{Little Rock, AR | April 2006}

Night after night, Korac stalked Rayne at Nox’s behest. They’d ceased their nocturnal pursuits of their targets four months prior. No dreams. No sweet laughter or the scent of watermelon arousal for four months. Absent from exhilaration for so long, Korac was downright unpleasant to be around.

Pissy didn’t cover it.

Nox’s mood had fared even worse.

Why had the King ordered his General to abandon the dream facet of their mission? Was it because Korac was winning the wager? And then to demand the General follow Rayne around seemed like a taunt. ‘Enjoy watching my girl kiss your girl from afar.’

Fuck off.

At least, the new objective had proved entertaining.

Rayne fancied herself a superhero. Since The Brethren reigned in the traitor, the young Progeny woman acted out by dressing all in black and pitting herself against the terrors of the night.

Robbery.

Assault.

Rape.

Rayne thwarted it all.

And when she wasn’t up to those hijinks, Rayne sang at a dive bar to a seedy crowd of men with appetites darker than she could imagine. Her rich alto begged for a man to put his hands on her. A man with a cold ring and about a foot of height difference between them.

Rayne beckoned Nox to take her.

Korac waited at the back alley for the rebellious girl to exit after her set. She did so, flipping her curled hair out of her heavily lined eyes. If Korac hadn’t seen Rayne climb out of her second-story window, he’d wonder how she’d left the house in a fishnet top and a bra. From following her, he knew she’d bought those skin-tight leather pants with her bookstore earnings.

‘Trouble’ was Rayne’s new middle name, and she never bit off more than she could chew. At least, as far as she knew. Korac would intervene if necessary.

“Don’t worry, Sagan,” Rayne said into her cellphone on her walk to the main street. “If Justin comes near you again, I’ll break his other leg.” She gave a flirty, fake-modest laugh. “Well, how was I supposed to know steroids would weaken his bones? Dosing must’ve shriveled his brains along with his balls—Hang on, Sagan. Let me call you back.”

From the rooftops, Korac watched a human male step in Rayne’s way. She stopped walking as she hung up and squared off with the stranger. Behind her, another potential threat emerged, boxing her in.

Korac was remiss to admit, he appreciated Rayne’s smirk as she asked, “Can I help you, boys?”

The greasier of the two said, “We were hoping to make your wish come true.”

“Yeah, pretty girl. Think you could ‘skin me with your tongue’?” Thing Two chuckled, amused at his reference to Rayne’s lyrics.

Perched on the roof, Korac inhaled the humid April air. In the time it took him to exhale, Rayne had laid the greasy guy low and stomped him with her high-heeled combat boot.

The second assailant snarled, “Bitch,” and flipped open a blade. “Hold still, or I’ll cut that grin off your sweet face.”

Rayne was grinning broad enough to make her guardian proud. She flicked her hand, encouraging Thing Two to come at her with the knife.

Foolishly, the brute charged at her.

Rayne kicked off one wall of the alley, spun and kicked off the other to match her opponent’s height. Up there, she boxed his ears.

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He growled and backed off with his head between his hands.

Rayne stood over her quarry and said, “Next time, pick on someone your own size. Or how about not picking on anyone at all? Creep.” She kicked him the ribs and even from this vantage point, Korac could hear them break.

He followed along the rooftops as Rayne headed back to her parents’ car. She’d borrowed it without permission, like every other night. The Callahan’s worked hard and slept heavy.

Korac tailed Rayne home in a discrete SUV, but the girl didn’t stay inside the modest two-story for long. After thirty minutes, she reemerged in workout gear.

Ah…

To the training course Rayne went, like clockwork. There, she ran and vaulted obstacles, counting her heart rate in a merciless tick Korac couldn’t help but commiserate with.

There was no further need of him this night. Korac left Rayne in the care of his soldiers, who guarded the periphery to prevent anyone from encroaching on Nox’s investment.

What exactly had the King of Cinder invested in Rayne Callahan? Korac wished he knew.

Why ask the General to watch her? All it accomplished was Korac’s begrudging approval. Rayne had grown into a competent fighter with a twisted side. The girl simultaneously baited Nox to take her or Xelan to rescue her after both had disappeared from her life in the last four months. There was a temptation to respect Rayne or worse, like her, but Korac would never forget the destruction Celindria had wrought. Her descendant had to pay for the ancestor’s sins.

Right?

Korac pondered this the entire way back to the compound. Above all of the static of Rayne and Nox, Korac’s libido begged for a hot bath with Sagan. She was never far from his thoughts, evident by the violet pocket square the same shade as Sagan’s eyes. He’d commissioned a matching belt, hoping to use it on her. Soon.

In some ways, Korac both anticipated and dreaded the invasion. Finally, they would reap what Celindria had sowed. But would Sagan still want him after? Could she compartmentalize everything to come? As he pulled into the compound, he could only pray to Elden Sagan saw the coming future as Korac did.

The Little Rock Justice greeted him, wobbling after a long day walking incorrectly in those kitten heels. “Silver General, greetings. May I have a word with you?”

No.

“What is it?” Korac wasn’t even two steps out of the car before this haughty human bore down on him with her pretentious demands. So, he hurried through the halls to the royal quarters, forcing her aching feet to keep up.

Huffing with the exertion, she said, “Well, everyone is wondering when can we expect to serve the invasion? The other Justices are eager to deliver the message of faith to mankind.”

Eager for nacres. Eager for a slightly elevated station at the end of the world.

Korac resisted the urge to roll his eyes with a groan. Instead, he grasped for some eloquent rhetoric to shut her up. “Your fealty is every Icarus’ greatest treasure. We will reward you beyond your imagination. No dream could match the prosperity you’ll soon know. We only ask for a little more of your patience.” He stopped outside the hallway to the royal quarters where Icarean guards prevented humans from entering aside from feedings.

The Justice bowed deep enough to impress Korac. “Thank you, Silver General. We patiently await your orders.”

“Soon, Justice, you will have everything you deserve.” Korac turned and left her on the threshold before knocking on the door to Nox’s quarters.

“Enter, Korac.”

How did he always know?

Korac entered to find Nox staring at the fire once again, as if it were the black flames of his pyre back home. Could he see Rayne’s shape in the orange flicker?

Nox said, “If you’re here, she must be on the training course for the night. Am I correct?”

Korac bowed with his head. “Yes, sire.”

The King of Cinder smiled. “Good. Let her tire. Let her ache. Does she eat?”

“No, your majesty. Rayne survives on meager snitches of calories forced on her by a concerned mother.”

With his eyes reflecting fire, Nox humphed in satisfaction. “Quite.”

After a long second in silence, Korac stared into the flames, saying, “When we invade, she will fall to you.”

Nox met Korac’s eyes then, and the General knew.

This was it.

A thrill shot through Korac, and he said, “I’ll mobilize the troops immediately, sire.”

“See to it, General.”

Before Korac could leave Nox’s quarters, the King called, “Good luck with the wager, soldier.”

It set the General’s teeth on edge for his King’s mood to sour so. “You as well, your majesty.” He left Nox to his obsession before knocking on Colita’s door.

After Sacramento, she answered with the first knock. “Yes, Korac?”

“It’s time.”

Her sky-blue eyes widened before her face transformed into a wicked smile. “Finally.”

Korac needled her. “Did you ever manage to seduce any useful information from Andrew?”

Colita actually stuck her tongue out at him. “No. Did you ever get anything but amateur sex out of that girl you’ve been fucking every night?”

Korac chuckled and dug in his spurs. “I’ll wager our King prefers Rayne’s company to yours because the younger woman is less bratty.”

Acid replaced the petulance as Colita spat, “Maybe you can give her lessons on her future as a slave—”

Faster than Colita could see, Korac cupped her cheek. As he put his face in hers, the viper’s lips parted, releasing her heavy anticipatory breaths. Cinnamon perfumed the air, and she leaned closer for a kiss.

“Say what you want, Colita, you’d bed this former slave in a human heartbeat. If only I’d ever be desperate enough to resort to bestiality, blood whore.”

Colita’s eyes flashed Atramentous as she shouted, “Fuck you,” and slammed the door in Korac’s face.

He smirked.

It wasn’t as gratifying as sex with Sagan, but it was almost as much fun.