“They’re being moved to the basement, and all spare hunters are going to stand guard down there,” he replied, walking down one step behind me.

“Any naturi?”

“None that I can sense.”

I think Danaus was about to say something else when the heavy front doors crashed open against the walls. Splinters flew through the air and I barely had enough time to raise my arm to shield my face. There had been no warning, no surge of power. I stayed, unmoving, on the third step from the bottom, a gust of cold air trying to push me back up the stairs. Lowering my arm from my eyes, I saw Jabari step across the threshold, the wind dying away to a whimper.

I’ve heard humans say someone looked like the wrath of God. To me, Jabari looked far worse. Bare-chested, the nightwalker stared at me, his eyes glowing a wicked pale yellow, like so many fires I had conjured in my past. His cheekbones seemed more prominent than usual and his cheeks were hollows. For the first time since I’d met him, Jabari looked like the walking dead. He reminded me grimly of Charon, the ferryman for the underworld. Indeed, I believed Jabari had arrived to usher me from this life.

Some part of me still loved him, but even I was beginning to question who it was that I loved. The questions were piling up, and the one person I’d been willing to trust was holding a stake over my heart. Sadira’s tale replayed in my head as I stared at him, dragging up painful questions as a knot of betrayal and anger rose in my throat. I had seen Jabari manipulate and use other nightwalkers like pieces on a chessboard, moving them about and sacrificing others when necessary to accomplish his ultimate goals. Somewhere along the way I’d convinced myself that I was different, that I truly mattered to the Ancient. Had I been wrong? Would he dangle me before my greatest fear in an effort to control me? Yes.

“Jabari!” I cried, throwing my arms up in sham surprise. “It’s so good of you to join us. Please, come inside.” If it had been at all possible, his gaze would have set me ablaze at that moment. I only widened my smile, my teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached.

“You were ordered to protect Sadira,” he snarled, his voice crackling through the air like lightning.

“And so I have.” My tone was still light and mocking. I had nothing to lose any longer and was tired of being pushed around.

“Here?” He threw open his arms to encompass the manor. At the same time, half of the little globes in the overhead chandelier exploded, dimming the light. Shadows lunged from the corners and clawed up the wall to slink across the ceiling.

“They’ve hunted us for centuries. It’s time they protected us for a while.”

“You go too far.”

“No, not yet,” I said with a sigh. “But don’t worry; I will.” To his obvious surprise, I came down the last three steps to the main hall, drawing closer to him. “Would you like to see Sadira?” Extending my right arm toward the hall along the left side of the staircase, I motioned for him to walk with me. His body was so stiff with rage, he could give only the barest of nods. I don’t know why he didn’t rip me in half then, beyond pure curiosity.

I preceded him down the long, narrow hall, keeping a slow pace, as if I didn’t have a care in the world. What did I have to fear other than the rabid vampire at my back? The pair of hunters flanking the door headed toward the basement with a jerk of my head. No need for an audience. In a fight between nightwalkers, humans just ended up being props.

Opening the door, I saw the same tableau I’d witnessed before leaving to take a shower. Sadira was seated in her chair like a queen, her back to the wall. Tristan stood dutifully behind her with a blank expression, while another pair of hunters stood near the door and window. My own pair of guardian angels, pacing the room, paused as we entered.

“All humans out!” I announced as Jabari, Danaus, and I entered. The two hunters quickly left the cheerful, buttercup-colored salon without another word, but Michael and Gabriel didn’t move. “My angels as well,” I added, my tone softening. Both frowned, but left without another word. I think instincts alone told them to put some distance from this lethal gathering.

I turned to shut the door behind them and found that Danaus was still in the room. My eyes moved from him to the door in a silent question. A grim half smile lifted one corner of his mouth for a couple of seconds. “I don’t fit either of those categories.”

“You may regret this,” I muttered, shutting the door.

“Wouldn’t be the first time where you’re concerned.”

That I believed. If he wanted to remain, so be it. My only worries were Jabari and my neck.

“He leaves,” Jabari ordered, snapping my attention back to the Ancient. “He is not one of us.” I flinched at the sharpness of his voice, but I tried to not let it show. The Elder wanted me groveling before him, cowed and obedient. Not this time.

“No.” I stepped away from the door, to stand next to Danaus. My face was blank, devoid of servitude. I wasn’t taunting or particularly begging for a fight, but I wanted Jabari to know that I was finally drawing the line in the sand.

I sensed more than saw it when the Ancient’s arm snaked out with the intent of grabbing Danaus’s neck. Gritting my teeth, I caught his wrist and shoved him backward, nearly throwing him across the room. Jabari slid across the polished hardwood floor and caught himself before he slammed into the opposite wall. In the far corner, I heard Sadira gasp and Tristan hiss softly at my unexpected response. Both seemed to shrink as Jabari growled, the sound resembling a tiger’s warning more than anything that would emerge from the throat of something that had once been human. His powers flooded the room, nearly choking me. I mentally clawed my way back to the surface, refusing to be swamped by him. Truth be told, I would rather have been killed by Jabari than face the naturi again. But either way, I’d go down fighting.

“Is this what shall finally destroy us? This creature, I will not let you kill,” I spat out, my lips drawn back to reveal my fangs. My posture was hunched as I waited for him to attack again, every muscle pulled taut and ready. The wound in my chest and back screamed in pain, but I pushed it back. The darkness deep inside of me began to rise up, swelling until it started to slowly blot out what was left of my humanity. It was the blood lust, the driving need to feel another creature’s life clutched in the palm of your hand. I remained in front of Danaus, making it clear to the Elder that he would have to go through me first.

“There is always your failure to kill Nerian as I ordered,” Jabari reminded me.

“He’s dead now. Just a few centuries late.”

“You also failed to protect Tabor’s replacement,” he continued, his body completely still. The quiet before the storm. Apparently, Sadira had succeeded in reaching him with the news that evening.

“The naturi knew where we were. They knew.” Rowe always seemed capable of finding me easily. My voice dropped down close to a whisper. “I wonder how.”

“What are you implying?” Jabari’s fingers curled into fists, and the glow in his eyes flared, as if he was using all of his energy not to crush me. He knew exactly what I was saying.

“Not implying. Just curious,” I hedged, trying to give myself some room to maneuver. “The naturi seem one step ahead no matter where I turn. They can’t sense us, but Nerian knew where to find me. They knew to kill Thorne before I even knew who the hell he was. Rowe has come hunting for me twice now. Someone is betraying me.” I moved a step closer.

“So you turn first on your own kind, when the enemy stands at your back,” Jabari bellowed, pointing at Danaus. The nightwalker took a step to his right, moving away from the wall and closer to me.

“Not first. I’ve talked to them. I don’t think Themis has been in contact with the naturi, and they’re not the ones keeping me in the dark.” I’d reached the point where I preferred to see both Danaus and Jabari dead than give either of them another chance to carve out my heart.