Niamh hadn’t wanted to remain at the hotel.
She felt trapped in the room that smelled of Kiyo.
Perhaps it was her hurt, rejection, her fury, or all three, but Niamh had never traveled as far and as often as she had last night. She’d traveled with the hotel in mind, popping into the middle of the forest, taking a moment to gather her energy, going again, and popping up in the middle of a small mountain village. Thankfully no one witnessed her suddenly materializing out of thin air.
Niamh continued like this until she landed in a heap in the middle of the hotel room. She was covered in sweat and felt like she’d been weighed down by a hundred leather-covered iron cuffs.
She’d passed out, waking up in the middle of the night to drag her arse into a shower and then to bed.
Come morning, she hadn’t wanted to be alone in the room. Not that she thought Kiyo would be on his way back to find her. He had another night of the full moon ahead of him and hurting Niamh’s feelings probably wasn’t a priority for him.
Not feeling hungry, she forewent breakfast and strolled twenty minutes or so into Chiyoda to see the Imperial Palace. She wandered into the gardens first where she got distracted. Discovering Kokyo Gaien National Garden was much like any of the other national gardens she’d visited in Tokyo so far: like stepping into another world within the city. Not even the buildings towering over in the distance could take away the sense of peace to be found there. The trees were no longer completely barren but beginning to grow leaves, and the grass was losing that frosted dullness. But more special than any of that, two cherry blossom trees had begun to bloom early.
Niamh neared them, gazing upon the sun sparkling through branches of the pale-pink flowers. They existed in a row of cherry blossoms on either side of a wide path that cut through a section of the garden. She could only imagine how spectacular it would look once all the trees had bloomed.
Finding an empty seat on a bench, Niamh tried to relax, taking in the peek of a view of the Imperial Palace in the distance.
But no matter how beautiful her surroundings were, or how much she watched locals relaxing and tourists taking photos, Niamh couldn’t rid herself of the awful knot in her gut.
“I can’t believe you’re still a virgin.”
Niamh winced, hearing Kiyo’s scornful voice in her head. She couldn’t get it out of her mind. He might as well have called her a pathetic loser. And his distaste for the idea of sleeping with someone of such little experience was obvious.
She was a fool.
Because she’d thought he wanted to make love to her … to her. To Niamh.
She hadn’t realized he just wanted to scratch a fecking itch.
Tears burned in her eyes and she pushed them back, her lips twitching into a sardonic smirk. She was one of the most powerful beings on the planet and she’d been reduced to the mentality of a broken-hearted teenager by an emotionally constipated arsehole.
You’re Niamh Farren, she heard Ronan’s biting tone in her mind. You can kick his arse until the end of time. You are a fecking goddess, Nee. And don’t you forget it. He’s lucky you allowed him to touch you.
Determination thrummed through her and she found herself throwing her shoulders back. That inner voice was right. Who was Kiyo to treat her like this? And who was she to take it?
Well, she wouldn’t.
She had a mission in life, and she wasn’t going to be distracted by that wolf any longer.
Pushing off the bench, she ignored the persistent knot in her gut, the sadness deep within the pits of her soul, and focused on a purpose beyond herself. And she couldn’t very well do anything to save the world if she didn’t fuel up.
Following her heightened senses south, she discovered a casual eatery facing onto the park. She ordered some food and found a bistro table outside to watch the world pass as she ate. They’d been lucky with their weather since arriving in the city. Every day had been crisp and sunny.
“It’s a beautiful spot, isn’t it?”
Too busy looking at the park to her left, Niamh started, almost choking on her soba noodles.
Seated at her small table, having appeared as if out of nowhere, was a stunning redhead with amber-gold eyes. With her tip-turned nose, full mouth, and the sprinkle of golden freckles across her cheeks, she was hard to forget.
Niamh swallowed, dropping her chopsticks while she tried to remain cool and calm. “Astra.”
Astra’s smile was beatific but if someone looked closely enough, they’d see that smile didn’t reach her eyes. At all. “Sister.”
Niamh bristled at the designation, especially as they weren’t entirely unalike in physical appearance. “We’re not sisters.”
Manufactured hurt brimmed in the Norwegian fae’s eyes. “We’re all family. But you and I are closer than the others. I know you feel it. Two sides of the same coin. We even look the same. More so now that you’ve dyed your hair.” She cocked her head to study Niamh. “I like it, sis.”
“What do you want?” Niamh decided it was best to get straight to the point; otherwise she’d end up strangling the psychopath.
“I wanted to talk with you.” Astra shrugged. “That filthy wolf was always in the way, but I see you finally rid yourself of him.”
It was hard not to react to her snooty, nasty tone. But Niamh kept it together. “You don’t like werewolves?”
“They’re a dilution. So, no. And I particularly don’t like that one.” She leaned forward and Niamh tried not to flinch as Astra stroked her fingers over her temple. “He shut the door.”
Anger coursed through her at the reminder of what she’d done to her. Niamh grabbed her wrist and threw it away from her. “You’ll never get inside my head again.”
“You’re angry?” Astra seemed surprised.
How the hell could she be surprised that Niamh was furious with her for planting visions in her mind? She said as much.
“I was giving you purpose, Nee.” Astra’s wide-eyed innocence didn’t work on Niamh.
“Don’t call me that.”
She held up her hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I won’t.”
“And you weren’t giving me purpose. You were trying to turn me dark like you.”
Sadness flickered over Astra’s features. “Not dark, Niamh. I was trying to help you right the wrongs of this world while we’re stuck here. Does that make me dark? I never thought of it like that. I just wanted to make bad people pay for the evil things they’ve done. Vampires who kill. Humans who abuse. I thought you and I had that in common.”
“It’s not our job. We aren’t judge, jury, and executioner,” Niamh repeated Kiyo’s words. “And it’s not what you want. You want to open the gate. To destroy humanity.”
“No.” Astra leaned forward. “I want to return home to where we belong. Aine said the gate will close behind us.”
“If you’ve seen what I’ve seen, you know it won’t.”
Astra shrugged. “That’s merely a possibility. And a risk I’m willing to take to go home. I want my brother and my sisters with me.” Tears filled her eyes. “Thea is already lost now that she’s a filthy dog … Rose is making things difficult consorting with the queen’s consort … please tell me I haven’t lost you too.”
“You never had me.”
Fury blazed in Astra’s eyes, the gold dancing like flame.
And then abruptly they were amber again.
Wearing a mask of tranquility, Astra settled back in her chair and a coffee cup appeared in her hand. So blatant. So uncaring of the humans around them.
She took a casual sip, studying Niamh over the rim of the cup.
“He’s not worth it, you know,” Astra said. “Your distraction from the mission. No dog is worth it.”
If the cow called Kiyo a dog or any other insulting adjective one more time … Holding on to her restraint, trying not to give herself away, Niamh shrugged. “Why does he bother you? Are you afraid of him?”
“Please,” Astra scoffed. “I’m an immortal fae. He’s a furry speck in the landscape of time that no one will remember.”
She didn’t know he was immortal.
Thank goodness.
Niamh relaxed marginally. “Then what’s your problem with him? Other than your glaringly obvious prejudice, of course.”
Astra scowled. “At first, I really had no problem with him. I didn’t mind that someone else was there for you while I couldn’t be, to look out for you while you were so vulnerable after Ronan’s death. But then the dog began to influence you in ways I didn’t like. He guided you off our mission.”
“It wasn’t my mission. You took advantage of me when I was at my weakest.”
“I don’t see it that way.”
“Of course you don’t.”
“But I’m sorry if you feel I did something to betray you. That was never my intention. You’re my sister.”
“We’re not sisters,” Niamh hissed, energy crackling angrily around her.
Astra smirked. “There she is. Buried beneath that placid persona is my furious, raging, powerful sibling.”
Niamh immediately calmed.
Astra laughed. “But there’s that self-control of yours I loathe.”
“You can’t change me,” Niamh warned her. “I am who I am, and I know I’m on the right side. You can’t make me help you open the gate. I will fight you every step of the way. You’ll never get me close to that gate.”
Astra gave her a small, smug, knowing smile. “I thought so too. I mean, I don’t need you willing, but with you so focused on your pet wolf, it would be very hard to get you where I need you to be. However … I had a vision. It turns out Kiyo is going to be very useful to me, after all.”
Worry burned through Niamh. Despite how hurt she was, her first instinct was still to protect the bastard.
“Haven’t you wondered?” Astra leaned forward again, her gaze filled with scorn. “Why you feel such a deep, abiding connection to the dirty lupine? I know you have, Niamh.”
Her pulse raced as suspicions she’d kept buried fluttered to the fore.
Astra nodded, expression smug. “Yes, you have. Because you know the signs. And he wouldn’t be able to share your visions unless you shared an incredible bond. The only reason you’ve discarded the idea is because you can’t sense his feelings nor he yours.”
Her adrenaline kicked into high gear. “How do you know all that?”
“My vision helped me understand quite a bit.”
Before Niamh could respond, the familiar scent of earth and smoke caught her attention.
Astra grinned triumphantly. “Perfect timing.”
No!
Niamh glanced behind her, fear filling her at the sight of Kiyo hurrying toward them, his angry gaze focused on Astra. Niamh knew when he recognized Astra from the vision they’d shared because he began to run.
No! Kiyo, no! She pushed up from her chair to stop him, but a blur moved past her, kicking her hair around her face.
And suddenly Kiyo was struggling as Astra held him in her viselike grip. Niamh flew at them, not caring if any humans witnessed their strange interaction.
“Stop!” Astra shouted, raising a syringe over Kiyo’s chest. Niamh skidded to a halt.
Kiyo’s shoulder jerked, as if he was preparing to fight, but quite abruptly, there was a crack and he went limp in Astra’s arms. It was a strange sight—an elegantly built woman, holding a tall, muscled, unconscious male like he weighed nothing.
Niamh’s palms were slick with sweat as she stared at Kiyo’s broken neck. Rage rushed through her. She moved, ready to rip Astra’s head off, when the fae lifted the syringe.
“Ah, ah,” she warned.
Niamh’s eyes narrowed on the silver liquid inside it.
“Do you know what my vision was about, Niamh?”
She shook her head, baring her teeth at the fae bitch.
“It was about what happens to a fae when the most important bond in her life is snapped and taken from her.” Astra smiled sweetly. “It’s enough to make even the lightest soul welcome in the shadows.”
Understanding dawned too late.
Niamh rushed at the fae, screaming her outrage, but the syringe had already been plunged into Kiyo’s heart.
And then Astra was gone.
Kiyo sprawled unconscious in the middle of the park as onlookers watched on in confusion and fear.
Niamh fell hard at Kiyo’s side and pulled up his shirt. Silvery veins had already begun to spread from his heart.
She tried not to panic.
Kiyo was immortal.
He already told her he couldn’t die.
Sensing humans crowding in, Niamh lifted his unconscious body into her arms, pretending to struggle.
“Do you need help?” a young Japanese woman asked in English.
Niamh shook her head, pushing past people to get Kiyo into the restaurant. She ignored the shouted protests from those around her and dragged him all the way into the restroom.
A wide-eyed woman let out a gasp of shock as Niamh hauled Kiyo into a stall.
His head lolled horribly on his neck as she shut the stall door behind them.
Holding him tight, Niamh thought of the hotel.
After a moment of disorienting darkness, she opened her eyes to find them in their hotel room.
Kiyo swayed in her arms and she lifted him with ease.
Lying him down on the bed, Niamh stepped back on shaking legs to study him.
He looked like he was merely sleeping.
“Kiyo,” she whispered. “Why did you come back?”
Creeping forward again, she lifted his shirt to take another look.
The silver veins had lengthened. The spot around his heart was inflamed.
He couldn’t die.
He was immortal.
Astra didn’t know that.
He couldn’t die.
Niamh studied the scar across his belly.
Silver could hurt him. It had left a permanent mark.
What the hell would the silver do to his insides?