was going to make a monumental mistake, I caved. I hadn’t saved Disco’s life only to place him in danger. Older vampires were far more formidable. Still, that didn’t mean I had to be totally stupid about things.

“I have a few stipulations.”

“Name them.”

“I’ll stay at your home until Marius leaves. After that, it’s back to my apartment.” I could already hear his brain churning. Knowing Disco, he thought he could change my mind.

“If that’s what you want,” he said softly. “What else?”

“I have a lot of work to do.” Christ, could my voice get any deeper? I tried to get my hormones under control and continued, “Between working at the BP and searching for Marigold’s resting place, I won’t be home a lot.”

“Actually, Marius might be able to help you. He has a lot of connections and his maker is a half-demon. He’s indicated he would assist us in severing your debt and wiping the slate clean.”

There was something else Disco wasn’t telling me. I could feel his hesitation due to the open mark between us. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

“He wants you to destroy the knife.” I tried to pull away, but he kept me close. “It’s the true threat to half-demons. Once it’s gone, Marius can leave and put all of this behind us.”

Sucker was the only thing that could kill a half-demon, so it made sense they’d want me to destroy the blade. Created from a pact between a demon and an angel, the blood that instigated the dagger’s craving had also made it strong enough to behead a demon—something a normal weapon wasn’t capable of. Too bad I’d grown attached to the knife. Even if Sucker demanded its fair share of blood, I felt it was worth the sacrifice.

I couldn’t lie to Disco considering the danger, so I didn’t try. “I can’t promise that.”

“I had a feeling you were going to say that. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” He ran his hand down the length of my hair. “Anything else?”

“You and Paine have to stop going at each other.” This time he tried to pull away, but I kept him against me, speaking into his chest. “He’s become a close friend. That’s it. There is nothing more between us. You’re going to have to accept he’s done nothing wrong. What happened is on me. The fighting between you is causing problems, and Marius will know it.”


“I don’t like him anywhere near you.” Disco’s voice was laced with venom. “Just knowing what you did together eats me up inside.”


“That’s just it. He didn’t do anything,” I reminded him. “The Paine of the future is not the Paine here and now. You’re going to have to cut him some slack.”