Free Night's Promise by Sandy Lynn Page A

whatever you want.
    “Unless… What does she mean to you? I’ve seen the way she looks at you, she’s terrified of you. Everyone in here is.”
    “Everyone but you, it seems.”
    “So it seems,” the sorcerer answered with a smile.
    Duncan knew the man was right. She was terrified of him. Everyone who saw him was. And he frequently did get to do whatever he wanted because of that. He liked it that way. He enjoyed having none question him. But for some reason he wanted to tell her she had nothing to fear from him, he wanted to help her, to be a hero once in his life, even if only just to one person. But if anyone ever discovered he wanted to help her, neither the woman nor her children would stand a chance. He might as well kill them himself.
    Shrugging, Duncan answered his question. “She’s nice to me. She doesn’t let her fear stop her from being polite, unlike most people.”
    “And that’s why I have power over you. A man in your position can’t afford to like anyone. Not if you plan on keeping your edge. Even now you’re mad at me, yet you don’t attack. Oh I can feel your desire to rip my throat out, yet you’re talking to me.
    “If you really want to kill me you have to take away my power first.”
    “I won’t make the same mistake twice, sorcerer,” Duncan growled, allowing his temper to reign.
    “Good, good.” The man nodded, taking a sip of his drink as though Duncan hadn’t just told him he was going to kill him. “By the way, the name is Thomas.” He took another sip of his drink then looked over at Duncan with a smirk. “Just make sure you strip all of my power, boy.”
    Duncan growled. “I won’t forget. There’s a powerful sorceress that owes me a favor or two. I’m sure she’ll do the necessary spells for me.”
    Thomas laughed. “You’re still not getting it. Let’s try this one more time, a bit slower.” Duncan bared his teeth in anger, but it didn’t faze the sorcerer. “It does not matter if you strip my magicks or even if you kill me, I will still have power over you. So long as I have the power to annoy you, I will have power over you. At night, you’ll hear my voice taunting you whenever someone makes you angry.”
    He turned to face Duncan. “You’ll see my face when you kill them. You’ll kill me more than once, you’ll kill me every time your emotions run hot, every time someone annoys you. But I will always come back.”
    Staring at the man, Duncan thought about his words. When the bartender returned during a lull in their conversation, Duncan ordered the man a drink.
    With a laugh, Thomas lifted his glass in salute. “That is certainly a good, if surprising, start.”
     
    Shaking his head, Duncan returned to the present. Thomas had been a good man. Unfortunately, he never concerned himself with who he pissed off.
    A few months later Duncan had been hired to kill Thomas. Though, to be honest he’d wondered more than once if his death was ordered to test Duncan’s fortitude. He suspected rumors had gotten out about the man he spoke with and, whether it was admitted or not, his friendship was the real reason behind the bounty on the man’s head.
    To his credit, Thomas never flinched when Duncan showed up to end his life. He didn’t even seem surprised.
    The man’s final words still echoed inside his head.
    “Do I still anger you, annoy you?”
    “No,” Duncan replied truthfully, stepping closer.
    “Then you’ve succeeded in removing my power over you.” Thomas lifted his hands to defend himself with a spell. “I consider you a friend, but that does not mean I will roll over and allow you to kill me.”
    “I don’t have any friends,” Duncan responded coldly, a small piece of his soul was screaming, but he ignored it. “But you have my respect. Because of that, I promise it will be painless.” Speeding up, he quickly moved behind the other man. Before Thomas could say another word Duncan grasped the man’s head in his hands and quickly