Isis tapped the dagger against her thigh, leaving spots of red on her flowing gown.

I donвЂ™t care.вЂќ I held out my blood-covered hand. Half stumbling, half falling, I scrambled back through the broken window and dropped to my feet. Stop.вЂќ I dragged strength from somewhere inside and struggled to my feet. Without that, IвЂ™d have fallen fifteen floors. A shock of cold hit me, and then my back slammed into the scaffolding guardrail. New YorkвЂ™s din blared too loudly in my ears. A moment of weightlessness took hold and then glass shattered around me. Isis merely swept her hand to the side, and invisible hooks punched through my chest, snapping me sideways. I lunged forward, throwing everything I had into getting between Isis and my daughter. Isis snapped her head around and fixed her sights on the girl sitting up in my bed. вЂњAce?вЂќ Chuck mumbled in a sleep-addled voice. ItвЂ™s been so long.вЂќ All around her the air glittered as if she were a being of light, of good. I fell forward, against the doorframe, smearing bloody handprints on the wall.

Blood spilled between my fingers, slick and slippery. The power in that laugh whirled around me, squeezing me tight, until it was all I could do to stay standing. She turned and glided barefooted into the lounge. вЂњOh, that would be nice, wouldnвЂ™t it?вЂќ She tapped the blade against her chin, leaving a smudge of blood-my blood-on her flawless skin. I couldnвЂ™t help the compulsion it came like a reflex, adding weight and intent to my words, but it washed right off her. I held her gaze and felt her slippery soul moving inside her. вЂњNameless OneвЂ¦you should know by now not to interfere.вЂќ If it werenвЂ™t for the counter holding me up, I would have fallen. She pulled the blade out and stepped back. I breathed her words down, feeling them harden like ice around my heart. Withdrawing, she whispered, вЂњBad monster,вЂќ Her lips were on mine, her tongue sweeping in. Fire surged up my insides or ripped them out I couldnвЂ™t think around the pain to tell the difference. I was nothing to her, nothing but sand and dust. The smallest of smiles in her eyes told me so. She could crush me under the weight of it. Power pulled tight between us, mine and hers, but hers rose up like a mountain, filling the room, the apartment, the building, and folding in around me, making me small inside her embrace. All I could see were the fine kohl lines outlining her brilliant eyes. She caught my shoulder and pulled me into the blade, yanking me close. Isis plunged a dagger into my gut and punched it right up to the hilt, delivering a shock of cold. вЂњDamn you, Shu.вЂќДЄ whisper of a warning tickled my neck and I spun around, lifting a hand to block. I searched the cupboards and found the empty vodka bottle. I staggered to the kitchen, flicked on the light, and blinked back into harsh reality. Around and around the images spun, conjuring the taste and the feel of the goddess under me. Rubbing my hands over my face, I tried to sweep the dregs of the dream away, but they clung on like the whispers of the damned. вЂњJust a dream.вЂќ I didnвЂ™t like the way my voice trembled.

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