As Darkness Falls by Riley Storm

Chapter Twenty-Two

“What did you just say?” I hissed in a deadly whisper, not sure I had heard him correctly.

My hands were shaking as I tried to process what I thought I’d just heard. The blade dipped closer to Lars’s neck, and he flinched. I caught myself in time, steadying my grip, even as my mind raced.

Had he really said—my parents?

“Explain yourself,” I snarled.

“Dani,” Vir called. “We should go. Now. Before more arrive.”

There was an urgent warning note in his tone, but I ignored it. I ignored everything. The world around us ceased to exist in my mind. There was just Lars and me. The two of us, and I had a blade to his neck that would kill him with one nick, sucking his soul from his body.

Which was precisely what I was going to do if he didn’t start answering me. I lowered the blade again until it was resting on the skin of his neck. Just a hair more pressure, and poof, no more Lars.

“Talk,” I ordered. “What did you mean about my parents?

“I meant what I said,” Lars said, smiling, though he didn’t chuckle. The bobbing motion might have split his skin. He knew how on the edge he was. Literally. Yet, he was still acting like he was in command.

“Did you now?” I growled. “Because it sounded to me like you were trying to tell me that my parents are still alive.”

“And if you kill me,” Lars said lightly, “they will never see the light of day again.”

“You’re telling me they aren’t dead?” I asked in a strangled voice, working to process this.

Nine months ago, the night of my first shift, my Soulshift, my parents had gone missing. It was the same night I’d discovered I was adopted, and the questions I had for the people I considered my parents could have filled a list a mile long. I’d never gotten to ask them a single one, though, because they had disappeared before I could.

I’d looked for them. For months. All the money I’d made in the underground fights in Kellar, getting my ass kicked time after time, rigging the fights to make the most cash, all of it had gone into trying to locate my parents, to find out where they were.

As it turned out, they hadn’t left. Someone had taken them.

“You want to tell me where they are,” I said in a sweet falsetto, blinking my eyes as I smiled broadly at Lars.

“I’m sure,” Lars growled. “I tell you, then you slit my throat because you no longer need me? No, I don’t think so.”

“Tell me now,” I raged.

“And give up my only leverage? Danielle dear, I’m not stupid. That’s not how this works. But I understand. You’re new to the game. You weren’t expecting this. I can see that now.”

My arm trembled, and I almost opened his throat anyway. The blade would kill with just a cut, but, I thought, it was probably better to err on the safe side instead. I should probably take his head. There would be no coming back from that.

Lars scowled when I didn’t move. “You’re going to let me up now. That’s how this works.”

I punched him. Hard. In the nose. It broke. He stared up at me impotently from his back, knowing he couldn’t move, couldn’t retaliate. He had to sit there and take the punishment. For an Alpha, used to ruling and having his way, it had to be extra humiliating. At least, I hoped it was. The fucker deserved that much at a minimum.

“Aaron,” I called, bringing him over to where we were.

“Yes?” he asked, barely restrained hatred evident in his voice.

“Stand him up,” I growled, slowly easing up off Lars, keeping the blade close to his throat while Aaron hauled the Alpha to his feet.

The pair of men stared at one another like starving dogs who’d just come across a piece of meat, ready to tear the other to shreds to get what they wanted.

“What do you want for them, Lars?” I snapped, interrupting them.

His vision didn’t waver from Aaron. “I want what you stole from me,” he said. “I want the Idol of Amunlea back.”

From nearby, I heard a choked-off “stole?” from Vir, but I ignored it. Now wasn’t the time to deal with Vir. That could come later.

“A trade, you mean,” I said, addressing Lars instead. “The Idol for my parents.”

“Yes,” Lars said, his voice cold. Hard. Hating. “Quite simple, really. Bring me the Idol, and I give you your parents back. Voila. Nothing to it. Everyone wins, I would say.”

Except I don’t get to kill you, you smug bastard.

But that was worthwhile if it meant getting my parents back. That was the important thing. Lars could have the stupid Idol for all I cared. It wasn’t even like getting it back would be that difficult. Not that Lars knew that, of course, but it just so happened that I knew exactly where the Idol was.

And Vir will gladly pay Aaron more of his treasure for the Idol, I’m sure of it. That will make everyone happy. And I’ll get to see my parents again.

Convincing Vir to let me give the Idol to Lars was a far more difficult prospect, though. I considered that, but also realized that if I had to, I would play the nuclear card if it meant getting back my parents. I didn’t want to, but if Vir wouldn’t budge, then I’d give him the one thing he couldn’t have in exchange for the Idol.

Me.

There were worse people to be Soulbound to. I knew that one from experience.

“Fine,” I spat at Lars, still unhappy I had to deal with him at all.

He started to grin, but I snatched his collar and hauled his neck down to my level, moving like a blur until I held the Blade of Death close enough he could have shaved with it.

“But,” I whispered as threateningly as I could, “if you’re lying, if my parents aren’t here, if you’ve harmed even a hair, then I will personally kill you. With a rusty blade, not the quick death this would grant you. I’ll start by making you a eunuch and starving you until you eat your own nuts. Am I clear?”

Lars’s smile faded, but I could sense he wasn’t actually scared. He didn’t believe I’d follow through on my threat.

“Of course,” he said, then laughed. “Now, go. Fetch me the idol, bitch.”

I backhanded him.

He hit me, the knife flinging free.

Aaron shot him in the foot.

I turned to go after the knife, but Vir’s shout called me off.

“Dani, there are more coming. We have to run!”

Shit.

I glanced back to see more shifters pouring out of the house as Vir and Aaron’s men ran across the patio and onto the lawn.

Two of the enforcers, faster than the others perhaps, started to close in on Aaron’s men. Fred spun, ran backward, and dropped them, needing only three bullets to hit both men. Then, he turned back and ran on.

“Come on,” I hissed at Aaron before running.

Behind us, Lars was laughing maniacally, but no more of his men came after us. Aaron and I passed the bodies of the dead shifters—I’d seen the one get hit in the chest—and eventually caught up with the other group.

Together, we ran for it.

“Don’t forget our deal!” Lars cackled after us. “Bring me the Idol, or I’ll kill your parents.”

I grimaced. Of course. That was why the others weren’t coming after us. He didn’t want us dead. He wanted us to get him the Idol.

Up ahead, Vir slowed, Jo bouncing in his arms as he focused his attention on me. I could all but feel the molten heat of his gaze, laser-focused on me. I continued to stare straight ahead, more focused on getting to the trucks than Vir’s indignation.

“You stole the Idol of Amunlea?” he yelped.

I sighed. This was going to get awkward.