Page 26

Dominic

O pting for speed, I rode my motorcycle, weaving in and out of traffic seamlessly. Even a minute late could mean an immediate death sentence for Rin. I parked the bike outside the gym on the sidewalk, not caring about tickets or if I offended anyone.

As I faced the place where I last saw Bree, I gritted my teeth. Even now, her voice curled around the edges of my memory. Her scent clung to the cracks and crevices of the building, teasing me. I’d hoped to never return here, not without her.

The crazy fae woman who ran the gym had put the triskelion sign back up over the door.

Frankie had taken it down after losing the gym to Ichiro.

I still couldn’t quite believe my grandfather had granted my request for ownership of the place, and I had every intention of fully returning it to Frankie once I handled Ichiro and found Bree. One problem at a time.

I steeled myself and opened the door.

As usual, the gym was dark inside, courtesy of the black paint covering the front windows and doors. Although Frankie’s fae magic kept the place hidden from non-Gifted eyes, the paint ensured no snooping humans would see anything they shouldn’t if the spell failed, as unlikely as that scenario was.

I let my eyes adjust to the darker interior and used my other senses to stay on high alert.

It was afternoon, which meant only a few gym members were there lifting weights or using punching bags.

A younger, high-school-aged kid with headphones on mopped an unused section of the floor, oblivious to the dragon who’d just entered.

My breath caught in my throat as the vivid memory of Bree mopping and singing crashed through my mind like a breaking wave. In little more than an old pair of gym shorts and sports bra, her hair captured in a sweaty ponytail and skin flushed pink from the work, she had been radiant. Breathtaking.

That hadn’t been her magic clouding my mind and judgment.

That was her .

Everything I’d felt had been real, and I knew she felt the same.

A familiar older woman with curly brown and white hair and wearing bright pink glasses stepped out of the gym’s office. Her lips dipped into a scowl when she saw me. "What’re you doin’ here, dragon?"

Frankie Delgado had every reason to despise me. I might have agreed to sign the gym back over to her after I acquired it from Ichiro, but I had signed it over conditionally.

Help me track down Bree, and it was all hers.

Except the cranky old fae woman had had no luck finding the two sirens either, and Frankie hated owing favors, especially to a dragon.

"Meeting Ichiro," I said, my gaze quickly assessing the gym again. "Is he here yet?"

Frankie’s scowl deepened, making the lines around her eyes and mouth appear even more prominent. "That dragon ain’t allowed to step one measly claw in here, and he knows it. Not after the shit he pulled."

Ichiro was the whole reason for the fight that resulted in Bree running away and disappearing. Had my grandfather not threatened to take the gym as payment for an outstanding loan, Frankie never would have let Bree fight that night.

No, that wasn’t entirely true. She wanted Bree to fight, but not for that reason. And she never would have pitted us against each other unless we wanted to. I’d lost Bree because of my grandfather’s heartless business dealings. She wouldn’t have felt the need to fight without his meddling.

"You’ll need to make an exception." I held up my hands when Frankie opened her mouth to retort. "Just this once. It’s a matter of life and death."

She snapped her mouth shut and leveled a glare at me. "Once. But twice means war, ya hear?"

The front door opened behind me. I turned around, not wanting to get ambushed from behind, but effectively blinded myself by looking into the bright light streaming in from outside.

I squinted as the door swung shut, cursing myself for the mistake. With the door shut, I could see again. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Ichiro stalking toward me.

The person headed my way was far more deadly.

"Did you think I wouldn’t find out?" Keiko demanded, anger rolling off her tiny frame in menacing waves. Shadowy wisps curled around her legs. "Where is he?"

Beside me, Frankie let out a derisive snort. "Hey kid, he’s kinda in the middle of somethin’ right now."

Keiko’s gaze landed on the fae woman, and I was amazed that Frankie didn’t back down or wither away completely.

Little did she know, she looked Death in the eyes.

Instead of doing either, however, the crazy woman pushed her glasses on top of her head, which immediately tangled in the frizzy mess she called hair, and raised an eyebrow.

Darkness pooled around Keiko’s feet—a dangerous sign. "Unless you have a death wish, old woman, I suggest you mind your own business."

I stepped between the two women before either could dismember the other. A fight between these two powerhouses would be catastrophic for everyone. "This is Frankie, the owner of Subliminal."

"I don’t care who she is. You owe me an explanation." The black shadows stopped gathering, but they hadn’t dissipated altogether.

"I only involve you if it’s necessary," I said.

"Consider it necessary."

"I need to know Ichiro’s terms first, which doesn’t require your help."

The slightest wobble of Keiko’s chin betrayed her underlying emotions. She was barely staying in control, and I didn’t blame her. Rin was her best friend and soulmate. Not only that, but Ichiro had raised her too, treated her better than most.

However, he also saw her as more of a prized pet than a beloved daughter, and her loyalty was to me and Rin above all others. I could only imagine what horrors she’d inflict upon Ichiro if he hurt Rin any more than he already had.

She glared up at me. "If anything happens, I will tear off his limbs, slit his fucking throat, and bathe in his blood while his corpse rots."

I guess I didn’t have to imagine.

Frankie’s eyes lit up, and she cackled. "I may end up likin’ you after all."

Pulling her lips back to expose her extended canines, Keiko hissed.

Frankie elbowed me. "This your new girlfriend or somethin’? I see you lowered your standards, dragon."

I grabbed Keiko around the waist as she leaped at the fae woman—who clearly had a death wish—and held her tight. Marissa and Keiko had more in common than I thought. " This is the equivalent of my little sister. Impulsivity seems to be a common theme among younger siblings."

I set Keiko down away from Frankie, holding her back by the shoulders. "Keiko, stop. I will handle this. Trust me."

Tears filled her big, dark eyes as she looked up at me. The sight of her pain broke my heart. Her voice came out in a whisper, "I can’t lose him, Nic. I just can’t."

"I won’t let that happen," I promised.

I didn’t know if I could keep that promise, but I knew I would give my life to save his.

She nodded and swiped at her eyes. "But if…if anything does happen, promise that you won’t get in my way."

That was one I knew I could keep. "I promise."

As I turned back to Frankie, the front windows exploded inward with a deafening boom. Glass and wood shards flew across the gym as an inferno erupted, engulfing everything in flames.