Dane's Lair

  Chapter 4

  “I can’t stay here,” said Athens softly.

  Dane was drifting off and his eyes flew open. They lay beneath the tangled sheets, her head tucked against his chest. They had spent six nights together, during which Dane had avoided Noah. He hadn’t tried to transform and had instead passed his days hiding in his lair, fighting his urges to feed, tasting mortality as it crept into him. “Why not?” he asked.

  “Because…” her voice trailed off and Dane felt darkness fill her, causing her blood scent to dip. Because she had killed someone. Her victim’s blood scent had faded but its remnants reminded him that she carried a dark burden, one that would never leave. “I can’t tell you,” she said finally.

  “You forget that I already know what you did,” said Dane.

  Athens stiffened and looked up at him, wide-eyed.

  “You took a life,” Dane said. He passed his thumb over the frown that had formed between her brows. “I know.”

  “Who are you?” Athens said, lifting her body away from Dane’s.

  “Does it matter?” Dane said softly.

  “Yes, actually, it does.”

  “After we spend all these nights together, you ask me this now…”

  A blush reddened Athens’ cheeks and she said nothing, making Dane instantly regret his words. “Fine,” he said, pushing himself up on his elbows. “I’ll tell you who I am, but only after you tell me whose life you stole.”

  Tears filled Athens’ eyes. “He deserved it,” she said, clenching her jaw with hatred flashing in her eyes. Dane blinked as her aura darkened and grew cloudy. Her blood scent became muted, reminding him of the vivid possibility she could once again lose the will to live.

  “Tell me more,” Dane said. Perhaps a confession could free her from the shame darkening her aura. Or it could go the other way and Dane would be faced with an empty soul. His own life force simply would not be enough at that point.

  Athens hesitated. She propped herself against Dane’s chest, her small hand resting lightly on his stomach.

  “Please,” said Dane. “Tell me.” If her confession went right, releasing her burden could keep her wanting to live more than he was capable of. He hoped.

  Athens cleared her throat. “The man I killed was the man who broke into my place and… killed my brother. And my niece.” Athens choked when she mentioned her niece and Dane almost didn’t hear the word before she dissolved into racking sobs.

  “I’m so sorry,” Dane said, stroking her back as she wept.

  “She was only two…” stammered Athens between gasps. Dane’s vision became blurred as her pain grew into him, bridged by the connection they had forged. The connection that strengthened every time they made love.

  "Sounds like the bastard deserved it," said Dane. “How did you know it was him?”

  Athens swallowed hard and her tears stopped. She grimaced as though forcing herself to face something grotesque. Dane tucked some loose hair behind her ear and wiped her damp cheek. Her face relaxed marginally and she spoke, “It happened about a month and a half ago. I got home late. I had to stay at the office longer… so I was late that night. I walked up the stairs to my flat. I don’t know why. I think the stupid elevator was broken again. Anyway, on my way up I passed this man. He ran past me, practically threw himself down the stairs… I didn’t get a proper look and I didn’t really pay attention…” Athens paused and closed her eyes, pain crossing her face. A similar emotion welled up inside Dane. He remained silent, waiting for her to continue. “I walked in and…” Athens inhaled unsteadily. “And… they were both on the floor. No blood anywhere. They were just… dead. I guess.”

  “You guess?” Dane frowned.

  “Yea… I mean, they weren’t breathing but…” Athens hesitated. “They still had a pulse. So maybe they were almost dead. Either way, they didn’t make it.”

  “What?” Dane sat up, the blood draining from his face. A chill worked its way through his body. A heartbeat with no breath. He silenced the alarm in his head. Maybe it was nothing. “Are you sure? Both of them?”

  Athens frowned at him. “Yes, I’m sure.” She tucked one leg under her and turned to face Dane.

  “Do you think they choked on something?” Dane said.

  Athens glared at him. “Both of them? No. That makes no sense.”

  None of it made sense. “So you called the police?” Dane said.

  Athens nodded. “At first I just sat there on the floor… James’ arm was around Lexi…” Tears filled Athens’ eyes but she swallowed them back. “The paramedics tried to revive them but…” Athens dissolved into sobs and Dane stroked her back. When the weeping had subsided, Athens continued. “At the hospital they said that their lungs had collapsed… completely. With no explanation.”

  Athens’ words sounded distant to Dane, drowned out by the roar of dread filling him. A dragon had consumed them. And it wasn’t him.

  “Who was he?” said Dane.

  “Who was who?”

  “The man you killed,” Dane said. “And how do you know he did it?” His throat was tight and Athens glanced at him.

  “The building security cameras had caught him entering and heading for my flat,” Athens said.

  “How did you find him?” Dane said sharply. Athens cocked her head and glared at him. Dane struggled to reign in the anxiety that threatened to overwhelm him but he needed to know.

  His jaw was clenched as he waited for her response. Finally she spoke, “One of the officers investigating… well… I persuaded him to tell me who their suspect was.”

  “Persuaded?” Dane asked, momentarily distracted by her admission. “How?”

  “Let’s not talk about that,” she said, avoiding Dane’s intense gaze. Dane decided to ignore the turmoil that filled him at the vision of her with someone else, for whatever reason.

  “Fine,” he said. “So this officer told you where to find the guy…”

  “Yes,” said Athens. “Then I let him find me.”

  “Where?” Dane said.

  “I knew he lived near here so I rented this room,” Athens said. “I visited all the dodgy bars in the area. I figured there was a chance he would show up. He found me the first night.”

  “Which bar?”

  “The Dragon something…”

  “Dragon’s Lair?” Dane said. Athens nodded and Dane’s tension intensified. “Go on,” he said.

  “So he came up to me and started chatting me up. I don’t think he had a clue who I was.” Athens’ voice was emotionless, “He got really smashed, the prick… I took him for a drive… he was passed out in the rental. I drove us down a dirt road.”

  “You killed him while he was unconscious?” Dane said.

  Athens shook her head. “No. I mean I planned to… but he woke up and felt the knife at his throat. I had tied him down so he couldn’t move.”

  Dane sensed the darkness growing around her. It weaved its way into his chest, its dank weight pull at him, drawing him in.

  “I told him who I was and he didn’t say anything at first…” Athens said. Her eyes were empty slates, flat and cold. “Then I passed the knife along his throat… He started begging. Said he didn’t do it. Said he was just the harvester.”

  Dane jerked upright. “What?” he demanded.

  Athens faced him, expressionless. She continued as if Dane hadn’t spoken. “Then I sliced him open and watched him bleed.”

  “A harvester,” Dane said, staring at the window. Dane could hear the faint rustle of leaves outside the window. His own thoughts rustled with the unease that flowed through his mind. He was not alone. “I have to go,” he said.

  “What? No!” Athens said, stiffening her back. “You haven’t told me who you are yet!”

  Dane hesitated, his feet already on the floor. “I’ll tell you tomorrow night,” he said. “I promise.”

  “No!” Athens insisted. “Tell me now!”

  Once again, her voice was a distant murmur beneath the clamo
ur of panic that filled Dane as he threw on his clothes. “I have to go,” he said. Dane hastened out the door, ignoring her angry glare as he closed the door. He had an overdue meeting with Noah.