Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall Read Free Book Online Page A

hesitance, her determination to fulfill her duties as his Second made a mockery of his own stubbornness. He couldn’t even arm himself anymore. The minute he crossed the threshold of his weapons and training room, she magically appeared and began to load him up with blades.
    As Marcus approached said threshold, he eyed it suspiciously. Had she rigged it with some kind of motion sensor or a hidden camera? How else could she know he was in there every single time?
    Passing by it without entering, he continued forward. This morning, he had stashed his weapons in his basement bedroom in hopes of finally managing to evade her notice.
    He frowned.
    That was another thing. The woman only slept when he did. He had tried altering his sleep schedule, even going so far as to don the protective suit Seth’s human network had devised for the Immortal Guardians and leave while the sun was still high in the sky.
    No luck. Ami had pulled the rubbery mask down over his long hair herself.
    No matter what time of day or night he rose and ventured forth, she magically appeared.
    He paused. Directly ahead lay the front door with its heavy-duty reinforced locks and titanium hinges and chain. On the wall beside it hung an alarm touch pad. What he could see of the living room appeared bare. The long room continued around to his left beyond his line of sight. On the opposite side of the front door lay a small dining area with a breakfast bar that separated it from the spacious kitchen around on the right, which he also could not see.
    A faint noise came from that direction. Ami must be in the kitchen.
    Tensing, he prepared to make a mad dash for the front door.
    “I think the coast is clear,” a voice whispered loudly in his ear.
    Marcus’s head snapped around so quickly his neck popped. And he was pretty sure his feet left the floor when he jumped with surprise.
    His gaze swung down.
    Ami stood mere inches away, her emerald eyes twinkling with mischief as she stared up at him with an impish grin.
    “How did you do that?” he demanded, too shocked to feel anger. Because of his preternaturally acute hearing, even immortals would be hard put to catch him unawares.
    Exaggerated innocence washed across her pretty features. “Do what?”
    “Sneak up on me like that.”
    Brow furrowing, she gave his arm a sympathetic pat. “Well, rumor has it you’re over eight hundred years old, Marcus. Perhaps your hearing is starting to go.”
    There was such an overabundance of false concern in her voice that he actually found himself fighting the urge to smile.
    Before he could do so, he spun on his heel and started for the door.
    “It isn’t going to work, you know,” she called after him.
    He stopped, turned back to face her.
    All levity had fled. Now she studied him gravely. “What isn’t?”
    “Ignoring me won’t make me go away.”
    “Are you so certain of that?” he countered sardonically.
    She responded with a slow nod. “Yes. I don’t duck responsibility.”
    He stiffened, the anger that had eluded him earlier now rising. “Are you saying I do?”
    She tucked her thumbs in the front pockets of her jeans. “I’m saying Seth assigned me to serve as your Second, and nothing you do or say will keep me from doing my job.”
    This tiny mortal woman thought she could hold her own against him? “Your confidence is misplaced,” he warned her.
    “My confidence is exceeded only by my stubbornness.”
    He could vouch for that. “I don’t need a Second!” he practically shouted in frustration.
    Her delicate shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. “Clearly Seth thinks you do.”
    “I don’t give a damn what Seth thinks!”
    A spark of temper ignited in her eyes. “Well, you should. He’s worried about you, Marcus. It’s been eight years—”
    He swore violently, cutting her off. Seth had told her about Bethany?
    Swiveling once more, he strode toward the door. “I’m not discussing this with you. It’s none of your fucking