40

Dove

"Are you sure we should have brought her along?" Kairos asked Seven in front of me, their feet crunching on the leaves, more on the ground now than hanging on the limbs of the trees.

"We shouldn't have," Enko growled.

"She'd just follow us anyway. End up in more trouble. She's safer with us."

"You can stop talking about me like I'm not here," I mused as I trampled through the thick layer of debris along the road.

Kairos shrugged as Seven's black Land Rover beeped up ahead, hidden on a narrow forest path. Kairos took the front, leaving Enko and me in the back. Neither responded to my comment as we drove out the front gates into the city.

We drove through the confusing labyrinth of high-rise buildings until we ended up on the bad end of downtown, parking along the street. I wondered if I'd ever get to see the nice side of the city, if there was one.

"Stay here," Seven said as the three of them hopped out. "And keep it locked," he said before locking the doors and closing it.

The three of them made their way toward the vibrations of underground music. I unbuckled my seatbelt, jumping out of the car to follow after them.

At the front, two bouncers guarded the door. The three of them easily bypassed the security after a quick check.

As I approached, the security guard held out a hand to stop me. He stared at me with disinterest. "Get lost."

"I'm with them," I said, pointing to Seven, Kairos, and Enko before they disappeared into the crowds of people in the strobing colorful lights.

The security guard laughed skeptically. "You're with those three? Ha! At least come up with something believable, kit. You're not getting in here. This is a high profile bar. We're not allowed to let riffraff in."

"Ask them," I said, trying to weasel my way past him. He easily shoved me back.

"I'm not going to bother high-ranking kitsune with this bullshit. If you keep it up, I'll be forced to get physical, and I don't want to hurt a little girl."

I slumped my shoulders and backed off a bit, turning and taking a step in the wrong direction. And then I spun, charging forward through the small gap between the guards. I was through, I had made it, I did it—

A large arm wrapped around my waist, the bouncer laughing. "I'll give you credit for trying." He easily carried me back outside, plopping me back on the sidewalk. "But I won't find it as funny the second time."

"Get your hands off of her," a voice said darkly.

The bouncer retreated immediately, turning and bowing his head at the one who had spoken. "Sorry, sir."

"Remember her, because if you touch her again. I'll kill you." The man spoke in an unusually calm voice, something familiar. The bouncer nodded, backing up slightly as the man came into sight.

His blond hair was styled, his black suit custom tailored to his body. The sleek shine of his leather shoes screamed ‘ genuine leather, made in Italy .'

"Damon," I said, giving a slight bow in greeting.

"Dove." His head inclined. "Why are you running? Someone else after you?"

"No," I said as my breathing slowly returned to normal, pointing into the bar. "My Fated."

He raised his eyebrows, watching me for another long moment. An amused smile crossed his face. "Your Fated? And why would you run from your Fated? A game you like to play? Being chased?" he asked, still bemused as he spoke. His eyes sparkled mischievously.

He smiled warmly, gesturing me into the bar. Now with VIP access, both bouncers bowed their heads as I passed. The one who had grabbed me mumbled, "Please forgive me, miss, it won't happen again."

"It's good to see you again. How have you been?" Damon asked as we walked through the bar, then several floors down in a glass elevator. We passed several more big guards and a thick red rope that guarded the VIP section.

"Good. Let me guess, you own this place too?" I said as I scanned the room for the guys. I didn't find them by the time Damon gestured for me to sit on a plush mauve velvet booth.

"I'll get you a drink. The same as last time, or do you still not trust me?"

He hadn't poisoned or drugged me last time and he had saved me twice now…I nodded and he disappeared through the crowd of VIP guests.

The fall chill leaked in through the stone walls.

"We told you to wait in the car," Seven's voice said darkly behind me. Enko and Kairos took the seats on either side of me. "Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be here? The Lord of Nightmares is supposed to meet us at any second."

"How did you even get in?" Enko asked, his eyes scanning the room as his muscles tensed, standing behind the chair to block me from view of the rest of the bar.

Seven attempted to grab my hand and drag me out, but I pulled out of his grip and stood up. Kairos ordered Enko to carry me out—and he was hedging on doing it—just as Damon crossed the bar with the pink drink.

"Too late now," Kairos whispered. As Damon reached us he held out the drink and Kairos' hand gripped my wrist gently. "Don't drink that. You can't trust him."

"I wouldn't hurt Dove," Damon said with a wink.

"It's fine. This is Damon. I met him a few weeks ago."

Kairos' jaw dropped. "You're calling the Lord of Nightmares by his first name?"

"And when exactly were you planning on telling us that you met him?" Enko demanded.

Seven grabbed my arm, "That's it, we're fucking out of here right now."

"Oh, boys, no need to be rude. Now, perhaps we should take this somewhere a little more private?" Damon gestured to a door behind us. But the six security guards behind him made it clear that we had no choice but to oblige him.

When we entered the room, Kairos' eyes narrowed on Damon. "Keep out of our minds. Hers especially."

"As much as possible, I assure you. But Dove practically screams her thoughts. That's how I learned her name and your whereabouts. You really should have taught her some shielding techniques." He eyed me with pity. "So much torment within, but her spirit glimmers like starlight."

"Don't look at her." Enko's chest vibrated with a silent growl against my back.

Damon's lip quirked upward as his attention moved on to Enko, grinning as wide as a demon before a meal. His tongue glided over his teeth. "Hello, Beast."

Enko snarled, "Don't call me that. I'm not your pawn anymore."

Damon shook his head, "After all I did for you, and this is how you thank me? Where would you be without me, Beast?"

"You have no plan to accept our offer. We're done here." Seven said, the only one to stay somewhat calm during the encounter.

"Not quite," said the Lord of Nightmares.

Enko roared ferociously, grasping the sides of his head and falling to his knees as he screamed out in pain.

Like a doe hearing a gunshot, I searched the room for the shooter until my eyes landed on Damon. His wicked leer smacked into me.

I dashed across the room, grabbing the lapels of Damon's suit. "Let him go. Stop hurting him!"

My gaze volleyed between my fallen Fated and the Lord of Nightmares until Enko's cries finally ceased. I moved toward Enko, but a hand caught my wrist. A flow of comfort, luring me to relax.

Several bodyguards strode up, blocking my Fated as they tried to interfere. The Lord of Nightmares spoke in a whisper. "A powerful demon searches for you. Your head carries a large bounty, and more for anyone that can bring you to him alive. And now, the ripple of your recent transformation alerted demonkind. I would make any deal to keep you safe, my little bird, but I need you to be careful."

His hand stretched out slowly toward me, the knuckles of his index and middle finger brushing against my cheek.

I lost myself in Damon's gray eyes, captivated and comfortable in his presence. "Be careful with who you trust."

Enko wrenched forward, but three guards locked him in place. "As if she can trust you. Don't touch her!"

I snapped out of it, pulling myself away from his touch. He was a Mind kitsune, able to pervert my emotions.

Damon sighed, lowering his hand, frowning at Enko. "Once a beast, always a beast. Let me know if you ever need more civilized company, Dove."

"If by civilized you mean holding us hostage here, then I'd rather remain savage."

The Lord of Nightmares's lips pressed into a thin line as I stared him down, my wrath seeping from what he'd done to Enko.

"Wrath doesn't suit you, Dove," he responded to my thoughts. He crossed the room to where a guard lightly held Seven and held out his hand. "I'll inform you if anything comes up. You'll get your mercenaries. Get back to the academy, all of you."

Damon left the room, nodding at the guards when he was at the door, and my men were released.

"What the hell were you thinking following us in here?" Kairos scolded me as the three ushered me outside the club. As the Land Rover came into sight, Damon's mysterious message lingered in my thoughts.

"What did Damon mean by all that?"

"He's doing what the Lord of Nightmares does best, fucking with your head. Don't tell me you're actually taking him seriously. I mean, his name is one letter off from demon ," Seven snapped.