“What shit?”
Ash closed his eyes, shaking his head. “He showed up in her realm, Ronan. Held her against her will. She had to bust out on her own.”
“He fucking what?” I slammed the van into park. “How the hell did he get in?”
“It’s a long story—one she needs to tell you herself—but he’s definitely upping his game.”
“Motherfucker.” No wonder Ash pushed her so hard. If the hunter could reach her there, where else could he reach her? What other help—or powers—did he have?
“She’s a sitting damnduck.” He slammed his hand on the dashboard, his rage continuing to build. I could feel it emanating from him, as hot as sunbaked pavement. “You think Ilikehurting her? You think I get off on watching her heart break into a thousand pieces because of shit thatIsaid? Fuck you, Ronan. Fuck. You.”
He threw himself out of the van and went to the back, hauling open the cargo doors and yanking out the hand truck.
I let him have five minutes to cool off before joining him out there.
“I get it,” I said, shoving my hands into my pockets, not wanting to get too close. A pissed off incubus wasn’t someone you wanted to snuggle with. “I don’t blame you for trying to help her learn how to defend herself.”
“No, you just blame me for making her cry. Right? Because that’s my thing. Biting people’s heads off. Being a grade-A dick.” He slammed the van door shut, and I took a risk, reaching for his shoulder while his back was still turned.
Mistake.
He whirled on me fast, punching me hard in the shoulder. He hadn’t done it to hurt me—he could’ve easily cold-cocked me in the face if he’d wanted to cause serious pain—but it still pissed me off.
I grabbed the front of his—my—jacket and shoved him back against the van, bracing a forearm across his throat. “You really wanna do this, asshole?”
His black eyes bore into mine, but I felt his body relax, his fury receding as quickly as it had risen.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you and Gray,” I said, releasing him and smoothing out the jacket. “But you need to make it right with her. And with yourself.”
When he looked up at me again, his eyes were back to blue. He nodded.
“We good?” I asked, squeezing his shoulder.
He returned the gesture and nodded once, then pulled me in for a hug. I hugged him right back; I wasn’t sure which one of us needed it more.
“We’re good,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” a voice said.
I turned around and caught a wiry, sniveling vamp slithering out from behind the other side of the van.
Ash and I exchanged a quick glance that basically said,this motherfucker is going down in about three seconds…
“I hope you brought your friends,” I said, turning toward him. He was maybe five foot four, a hundred and ten pounds on a good day.
“And your lunch,” Asher said, joining me at my side and folding his arms across his chest. “You look a little… malnourished.”
“In that case,” I said, “better bring your friends’ lunch, too.”
Ash scratched his head. “Pretty sure his friendsarehis lunch.”
“That poses a problem when one is about to get his ass handed to him. Still, I don’t see anyone else jumping to his defense, so…” I whipped the stake out from the back of my waistband and shoved the guy up against the van, pressing the pointy end to his chest.
He didn’t resist. Didn’t even try.
“I’m not here to fight,” he said, raising his hands in surrender. “Just delivering a message.”
“Try the post office,” Ash said, offering a helpful smile. “They’re the most reliable. Texting also works, especially if your solar sensitivity prevents you from accessing postal services during normal business hours.”
