Shards of Venus

by Tjalara Draper

  Thane closed his eyes. Nathan didn’t need to taste Thane’s emotions to confirm the self-loathing written all over his face. He stayed silent, allowing Thane the chance to proceed.

  “Every day I regret being involved in Violet’s kidnapping. But at the same time, I can’t regret finding her. She . . .” Thane raised his eyes to the ceiling, searching for his next words. “I saw in her the same strength and courage my mother had. We’d been holed up in that shack for two days, waiting for the other Veniri to return with some more girls. Violet’s friend was on the verge of breaking down. Violet had begged for us to let her friend go and just take her instead. When it became clear neither of them were going home, Violet was strong for both of them, right up until the moment her friend snapped. Violet got hurt in the process, and by the time I turned back to her friend—it was too late. My brother had killed her.”

  Thane crossed his arms over his folded knees. “Violet reminded me that there’s more to this world than just myself. It was what my mother was trying to teach me when I was eight, but I didn’t understand it then. Violet showed me that even when you’re on the verge of losing everything, you still give everything.”

  Thane turned his attention to Nathan. “Both you and Violet gave me a second chance, and I made sure I did my best to turn my life around—to make amends for what I’d done, to right my wrongs. And I tried, Nathan, I really tried to stay away from her, to give her the space to live her life. But some part of me keeps drawing me back to her, and I no longer have the strength to fight it.”

  Nathan quietly processed Thane’s words, a melancholy heaviness in his chest. He still didn’t regret killing Thane’s brother in the woods. Thane’s three older brothers were cut from the same cloth as their monstrous father, and all were wrapped tightly around the queen’s little finger. The less of those Veniri scum in this world, the better. But he’d never realized the weight Thane had been carrying all these years.

  “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”

  Thane lightly snorted. “Would you have listened? You were so concerned that I stay away from Violet. You weren’t ready to hear my side.”

  Nathan was about to rebut when, with a flood of shame, he realized Thane was right. “I’m sorry,” he finally said.

  Thane quirked a corner of his mouth. “It’s fine. I knew you were focused on Violet’s best interest.”

  Nathan slowly nodded, absorbing this new feeling of humility.

  “I didn’t hurt Violet,” Thane said again. “I’ve been looking out for her, making sure she’s okay. I know you think her shield will keep her safe now that she’s reached maturity, but it didn’t stop a guy from attacking her at a night club. I had to ram him with my car so she and her friends could get away.”

  Nathan humphed. “You said Violet remembered. What happened after that? How did she take it?”

  Thane shook his head. “Not well. She started screaming, as if she was in severe pain. And when she looked at me, she . . . she remembered who I was. I tried . . . I tried to explain. I tried to tell her she wasn’t in danger, but she kept screaming and didn’t hear me. And then she pulled out a knife and stabbed me.”

  “She stabbed you?”

  “Yep.” He pulled down the collar of his shirt, revealing an ugly wound. The bluish-black center was ringed by uneven, bubbled flesh that looked burned, as if from acid. Knotted lines of raised skin coursed out from the center to form an irregular star shape. “I’m assuming it was you who gave Violet a star-blade.” Thane’s expression was a mixture of indignation and amusement.

  Nathan arched an eyebrow. “Serves you right. I warned you to stay away from her.”

  Thane chuckled and shook his head. “Where did you even find a star-blade? Does Violet know what else it can do?”

  Nathan released a heavy sigh. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of things Violet doesn’t know. And I’m starting to question my wisdom in keeping it all from her.”

  Thane nodded. After a beat, he asked, “So is she here?”

  Nathan shook his head. “No, I haven’t seen her.”

  “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” Thane let out a frustrated groan and jumped to his feet. “We have to find her. Can you try calling her?”

  Nathan rubbed his eyes with his finger and thumb. “No. I, um . . . lost my phone during my time with the Erathi hunters.”

  Thane’s eyes bugged. “They caught you?”

  Nathan nodded.

  Thane swore under his breath. “Damn. That’s . . . Wait.” His eyes narrowed. “How is it that you’re here then?”

  “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it later.” Nathan stood to retrieve his shirt and tan suede jacket. “How about you fill me in on why Violet was sent home from college? And make it quick, I’m heading out.” He glanced at his watch; Sagan was due any moment. The only things Nathan still needed to grab were some food and his survival go-bag, which was in the cupboard by the front door. It contained enough supplies to last him about seventy-two hours—along with a pretty extensive stash of weapons.

  While Thane spoke, Nathan headed into the kitchen to rummage around in the cupboard, but all he found worth eating was an unopened bag of beef jerky. He really needed to restock his groceries.

  “I just knew something was wrong that night,” said Thane, recounting the details of the murder. “I can’t explain it, but I knew something bad was going to happen. I could taste it on the wind. Cinnamon. It was so strong. Violet was up late, studying at the library. She was the last to leave, and I had to make sure she was safe, so I followed her back to her room. When we got back, everything was in chaos. A girl was killed. She was a friend of Violet’s, and her only crime was falling asleep on Violet’s bed.” Thane ran a hand through his hair. “Nathan, the killer made a mistake. He was after Violet. We need to find her.”

  “I will find her,” said Nathan around a mouthful of jerky. He checked his watch again and frowned. Sagan should’ve been back by now.

  “Great,” said Thane. “Let’s go. I’ll drive.” He took a step toward the back door.

  “Hold up, Romeo.” Nathan blocked his path. “You’re staying here.”

  Thane’s brow creased. “What? No, I’m not. I’m—”

  Nathan shook his head. “Thane, I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear this, but you’re the last person she needs to see right now.”

  “But I . . .” Grief, hurt, then understanding chased each other across Thane’s face.

  “Just give it time,” said Nathan. “She’s been through a lot. At least give her the space to process.”

  Thane dropped his gaze to the floor, and his shoulders slumped. He took a few steps back, only stopping when he bumped into the dining table. Unable to find words to ease the heavy atmosphere, Nathan folded and unfolded the empty jerky packet in his hands. The plastic crackled, filling in the lengthening silence.

  Then a body barreled into him, and arms wrapped around his waist.

  “Nathan! Where have you been?”

  “Violet?”

  Tears streamed from her red, puffy eyes and dripped down her cheeks. She buried her damp face in Nathan’s shirt. “I’m so sorry,” she finally said. “I didn’t know where else to go. A girl died at college, and we got sent home. I tried calling and calling you, but you didn’t pick up.” She looked up at him. “Why didn’t you return any of my calls?”

  Nathan stared at her, frozen. His mind raced, trying to figure out what to do or say.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry on you.” She wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. “Ugh! The last few days have been awful, and—” She choked on a sob.

  Nathan put his arms around her. “It’s okay, Violet.”

  She snuggled against his chest. Nathan tried to surreptitiously catch Thane’s attention. Clearly, she hadn’t seen him yet. But the younger shifter’s focus was fused to Violet.

  Thane shifted, his shoe softly squeaking on the floorboards.

  Violet’s sobbing paused, an
d she twisted to look behind her. Every ounce of color drained from her face as her body turned to stone in Nathan’s arms.

  23

  Twisted Games

  Violet’s stomach lurched.

  Thane stood by the dining table with his palms held out, his fingers spread wide. Her gaze flicked to the scorpion tattoo on his neck. Ice splintered through her veins, tingled down her spine. Her throat tightened and she tasted acid.

  She screamed.

  Nathan’s arms locked tighter around her. “Violet, it’s okay.”

  “Violet.” Thane took a step toward her. “I—”

  Violet pointed, her finger trembling. “It’s him! Nathan, it’s him!”

  “Violet, please. Let me explain,” pleaded Thane.

  She shrunk back against Nathan as Thane moved closer.

  “Thane. Stop. Now is not the time.” Nathan stepped between them, blocking Violet’s view, but that didn’t stop the image of the crystal scorpion from continuing to scald her vision. She huddled against Nathan’s back. Between her nightmares and her reality, she couldn’t get away from the man with the tattoo on his neck.

  “Violet, please, you’ve got to believe me—”

  “Thane. Stop,” warned Nathan again.

  Thane’s voice grew louder. “Tell her, Nathan. Tell her I would never hurt her.”

  Shock gripped Violet, then a severe, sickening dread. She pushed away from Nathan and bumped against the counter, scrabbling for her switchblade. The two men halted and turned to her when they heard the subtle shnik.

  She pointed the knife at Nathan, her teeth bared. “You know him?”

  Nathan’s eyes widened. He squared his body to face Violet, one hand held out in a placating gesture. “Violet, give me the knife.”

  She shook the blade once but made sure it was out of his reach. “Do you know him?” Her voice cracked.

  Nathan’s mouth opened and shut, and he started to shake his head.

  “Don’t lie to me!” she shrieked.

  The impending sobs jolted her chest. This couldn’t be happening, couldn’t be real. It was another version of her morbid nightmares. Nathan couldn’t, wouldn’t know the man that had haunted her for the past three years. A man that had kept his identity hidden in order to play twisted games with her feelings, deceived her for his perverted amusement.

  “How long have you known him?”

  Nathan’s shoulders drooped. “Violet, I . . .”

  “Did you know he was one of the men who kidnapped Lyla and me?”

  Nathan dropped his eyes to the floor and heaved a deep breath. “Yes, I knew it was him.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed the heel of her free hand to her forehead.

  This isn’t real.

  The pain in her throat and chest convinced her otherwise. If Nathan had hidden this from her . . . then what else was he hiding?

  “Come on, Vi. How about you give me the knife and we can talk about this.”

  Out. She needed to get out.

  She locked a hard gaze onto Nathan. “If you come near me again, I will kill you.” Her low voice dripped venom.

  She edged her way to the dining room exit, switchblade still extended, her eyes never leaving Nathan. His pained face sent a stab of guilt through her heart, but she pushed it aside; he was a traitor.

  She turned and ran, ignoring the pleading exclamation from Thane. When she was a few feet from the back door, something heavy crashed to the ground just behind her. She whipped her head around. Thane was sprawled on the floor with Nathan on top of him. Violet didn’t pause to watch the scuffle. She sprinted out the front door and down the driveway to where she’d parked her jeep.

  The engine roared to life, and she tore out of the driveway and headed for the outskirts of town, checking the rearview mirror every second. No one followed her even as she reached the Thank you for visiting Brookhaven sign and continued into the forest.

  A shrill tune startled her. She glanced down at her ringing phone on the passenger seat. Gus’s name flashed on the screen.

  She pressed the answer button. “Gus—” A lump constricted her throat and her eyes blurred with tears.

  “Hey, Vi. I just thought I’d check and see how you’re doing. Autumn and I are home now and . . . Violet? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  “I’m just . . . I’m—” Her sobs claimed her. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  “Where are you, Violet? Are you driving?”

  Her gaze flicked back to the road ahead, then she slammed on the breaks.

  A person was standing in the middle of the road.

  She screamed as the jeep swerved.

  24

  Come At Me, Slith

  “Get off me!” barked Thane, thrashing. “I have to go after her.”

  Nathan’s grip slackened and Thane bucked him off. The older shifter allowed his body to slump into a heap as Thane thundered out the back door, the floorboards reverberating after him.

  “If you come near me again, I will kill you.” Violet’s words echoed in his mind like a chant.

  Nathan winced and rubbed his eyes, but it couldn’t wipe away the image of Violet’s betrayed expression. His hands fell to his sides, and he stared at the wood-paneled ceiling, the last of his energy leaking away. The fatigue from the past few days had caught up to him—although even the evil rays of Aphrodite had been easier to endure than Violet’s stinging words.

  “. . . I will kill you.”

  She had been broken and beat down when he first met her. He’d helped her put the pieces back together, but now she was broken again, and this time it was his doing.

  And all for what?

  For Thane?

  He shook his head. Should he regret tracking Thane down the night he’d found Violet? He’d had every intention of killing him. Thane represented all that was corrupt and repugnant in Nathan’s own race. He’d wanted to destroy every Veniri in existence, starting with Thane, the pathetic Veniri with the tattoo on his neck. When Nathan had raised an arm for the fatal blow, Thane hadn’t fought his impending death, had begged for Nathan to end his life.

  But Nathan stopped. He couldn’t bring himself to follow through with the death strike. The last time he’d seen the boy, right before Nathan had fled the hive and his race, Thane had been about eight years old. Despite Thane’s matured features, he still held a stark resemblance to someone Nathan had broken a promise to long ago, an Erathi woman, also kidnapped when she was a teenager and forced into slavery. Thane’s mother.

  She’d done her best to protect Thane from the abuse of his father and three older brothers, but there had come a time when she could no longer look out for her youngest son. Her words from long ago rang clear in Nathan’s mind. “Please! Promise me you’ll protect my son.”

  He’d spoken truth in that moment: “I promise.” But he’d later ignored his oath for the purpose of his own selfish gain.

  Grief and self-resentment had flooded him as he’d stared at the dispirited Veniri who couldn’t face what he’d become. Nathan was looking at a younger version of himself, at the pivotal time he realized he didn’t want to be Veniri anymore.

  Nathan’s forked tongue lashed out and sampled every flavor of Thane’s self-loathing. But there was more beyond the heavy, bitter tastes of desperation and grief. A sea breeze hint of longing, hope like fresh-plucked mint, and love. Deep binding love, cool and cedar sharp.

  For a moment, Nathan wondered if his race could be redeemed after all. That night in the woods, he decided to follow through on his promise.

  But a few days later, he discovered Thane’s deep infatuation with Violet. Nathan had warned him to stay away from her. Hell, he still remembered the exact phrase he’d used: “You go anywhere near her and I’ll impale you with your own shards! Got it?”

  Nathan hammered a fist on the timber floor. Why hadn’t that damned imbecile listened to him? If Thane had stayed clear of Violet, then she—

  A muffled yell cam
e from outside. Nathan turned to the open back door, an image of Violet struggling to get away from Thane flashing through his mind. Grinding his teeth, he flipped himself onto his feet and lunged toward the door. In a few long strides, he was outside.

  Grinding gravel caught his attention, and Nathan’s stomach dropped. Three men clad in black had Thane pinned to the ground at the end of the driveway. All three wore distinctive amulets hanging from their necks and held weapons with glittering Diamantium trained on Thane.

  Nathan was about to step in and claim that Thane was just an Erathi, a simple human, but then his hopes for Thane sunk. Even from where he stood, he could make out the faint rippling of scales over Thane’s furious expression. The young Veniri was trying his hardest not to haze.

  “Go on, slith.” A hunter leaned into Thane’s face. “Show us those pretty spikes.” He placed the tip of his Diamantium machete on Thane’s chest. “If you won’t show us those spikes, then I’ll just have to find them myself.”

  “Hey!” barked Nathan. All turned to look at him.

  “Well, well,” said the hunter who’d threatened Thane. He stood up and rested his machete on his shoulder, his amulet swinging against his chest. Of the ten vials in the amulet, five were filled. Five types of colored blood from five shifter species slaughtered by this hunter. The man looked Nathan up and down with casual triumph. “I believe this is our runaway, boys.”

  Nathan’s pounding heart beat against his ribcage. How on earth had the hunters tracked him down so fast?

  The hunter chuckled. “You should see the look on your face. Not only were you stupid enough to think you could escape, but you were also stupid enough to take a car with a tracking device on it. Not so smart, eh, slith?”