“Yes,” Mariko said. “I’m dead. You killed me. That means I can come visit you anytime I want to. You’ve been sending men after my sister to kill her. I don’t like that. Wake up and look at me.” She put command into her voice.

Nao’s eyelids fluttered and then he forced himself to peek at her. His sudden inhale was audible and his eyes widened with shock. He reached behind him for the crosspiece running along the four posts, gripped with both fists and pulled himself into a sitting position, the entire time staring at her. He fumbled for a moment and then hit a button. The large panels on either side of the headboard lit up, throwing a dim light across the room.

“Who are you?”

“Mariko. Akiko’s sister. Where is my brother, Ryuu?”

Ricco was proud of the low demand in her voice. She didn’t overplay it or act theatrical, she just stated the truth softly.

“How the fuck should I know where your twisted wreck of a brother is? That double-crossing bastard stole my companies’ research right out from under me. Hacked into our computers and then got his company the patents without doing any of the work. Osamu put him up to it. Feeding him lies about me, blaming me for Eiji’s and Hachiro’s deaths. She never wanted to believe they threatened my family if I didn’t go with them.”

“Where is he?” Mariko persisted.

“Get out of my bedroom before I call the cops.” As Nao gave the order, he reached for the phone beside his bed. Ricco’s hand was there first, so Nao’s fingers tried gripping his. Nao’s head swung around and he gasped in alarm. “Ricco Ferraro.”

“Not dead, Nao. Wet work didn’t suit your team of assassins.”

“I heard your father died.”

Ricco nodded. “He did. No one else.”

“That’s too bad.”

Nao grinned, looking both sly and evil. Ricco didn’t like that his attention kept straying to Mariko. He wanted Nao’s entire focus on him at all times. There was just something nagging at him, something he couldn’t put his finger on, but he was worried. He didn’t want Mariko anywhere near Nao or danger, and he sensed they were all in danger.

“Where’s Ryuu?” He kept his voice low but commanding.

“I told you, I have no idea.” Nao gripped the bar behind him tightly and dragged himself into a very upright sitting position. He glanced at the bell on his nightstand, the one that presumably called his caretaker, but made no move toward it. Instead, he clasped his arms behind his head and leaned back, his eyes on Mariko.

“Osamu told me you’d fuck Ricco. You really are a little slut just like your mother. Osamu and the other women did their best to tell your father, but he wouldn’t listen. He was weak. We didn’t need weak riders. We can’t tolerate weak riders. It was our job to weed them out.”

“Whose job?” Stefano spoke for the first time, and Nao’s head swiveled to face the new threat.

Ricco watched him closely. Nao had that same superior look he remembered so vividly in his nightmares from his teenage years.

Nao leaned toward Stefano. “All of us. All riders. We can’t allow the gene pool to grow weak. It should be pure.”

“Pure?” Stefano echoed, one eyebrow shooting up. “Pure what?”

“Not tainted by weak men or women.”

“Akiko defeated you,” Ricco reminded. “I was there. I saw what she did. You couldn’t take that a woman was stronger than you.”

“She wasn’t stronger.” Nao spat the words at him, glaring now, his famous temper rising. “She was slutty, just like her mother. I heard the talk about Tanaka. What a worm he was. Throwing away greatness. His name. His honor. All for what?” He sneered the last as he looked at Mariko. “A whore.”

“She wasn’t a whore,” Ricco said softly, his voice so low Nao swung his head back toward that thread of a sound. “We investigated her, just as your father’s family would have done before he married her.” He didn’t look at Mariko, he couldn’t. He knew he was revealing far too much. She would know his family had investigated her. “Marie Hammond was a good woman, not a whore. Osamu and the other women were jealous that Daiki Tanaka married her instead of one of them, and they were vicious, turning everyone against her. The lies Osamu told Chiharu caused her to turn on Marie.”

“The International Council investigated your family,” Stefano said, drawing Nao’s attention to him. “Their findings were interesting. Four of your family members were quietly killed by other family members. Do you know why? They went mad. The Archambaults destroyed two others. Osamu has been hospitalized twice in a psych ward and your father once.”

“For depression!” Nao screamed, his face turning bright red with anger. Both fists clenched. “For depression. My father lost everything thanks to that twisted troll and her…” He spat toward Mariko.

“Actually, Nao,” Ricco said calmly, “your father was out of his mind. He tried to kill several nurses after he’d physically assaulted them.”

“You liar. You’re a fucking liar. You fuck a whore, you don’t let them lead you around by your dick. She’s infected you with her weakness. With depravity.” Nao leaned forward, his hands sliding along his mattress as he did so. Instantly the lights on either side of him went out, plunging the room into darkness.

Instincts kicking in, Ricco dove for Mariko. He was too far away to get to her fast enough. Stefano made the same dive from the other side of the bed. It was Taviano who took her to the floor, landing on top of her, his body covering hers. Ricco and Stefano hit the floor on either side of her, wrapping arms around their brother so no part of Mariko’s body was exposed.

A faint hum shimmered in the air for one moment. A thunk. Ricco turned his head away from the bed, peering into the darkness behind them. The door to Darin’s passageway was open and a shadowy figure, holding a crossbow, suddenly turned to run. As the intruder turned, three figures emerged from the shadows, and Ricco recognized three of the Archambault riders.

“Cover me,” he hissed in Stefano’s ear. He patted Taviano on the back and rolled toward the partially open door.

Stefano and Taviano stood, both between the French riders and the door to the passageway. Taviano gallantly helped Mariko to her feet.

All three stared at Nao. An arrow protruded from his chest. His mouth was open grotesquely, as if he’d seen death coming and had tried to stop it with a shout.

“Maxence,” Stefano greeted, looking to the oldest brother. “What are you doing here?” He knew it looked bad, but they were all empty-handed. Still, the French riders would know Ricco had been there as well.