DX by Carolyn Jewel Page B

had to be right about what was best. He had to be right about what she thought, right about what she remembered and right about how she remembered it. Her shoulders tensed up. The waterfall in the koi pond burbled gently. She was better off now, way better off without him.
    “We were good together, Hell, you know we were.”
    She shook her head. “No, we weren’t.”
    Tuan slid close enough to her to touch her bare shoulder. “Yes, we were.” She pushed away his arm. Inside her, Jaden rumbled his displeasure. Tuan sighed and left his hand on the top of the sofa. “About Agent Lightfeather.”
    “What about him?”
    “I’m interested in talking to him.”
    She pretended to be astonished. “No shit?”
    “I know what he is, Hell.”
    She damn near looked at his face. As it was she managed to veer off at the last minute and stare at his ear. “You mean a covert agent?” She laughed, but it was a close call. “Trust me, Fabienne is the only assassin you need.”
    “You can’t lie to me, Hell.” He was being polite for now and staying out of her head. Thank God. “I’ll know. I’ll always know.”
    Her back was sticking to the couch, and she leaned away from the contact. Jaden ran hot, and she was uncomfortably warm. She shrugged. “Okay, he’s not covert.”
    “He’s the demon who attacked me and killed six of my people.”
    Her pulse jumped but she kept her body still. “Are you sucking crack-addict blood these days, Tuan?”
    “Who do you think gave Milos the video you saw?” He leaned forward. “Damn it, Hell, I watched him do it.”
    “I saw.”
    “As soon as Fabienne told me what happened to Stephano I knew who he must be.” The room was too close and far too warm. And Tuan was about to leave off being polite.
    “Don’t,” she said, lifting a hand. “Just don’t, okay?”
    “Did you send him?” Tuan gripped the back of her neck. The instant he touched her, Jaden put himself in control. Tuan set a hand to her chin and forced her to look at him, but she closed her eyes, willing Jaden to stand down. He didn’t. Jaden opened her eyes, and she saw, as a spectator, Tuan’s deep black eyes and felt the mental pulse of his connection, and what Tuan met was Jaden, not her. Tuan hissed, exposing his fangs and leapt halfway across the room. Fabienne came into the room at a run, a Ruger automatic ready to fire. “No!” Tuan shouted.
    Fabienne slid to a stop, eyes on Tuan. “Boss?”
    Hell stood up, but under Jaden’s power not hers. Her body felt clumsy because Jaden stood like someone who was much taller than she was and whose center of balance was different. He adjusted, and she stopped feeling like she was going to fall over. “I’m fine, Tuan. It’s fine, everything’s fine. Goddamn it, Jaden!”
    “Is that you, Lightfeather?” Tuan said.
    “Yes.” God, that felt strange, his answer coming out of her mouth in her voice.
    “Is she the one controlling you?”
    “No.”
    “I want a deal,” Tuan said.
    Hell gasped when she felt Jaden leave her. She’d have fallen if he hadn’t kept an arm around her. It was a sickening, disorienting stripping of herself from the inside. Fabienne shouted when Jaden appeared in his demon form. God help her, she wanted him back. Fabienne would have fired the Ruger, but Tuan lifted a hand, staring at Jaden.
    “It really is you,” he said.
    Jaden tightened his arm around Hell, keeping her steady. “Go on, Tuan Ng.”
    Tuan’s eyes went flat. All his considerable attention was on Jaden. “I want protection for my people against dogs and humans.” He stayed close to Fabienne. “Your services,” he said. “At my command.”
    “Why should I enslave myself to you, vampire?”
    “Partnership in the Golden Wing.” Tuan smiled. “Forty-nine percent.”
    Jaden shrugged. “And?”
    “Show me where the portal is being built,” Tuan continued, “and I’ll see you get through whenever you want. As long as another one like you takes your place,