Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Emory
They were back in Julien’s bed with the man passed out next to him.
Emory studied Julien’s face that lacked the usual tension he carried in his features.
He liked his strong, elegant features and tight beard.
He ran his gaze down Julien’s back, the covers bunched around his ass.
His constant workout schedule showed in the line of muscle, still visible despite his completely relaxed body.
He had his arms up underneath the pillow, his biceps bulging.
Everything about the man was sexy as hell.
And though he was uptight, Emory was seeing sides of him that were playing with his emotions.
The truth was Julien scared him to death.
He’d been feeling more emotional closeness to the man than he’d ever felt with anyone, and it didn’t help that their sex was off the charts fantastic. His heart had joined the party.
He was also starting to believe this uptight businessman was his soulmate.
That’s what had him sitting here freaking out. He’d never wanted to spend his life with just one person, but he couldn’t deny that it was appealing to him now. All he had to do was think of his life without Julien in it, and a wave of darkness shadowed everything.
Outside of his friends, he’d always been alone and had liked it that way. But now, the thought of going on alone actually made him feel ill.
What the fuck was he going to do?
Because he was sure that Julien wasn’t thinking in terms of forever when it came to him. His earlier words had proved that. Plus, he was newly coming to terms with his bisexuality and would probably want to explore that more.
He pictured Julien with another man, and it was like being stabbed in the chest. He gasped out loud.
Julien’s eyes blinked open, landing unerringly on him. A sleepy smile flitted over his lips as he reached out and placed his hand on Emory’s belly. He stroked his fingers though the trail of hair there. “Can’t sleep?”
“Perk of the job sometimes,” he murmured.
“So all that talk about being a light sleeper was just talk?”
Emory placed his hand on top of Julien’s. “No, I am. But I’m a little more concerned than usual.”
Julien opened his mouth, but a loud crash sounded from outside. Emory leaped from the bed and threw on the sweats he’d set on the bedside table.
Julien sat up. “Do you think it’s the penumbra?”
“I have no idea. Stay here while I check it out.”
The noise had come from the back yard, so he raced down the stairs and through the house to the back door. The porch light was on, and it was enough light for him to see what was in the back yard.
A fucking rakshasa.
He didn’t hesitate, racing outside and bringing out his wings.
It stood over seven feet tall, with massive muscles, long, sharp claws, and eyes glowing red even in the darkness. It was a demonic creature bent on destruction, which it proved as it barreled through the lawn furniture, throwing the table to the side.
This was no sneaky penumbra out to instill fear—no, this was a relentless creature with one goal, and horror washed through Emory. Rakshasas consumed their victims. Whoever had sent it was out for Julien’s gruesome death.
He doubted this had anything to do with William.
Someone else wanted Julien dead in the worst possible way.
He didn’t bother trying to talk to it. Instead, he shot up into the air and aimed a powerful kick to its head that sent it staggering back a few steps.
He didn’t wait for it to get steady, using his mind to send the lawn chairs to slam into it one by one.
It crashed to the ground and let out a loud growl.
Emory’s wings fluttered as he hovered above it. He needed a fucking sword to run it through. All he had were the chairs and a few potted plants. He had no choice but to kill this thing because the thought of it getting Julien absolutely terrified him.
He knew right then that his hunch about Julien being his soulmate had been true.
A world without Julien was no world he wanted a part of.
He spotted a lantern on a steel pole, and he threw out his hand and called it to him. It ripped from the earth, the lantern falling off with the force he used. He caught it midair and dove toward the rakshasa, sending the sharp end of the pole into its belly.
It swiped out long claws, catching Emory across the chest. He managed to pull the pole out as he flapped his wings and took himself out of the reach of those claws.
His chest burned, blood trickling down his stomach.
He hefted the pole, tempted to throw it but not wanting the creature to turn it into a weapon for him.
Instead, he used it like a bat, swooping down to slam it into the side of the rakshasa’s head.
He hit it hard enough to knock it off its feet again.
He didn’t wait for it to get up, this time diving and aiming the pole right through its throat, pinning it to the ground. Blood poured from its mouth as it gurgled and choked. He yanked out the pole then stabbed it through its chest.
The rakshasa went still.
He stood over the massive, dead creature, his chest on fire, and knew he needed to call Xavier for a clean-up crew and possibly Alaric for his wounds. He could tell they were deep.
The door opened behind him.
“Emory?”
“Can you grab my phone?” he asked as he flapped his wings and rose to look into the backyards around them. If anyone had heard or worse, seen, the fight, he’d also need that clean-up crew to haze the neighbors’ memories. But all was dark in the other houses, thank goodness.
Julien brought him his phone. “You’re hurt! We need to clean those cuts.”
“We will. I just need to get the wizards out here to get rid of the body.”
“What the fuck is that thing?”
“It’s a rakshasa, and there’s no way this was sent by William.
” He tightened his lips as he looked at Julien.
“Someone else wanted you dead. This thing wasn’t after your fear.
It wasn’t sent to make you look crazy and discredit you.
It was sent to kill.” He didn’t bother telling Julien what else it would have done with his body.
Didn’t want to give the man nightmares. “I’m taking you to a safe house. No arguments.”
He called Xavier and filled him in, then gave in when Julien insisted he go inside to clean the wounds. Since Xavier was sending Alaric, he didn’t need it, but he acquiesced because Julien was visibly upset.
Not as upset as Emory, though.
There was no way a low-level wizard like William had contact with such a powerful creature and that meant that whoever had sent it here was indeed immensely powerful.
And out to kill the man who Emory was now sure was his soulmate.