But all she had to think of was her parents and the merciless way they'd died by his hands, and the fiery rage in her ignited to a level that wouldn't be intimidated or denied. It demanded his blood.
Sundown Brady was going to die tonight, and she was the harbinger who'd deliver it.
Jess froze as he saw the woman close up. Her black hair was pulled back from her exotic features into a tight ponytail. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark purple shirt, she was armed from head to toe. But that wasn't what stopped him dead in his tracks.
For one instant, he could swear he was looking into Bart's face.
Time seemed to freeze as he took it all in. Her deep blue eyes that were shaped like a cat's. The dimple in her chin. The way she looked at him as if she could kill him.
It was like he was lying on the ground wounded again, looking up at Bart right before he pulled the trigger one last time.
"You bastard!" she snarled in a voice that was hauntingly familiar. One that brought back excruciating memories.
Before he could recover, she lunged at him.
Jess jumped back and twisted, sending her into the wall. He looked at the two Daimons, who were staying out of the fight for some reason. But he didn't have time to contemplate that as she came back at him, slashing at his body with a black KA-BAR.
He blocked her slash with his forearm across hers, then grabbed her hand. Dang, she was strong. Supernatural strong. Not to mention, she kept kicking at him. She fought like a well-trained wildcat.
"Let go of me!" she snarled, head-butting him.
That rattled his senses, but he refused to let go of her. She was too quick and too close for that. If he released her, she'd get a shot in someplace that was going to hurt.
She looked past his shoulder to where the other two were sidelined. "Get him!"
Great. He slung her toward the Daimons. She collided with them, but it didn't slow them down.
His phone buzzed again, warning him he was running out of time. I'm going to be a crispy critter if I don't do something quick. While he could probably hole up here, he didn't want to chance it. Police and workers did occasionally venture down into the drains. All he needed was for one of them to find him loaded up with weapons.
Or worse, a flash flood could swoop down on him. Lionel had warned him on his first night here about seeking daytime shelter in the drains. Every year, there were a number of homeless who died from the flooding. While he couldn't drown, he could be swept into daylight, which would really suck for him.
He had to get out of here. Fast.
The really bad thing was he couldn't kill her. Dark-Hunters weren't supposed to kill humans, even when they were attacked by them. Stupid rule, granted. But it was one Acheron would have their ass over if they violated it.
And then there was the terrible suspicion he had about her identity. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be right or wrong. "Abigail?"
Anger darkened her blue eyes. "You do remember me."
How could he forget? "I thought you were dead."
She shrieked in rage before she attacked him with a fury that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside her. It was the same force that he'd had when he went for Bart.
Now that he knew who she was, there was no way he could hurt her. He choked on conflicting emotions. Relief, sorrow, and the deep need not to let her end his life. "I take it you're the one who's been killing Dark-Hunters?"
She lifted her chin proudly as she swung at him. "With relish. But you're the one I really want."
Why? All he'd ever done was protect her and her family.
He caught her arm and yanked her closer. "Ah, sugar, for that, all you had to do was get naked."
She curled her lip before she attacked even more viciously.
He staggered under a couple of well-placed blows. She was very well trained.
But then, so was he.
Jess twisted the knife from her hand and managed to finally catch her in a sleeper hold. She was harder to grip than a hungry greased pig. Luckily, he was used to pinning such ornery things. But if he'd been human, she'd have freed herself and been back on him.