faced the man who had taken everyone I loved from me. Doherty was still as smooth looking as ever, dressed in an immaculate grey suit and shiny shoes. Grey peppered his hair, and there were more lines on his face, but his jawline was as hard and sharp as it ever was, as were his eyes. They glinted as he looked me up and down.
I swallowed hard, praying Som’s glamour held. With my dyed blonde hair and altered appearance, perhaps he wouldn’t recognise me.
Doherty frowned, but there was no recognition on his face. Hatred churned in my gut. This man had taken Connor from me. On instinct, and in a move I’d repeated over and over in my head, I raised my gun and pulled the trigger. There was a blur of movement in front of me. I didn’t wait to see what it was, I launched into a sprint only to slam into a wall of muscle. I bounced back, the air knocked from my lungs. There’d been no one there; only space. A fist in my belly dropped me to my knees.
Coughing and spluttering, I raised my gun—only to freeze.
No!
Rawson loomed above me, his body stuck in Were form—a half-shift. His face was a grotesque mask of hair and teeth, but I’d know those eyes anywhere. They'd once held such kindness, such spirit. Now they were utterly empty, as if his deformed body was there, but his soul was gone.
Pain tore at my chest, tears burning my eyes. He wasn’t here...he was dead. I’d grieved for him. I swallowed over and over. This couldn’t be happening. My mind whirled with what this meant. Could Connor be alive, too?
Red eyes stood next to Doherty. He held his right arm out straight and opened his clenched palm. A bullet fell to the ground, pinging as it hit the concrete.
“Now, now, settle down. There is no escape for you. My men surround this place. Besides, you’ll not be missed by anyone here and I need females. You’ve been sold to me,” Doherty said.
I peered up at red eyes, unable to even look at Rawson. I didn’t believe Doherty had a whole army here. He was working under the radar again, and I was his captive—only this time he didn’t realise I was the girl who’d escaped his clutches four years ago.
“Our intel told us we were waiting for the murderer of the proprietor to resurface—and you did.”
That got my attention. My head jerked, and I gave him my full attention. “What? I didn’t kill anyone.”
Doherty shrugged. “Well, someone killed those fae up there, and you seem like the best person to blame. Either way, if you try and run, not only will you die, so will your friend.”
I swallowed my fear. I could possibly shift and rip red eyes a new one, I might even be quick enough to kill Doherty. But Rawson? He’d be faster than me, and he clearly had no control over his mind. If he was told to kill me, he would. And what about Blue? She was human—and she’d been bespelled; she couldn’t run. My gaze slipped to her, and I ground my teeth.
“That’s right. She will die.” Doherty stepped aside, allowing me an unobstructed view of the portal. My stomach sank.
The beautiful fae glared back at me, no hint of softness in his face. “It’s true, I can end you both for entering my world without permission. You are both mine now.”
“Oh no, no, no, that’s not the agreement, Prince B’nar. This one is mine. The crime of murder far outweighs trespass and drug dealing.”
Prince! Shit! I looked at Blue, hoping he wouldn’t take her. High fae were powerful, but those with royal blood were the most powerful, the most cunning and definitely the cruelest fae around. For someone like him, compelling her and controlling her body would be child's play.
The fae prince snarled at Doherty. Magic swirled around his arm, and he eyed the director with such coldness I prayed the man might drop dead from it.
B’nar looked at Blue, then back at me. I tried to hold that powerful gaze, but it was hard even for me. My wolf cowered from the weight of his power and dominance.
“In the interests of peace between our worlds, I will allow you to keep the dealer known as Yellow. This one… this Blue… comes with me. She will await trial, at my pleasure, for crimes against my people and the laws of Faerie.”