Shadow Kissed 03 - Shadowman

back.
    Adam frowned. “Is that Layla Math—?”
    Layla jerked and clutched at Khan as she was struck again, a reverberating tone ringing out as a hammer rings an anvil. The sound set Khan’s teeth on edge, and he willed Shadow to hold his form. She needed him now, in this moment.
    Adam was already on his phone. “Custo. Stop whatever you’re doing. It’s hurting Layla Mathews.” A pause, then Adam sharpened his gaze on Khan. “Yes, he’s here. He brought her.” His forehead flexed with disbelief, his focus shifting to Layla. “You can’t be serious.” Trouble billowed off him, but he nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”
    Khan ignored Adam as he knelt beside them, making another call on that worldly contraption of his. “I have a wounded woman on the main floor, east side, third parlor. We’ll need a gurney.” Another pause. “I have no idea what the nature of her injury is.”
    More heartbeats accelerating. Sudden movement below. One from floors above. But the heartbeat that concerned him was the flutter within Layla’s chest. It stammered into a regular rhythm, and he knew, for the present, that she would survive. What other hurts she’d sustained, he could not guess. Her eyes were wide, jaw was tense, skin was white, as she waited for the next blow. A trail of thick blood trickled from her nose.
    â€œMs. Mathews, help is on the way,” Adam said. “What happened to you?”
    She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I . . . I don’t know.” She ran her fingertips under her nose and the blood spread to her cheek.
    Khan helped her to sit. She leaned back, her weight on his chest. Every sinew in her body was tensed.
    He felt Adam’s attention transfer back to him. “Mind telling me what’s going on?”
    â€œI’ll leave that to your angelic friend. He knows enough.” But clearly not all. What did The Order think they were doing, pounding at the gate without thought or caution?
    Layla pulled a breath. “Mind telling me ?” Outrage roared within her. She pushed away from Khan, her loss diminishing him further, and moved toward Adam. “First Khan says he started the whole wraith business. Then he says Talia—his daughter ?—killed somebody. Then he shows me magic. Transporting. Strange people in the street.” Her words sped up as if she was trying to make sense of it herself. “Next thing I know I’m in a world of hurt. I mean hurt. ”
    Adam transferred his gaze to him, a dangerous smile darkening his expression. “‘Khan,’ is it?”
    Khan remained silent under Adam’s scrutiny. He didn’t have to answer to him.
    â€œI’d like a word,” Adam said.
    Layla grabbed Adam’s arm. “Please. I need to know what’s going on. What’s just happened to me?”
    Adam ignored her request, glancing up instead to signal a couple of approaching mortals, one wheeling a gurney. Khan had bowed over many a stretcher during the millennia. This one was narrow, with railings walling the sides, as if it were part coffin, too. There was no way he would permit his death-touched woman on the thing.
    â€œWill somebody tell me what’s going on?” Layla addressed everyone.
    â€œOkay, help’s here.” Adam stood, fury battering the air, his gaze hot on Khan. “We need to speak privately. And now. In the meantime, our good doctor can look Ms. Mathews over, though she seems to be recovering just fine and can be on her way shortly.”
    â€œIt’s not safe for her to leave,” Khan said.
    Adam shook his head. “The question is whether Segue is safe from Ms. Mathews.”
    â€œHey!” Layla said.
    If Layla was going to take refuge here, Khan needed Adam’s agreement. No, he needed his willing support, and Adam, it seemed, was far from it. Layla, for the moment, could wait; Adam couldn’t. And then there were things he had to tend to. One evil thing, in particular.
    Khan leaned to whisper in Layla’s ear. “You’re safe now.”
    â€œBut—?” Layla sputtered after him.
    As he moved to follow Adam, a medic of sorts knelt beside her, pressing gently around her eyes, the bridge of her nose. “Can you tell me your name?” he asked, and Khan almost laughed. Her name had troubled him, too, this day.
    â€œCome on,” Adam said, gesturing to the