He blinked, obviously shocked by the sight of me. But his aura practically glowed; he could unleash his own gifts any time he wanted.

“You are remarkable, Charlie.”

I sat back and angled slightly, so he only had a side view as his gaze flicked to my breasts. Asshole.

“Why are you killing Elysians?”

“Because it is necessary to my cause.”

I cocked my head. Daya had mentioned a cause. “And that would be?” My hip was starting to hurt. I’d have to move soon.

He pushed to his feet, his black tunic and jeans soaked, shaking the water from his red hair. His blue eyes were so light they appeared almost white. He smiled again as I copied his movement, pushing to my feet and standing—hell if I was going to sit on the floor while he stood over me.

Being bare like this, having to endure his blatant ogling, brought the dark power of Charbydon coursing through my veins. So easy and swift to rise, this dark energy of mine.

A ruddy eyebrow cocked and he grinned. “I have to admit I didn’t think I’d be seeing this much of you … so soon, anyway.”

“What is it with you Adonai? Not every female is going to fall down at your feet.”

A perverse smile tugged his generous mouth. “They all bend in the end, Charlie. And we hardly have to lift a finger. That’s why, when someone like you comes along, it makes the chase … thrilling.”

A shiver shot up my spine, but I kept from flinching. “Is that what this is, a chase? Let me tell you something, you fucking scumbag, not a single thing about you appeals to me on any level. I hunt and destroy degenerates like you on a regular basis, and I love my job.”

A deep, disappointed sigh whispered through his lips. “I know.”

Let’s see how he liked a little Charbydon justice.

I drew the power from every part of my body, sucking it into a tight ball in the center of my chest and then sending the dark energy surging down my arms. I clapped my hands together, forcing the power into a single bolt aimed straight toward Llyran’s chest. Rex taught me that one.

The Adonai tensed, his eyes narrowing. Just before it hit him, his big hand whipped out and snagged the bolt. He flicked his wrist, slinging the energy backward like a whip. The bolt wrapped around me, and then Llyran gave a big yank.

I screamed, slamming into him, blinking in shock at how he’d grabbed my power. Grabbed it. I still had so much to learn. He tried to seize my wrists, but I slapped and kicked, able to evade a firm hold because of my slippery skin.

For whatever reason, he wasn’t using his powers, and I wasn’t complaining.

His curses filled the air as he lost balance and slipped, landing on his ass, his back against the tub. Finally he got hold of both my wrists, my stomach pressed flat against his chest and kept there by the fact that he held my arms wide, straight out on either side of me.

And then it started. The push at my mind. I cried out, shuddering at the searing violation as his will shoved its way into my head, too powerful for me to stop.

I never had a chance.

Completely immobile, I was caught like some terror-frozen animal as pieces and images of my memories flashed before me—the most stunning, unique pain I’d ever felt. The images slowed on Mynogan, on the night I’d killed him, sucked the blood from his body, and then he went deeper into those images I’d had during that horrible moment, as though I’d been inside Mynogan, inside the monster.

Please stop. Please stop.

The desire to fold in on myself—to curl into a ball and rock, to scream and deny what was happening—tore through me. My chest was on fire with the scream, with the denial until, finally, it physically burst from me, making Llyran pull back and out of my mind.

My nose was inches from his face and I was panting hard, disoriented and weak.

“Well, well, well … The more I learn about you, Charlie, the more I’m intrigued. You have great power in you. Great … potential. I believe my plans have just changed. In the end, we’ll see exactly what you’re made of.” His eyes took on a fanatical glow. “In the meantime, I’m going to cut a path across your dark city until the streets bleed red. My next one will be just for you.”

“No,” I said, “there won’t be a next one, you bastard.”

I reared back, gritted my teeth, and slammed my forehead into his face, hoping I was strong enough to cause some damage. Pain shot through my skull, but he released my wrists, cursing. He shoved me so hard that I slipped off him and slid back across the tile on my bare bottom as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Llyran’s hand covered his nose. Then he closed his eyes and began chanting. The air changed, making the hairs on my body stand, even the wet ones.

The bathroom window smashed in, the stained glass panes shattering. I covered my head as glass rained down … and then my attention was snagged by the wind. The lamppost outside the window illuminated the darkness whirling overhead.

A small tendril of darkness snaked downward, enchanted by Llyran’s summoning.

My eyes widened in total disbelief at the realization of what I was seeing, what it meant.

Llyran could manipulate the darkness. Fuck.

I panicked; any power I had was completely lost. The only thing left was physical strength and that was waning fast. The darkness snaked its way through the window. I leaned over, grabbing Llyran’s hand.

Just as I went to sink my teeth into his skin, the bathroom door crashed open. Instinct sent my arms over my head in a protective gesture. Beneath my shielding arm, a streak of charcoal arced over my body—a red-eyed, snarling mass that went straight for Llyran’s throat.

Brimstone.

Pieces of wood rained down on me, the lighter ones sticking to my wet skin as the hellhound’s front claws slammed into its target, sinking deeply into Llyran’s chest, piercing his shirt. The beast’s sharp fangs clamped the right corner of Llyran’s neck.

A high-pitched, scalding scream tore from Llyran’s throat, his concentration completely broken. The darkness recoiled from the window as his irises turned from black to a burning, furious blue that latched onto me for a second before the darkness surged back through the window in a storm of wind and gray, enveloped him, and yanked him up and out in a blur.

Gone.

My entire body trembled. I swallowed, slowly reaching up and pulling down a towel from the rack on the wall behind me while Brimstone rooted around the spot where Llyran had just been, confused that his prey had suddenly vanished. The towel flopped down and I held it in front of me, the end under my chin, as Brim stepped over, sniffed my ankle and calf, and then my head where he licked my forehead with his fat, slobbery tongue.

“Mom!” Emma ducked through the massive hole in the door, kneeling down next to me, her arms going around my shoulders. “Oh my God. Are you okay? What happened?”

My hand came up, closed on her arm, and squeezed. Her skin was so warm. My teeth clattered. “Mmm hmm. I’m fine.”

Rex slammed into the door next, not making it through the hole, but knocking the top hinge plate off the doorframe. His momentum sent him skidding across the bathroom floor and straight into the tub, flipping ass over end into the basin. I hadn’t realized he’d been holding my gun until the shot rang out and hit the ceiling, sending bits of plaster raining down.

Rex’s shout of surprise mingled with Emma’s scream as I grabbed her, shoving her down and shielding her with the top half of my body.

Small bits of ceiling pinged the tile. The shower still ran. I released my hold on Em. “Jesus!”

I could just see the top of his wet head as it bobbed up. My gun was next as he slapped it on the rim of the tub to push himself to a sitting position. Thankfully the gun wasn’t pointed at us. I set Emma aside and lurched for the weapon, snatching it out of his hand and flicking the safety. “What the hell possessed you to get my gun?”