“A precaution,” Javan said. “My men are everywhere. Some you can see, and some you can’t.”
“All for one man?” she asked.
Javan was the first to enter the warehouse. He stepped over the threshold and moved to the side to await her. “Rebecca isn’t the only woman he’s killed during his year in Sydney.”
Naomi saw the man sitting in the middle of the empty warehouse on a chair. He wasn’t tied, which made her wary. At any moment he could get up and run. What was keeping him there?
Then she saw the dozens of men above them watching him. Ah. Well, that would certainly keep her in the chair as well.
Elijah put his hand on her shoulder to halt her in the shadows as Javan continued on. Naomi looked at Elijah, but his gaze was on Javan.
“Go to him,” she told Elijah. “I’ll stay here.”
“Javan has ordered me to protect you. That’s what I’m doing.”
She flattened her lips at his tone. Then her eyes returned to Javan. He strode with long, sure strides to the man before he halted in front of the chair.
Naomi saw Javan in profile, and even from that angle she could see the cold fury in Javan’s face. In that moment she was reminded that he wasn’t human, but a sex demon. He had wealth and power in degrees she couldn’t fathom. With one word he could stamp out someone’s life.
And still she wanted to be with him.
“Well, Frank,” Javan said, his voice holding just the right amount of seething rage. “You have one chance to tell me what you’re doing in Australia.”
“I don’t have to answer to you.” Frank snorted, a cocky smile upon his handsome face.
Javan’s smile held no mirth. “You’re in my territory, and you’ve been killing humans.”
“Not humans,” Frank stated.
So he had known Becky was a Nephilim. Had the others he’d killed also been half angel? Naomi hated that her sister had been duped by an attractive face and pretty words. Becky hadn’t known what they were. She couldn’t have been prepared for the seductive urgings being so near an Incubus caused.
Javan put his hands in his pants pockets. “So you’re after Nephilim. Why? You kill them and we can’t carry on our line.”
Naomi saw Javan jerk slightly. She glanced at Elijah to see his jaw clenched tightly.
Javan gave a bark of laughter. “So that’s your angle. You wipe out the Nephilim in Australia to prevent my line from carrying on. Do you forget about the Harem?”
“Marakel is the only one capable of ruling. He’ll remain on the Obsidian Throne for eternity.”
“Without an heir, himself?” Javan asked. Then his eyes widened. “I see. You intend that the only one to use the Harem is Marakel. Nice play.”
Frank’s smile widened. “Everything was working perfectly except that Elijah was supposed to take the fall for the killings.”
Naomi felt Elijah’s fury, but he didn’t make a move.
Javan walked slowly around Frank. “You made several mistakes. First, in thinking you could come to my land and not be discovered. Second, in believing you could frame Elijah. You really should know your adversaries before you wage war on them. Third, in taking the lives of the Nephilim.”
“You know the Nephilim can’t be trusted,” Frank said with a sneer. “All they want is immortality. They offer one daughter to the Harem in the hopes that one of their other offspring will catch the eye of an Incubus for immortality.”
Naomi winced. Did all Incubi think this way of her kind? No wonder the Incubi turned to the Harem as a way to continue their line.
She was really going to have her work cut out for her in regards to Javan. He didn’t say anything to oppose Frank’s views. Naomi knew she couldn’t be a part of Javan’s life, but she really didn’t want him thinking ill of her.
Not when she thought so highly of him.
“I would have given you the opportunity to leave Australia and return to Marakel with what transpired here,” Javan said. He stopped in front of Frank. “But you murdered. That’s punishable by death.”
Frank’s face went slack. “It’s not for you to decide.”
“It is.” Javan took a deep breath. “Australia is Drohas domain, you idiot. You knew to be caught meant death.”
Naomi suspected it was coming, but she still jumped when Javan took two steps and snapped Frank’s neck.
Without so much as a backward glance at Frank, Javan released him and walked to her. He stopped in front of her, his dark eyes searching hers.
“Rebecca has been avenged.”
She swallowed, glancing around him to Frank’s dead body. “And the other girls he killed?”
“We’re notifying their families,” Elijah said.
Naomi turned at Javan’s urging. They walked side by side from the warehouse. “What happens to Frank now?”
“He’ll be sent to Marakel.”