Page 13 of The Death Dealer (Sentinels of Magic Book 2)
Trevor sat beside Soleil’s bed as she slept.
Thank the Goddess she’d thought to create the protective bubble. He assumed she’d learned the trick from the Oracle, and it likely saved her life. Other than to say “assault rifles are the devil” before falling asleep, Soleil didn’t discuss her ordeal. The image of her riddled with bullets made his gut churn. He’d meant what he said to her about her fast thinking.
“How is she?”
Trev glanced up to see Gene Stockton hovering in the doorway and grimaced. “She’s fine, but she’ll probably be jumpy for a while until we find the fucker who shot her.”
“I can’t understand why anyone would want to. She’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”
Stockton shuffled closer to the bed and gazed down at Soleil. His brows were drawn together as he pondered over what she might have done to deserve an enemy of this magnitude. Likely, Trev wore the same look.
“She has a simple life, from what I can tell,” Trev replied. “Plants. Her family’s shop. Hell, she even cares for the homeless three times a week. I’m as stumped as you why anyone would target her.”
“But they are. You said it yourself.” Stockton’s expression was grim as he met Trevor’s eyes. “Someone tried to run her down outside the restaurant, and today, they shot her. Thankfully, they were a piss-poor shot.”
“Actually, she conjured a protective shell. Spent bullets littered the sand around her.” After scrubbing his face with his hands, Trevor shook his head. “I don’t get it, but I think this is why I was assigned to her.”
“Like a guardian angel? I thought you were a magical assassin.”
“Yeah. Mostly, I am. But maybe this time, I’m supposed to be on hand to heal her for whatever the Fates have planned.”
Stockton made a face, then eyed her thoughtfully. “I don’t buy it. If she leads such a simple life, what could they possibly need her for?”
“Repopulating the earth with all your black-market plants?”
Gene laughed. “Perhaps, but she isn’t the only earth witch working on the project. She and Spring Thorne have created a collective to restore endangered or extinct plants. Wildlife, too, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Christ. Let’s hope they don’t get it in their heads to Jurassic Park the planet.” Trev muffled a yawn with his palm.
“Why don’t you try to rest? I can watch over her until she wakes.”
His brows shot up. “That’s like leaving a cat with a mouse, man. Not going to happen.”
Stockton chuckled. “As much as I’d love to seduce her, she only has eyes for you, Mr. Blane. You’re a fool if you can’t see it.”
“I see it. But a relationship with me will find her dead within ten years.” Despite how much he might wish differently.
“Looks like she’ll be dead sooner without you around,” Stockton said. “Ah, I can see you hadn’t thought of that. You saved her life today.”
“She saved her own life. I only healed her arm.” Trev shrugged. “If not me, she’d have called her brother-in-law.”
“Do you think you should contact him anyway? It could be these attempts weren’t the first ones, but our mysterious villain is incompetent.”
“Confession?” When Stockton nodded, Trevor continued. “I’m afraid of her brother-in-law. He’s ancient, all-powerful, and scary as fuck when he loses his temper. And I have the feeling he might let loose with his anger if he finds out she’s on some rando’s hit list.”
A half smile twisted Gene Stockton’s lips. “Better to have as many people looking out for her as possible, though. She’s too beautiful a person to succumb to a bullet or the bumper of an SUV, no?”
Trev shot him a sharp glance. “Did I mention it was an SUV?”
“You didn’t. She did. You were too preoccupied watching her to notice what she was saying last night at dinner.” He approached and held out his hand for Trevor to shake. “I’m not your enemy, and I’m certainly not Soleil’s. You saved my daughter today, and I’d lay down my life for either of you.”
Rising to his feet, Trevor accepted the offer of friendship. “I meant what I said. If Lily’s cancer comes back, contact me. Before I go, I’ll give you a list of names as a backup. They can all get the job done.”
“I owe you.”
“No. I don’t hold markers. I have a lot of Karma to fix on my father’s behalf.”
“You realize Benjamin’s sins aren’t yours, Blane? Tell me you understand that.”
Trevor didn’t reply. Instead, he shifted to face Soleil’s bed and stared down at her, noting her pale complexion and how her eyes shifted beneath closed lids, indicating she was in a dream state.
“I have my own sins, Stockton. My hands aren’t clean, and they’re too dirty for the likes of her.” He swallowed down the self-pity trying to choke him. “But maybe someday, I can be worthy again.”
“You’re worthy now, whether you believe it or not, cher,” Draven said as he joined them. “You’ve played the hero many times in the last months.”
“You’re wrong. I did what I was told.”
The air shifted, growing heavier, and Damian stepped from the shadows.
Gene Stockton’s face was pure shock.
“The brother-in-law,” Trev muttered in an aside to him. Louder, he said, “Gene Stockton, Damian Dethridge.”
The Aether gave a half nod and offered up a suave smile. “Mr. Stockton, I presume? I apologize for popping in unannounced, but it’s come to my attention that Soleil was injured. I?—”
From behind him, Sabrina ran through a fold in the fabric of space he’d created and straight for Trevor. “I told him Aunt Lei needed us.”
“Dammit, Beastie!” Damian’s growled irritation created a thick atmosphere. “When will you do as instructed?”
“It’s safe, Papa,” the girl replied, unrepentant.
“That is not the point, and you bloody well know it.”
“You shouldn’t swear,” she said pertly. Dimples appeared as she grinned at Trev. “I wanted to tell you something, Mr. Blane.”
“No!”He practically shouted. With a wary glance at her father, Trevor shook his head. “Sorry. The last time she imparted information, my brain nearly exploded inside my head.”
Damian’s stern expression disappeared, and wry humor lit his face. It was clear his daughter was a miniature version of him. Hands down, the guy would win the title of Sexiest Man Alive for the next two hundred years running. Like him, his daughter would grow to be a great beauty, with her black hair and obsidian eyes. She was already the loveliest child he’d ever seen. The scariest, considering the power she wielded, but the loveliest, all the same.
“We got off topic.” Draven smiled down at Sabrina and tousled her curls. “I was just tellin’ your friend he was worthy of Soleil’s affections, ma petite amie. What do you think of that?”
Trevor growled Draven’s name as a warning.
Unperturbed, the Guardian shrugged, and his eyes, usually lifeless and uncaring, twinkled with intent. Was his plan to matchmake? Why?
“He’s right, you know,” Damian said as he came to stand beside the bed. Reaching out, he grasped Soleil’s hand and felt her pulse, then gently tucked her arm at her side. Seemingly satisfied she was okay, he faced Trevor. “You rid the world of Loman O’Connor and helped rescue an island of prisoners in the process, Blane. You assisted me in protecting an estate full of people. You kept death at bay for Josie, then helped in the retrieval of my daughter. Now, you’ve become Soleil’s protector.” Damian cocked his head and studied him. “How is it you don’t believe you’re hero material?”
“Because I’m not,” he snapped.
“Someone needs a nap,” Sabrina declared loudly into the void Trevor’s irritable reply had left. Pointing behind her raised hand in his direction, she added, “It’s not me.”
“I can see your gesture, kid,” Trevor said with a snort.
“I know.” She shrugged and climbed up on the end of the mattress by Soleil’s feet to watch her aunt sleep. “When can I meet Lily?”
Gene, who had been silent during the entire exchange, likely from shock, sputtered back to life. “You know my daughter’s name?”
“I’m the Oracle. I know everything, Mr. Stockton.”
Sabrina wasn’t trying to be cheeky; she was merely stating a fact. The girl could see the past, present, and future. Not just what had been or would be but all the possibilities in between. Of course, all that was in addition to her continuously forming Aether abilities.
Stockton shot Trevor a questioning glance, to which he nodded in answer.
It shriveled his balls to get close to Sabrina, knowing she possessed the power to bring him low with a single touch of her finger, but he squatted by her side. “Why do you want to meet Lily, kid?”
“I can’t see her future.”
Gene sucked in a breath as Trevor swore.
“But I healed her,” he protested, suddenly livid at the unfairness of life. Why shouldn’t Lily have a full life like anyone else?
“Beastie didn’t mean your plan didn’t work, Blane. Only that the Fates haven’t gotten wind of Lily’s recovery and mapped out a future for her yet,” Damian said in a kind voice. Nicer than he needed to be since Trev was practically yelling at his daughter. Thankfully, the Aether read intent, and his wasn’t to harm Sabrina. Otherwise, he’d be dead already.
“Gotcha.” Still out of sorts, Trev ran his hands through his hair. The desire to escape was building inside him, and he needed to get away. “Okay, since all of you are here to watch over Soleil, I think I’ll go take that nap, after all.”
Damian’s tone was highly amused as he said, “Pleasant dreams.”