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  Neck muscles strained as he threw his head back, howling like a wolf as white, feathery lumps erupted from the broken flesh, then spread out with a snap. White wings stained with flecks of blood fanned out, long and powerful looking, feathers silken and downy.

  Shep rounded the winged being and crouched down before him. “Hello, Preet.” The naked man lifted his head, tears streaming from blue eyes as he regarded Shep. “Welcome to flesh.” Shep punched him hard in the face, making him cry out and roll to his side, a red trickle leaking from his lip. “And blood.”

  Chapter Seven

  The room fell silent, save for the whimpering of the naked, winged man who lay on the rug, writhing and grimacing, clawing at his own flesh like he’d tear it off. Shaking out his wounded hand, Shep moved gingerly around and approached Litner, his eyes still pulsing with yellow light. On one knee, Litner’s hand trembled, gun still pointed. “There,” Shep said, glancing back at Preet. “Now you can kill it.”

  Litner’s eyes flicked up to Shep, then he lowered the gun and stood. “What...what did you do?”

  “We took his Light. He’s flesh now. Like us.”

  “I feel fuckin great!” Klee said, shrugging his shoulders and giving his head a quick shake. He paced a circle in front of the bed. “Fucking great.”

  Litner’s eyes were drawn to Wesley, who walked slowly across the room, shirtless in pajama bottoms. He breezed right past the weeping man on the floor and approached Joey, who leaned against the wall near the door. Joey stepped forward and gave Wesley a curious sneer, his eyes trailing over him disdainfully. Wesley uttered a short gasp, then moved closer, gazing into Joey’s eyes, as ice blue as his own. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  Joey huffed. “What’s your point?”

  “I’m Wesley,” he said, tentatively extending a hand.

  Joey crossed his arms over his chest. “So?”

  Lowering his arm, Wesley took a step back. “You’re the Sword.”

  Joey regarded him for a long moment, then walked past him. “Yeah,” he said, looking over his shoulder. “And you’re not. See that you don’t forget it.”

  Wesley’s head swiveled as his eyes followed Joey, who approached Shep and Litner. “Is it bad?” Joey asked, pointing to Shep’s wounded hand.

  Shep shrugged, wincing. “I’ll heal.”

  “Litner,” Patrick said. “What are you going to do with...it?” He glanced warily over at the weeping, muscular man.

  “He’s killing it!” Shep said. “Right?”

  “I have to call my boss, Agent Michaels.”

  “You’re not gonna kill it?” Joey asked. “It’s a fucking assassin. It came to kill us all.”

  “He’ll need to be interrogated,” Litner said. “We must be sure this was a rogue act, and that this killing spree is truly over. We need to make sure this assassin is the last one, and there won’t be more to follow.”

  “I’ll kill him if you want me to,” Klee said as he bounced over to join them. “I feel strong.”

  Shep put a hand on his shoulder. “Settle down, brother. You’re jacked up on The Light, but it will fade.” He looked back at Litner. “I strongly suggest taking our chances and killing him now.”

  “We need to know if someone sent it,” Litner said. “And if there will be more.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to give him time to regain his strength.”

  Frowning, Litner glanced over at the creature. “How soon will he do that?”

  “I don’t know. But something that powerful won’t stay down forever.”

  “We’ll keep him sedated and use safety precautions. Can it communicate with us? In language we’ll understand?”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t mean he will,” Shep said. “Look Litner, I get that you’re this patriotic defender of the realm and all that shit, but Preet is from my realm, and this is still my call. So I’ll allow you to take Preet, but I need to be in the loop as far as interrogating him. My people are in danger too, you’re not shutting me out.”

  Litner nodded. “I was going to request that you stay in town for just that reason. I’d like your help interrogating him when he’s able. How long should we wait?”

  Shep turned his head, chewing his thumbnail as he regarded Preet. “He’ll grow stronger quickly. Lock him up now, while he’s still weak and in shock.” Shep pointed a finger in Litner’s face. “I’ll stay in town for now, but I swear to you, if I even smell one of your government spooks around me, or anyone in my family while I’m in town, another assassin will be the least of your worries.”

  “You have my word,” Litner said. “We require your cooperation. No one will harm you.”

  “I don’t give a fuck about your word. Just make sure your curious little friends know, they fuck with us, they lose their heads. And I expect them to stay the hell away from Pearl Chasm from now on. Is that clear?”

  “Excuse me?” Wesley said. “Could someone please tell me what’s happening?”

  Litner looked past Shep to Wesley, who sat on the bed, trembling as he watched Shep.

  “Ah shit,” Patrick said quietly. “We all forgot about Wesley, he’s gotta be freaking out.”

  Litner nodded at Shep. “We’re clear. Excuse me a minute.” He went and sat next to Wesley.

  Wesley looked at him, his lip trembling. “Steven, what just happened?”

  Litner put a hand on his shoulder. “We have a lot to talk about. You can come stay at my place. After I deal with...” He glanced at the weeping man, who’d shrouded himself in his own wings like a cocoon. “After I deal with this, I’ll fill you in. You’re safe now.”

  Wesley nodded, hanging his head, but he still trembled.

  “Let’s get out of here, boys,” Shep said. “You done with us for now?” he asked, pausing in front of Litner. Wesley slowly lifted his eyes, then quickly turned his head away.

  “Yes,” Litner said. “If you think I’m safe with that thing until my backup comes.”

  “He’s too weak to attack you right now, but if he moves, just shoot him in the head. He’s flesh now. A bullet should kill him.”

  “All right. I’ll contact you soon at the number you gave me.”

  Shep started to move on, then paused. He took a deep breath, jaw stiffening, then he looked at Wesley. “You all right?”

  Wesley looked up at him, eyes wide with shock. He gave a quick nod. “Yeah.”

  Shep continued on to the door, his brothers trailing behind him as he left. Joey lingered, hands on his hips, eyes on Wesley with a dark stare. Wesley turned his head, as though sensing it, and met Joey’s eyes. Joey regarded him a moment longer, then left the room as well.

  “I don’t think Joey Duvaine likes me very much,” Wesley said.

  Patrick sat down on the other side of Wesley, patting him on the back. “You get used to it.”

  Chapter Eight

  “He’s saturated with you,” Joey said as he handed Shep his coffee. “I could practically smell your blood in his veins. And he’s just walkin around, all ‘doidy doy, I’m Wesley, I don’t believe we’ve met.’ I have never wanted to punch someone in the face so bad in my whole fucking life.”

  Shep sat by the window, focused on his laptop as morning sunlight bathed his sandy curls. “So punch him, Joey. But please shut up about it. I don’t care.”

  “Oh you don’t? Then why did you ask him if he was all right before we left the hotel?”

  “You’re acting like a jealous lover. It’s creeping me out. Stop.”

  “He tried to push you back into the void! You tried to kill him during the raid. Now suddenly you want to know if he’s all right?”

  Shep sighed, closing his eyes. “For the last time, Duvaine, I do not...want to talk...about him.”

  “You hate the guy! It’s what you’ve always said. You hate him. Right?”

  Shep set his computer down and stood. “It’s complicated, okay?” He turned toward the window, staring out. “Now please drop it. Litner should be calling s
oon and I need to stay focused.”

  “Complicated? Since when? I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You despised him. You still won’t even say his name. I don’t understand this, Shep, I—”

  “Don’t you get it?” Shep whirled around, green eyes tight. “It’s not like I want to care, I detest what he did to me. Do I have hatred toward him? Sure. But there are certain feelings I cannot change. I found him when he was a child. I raised him. Of course it’s gonna affect me if I see him attacked like he was last night. He’s like my son!”

  Joey gasped and stumbled back as though he’d been slapped. “Then what am I?”

  “You’re my Sword, and my friend, you know that. You’re the only person on this earth I consider an actual friend, Joey. We are equals. You’re my whole world. Please, drop this.”

  Joey sat in a chair, looking at the floor. “The assassin went after Wesley before Patrick. Before Obrien! We mixed our blood with Obrien. He was my Shield for Christ sakes.”

  “What’s your point?”

  “My point, Shepherd, is that this Wesley asshole is still carrying a fuckload of your power. I could smell it on him. It makes me nervous.”

  “He doesn’t want my power. He’s boring, believe me. He’s never going to be a problem.”

  Juris stepped into the room carrying a plate of donuts. “He was a problem when he showed up at Forest Bluffs the night of the raid,” Juris said, biting into a Boston Cream. “And Joey’s right. Wesley reeks of your essence. I don’t trust him either.”

  Joey clapped his hands. “Thank you, Juris. You see, Shep? It’s not just me.”

  Shep picked up his computer. “Some of us have work to do around here, I’m going to my room, away from all of you.”

  “I’m going out for a while,” Juris said.

  Shep paused and frowned at Juris. “Where are you going?”

  “Just out. Need some air. You know I hate being cooped up.”

  “Well, take your phone, and try to stay in public places. Litner will be calling soon with more news about Preet, so don’t go too far. There’s still a potential threat to us.”

  Juris nodded and left the room.

  “Is Preet contained?” Joey asked Shep.

  “Yes, they have him sedated and locked up. But they plan to let him wake up soon so Litner can ask him questions. He’s gonna let me know when they’re ready and I’ll go down there.”

  “What about the other followers?” Joey called out as Shep turned to leave. “We have to assume they know about the deaths. They’re probably scared.”

  Shep turned back, eyes shifting while he thought. “Get in touch with them. Tell them the threat has been taken care of. But don’t give them any details.”

  “Okay. They’ll probably feel better just hearing my voice. Probably swoon with ecstasy.”

  “I’m sure they will, Joey. Everyone does.”

  ****

  Robin sat at her kitchen table, staring agape at Juris, who paced the floor like a caged animal. Her plan to tell him she wouldn’t see him was a bust, since rather than calling, he’d simply shown up at her door. For the past twenty minutes he’d regaled her with tales of assassins and Shep’s brave heroics in the face of danger. “It was crazy,” he said. “We didn’t know if we’d get out of it alive. It pierced a hole right through Shepherd’s hand.”

  “Have you had too much caffeine?” she asked.

  He glanced at her. “What? No. I got dosed with The Light last night and I’m still a little amped up. So anyway, as I was saying. After that, we all surrounded the assassin and sucked him off.”

  Robin blinked. “You did what now?”

  He waved a hand at her. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Guess not.”

  She tried not to stare at him, but he looked amazing in his navy, V-neck sweater, a white tee shirt underneath, jeans that hugged him in all the right places. His white-blond curls looked freshly washed, falling in little ringlets around his beautiful face. She was sort of relieved that he seemed to want to talk about bullshit, or rather nothing relating to her...and him. But she still had no idea why he was there.

  He stopped pacing and stood by the kitchen window, looking down at the street, a hand on his hip. The silence became awkward. Finally she asked, “Does Shep know you’re here?”

  He turned to her. “Of course not.”

  She shrugged. “Then why are you?”

  He walked to the table and pulled a chair out, turning it around and straddling it, arms resting on the back. It was odd, him sitting there in such a guy pose. It was getting harder to tell he wasn’t human, though she had memories that reminded her, his scream in Carbone’s basement for one, the windows cracking as he made that terrifying sound.

  “I’ve been trying to figure out what happened between us in Vermont,” he said. “I think maybe it was my brother’s feelings for you, affecting my behavior in some way, that I’d sensed too many of his thoughts.”

  To her surprise, she felt a flare of anger. “So you came all the way over here to tell me those weren’t your feelings? That what happened was the result of some...emotional back spray from Shep? You could have told me that over the phone.”

  “No,” he said. His wide green eyes met hers, softened for a moment, then he looked to the side. “I came here to ask what affected your behavior. I mean...was it me you were with, or were you thinking about...him?”

  Her cheeks heated. “What difference does it make?”

  She shivered as he reached out, stroking a lock of her hair. “It makes a difference to me.”

  It took all of her willpower, but she pulled back from him, her hair sliding out of his fingers. “I don’t have to explain to you the eighty bazillion reasons why that can never happen again.”

  “No,” he said. “You don’t.”

  She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Then you should probably leave.”

  He stared at her for a long moment, then blinked and looked down, blond lashes shielding his eyes. “All right.” He stood, climbing off the chair, and headed to the door.

  Robin got up and followed him, swallowing the regret she felt, muscling down her desire. When they reached the door he turned to her. Like Shep he was the perfect height for her, tall enough that she had to tilt her head to meet his eyes, but just right for—

  Juris kissed her, one hand cupping her chin. A thrill ran through her body, and her mouth opened, tongue melding with his. He responded by pulling her tight against him, and she was overwhelmed with sensations: his intoxicating smell, the feel of his tongue in her mouth, the muscles in his chest. He pulled back and she stood feeling woozy with lust, disappointed that he’d broken the contact. She let out a short gasp. “That was a bad idea,” she whispered.

  “Tell me it was me,” he said, his own voice breathy, a slight tremble. “Just say it was me you wanted in Vermont, not him. I need to know.”

  “It was you.” The words left her mouth before she gave them permission to do so. “It was all you.”

  Juris grabbed her again, pressing her against the door as his mouth captured hers, hands trailing down her ribs, over her waist. Breaking the kiss, he pressed their foreheads together. “Do you still want me to leave?” He breathed the words against her lips.

  His hands slid lower, thumbs circling her hip bones, and all rational thought fled. “No,” she whispered. “I don’t.”

  As they stumbled toward her bedroom, clawing at each other’s clothing, Robin knew she was making the riskiest mistake of her life. But it was too late to stop it now. She was lost.

  Chapter Nine

  The security officer let Agent Litner through the locked door, then walked alongside him down the hallway, their shoes echoing off the marble floor. “Big doings going on today, huh?” he said, glancing at Litner. “More of you guys here than usual on a Sunday.”

  “You know I can’t discuss it, Ronny,” he said, offering him a friendly smile.

  The guard laughed. “Of course
, of course. It’s just I’ve been working here for a couple months since Michaels hired me, you get to sense things. Everyone coming through the door with a look like someone just shot their dog. Big doings, I’d guess.”

  After letting him through another locked door, Ronny bid him goodbye, and Litner strode into the makeshift medical bay. Dr. Juliet Wang, his colleague and once lover, looked up. Seated in the corner was Garret Upton, and Litner nodded to the soldier.

  “Sir, my shift’s up, but Michaels is on his way up with Tyler Palumbo.”

  “Go on home then, I’ll see you later.”

  Garret left the room, and Litner slowly turned, then walked toward the main attraction at the center. On a table sized bed, the large man lay unconscious, eyes closed, wings spread out at his sides, a sheet draped over him from the waist down. Golden brown hair tumbled in waves down past his shoulders, framing a serene looking face. “He’s sedated,” Juliet said, removing her glasses.

  “Where did he spend the night? Are the rooms here secure?”

  “There are several with heavy steel doors and locking mechanisms. They kept him in one overnight. Michaels doesn’t seem worried, but I still don’t know why we have to work out of this…abandoned building. It’s creepy.”

  Litner smiled. “There’s a creature with wings in the room, Juliet. Yet you’re focused on the creepiness of the building.”

  “I can multitask. What I meant was, there are secure rooms at more…official locations. Why does Michaels want to work out of this place?”

  “Privacy, I guess,” Litner said. “Not everyone is prepared to handle…this.”

  Juliet nodded. “For the record, I am also creeped out by…this.” She gestured toward the sleeping Preet. “I cannot believe this, Steven. I mean, shit. I’ve seen a lot of things but...” She shook her head, looking down at his wings.