‘They’ve lied to you, Logan. No one joins the inner circle and that mutation could take away any autonomy you have,’ Kyan said, recalling what Dylan had said about the assassin who attacked Remi: that his eyes had been near soulless.
But … was it possible the Wake would make more mindless Empyreals? If so, why wouldn’t they have done it already?
‘You can’t hide them.’ Logan’s smile was a sharp little smirk. ‘I tell you what, you hand over your pretty little Empyreal and I’ll let the Druid live. I won’t even tell the Wake about her.’
Nicole hissed in a breath, like she’d launch herself at him.
‘We’re going to have to come to some sort of arrangement, or you’re fucked, and so are they,’ Logan said.
He was right.
If they didn’t move fast, if they didn’t stay a step ahead of the Wake, they would be caught.
But that was where Logan’s assessment faltered. He didn’t understand the depths of Kyan’s devotion.
Logan had noideawhat loyalty was. And he’d just proven that there was nothing salvageable about him. No way to talk him round, just pure unfettered greed and a lust for power that showed how corrupting it could be to be at the top of the supernatural food chain. Logan felt all the power, did all the kills, but for all the wrong reasons.
A bite of satisfaction shivered up Kyan’s spine and he realised there was only one thing for it.
Kyan would have to kill him.
The other Empyreal must have realised it. Kyan didn’t know if it was the slow tilt of his head that gave it away, or just the shift in his eyes. Because there was no world in which he was going to let this piece of shit leave this forest still breathing after he threatenedNicole.
Hisréalta treorach.
The other soul, the other star, that had been guiding him through time. That had been a promise of goodness andhomeafter two millennia.
Just the thought of it had a snarl pulling on his mouth.
‘I killed Alexander for disobeying the Wake and because he was a violent asshole who endangered innocents. What, then, do you think I’ll do withyou?’ Kyan rolled his shoulders. ‘Here’s your arrangement. Single combat.’
‘Kyan,’ Nicole warned.
Logan had the nerve to scoff. ‘Singlecombat?Jesus Christ.’
‘In my time we had a sense of honour. When we fought, it was a spectacle. If you don’t want to reason, then this is our option. Don’t you want to put on a show? Prove yourself against me? Isn’t that why you’re such a perverse, obsessed little shit?’
Fury flickered in Logan’s eyes. ‘Fine.’ He laughed.
Laughed.
Kyan felt himself teeter on the point of no return.
He glanced over to Nicole who watched Logan with such hatred a smile near flickered on Kyan’s mouth. Instead, he ducked enough to kiss her. Once, slightly hard, but with the last tenderness in his eyes and brush of his thumb he could drag out of himself.
‘Stay with her,’ he ordered the dog in Irish.
It hadn’t left with the Druid, and now sat at Nicole’s side. Frustration burned in Nicole’s gaze.
He had only allowed his hunting side to emerge when his Empyreal took over. But his body wouldn’t take over here. There would be no transformation to aid the kill. Empyreals didn’t give off a kill scent. There was only him and the being threatening the person he loved. So, it was simple.
Even if the fight wasn’t.
He expected Logan’s first hit. Knew kissing Nicole would make Logan think Kyan’s guard was down.
The first whoosh of Logan’s fist was followed by a spike in adrenaline Kyan could taste. He tried to keep calm, but an old fury was rising. Distantly, there was an increasing beat of:If he escapes, she gets taken from you.
If he escapes, what do you think they’ll do?
