THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series

by Shana Congrove

  A year ago, Eve wouldn’t have ever imagined she had a twin sister. They’d been separated at birth, living apart all these years, but now she was the only family—other than Sebastian and their twin boys—that Eve had. Although her mother discarded her at birth, and her foster parents tortured her, Eve wanted the same things other children wanted growing up—to be loved. Now, she had a real family, something to look forward to every day, instead of praying for death to end her suffering.

  As the call ended, they waited for whatever came next. If they were lucky, Jem would agree to help Sebastian without confrontation. In truth, Sebastian wasn’t looking forward to a reunion with his half-brothers. He figured Jem would be more lenient, in spite of the fact that he was born with an extraordinary gift. Jem had the power to burn him to the ground with a single flick of his wrist. On the other hand, Jace was the one he was most worried about. Nevertheless, both of them were going to be understandably angry knowing he was in the Covenant. If he could do his part and help the battle angels destroy the creature, he’d take whatever ass-kicking they wanted to dole out.

  It wasn’t long before the sound of a knock came from the bedroom door, followed by Mia’s voice. “Eve, it’s Mia... and Jem.”

  While Eve went to open the door, Sebastian waited in an area that adjoined the bedroom and served as a small dining room with a table and several chairs. He stood back, feeling nervous as hell, and listened to Eve as she spoke to Mia. There was a thread of worry coming from her loud and clear. Then he heard Jem say, “Where’s Sebastian?”

  As Eve invited them in, Sebastian thought of all the things he’d planned to say, but when Jem approached him, the only thing that came to his lips was the simple truth. “Please, Jem, I need your help.”

  Jem’s brow wrinkled. “Because of the situation, I’m agreeing to listen to what you have to say,” he bit out. “But this doesn’t mean I give a shit about you. When it comes to my brother, I cannot promise anything. Jace has more than enough reasons to rip you into pieces.”

  There was a long silence as guilt weighed heavily on Sebastian. “Look, I know this has to be difficult,” he told Jem. “And I’m ready to accept whatever punishment you or Jace seem fitting for what I’ve done to the people you love.”

  When Sebastian turned to face Mia, shame crowded into his eyes, remembering the awful things he’d done to her. Before Sebastian’s dark heart changed, he kidnapped her, threatening to use her as his own personal concubine against her will. “I know there’s nothing I can do to make up for what I’ve done to everyone that I’ve hurt, and that includes you, Mia.” Empathy laced his voice. “I’m sorry.”

  Jem frowned and looked as though he was going to argue, but Mia grasped a hold of his hand and squeezed it as though she was pleading with him to hear Sebastian’s side. In a silent understanding, he lightly squeezed back.

  Mia acknowledged Sebastian with a nod. “I believe in what my sister has told me about what’s happened to you, but that doesn’t mean I trust you. I’ll need some time.”

  Sebastian nodded an agreement. “I don’t expect anything more. But I can promise you this,” he said earnestly. “I swear it on my life I love Eve, and I love my sons. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them. And if it means giving my life for them, then I’m willing to give it.”

  Eve smiled then. Hearing Sebastian’s devoting declaration of words melted her heart. God, she loved this man.

  “Not to cut short on your apologies,” Jem cut in, glaring at Sebastian. “But maybe you better get to the point of why you’re here. The shorter version if you don’t mind. We need to relay this information to Tim and Tessa as soon as possible. We can go over all the details when we meet up with them.”

  Sebastian exhaled a deep breath and explained why he’d been sent. There was a lot of doubt reflected in Jem’s face, but not Mia. Her expression seemed one of shock.

  When he got to the part where Jena was their only hope at destroying the creature, Jem’s expression blackened, and Mia’s mouth fell open.

  It didn’t surprise Sebastian that they had such an upsetting reaction to his explanation. Jem wasn’t the type of man to put an innocent person in harm’s way, so when Sebastian was candid about what Jena had to do, it was almost too much for him to comprehend. Mia just shook her head in denial.

  Jem turned his sharp stare to Mia. “There’s no time to spare,” he said gravely. “This shit is urgent. I need to inform Tim. He’s going to want to gather everyone in the Covenant for a meeting.”

  “You’ve got to do that now,” Mia said to Jem.

  Jem nodded and turned toward Sebastian. “Until we say otherwise, I want you to stay put. We can’t take the chance of Jace’s reaction if he sees you. Things could get out of hand, and right now we’ve got more pressing issues to deal with.”

  “Trust me, you won’t have any arguments from me,” Sebastian replied.

  “Keep your phone handy,” Jem told Eve. “I’ll contact you as soon as I know more.”

  Eve quickly nodded.

  Mia reached out to Eve and placed her hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Eve,” she said softly. “We’ll figure this out. We always do.”

  Eve’s lips formed a slight smile. “Thank you, Mia.”

  With her nerves on pins and needles, Mia followed Jem to the door. When he opened it, her eyes rounded in alarm, so shocked she wasn’t sure how to respond. Jem just froze where he stood.

  “There you are,” Jace said as he stood outside the open doorway, facing Jem. “I’ve been trying to call—” He halted in mid-sentence while his gaze drifted inside the bedroom, his thoughts interrupted by the person standing next to Eve. Then his entire expression instantly hardened. His gaze narrowed and a frown marred the line of his mouth. “You son of a bitch,” he said through gritted teeth.

  The fury in Jace’s voice, the anger evident in his tone, worried Sebastian.

  Chapter Thirty

  By the look on his half-brother’s face, Sebastian knew he was in deep shit. Oh yeah, Jace was definitely pissed-off. His nostrils flared, and he bared his teeth into a snarl. He was like a seething ball of fury ready to explode.

  As Jace lunged forward, Jem grasped his shoulders and held him back.

  “Listen, brother,” Jem pleaded with Jace, “before you lose your temper, let’s step out into the hall and talk.”

  Jace’s jaw ticked and he turned to stare at his twin brother.

  “I know you’re pissed, and you have reason to be,” Jem continued in a low voice. “I get it, okay? But there’s a reason why Sebastian is here, and it has to do with Jena. Please, just give me a few minutes to explain.”

  Jace sent him a disgruntled look. “Get the hell out of my way.”

  Blunt as ever, Jace—who gave new meaning to the term “bull in a china closet”—as always, wasn’t one to hold back on what he was thinking. He didn’t see the value in pussyfooting around what was looking him square in the face. He tended to act out his emotions first rather than thinking them through.

  Jem kept a firm hold on Jace’s shoulders and leaned in closer. “I don’t give a shit what you do. I’m not letting you inside this room.”

  Jace flipped Jem off and shoved past him, nearly knocking Mia down in the process. With fast reflexes, Jem quickly grabbed Mia by the arm and tugged her out of the way.

  When Jace put the person who was soon to be the mother of his child in harm’s way just to get at Sebastian, there was no way in hell Jem could let that shit go. Without hesitating, he spun away from Mia and tackled Jace from behind. The two brothers went down, grunting and cursing as each wrestled for the advantage over the other.

  Mia gathered closer, overwhelmed by what was transpiring before her and cried out, “Please, stop this!”

  Ignoring her frustrated demand, Jace and Jem rolled on the floor, knocking over everything that got in their path.

  Eve moved next to Mia, her eyes rounded in fear and said, “I’m going to go for help before they kill o
ne another.”

  Frantic with worry, Mia looked at her and said, “Hurry, Eve.”

  Taken aback, Sebastian kept his distance and merely watched as his half-brothers grappled on the floor like two five-year-olds, fighting over who was right and who was wrong.

  Jem flipped Jace over his head and then rolled to his knees about the time Jace caught him in a scissor lock. After a period of struggling, Jem finally broke the hold and snaked an arm around Jace’s neck, holding him in a headlock while he gasped for breath. As he finally went completely still, Jem was ready to call it quits and released his grip. Then, to his surprise, Jace suddenly came to. With one swift motion, he curled his fingers into Jem’s shirt and practically lifted him off the floor and tossed him across the room.

  Sebastian’s eyes widened at the sheer strength it took for Jace to toss his brother aside as though he was nothing but a rag doll.

  “You need to back the hell off,” Jem barked when he saw Jace coming after him. Then he gave Jace a look that told him without words that things were fixing to get real serious. He gave him a final warning, “Don’t make me repeat myself, brother.”

  Jace got the hint, knowing his brother’s powers were something no one in their right mind wanted to screw around with and stopped in his tracks before he took another step. “All right,” he gritted out, shifting his eyes to Sebastian with a hateful glare and then looked back at Jem. “Then explain to me why he’s here. And it better be a matter of life and death.”

  “It is, damn it!” Jem let out an aggravated sigh as he moved to his feet. “He’s here to tell us how to destroy the creature.”

  “Well—” Jace threw his hands up in defeat. “Why the hell didn’t you say so in the first place?”

  Jem rolled his eyes and groaned. “You idiot. For once in your life, try listening before you overreact.” There was a protective note in his voice. “You ’bout knocked Mia down.”

  “Shit,” Jace grunted as he swiveled on his feet, and turned to Mia. Pain flashed in his eyes. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. “I’m so sorry, Mia.” He looked at her like a whipped dog. “Please, forgive me.”

  Mia silently nodded. “Please, Jace. Listen to what your brother is saying. Sebastian wouldn’t have come here if the situation wasn’t grave.”

  Jace shifted his eyes back to Jem and sighed. “Okay, I’m listening.”

  Just as Jem was about to explain, Eve came back into the room and brought Tessa and Tim with her.

  “Will someone please tell me what in the hell is going on in here?” Tim demanded as he stepped into the room, his eyes roaming over all the disarray. There were pictures lying on the floor, broken glass, and chairs toppled over. “It looks like a damn tornado went through this room,” he tacked on.

  When Tim noticed Sebastian, he scowled at him, letting the full force of his aggravation bleed into his expression. “How the hell did he get in here?”

  Sebastian looked down at the floor, afraid to pick his head back up.

  “Like I said,” Jem spoke out. “I was just about to explain the situation to this asshole...” He narrowed his eyes at Jace. “...before he lost his temper and all hell broke loose.”

  Jace rolled his eyes and heaved a deep breath.

  Disappointment surged over Tessa as she looked at Jace, and then her eyes shifted toward Sebastian. “Why don’t we let him explain,” she said in a bitter tone. “Tell us, Sebastian.” She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted an eyebrow. “Why are you here?”

  Sebastian lifted his chin and started talking, explaining to Tessa and the others why the battle angels were summoned by the Creator to return to earth, bringing him and the Fury with them. Then he went on to tell them about Jena, and that she was their only hope at destroying the creature.

  When he fell silent, Tessa turned away from Sebastian and looked to Eve. Her instincts were telling her that Sebastian was lying, but it was all too much to take in.

  “I know you don’t trust Sebastian,” Eve said to Tessa. “He has done terrible things.” She paused and looked at everyone in the room. Then she focused her eyes back to Tessa and went on, “After all the horrible things I’ve done to the Covenant, and my sister, everyone believed that I could change. You gave me hope. You even took in my children. You all gave me a second chance.” She glanced at Sebastian. “I know in my heart Sebastian is not the man he was before. Please, for the safety of the Covenant... for all humanity... believe him.”

  “If you’re asking us to forgive him,” Jace chimed in, “you can forget it. What he’s done to Tessa is unforgivable, not to mention all the other rotten shit he’s done.”

  “I’m not asking for anyone’s forgiveness,” Sebastian said. “But you’re right. What I have done to everyone is unforgivable. And if I have to give up my freedom or my life to ease the suffering I have caused, I will give it freely.”

  As Tessa listened to Sebastian, she felt an unnerving shiver pass through her. Her head felt light and her skin flushed warm. And from some very distant place came a suppressed memory, buried deep in her subconscious.

  Tessa’s breath caught in her throat as though she’d just awakened from a dream. “You didn’t do it, did you?”

  Jace moved next to Tessa and wrapped his arm around her. “Honey, he’s not worth upsetting yourself over. Don’t give him the time of day.”

  “You didn’t rape me,” Tessa continued on, keeping her eyes focused on Sebastian as she pulled away from Jace. “That’s why I couldn’t remember that day you kidnapped me until days later.” She stepped forward and stood face to face with Sebastian. “You used your succubus skills to play tricks with my mind.”

  Jace quickly moved in behind Tessa and stared hard at Sebastian with his hand balled up into a tight fist just daring him to make a move so he could punch him in the face.

  Sebastian lowered his head, pausing there for a moment. Then he peered up at her in silence. His eyes flickered dimly, and Tessa recognized the depth of his sorrow, an emotion she knew all too well.

  “No,” he finally said, “I did not rape you, but the other thing is true.”

  “But why?” She looked at him painfully. “Why would you want me to believe such a thing?”

  “I’m sorry, Tessa,” Sebastian solemnly said. “No excuse could ever make up for what I’ve done.” His eyes shifted toward Jace. “I put those horrible images in Tessa’s subconscious to hurt you, Jace. It was wrong. I was jealous of my father’s love for you and Jem. I would do anything to take it all back, but I cannot change what’s been done.”

  In heated silence, Jace glared at Sebastian. Before he opened his mouth to speak, Tessa cut in, “This is not the time nor the place to discuss this. The past is where it should stay. Right now, we have important things to sort out.” Then she changed the subject and said, “How can Jena destroy the creature?”

  “She must give in to the curse,” Sebastian regretfully said. “It’s the only way.”

  “That doesn’t make any damn sense,” Jace said abruptly. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “The only thing that can destroy this creature is one of its own,” Sebastian explained. “In order for that to happen, Jena must turn.”

  “But if Jena becomes this thing,” Tim said, looking at Sebastian in question. “How are we supposed to control her? Won’t she be taking its place?”

  Sebastian looked at Tim gravely. “Yes. Jena will become a killer, but she will only kill the wicked.”

  “This is a lot to ask of her,” Tessa pointed out. “Doesn’t she get a choice in the matter?”

  Sebastian shook his head again. “Jena has already given in to the curse.”

  “What?” Jem shot back in startled response. “But how? There’s no way she could have got out of this Covenant undetected.”

  “Jena did not leave the Covenant,” Sebastian quickly replied.

  “Then how did she manage to get human blood?” Tim queried. “That’s how the curse takes over, right?”

>   “And everyone here is anything but human,” Mia pointed out.

  “The creature...” Sebastian briefly paused, swallowing the knot in his throat. “...came here.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Jace blasted. “Don’t tell me that thing brought in a human for her to feed on.”

  “No, but it somehow tricked Jena by using her own blood,” Sebastian told them. “She’s spellbound by the creature. After she was bitten, the virus soon created an unbreakable bond between them.”

  “So if this thing has her hypnotized, and if they are truly bound to one another,” Jace said, “how are we going to convince her to kill this damn thing?”

  “That’s where the battle angels come in,” Sebastian said. “They are here to convince her.”

  “They’re here?” Jace’s eyes rounded. “Like right at this very moment?”

  Sebastian nodded.

  Jace furrowed his brows. “How in the hell did they get inside the Covenant?”

  “Well,” Sebastian said, shrugging one of his shoulders, “they are angels.”

  “Yeah, ten-foot angels.” Jace smirked. “They couldn’t have just walked through the freakin’ front door. They’d be kind of hard to miss, don’t ya think?”

  “Where are they?” Tim bluntly demanded.

  “They’re with Jena,” Sebastian hesitantly replied. “She let them in through the balcony of her room.”

  Tim blew out a deep breath. “I think it’s time we get some answers. We need to know what all we’re dealing with.”

  “That’s why they came here,” Sebastian said. “They’re going to need the Covenant’s help.”

  “Where’s the Fury?” Tim asked.

  “They’re staying at the Hothburn estate with the two angels, Lailah and Frigg,” Sebastian replied.

  “So which angels are here?” Tessa inquired.

  Sebastian gazed back at her. “I’m not exactly certain,” he murmured. “But I know Lailah asked Cronus, Icarus, and Helios for help.”