inches of grass.
And if the man in the alley hadn’t been Julian, then she might have kissed the devil himself.
Chapter Five
She buried her head in her hands, pressing her fingertips tightly to her eyes. Her heart felt like it was being gouged from her chest with a wooden spoon.
“Kara?” Aiden said quietly.
Her hands fell limp to her sides. “No. Don’t talk. Take me home.”
“If an Aniliáre has taken an interest in you, this is the only safe place. You’ll stay with us.”
“Like hell I will. I’ll take my chances with the wards.”
“Half of the Aniliáre in the Shadowland could blow through those wards like hurricanes through a cardboard hut.”
She tore out a handful of grass by the roots and tossed it aside. “I don’t care.”
Aiden released an aggravated breath. “I need to talk to Gavin. Maybe he can make sense of this.”
Kara laughed. She was already emotionally down for the count, and the mention of Gavin was like another strong kick to the gut. Julian had ultimately given his life protecting Kara, but Gavin had walked away of his own free will when she’d needed him the most. She’d thought they were friends, perhaps future lovers, but now she never wanted to lay eyes on him again if she lived to be a thousand.
She rose and faced Aiden. “Leave Gavin out of this. Don’t spoil his vacation on my account.”
Aiden looked dangerous when he stepped closer to her. “This isn’t all about you, Kara. Men were hurt tonight. We’re a clan , and an attack on even one of our brothers is not acceptable. This black-wing has to be stopped, and to do that, we need you here. We can’t afford to risk more scouts to protect your solitary way of life.”
Oh, mother trucker. He was right. Kara might not know all their names and faces, but those men had lost their wings while watching over her. Had she brought the black-wing down upon them somehow? Was living in the city as a mostly unprotected Demiáre female just inviting trouble?
She met his eyes and nodded. “You’re right, Aiden. I’m sorry.”
His lips curved gently, and his tight fists relaxed. “It’s all right. You’ll be happy here. You’ll see.”
“No, I mean you’re right about it being unacceptable to risk any more men. I take full responsibility for my life and my choices. I’m going home, and I want you to stay as far away from San Diego as you can get. No more scouts. No more people hurt.”
“Except you, perhaps?” he bit out.
Kara shrugged. She wasn’t exactly going to hand herself over to the witches or a black-wing, but neither was she going to allow anyone else to get caught in the crossfire.
Aiden reached for her with his wings prepared for flight and brought his eyes level with hers. “This conversation isn’t over yet, Kara.”
He clutched her firmly to him. The feel of his hands biting into her arms was the only proof she was real when the syrupy darkness engulfed her and picked at her soul.
A moment later, she stumbled to a stop outside her apartment and shook herself, like a dog shaking off water, to ease the shadowy feeling in her bones. She heard the soft hum of voices coming from inside the apartment. “Why are we out here?”
He glanced at the door with annoyance. “I guess someone’s working on the wards.”
“You can’t get in? How do you know?”
“I tried to deliver you inside, but I bounced off.”
Kara smirked. “Cool.”
Aiden mumbled a curse under his breath. “Yes, cool. I suppose I can’t complain if it’s working. Still—” he paused to pin her with a severe look, “—I’m not an angry Aniliáre.”
She patted him on the back just to piss him off. “This is for the best, Aiden. Here at home, I’m probably safer than you are.”
“You are my responsibility, Kara. You’re asking me to do something that goes against my nature—practically against clan law. If Julian were alive, he’d never forgive me for leaving you unprotected.”
If Julian were alive. She
And if the man in the alley hadn’t been Julian, then she might have kissed the devil himself.
Chapter Five
She buried her head in her hands, pressing her fingertips tightly to her eyes. Her heart felt like it was being gouged from her chest with a wooden spoon.
“Kara?” Aiden said quietly.
Her hands fell limp to her sides. “No. Don’t talk. Take me home.”
“If an Aniliáre has taken an interest in you, this is the only safe place. You’ll stay with us.”
“Like hell I will. I’ll take my chances with the wards.”
“Half of the Aniliáre in the Shadowland could blow through those wards like hurricanes through a cardboard hut.”
She tore out a handful of grass by the roots and tossed it aside. “I don’t care.”
Aiden released an aggravated breath. “I need to talk to Gavin. Maybe he can make sense of this.”
Kara laughed. She was already emotionally down for the count, and the mention of Gavin was like another strong kick to the gut. Julian had ultimately given his life protecting Kara, but Gavin had walked away of his own free will when she’d needed him the most. She’d thought they were friends, perhaps future lovers, but now she never wanted to lay eyes on him again if she lived to be a thousand.
She rose and faced Aiden. “Leave Gavin out of this. Don’t spoil his vacation on my account.”
Aiden looked dangerous when he stepped closer to her. “This isn’t all about you, Kara. Men were hurt tonight. We’re a clan , and an attack on even one of our brothers is not acceptable. This black-wing has to be stopped, and to do that, we need you here. We can’t afford to risk more scouts to protect your solitary way of life.”
Oh, mother trucker. He was right. Kara might not know all their names and faces, but those men had lost their wings while watching over her. Had she brought the black-wing down upon them somehow? Was living in the city as a mostly unprotected Demiáre female just inviting trouble?
She met his eyes and nodded. “You’re right, Aiden. I’m sorry.”
His lips curved gently, and his tight fists relaxed. “It’s all right. You’ll be happy here. You’ll see.”
“No, I mean you’re right about it being unacceptable to risk any more men. I take full responsibility for my life and my choices. I’m going home, and I want you to stay as far away from San Diego as you can get. No more scouts. No more people hurt.”
“Except you, perhaps?” he bit out.
Kara shrugged. She wasn’t exactly going to hand herself over to the witches or a black-wing, but neither was she going to allow anyone else to get caught in the crossfire.
Aiden reached for her with his wings prepared for flight and brought his eyes level with hers. “This conversation isn’t over yet, Kara.”
He clutched her firmly to him. The feel of his hands biting into her arms was the only proof she was real when the syrupy darkness engulfed her and picked at her soul.
A moment later, she stumbled to a stop outside her apartment and shook herself, like a dog shaking off water, to ease the shadowy feeling in her bones. She heard the soft hum of voices coming from inside the apartment. “Why are we out here?”
He glanced at the door with annoyance. “I guess someone’s working on the wards.”
“You can’t get in? How do you know?”
“I tried to deliver you inside, but I bounced off.”
Kara smirked. “Cool.”
Aiden mumbled a curse under his breath. “Yes, cool. I suppose I can’t complain if it’s working. Still—” he paused to pin her with a severe look, “—I’m not an angry Aniliáre.”
She patted him on the back just to piss him off. “This is for the best, Aiden. Here at home, I’m probably safer than you are.”
“You are my responsibility, Kara. You’re asking me to do something that goes against my nature—practically against clan law. If Julian were alive, he’d never forgive me for leaving you unprotected.”
If Julian were alive. She
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