Kyrian turned to face her, then pulled out all the money, about five hundred dollars, he had in his wallet and handed it to her. "Why don't you take the night off and go get a good meal?"
Her face stunned, she grabbed the money and ran.
Kyrian sighed as he watched her dodge through the crowd. Poor woman. He hoped she put it to good use. Even if she didn't, she could certainly use the money a lot more than he could.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of silver. Turning his head, he found two young men in the crowd. They were definitely human.
At first, they appeared to be the typical kind of street-gang youths Nick had once been, tough as nails and wearing black jackets, until he noticed the way they watched him.
As if they knew what he was.
His instincts alert, Kyrian returned their stares. The tallest, who appeared to be in his early twenties, crushed out his cigarette and crossed the street, his eyes never leaving Kyrian.
He raked a cold look over Kyrian's body. "You the Dark-Hunter?"
Kyrian arched a brow. "You the flunky?"
"I don't like your tone."
"And I don't like you. Now that we've dispensed with the introductions and have declared our mutual distaste for one another, why don't you take me to the one who holds your leash?"
The man narrowed his eyes on him. "Yeah, why don't I do that?"
It was a trap. Kyrian knew it. So be it. He wanted this confrontation. Was more than prepared for it.
Willingly, he followed after them.
They led him down the back alleys into a small, enclosed courtyard. Shrubs obscured most of the walls and tall plants blocked the streetlights from the area.
Kyrian didn't recognize any of it. But it didn't matter.
As they rounded a large hedge, he caught sight of Desiderius waiting. His smile evil, the Daimon held a panic-stricken pregnant woman in his arms with a knife at her throat.
"Welcome, Dark-Hunter," he said, his free hand stroking the woman's distended belly. "Can you believe what I was lucky enough to find? Two life forces for the price of one." He bent his head and rubbed his nose against the woman's neck. "Mmm, just smell the strength."
"Please," the woman begged, her voice hysterical. "Please help me. Don't let him hurt my baby."
Kyrian took a deep breath as he fought the fury inside him that demanded Desiderius's blood on his hands. "Let me guess, you'll trade her life for mine?"
"Exactly."
Trying to rattle his opponent, Kyrian let out a tired breath as he surveyed the six Daimons and two human criminals around him. If not for the woman, he could have taken them easily. But one move against any of them and he had no doubt Desiderius would cut her throat. Indeed, Daimons valued very little more than taking the soul of a pregnant woman.
"Couldn't you think up something a little more original than this?" Kyrian taunted him, knowing Desiderius was pompous enough to take insult. "I mean, push your limits. You're supposed to be a crazed mastermind and this is all you have to offer?"
"Well, since you're unimpressed, let me kill her." He pressed the knife against her throat.
The woman screamed.
"Wait!" Kyrian snapped before the Daimon could draw blood. "You know I'm not going to let you hurt her."
Desiderius smiled. "Then drop your srads and move to stand against the fence."
How did he know about those?
"Okay," Kyrian said slowly. "And why?"
"Because I said so!"