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The reaper smiled. “We can end this now if you come with us.”
Raine continued to fight the reapers attacking him, but his warning growl was unmistakable.
She shook her head. “Not gonna happen, shit stick.”
The chuckle from the darkness scared her more than the reaper she faced. She pushed the strange sensation of being watched, tested, from her mind and focused on her attacker.
The reaper snarled. “I won’t kill you, but I will savior your pain and your blood.”
He moved so fast she barely had time to get out of the way, but her wolf and her shadow boosted her speed and her reflexes.
A claw whispered through her hair. The scratch along her neck stung as she swung the blade in her hand. It punctured the reaper’s back, piercing his heart as it propelled him forward.
The piercing scream echoed in the room.
Her eyes rolled back as she fell backward. Her head bounced against the dirt and rock as her head swam in a whirlwind of pain. Her synapsis fired, shorted out, before her vision faded.
CHAPTER35
Dannika woke to the sound of her heart echoing in her ears. It beat fast, frightened, and loud. She grasped the blankets surrounding her before she realized she was no longer on the ground. Warmth enveloped her as she took air into her lungs and opened her eyes.
The scent of jasmine waffled in the air, making her inhale deeply. It took her a moment to realize she was in their suite. Light filtered through the open door, where she could see the couch and seating area of Raine’s living room.
The walls were a soft gold color, so light it was difficult to tell if she was imagining it. The carpet was a lush dark burgundy that accented the painting on the wall: a watercolor of two smiling parents with their hands on their children’s shoulders. The young girl wore a ruffled yellow dress and looked up at her older sibling in adoration. The boy was about eight years old, with eyes that matched Raine’s.
She examined the other painting in the room. It was of a wolf running in the forest. The colors were too perfect to be from any brush. Darren’s face flickered in her mind.
The dresser beside the bed was large. A brush, an old clock, and a candle sat on top. They were beautiful and antique. Except for the bed, the room could have been from another era. Only the soft cotton sheets gave a contemporary feel.
Her head pounded when she attempted to sit up too fast. She steadied herself as Raine entered the room.
He sat on the bed and kissed her cheek. “Good, you’re awake. I was beginning to worry.”
The dim light from the other room hurt her eyes. She covered them as she looked down. “What happened?”
“You killed a reaper.”
She rubbed her forehead. “Why do I feel like I was hit in the head with a sledgehammer?”
Raine took her hand. “You don’t understand what that means. Any shadow can pick up a reaper blade, but only a blade bearer can wield it. Invoke the power within it to kill a reaper.”
She could tell by the tone of Raine’s voice that this was significant. “You have lots of warriors.”
Raine nodded. “Yes, but few can invoke a reaper kill.”
She fell back against the bed. “Great, another thing that makes me unusual.”
Raine lay down beside her. He placed his hand on her stomach where her shirt had ridden up. Heat tickled her skin.
“In this case, it works to your advantage. Blade-bearers are coveted by all the shifter clans. The material to make the weapons is unique and the ability to forge them is rare.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Your weapons master, he forges these daggers?”
Raine drew an intricate pattern on her skin, making it hard to focus on his words. “He can mold the weapon, but it takes a special ability to infuse the dagger with the means to kill a reaper. Lorne possessed that ability. When I said his death was unfortunate, it was an understatement. The reapers went after clan members with unique abilities. While you were sleeping, I had a meeting with Maddock. They sought out Lorne, Darren, and you. This was a very organized hit.”
She pulled the sheets up, needing the warmth. “They were here to kill me?”
Raine shook his head. “They planned to abduct you, but they were here to kill Darren and Lorne.”
