Who the fuck is that?
The man before him stares like he couldn’t look away if he tried.
It’s deeply unnerving.
‘My name is Kade.Who are you?’
The man rises to stand, no sign of a struggle.He comes to the iron divide, looks through it.Kade holds his ground even when the older man gets near enough that Kade can smell his sweat.Strong hands grip the bars.
‘You don’t know me?’
‘Tell me your name.’
‘Jules—’
‘My name is Kade.’
‘They kept you.Oh my God, theykeptyou.’
‘Tell me your name.’
‘My name is Lachlan Tanner.’
‘Is that supposed to mean something to me?’
‘Jules—’
‘Kade.’
‘They’ve kept you, don’t you understand?’He grips the bars harder.‘They took you and Harkerkilledyou, or… I thought they did.I saw you die.’The older man is very pale.‘For seven years I thought both of you were dead.’
‘Both?’
‘You and Mimi.’
‘Who’s Mimi?’
The intruder,Lachlan Tanner, looks away again as some foreign pain seems to move through him that requires a few beats to conquer.Kade lets himself stay cool, thinks of Gage and the others who died by this fucker’s hand.
‘Mimi was your little sister.’Tanner looks back, oddly hopeful.‘Do they have her too?Is she—?’
‘I have no family but Iron Star.’
Lachlan snarls, lip curling.‘Iron Star is not your fucking family.They’re the people whotookyou!They’re the fucking reason—’
‘Whoareyou?’Kade cuts in.‘Hmm?You’re ex-military obviously.Special forces, obviously, but what’s this, huh?’he asks gesturing to the tattoo in the centre of Tanner’s chest.Up close, he can see a kestrel sitting atop the moon as if carrying it.The demon’s smiling face, sharp teeth and enormous membranous wings and tail.On the back of Tanner’s wrist, something else catches Kade’s attention.‘And what’s with the fox?’
‘I can’t believe you don’t remember.’
‘I don’t know you.’
‘Jules, it’s me.It’s Lachlan.I was your—’ He cuts himself off that time, jaw snapping shut, seems to be thinking it through.‘Let me speak to Harker.’
‘You’re speaking to me.’
‘I need to—’
‘I shot you in the face.’
