Darkness Falls (DA 7) by Keri Arthur

She dumped the pile of clothes on the ornate chair sitting in the corner of the bathroom, then thrust a hand on her hip and added, hervoice full of censure, “It has to stop, Ris. I promised your mom I’d look after you if anything ever happened to her, and I intend to keep that promise, one way or another.”
    I held up my hands. “I know, and I’m sorry I’m making things difficult for you. But I have my reasons—”
    “Hunter, I’m gathering,” she cut in grimly.
    My stomach dropped. How the hell did she find out about Hunter? I doubted Rhoan would have said anything, and she couldn’t have plucked it from his thoughts. He might be her twin, but he was also a telepathic dead zone. It’s one of the things that made him such a good guardian—vampires could neither read his mind nor influence his actions in any way.
    So who would have spilled the beans? Not Quinn, surely. He undoubtedly knew far more about what was going on thanks to his position in the vampire high council, even if he hadn’t yet said all that much to me. But would he have said anything to Riley? I very much doubted it, given that he also had to know just what Hunter was capable of.
    “What makes you think—”
    “Don’t play possum with me, Ris. Not now.”
    I didn’t reply. There was obviously no point in attempting to lie about Hunter’s involvement in my life, but, by the same token, I wasn’t about to say or do anything to confirm it. Not until I knew exactly how much she did know.
    “You can’t keep secrets from a strong telepath for very long,” she continued. “So get your ass into the shower, then come out and tell me everything.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    It was meekly said, and she smiled grimly. “I know that tone, but enough is enough, Ris. I’ve been patient, I’ve stood back, but you obviously can’t—”
    “What I can and can’t do,” I interrupted quietly, “is nobusiness of yours. I love you both to death—you know that—but this situation is mine and Azriel’s to handle, not yours.”
    Her gaze met mine, her expression giving little away. “Perhaps,” she said eventually. “And perhaps not. Breakfast will be in ten minutes.”
    With that she turned and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
    “She is an extraordinary woman,” Azriel commented, then added silently, But she cannot get involved in our dealings with Hunter. As powerful as she is, she would be destroyed.
    Which is why I don’t want either of them involved. Although we might yet need Quinn’s advice—especially when it came to dealing with Hunter. Can either of them hear us when we speak like this?
    No. This is not telepathy as such, but more a melding of spirit and mind that allows communication. He hesitated. Have you never wondered just why the fates chose me over all the other Mijai?
    I raised an eyebrow, amusement lurking on my lips. Because you were the only one with enough patience to put up with my stupid tendency to ignore what is obvious to everyone else?
    His smile creased the corners of his eyes and made my heart do a happy little dance. Aside from that.
    Not really. I shrugged. I just thought it was the luck of the draw.
    There is no such thing as luck when it comes to the fates. I was chosen because you were my Caomh.
    Which meant life-mate—and a whole lot more—in reaper terms. And you knew that from the very beginning? Fuck, Azriel, why didn’t you say—
    What could I have said to convince you, given your determination to keep me at arm’s length? Besides, the fates order, not explain, and while I wondered why they were able to link me to your chi so easily, I did not suspect the reason. Not initially.
    But once you knew what was going on—
    I still could not say anything. We are, as you noted many times, from two very different worlds. And the fates don’t always believe in happy endings.
    After all the shit they’ve put us through, they’d better give us one, I growled, because, believe me, if