She smiled, knowing that what Cass was saying was utter bullshit.
But the truck stopped. Probably because a blood-covered man was in the middle of the road, clutching a stunned-looking woman. Not because of her smile.
“What happened?” An older man with grizzled cheeks and white hair hopped out of the truck. “I saw that cloud of dark smoke and thought someone needed help!”
Ah, the cloud of dark smoke…from their plane crash. Right. She was sure the crash would be creating all sorts of trouble. Human authorities would swarm soon to the scene.
“We need a ride,” Cass said. “We’re gonna need that truck.”
The old man blinked. “What?”
Her gut clenched. She put her lips near Cass’s ear. “Do not kill that man.”
Cass’s head turned. His lips brushed hers. “I was going to pay him.”
Oh. Awesome.
He looked back at the man. “How much? For the truck…and to forget you ever saw us?”
Wait…was Cass forgetting that they had nothing on them? They’d just left a plane crash for goodness sake!
“Five grand,” the driver spit out, looking shocked that he’d even made that statement.
“Give me your name and your address.”
“J-John Parker. I live at 5808 Glendale…”
“Start walking, John. I’ll see that you get the money.”
John’s face reddened. “You think I’m leaving you with my truck? Oh, hell, no.”
Cass sighed. Then he sat Amber down on her feet. Before she could even blink, he had his scythe in his hand.
And the human was backing away—fast. Not just backing away—running. Running down the road so fast she would have thought he was a kid.
“Guess that means we get the truck.” Cass looked back at her. “But don’t worry, I’ll send him the money. I’m a man of my word.”
Or he had been. But if he was really going to betray Luke…
She glanced back at the dark smoke billowing in the air. “How fast do you think that truck can go?”
“Let’s find out…”
***
Luke Thorne slammed down into the middle of the wreckage, his heart racing and a scream still echoing in his ears. “Amber!”
The still flickering flames vanished in an instant but the thick, black smoke kept billowing. He rushed to the left, to the right, searching those twisted chunks of metal. Fear was an acid in his throat. Fear…he hated fear.
Luke! Leo! Amber’s voice had been in his mind, her terror so real that it still flooded him.
“What did you do?”
Luke stiffened. He knew that voice—it could have been his own voice. He turned.
His voice. His face.
His twin.
“Where is Amber?” Leo’s wings were out, the scales seeming to glow. Fury had twisted his face. “What did you do to her?”
“Nothing.” Why was he always the bad guy? Oh, wait…
Leo grabbed him, his fingers digging deep into Luke’s shoulders—not fingers, but claws. When Leo’s emotions got the better of him, his true form often emerged. “I know you hired the Reaper to find her. Why? You were supposed to let her go! We both were!”
“I changed my mind.”
Leo threw him into the air and Luke slammed into what he thought might have been the plane’s wing.
“Is she dead?” Leo’s voice was quieter now. And with the Lord of the Light, quiet was a danger signal.
Just as it was for Luke.
Luke took a slow, deep breath and rose to his full height. His wings weren’t out. Neither were his claws. Yet.
Leo looked away from him. “She always chose you. Why the hell would she do that? You were worthless. You guarded the dark. The monsters. She didn’t need them. She needed—”
“You?” Luke tossed back. It was an old argument. “You with your judgement and your coldness? You kept everyone away, you still do. You think you know what’s best. That only you can say what’s right, but believe me on this, brother…you’re wrong.”
Leo’s hands had fisted. Because his claws were still out…blood dripped from those fists. Leo had shoved his claws deep into his own palms. That was an old habit, one that only Luke knew about.
Leo hurt himself when bad things happened—sometimes, it was the only way he could feel.
“She is light and she is dark. Amber always was. And that was what ripped her from us both.” Luke eased out a slow breath. “But no, to get back to your question, she’s not dead.”
Hope flashed on Leo’s face, and, for a moment, Luke remembered when they’d been children…before the world had said that…one day…one twin would kill the other.
That day hadn’t come. Not yet.
Leo kept ruling the so-called “good” paranormals.
And Luke ruled the “dark.”
“How do you know she’s not dead?” Leo rasped.
“Because I hired the Reaper. And I told him that she had to be brought to me alive. He hasn’t failed me before. He won’t fail me now.” Luke nodded. “He has her.”
“Then summon him! Get that bastard here!”