Shadowfever
Page 66

Too bad youre not really his daughter. He comes from strong blood.
I gave him a look I learned from Barrons.
But nobodys sure exactly where you came from, are they, Mac?
My biological mother was Isla OConnor, leader of the Haven for the sidhe-seers, I informed him coolly.
Really? Because I did some digging when Barrons told me what the OReilly woman said, and it turns out Isla had only one child, not two. Her name was Alina. And shes dead.
Obviously you didnt dig deep enough, I retorted. But I suddenly felt uneasy. So that was why Nana had called me Alina. She must have had me later. Nana just didnt know about it.
Isla was the only member of the Haven who survived the night the Sinsar Dubh was set free from its prison.
Where are you getting your information? I demanded.
And there was no later for her.
How do you know that? What do you know about my mother, Ryodan?
Ryodan glanced at Barrons. The look they exchanged spoke volumes, but unfortunately I had no idea what language they were speaking.
I glared at Barrons. And you wonder why I dont confide in you? You dont tell me anything.
Leave it alone. Im handling this, Barrons told Ryodan.
I suggest you do a better job.
And I suggest you go fuck yourself.
She didnt tell you that the Book visited her the other night at Darrocs. It skims her mind, picks up her thoughts.
I think it only picks up the surface ones, I said hastily. Not everything.
It killed Darroc because it learned from her that he knew a shortcut. Wonder what else it learned.
Barrons head whipped around and he stared at me. You said nothing of this to me?
You said nothing to me about my mother? What do you know about her? About me?
His dark gaze promised retribution for my oversight.
So did mine.
I hated this. Barrons and I were enemies. It confused my head and hurt my heart. Id grieved him as if Id lost the only person who mattered to me, and now here we were, adversaries again. Were we destined to be eternal enemies?
One of us is going to have to trust the other, I told him.
You first, Ms. Lane.
That was the whole problem. Neither of us would take the risk. I had a lengthy list of reasons why I shouldnt, and they were sound. My daddy could take the case all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing my side. Barrons didnt inspire trust. He didnt even bother trying.
When hell freezes over, Barrons.
Same bloody page, Ms. Lane. Same bloody
I turned my gaze away in the middle of hissentence, the ocular equivalent of flipping him the bird.
Ryodan was watching us, hard.
Butt out, I warned. This is between him and me. All you need to do is keep my parents safe and
Little hard to do when youre such a fucking loose cannon.
The door burst open, and Lor and two others stalked in. Tension rolled off them, so thick it seemed to suck the oxygen right out of the room.
Fade followed behind them, carrying a pile of sheets and a roll of duct tape.
Youre never going to believe what just walked into the club, Lor told Ryodan. Tell me to change. Say the word.
My eyes narrowed. Did Lor need Ryodans permission? Or was it a courtesy in his club?
The Sinsar Dubh, right? Ryodan gave Barrons a pointed look. Because it skimmed Macs mind and now it knows where to find us.
You are so frigging paranoid, Ryodan. Why would it even want to find you? I said.
Maybe, one of the other men said, wed make a damned good ride for it, and we dont like being used.
Have you taught her nothing of strategy? Ryodan fired at Barrons.
I havent had all that much time, Barrons said.
A Seelie. A fucking prince, Lor said. Hes got a couple hundred more Seelie from a dozen different castes waiting outside. Threatening war. Demanding you shut the place down, stop feeding the Unseelie.
I gasped. Vlane?
You told him to come! Ryodan accused.
She knows him? Lor exploded.
Its her other boyfriend, Ryodan said.
Besides Darroc? one of the other men demanded.
Lor glared at Barrons. When are you going to wise up and shut this bitch down for good?
The testosterone level was rising to a dangerous high. I suddenly worried they might all transform into beasts. Id be stuck in the middle of a pack of snarling monsters with talons and fangs and horns, and I didnt think for one minute Barrons brand would protect me from the other five. I wasnt even sure it would work on him.
You think its the Seelie you need to be worrying about? said Fade.
What the fuck do you think we should be worrying about? Barrons said impatiently.
Fade swung his gun up and pumped a half dozen rounds into Barrons before anyone even managed to move. Me.
20
The only reason it worked was because Fade caught him off guard. Barrons can move so fast that shooting him isnt the easiest way to kill him.
But he didnt expect Fade to shoot him, and Fade is as fast as Barrons.