Page 21 of Between Bloode and Death (Between the Shadows #5)

CHAPTER

TWENTY

Talon Goldwing shot up in bed out of a sound sleep, disturbed deep in his bones.

He’d been dreaming about his dead mate again, as he often did, especially around Ava’s birthday. But lately, the dreams had been getting more real.

“It’s coming, Talon. Help her. Come for me. I miss you.”

He could hear her words as if she’d just whispered them in his ear, as if the many years since she’d been gone didn’t exist, his little Ava close by, her smile brightening his whole world.

Wiping away the tears he hadn’t realized he’d cried, Talon sighed, so tired of existing. He knew Val wanted the best for him. She thought that killing the source of all their sorrows would somehow make up for the terror that had been their lives for so long.

For her, it might. But Talon had lost part of himself over twenty years ago. He ached for his mate, missing her more than anything. So many times he’d thought of joining her, of going out in a blaze of glory by provoking a pack of lycans or poking at a vampire.

But something kept him back. His love for Val, maybe? They’d been friends forever, intimate for a short time that they both knew was a mistake. Seeking a connection deeper than friendship yet finding it lacking. That intimacy hadn’t lasted, though their friendship had remained.

He had a feeling Val knew him almost as well as he knew himself. She worried for him, and yes, he worried for her. That was probably why he’d waited so long to join his beloved in the afterlife.

It’s coming, Talon.

What was coming? He had an impression of danger. Warnings of destruction and chaos that would never cease. An end to everything. But were they just dreams or a warning from his beloved?

Only a cruel twist of fate had kept him alive this long after screwing with a vampire and his mate. He’d thought Val had been safely hidden away from all blame when he’d poisoned Riley and her brother.

Until Khent of the Night Bloode had come calling. The creature wanted Val front and center, a target for his own retribution.

Talon shouldn’t worry. Val had grown up to be a powerful necromancer, one who could take care of herself. Against vampires, though?

She’d left late Monday night to meet the vampire by midnight, technically Tuesday. She’d also told Talon to give her some space, which he had, busy with other demands on his time.

He checked his phone, expecting a message or missed call.

Still nothing.

Now worried for her, Talon left his bed, tugged on clean clothes, and noticed the time. Two in the morning an entire day later. Val should have checked in by now. Unless she was sleeping in her own bed.

She wouldn’t be pleased at being woken up, but he didn’t care. His dream had left a weird feeling in his gut.

He passed one of the bear twins on his way down the hall, not surprised to see him. Shifters kept odd hours. This one smiled at him.

He nodded back. “Hyde. Have you seen Val?”

Hyde shrugged those massive shoulders. He and his twin had to be six and a half feet tall. When shifted, they turned into massive grizzlies that gave even Talon pause.

“It’s late,” the guy said in a deep voice. “She’s probably sleeping. Humans do that,” he added with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

Talon glared.

Hyde grinned.

“I like your twin better,” Talon said just to rile the guy.

Hyde laughed at the lie.

Everyone liked Hyde better. Jekyll was a straight-up asshole at the best of times, which confused most people since the fictional character of Jekyll was the nice one, with his evil twin, Hyde, the dickhead.

Moving through the house that felt a lot better now that Val had purged it from the demon stain that once lingered, Talon ignored the shifters arguing over movie tropes in the common area and went up to the second floor, to the last room in the west wing of the home.

Of course Val insisted on her own space. She thought she creeped people out. And okay, maybe she did. But not Talon. And not the majority of the Beast Brigade, a bunch of loners who grouped together, and who’d been saved a few times by their resident necromancer.

Talon thought Val got a bad rap since everyone equated necromancers with evil. Sure, they did some sketchy things. But heck, Talon had never been a saint and never would be. Unfortunately, people viewed death as bad. So by connection, Val had to be bad as well.

He’d never met a more pure-hearted soul. The grief and anger she carried on her narrow shoulders could have made anyone bitter. Gods knew it had turned him into a dick. But Val remained determined, assertive, and caring for those she considered friends and allies.

She’d never once gone out of her way to hurt someone who hadn’t been asking for it.

He too easily remembered her as the sobbing little girl who’d watched her parents die, looking for him to save her when he could barely save himself.

Talon and Val were closer than family. They were practically the same person.

He knocked on her door.

No answer.

He knocked again and opened it.

She wasn’t there. Shit. He rushed back to his room to check his phone once more. No missed calls or texts.

He sent her one. You still breathing?

After five more minutes when she hadn’t answered, he tried again.

Nothing.

Half an hour later, he left instructions with the group that remained awake, and with Misty in particular. The cat was the sanest and most responsible of all the shifters.

She nodded, her eyes wide. “I’ll let you know if we have any problems. But Talon, everyone avoids this place because of all the death.” She cringed.

The shifters around her cringed as well.

A lot of lycans had been sacrificed on the property to bring forth some weird monsters, supposedly from hell. They all knew the stories.

But hey, Talon would take prior demon infestation over expensive rent any day of the week.

“Right. I’ll bring my cell phone. Call if you need me but give me a little time to call you back. I’m flying over.”

They nodded.

He strode to the roof and stripped off his clothing.

Unlike those cocky lycans, regular shifters didn’t change form and have their clothes magically disappear.

Shifters had to remove them first or end up in shifted form caught in a Journey tee-shirt and jeans with their boxers hanging over their tail feathers. Embarrassing.

After donning a harness where he tucked his phone, Talon shifted into his golden eagle form, one marginally larger than an actual golden eagle. He had no idea why, but he’d always been a little different than his flock, even as a kid.

Ava hadn’t cared though. They’d locked eyes at just five years old and been bonded ever since. Their parents had thought it adorable. Magical. Talon just knew. Ava was his, as he was hers. Until she’d been slaughtered by that prick, Vladimir.

Angry all over again, he let the rage wash the weakness of grief away and took off into the air, his phone strapped to his back, where it wouldn’t be visible should anyone see him and wouldn’t interfere with his flight.

He set a course for the vampire stronghold on Mercer Island, not sure what he would do if he found them hurting Val.

But he could guarantee the bloodsuckers wouldn’t like his retaliation. Talons had a few aces up his proverbial sleeves.

And a lycan that owed him a massive favor.