Free Shadowman by Erin Kellison Page B

Might just be useful. It revealed what she already knew. That he was no gentleman. He was sick and low to think of her like that.
    Girl’s got all the right parts.
    How dare he? Anger ran hot through her veins, warming her just enough to loosen her stride. A woman drags herself naked and bleeding out of the river and the man can’t get off his lazy behind to help? Maybe lend his coat? She could get sick and die (forever).
    His clothes would do. He certainly didn’t deserve them. The car meant shelter and transportation, too. Get her out of this awful place. She limped toward him, dropped her covering arm and hand when she got near the car so he could get one last good look.
    Gonna get lucky, lucky, lucky.
    The man mopped his reddening face. Licked his lips. Rolled down the window.
    Come to papa.
    It was self-defense all over again. He screamed a little, which was only human. Even with all the dark acts she’d seen in the fires Beyond, she really couldn’t blame him.

Chapter 5
    The eyes. That had to be it, why he seemed so familiar, why she couldn’t shake the sense that she’d been here before. Those slightly tilted eyes were the same as Talia Thorne’s. “You’re Talia’s father ?”
    Khan took a seat in one of his big chairs, leaned back, arms wide on the rests, and crossed his legs with an ankle to the other knee. Big chair, but he managed to dominate it as a king does a throne. Arrogant. “I am.”
    Layla kept the skepticism from her face. Father would put him in middle age, and he sure didn’t look it. Either he kept himself very well, or he was lying. Nevertheless, her informant, Zoe, had been right: there was something to be learned about the wraiths in this dockside warehouse. That Khan knew to drop Talia’s name was proof. She played along. “Do you know who started the wraith war?”
    His expression darkened. “Yes. I am responsible. I and I alone.”
    Disbelief mellowed the pop of shock that hit Layla. Zoe had said she’d find the source here, too, but . . . this guy? Really? “How?”
    He sighed. “You would not understand.”
    â€œ Try me .” Layla felt his gaze on her, searching, debating. She wanted to press but let the silence work for her instead.
    â€œNo,” he finally answered, and she swore inwardly. “Explanations will not work. Not with my family, not with the wraiths. You would have to stay with me and experience it for yourself.”
    Stay with him? “But why? You know I’d have to expose what you’ve done.” What you claim you’ve done.
    He smiled, a slow pull of his sensuous mouth, heavy with meaning. “I doubt very much you’ll do that.”
    Oh, please. Yes, she could admit that on some level she was attracted to him. Fine. But nothing was going to happen.
    â€œI’m sorry. I have to write my story in good faith, as the facts present themselves.” There was too much shoddy reporting going on about wraiths already, some of it resorting to paranormal explanations, which simply didn’t cut it. Wraiths were the product of a disease, not a supernatural event. Period.
    His face grew serious. “Do not misunderstand me. You can reveal whatever you like. I believe, however, that you will choose to refrain. Sometimes a little deception is called for.”
    â€œYou still haven’t answered my question. Why would you want to do this?”
    He leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees, gaze sharpening on hers. “That’s one of the things you’ll have to find out. The most important of all.”
    Layla stepped back, considering. She didn’t trust him, or his offer. And especially his motives. But she didn’t have anything left to lose and no reason to go home. “So you want me to stay with you . . .”
    â€œ. . . and I want you to promise that you will see your story through to the end. That you won’t run from