Sweet Reckoning(35)

“Like hell,” Kaidan murmured, pushing past them. Marna and I followed him into the immaculate stone-tiled foyer, and Kai slammed the door, turning on the couple. “Have whisperers seen you together?”

“Course not.” Blake sounded smug.

Marna and I let out our breaths.

“You’re bleedin’ lucky!” Kai said.

“Back off, brah.” Blake dropped his arm from Ginger to step up to Kaidan. “What, you’re the only one who can be with your girl?”

“The Dukes were at their summit when we were together. This is sheer madness!”

“Guys,” I said, moving closer. But they were too fired up.

“Why do you care?” Ginger spat at Kai.

“Because we’re this close, Gin.” Kaidan held his finger and thumb an inch apart. “This close to fulfilling the prophecy, and the two of you are likely to get yourselves killed!”

Marna’s hand went to her mouth next to me, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

“As if you care!” Ginger yelled. “You only give a shite about yourself. You want everyone to be willing to sacrifice themselves so you can finally be with your precious Anna. Well, I’m not waiting around anymore. I’m taking what I want from this damned life while I can!”

Ginger and Kaidan were inches apart, both angry as they shouted.

“It’s about all of us, not just me and Anna!”

“Oh, right!”

Kaidan grasped her small shoulders, and when he touched her they both seemed to soften. “I don’t want you dead, Gin.”

Her eyes watered. “I’ve nothing to live for now, don’t you see? She’ll be gone. My sister is dying! And Blake will be married off to that cow. I’d rather be dead.”

Kaidan wrapped his arms around her just as she broke into choking sobs, her knees buckling.

Marna started crying, too, and I took her hand.

Kaidan held Ginger up, stroking her hair like a big brother, and I could see the understanding and concern born from sharing a childhood together.

Marna stepped to them, and Kaidan reached out, pulling her into the embrace. Blake and I made eye contact and nodded, moving together to the next room so the three of them could talk. We sat on the leather sofa. Blake leaned back, pressing his fists to his eyes.

“Damn,” he whispered. “Everything is so messed up.”

That was an understatement. I had no words. When Kai and the twins came back in, the five of us sat there in sad silence. Every moment we were together brought more danger. We all knew it, yet it was hard to force ourselves apart.

Kaidan’s phone rang, and we all froze. His tan face paled as he looked at the screen and held it out for us to see.

Pharzuph.

The four of us held our breath and listened as he answered.

“I assume you took care of the girl then?” Pharzuph asked in his silky accented English.

“Of course, Father. She wasn’t a virgin anyhow.”

“Interesting.” There was a long, expectant pause. “The spirit I sent to oversee the operation has been sent back to the pit of hell, never to return to earth. Do you know why?”

Kaidan’s eyes darted to mine. “No, Father.”

“Because he admitted he did not stay to see your mission through to the end. He says the two of you persuaded him to leave.”

“Bollocks!” Kaidan stood. “That disgusting wanker was distracting. It’s hard enough to try and bang a Neph without a spirit interfering.”

“A whisperer should hardly distract you from your task, Son.” The suspicion in Pharzuph’s voice made my blood run cold.

“You’re right, Father. But the deed was done, and the whisperer left on his own. Obviously I couldn’t force him.”

“Hm.” Another pause swelled the tension in the room. “I think I’ll pay the girl a visit myself. A lot’s riding on her lack of purity.”

Goose bumps covered me.

Kai’s jaw clenched. “Do what you must, Father, but I hate to see your valuable time wasted.”

“Good of you to care.” It was the last thing Pharzuph said before he hung up.

Kaidan let out an enraged sound and kicked the coffee table, flipping it with a giant crash.

We all stood.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” I said. “We just all need to get back to work. At this rate the prophecy’s bound to go down soon, and we can’t afford to lose anyone.”