Dragon Gate by Gary Jonas Page A

was just here because I knew sooner or later, I’d get to kill someone.

CHAPTER SIX
    RAYNA NOBLE
    Rayna sat in Jonathan’s car and waited. She was glad to have the time to herself. Inside of twelve hours, she’d seen her mother and father dead. She needed the time alone to arrange her thoughts.
    Graham seemed certain the Marshall Clan would come for everyone who had even limited involvement in what Thomas must have seen as a grand betrayal and murder. Be honest, she thought, he had to see it as the destruction of everything he’d ever believed or done. Betrayal that deep would require action.
    Her father had certainly been involved. Graham too. The men usually handled things. However, Lucas was the mastermind. Rayna knew her mother went along because she wanted to be with her husband, and Rayna had come along because she had nothing else. After all, she was just a little girl.
    She couldn’t stay behind. All that waited for her there was a marriage to a cold man who cared for little beyond his duty. At least here she could have a life. Here she could help people. Staying behind would change nothing.
    Almost nothing.
    She would either be married and living alone in a castle with no one for company, save the servants, or she’d already be dead.
    Like Mother.
    Like Father.
    She bowed her head. Tears threatened to flow. At first she fought them, but then she looked out at the parking lot. Jonathan was nowhere to be seen. She was alone so she let the tears go. Soon she found herself with her face buried in her hands. Her body shook as she sobbed. Everything would change now. How could it not? She didn’t want to die. Especially now that she’d found a place for herself.
    She cried until she could cry no more. She sniffed and opened the glove box, hoping to find a package of tissues. The glove box held only a car registration, proof of insurance, a little stick of metal with the letter X at the end of it, and an owner’s manual about the Firebird. She closed the box then opened the center console between the seats.
    Altoids and some CDs.
    Men never seemed to have tissues, and she’d used the last one in her purse this afternoon.
    She let the console lid drop into place and wiped the tears from her cheeks with her palms.
    Mother and Father were gone. The Marshall Clan would go after Graham next. Then Rayna. Then they’d finally close in on Lucas and his family. Move in, clear a circle, move to the center, clear that circle. Don’t stop until everyone is dead.
    Rayna considered what would be expected of her. Could she bring herself to drop to her knees and bow her head? It wasn’t proper to even consider going against tradition. Family and honor. Nothing else mattered.
    Right?
    She looked out the window and saw Jonathan approaching the car. He was here to protect her. Was that even permitted?
    Looking at it from old-world eyes, that would be a no. But she wasn’t in the old world. The rules for this world should apply.
    She knew Graham still held on to the old ways, so he would send Jonathan and Kelly away tonight. Then she and Graham would face whatever came their way as brother and sister, the last survivors of Stephen Noble’s lineage. It would all end there unless she could get him to see things her way. That would be a first.
    JONATHAN SHADE
    When I slid into the driver’s seat, Esther let herself drop through the ceiling.
    “All clear,” she said, “but the Sheba’s been crying. If I had tear ducts, I’d be a mess right now too. I wanted to comfort her, but well, you know. Sometimes I hate being dead.”
    I gave Esther a nod then glanced at Rayna. Her mascara was smeared, and the tracks of her tears were still visible on her cheeks. I felt bad for her. I knew only too well what it was like to lose parents.
    “I’m sorry about your mother,” I said. “I wish we could have been here to save her.”
    “She was dead before you came to our house,” Rayna said, her head down.
    She was right, of course.