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Dannika wrapped her arms around her knees. “Why do you think I’ll be able to mate if I kill a human? That goes against everything I know about shadow warriors.”
Killian put his hands on his hips, surveying the lands beneath them as if he were its king. “You are the evolution of our species. You can kill a human or animal and your demon soul will grow stronger, but it will not kill off your animals. They will remain strong as long as you continue to hunt in those forms.”
She hugged herself tighter. “There’s no way you can know that.” Her head snapped up. “Or have you seen it?”
Killian turned as the breeze grabbed his dark hair. He was handsome. When he looked at her as he did now, with curiosity, she could see why her mother had fallen for him. The innate instinct to solve a puzzle was a trait she shared with her father.
“No. I get a few glimpses of you feeding. In one timeline, it is on a human. Your eyes are red and perfect, but the other times are on diseased or mortally wounded animals.”
She placed her hand on the grass, letting the blades slip between her fingers. As easily as her life had. “So you’re looking for the timeline that ensures I turn reaper.”
“Not necessarily. If you remaining as a shadow warrior ensured my rise to power, then I would gift you with an endless supply of dying animals, but every vision of me as the king also includes you. In those visions, your eyes are red, and your mate is a reaper.”
“I won’t do it.”
Killian’s shadow enveloped her before she could take her next breath. He was so fast. So calculating. So ruthless. She couldn’t imagine anyone strong enough to defeat him. The pain of rushing to the pathway was brief before he dumped her on the ground in front of Raine’s cage. They were outside the office, hidden behind a stack of used tires.
Dannika reached out as two reapers dragged Raine from his confinement. Julius smiled at her, then punched Raine in the face. The crack echoed in the air. The front office was like a culvert for sound. Each thud of Julius’ knuckles as they connected with Raine’s body was a blow to Dannika’s heart. Her soul.
Killian flicked his hand, and Julius backed away. “Accept the mate of my choosing, or Raine dies.”
Raine’s eyes flickered with black, the iridescent blue fading into the darkness as his eyes locked with hers.
“No,” he growled.
Dannika had to admire Killian’s ruthlessness. He had watched her. Raine was her only weakness. Not because he wasn’t strong, but because she’d do anything to protect him, and her hesitation brought him more pain.
Julius materialized a blade, then stabbed it into Raine’s shoulder. Though it embedded to the hilt, Raine kept his eyes locked with hers. Not a sound escaped him as blood dripped to the dirt.
As Raine remained on his knees, it forced Julius to bend and retrieve the knife. As soon as his fingers touched the blade, Raine dematerialized, then reformed, thrusting the dagger into Julius’ stomach.
Julius screamed before he ripped the dagger from his flesh and attacked Raine. The growls echoed in the metal man-made aisles of crushed cars.
Dannika expected Killian to interfere, but he crossed his arms, signaling his men not to impede the fight.
Blood flowed from both men’s wounds. Black veins spread across the back of Raine’s neck as he fought. He shouldn’t have been able to shift to shadow form, though it was brief. It was a testament to his alpha’s power.
When Julius slammed Raine to the ground, Dannika jumped on Julius’ back, clawing at his eyes before Killian barked an order.
Two reapers pulled her from Julius as two more grabbed Raine by the arms, leaving him defenseless. Julius took full advantage of his prey’s incapacitation. His claws extended before he punctured Raine’s abdomen.
Black blood flowed like a river and pooled at Raine’s feet.
She struggled to escape her captors, but it was no use. “Stop. I will do as you ask if you release him.”
Raine’s face was white and riddled with black veins. “No.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but my life won’t mean anything if you die.”
Killian laughed. “How sweet. How pathetic.” He motioned to a reaper beside him. “Get Zade.”
The reaper dissolved before entering a nearby pathway.
The wind whistled through the broken cars like an omen of death. Time ticked, but there was no escaping her destiny. She’d made a deal. She would stick to it, but death was preferable.
The reaper reappeared with another with sandy brown hair. His athletic build was similar to the other reapers in his clan, but his red eyes seemed foreign on the calm facial features. There was something different about her reaper fiancé.
Killian motioned to the new reaper. “This is Zade. He will be your mate.”
