The Damned
Page 32
Tears in his eyes, Luca had sworn vengeance on the leeches for what they’d done.
He, in turn, had also given his life for it.
The pain peaked through Michael’s body. He’d known to expect it, but that did not make it any less intense. Like a thousand needles stabbing through to his bones. He cried out once more and the sound burgeoned into a howl.
No. He would not seek revenge for what he had lost. That was a lesson for fools.
He would seek purpose. He would go back to where it all began.
And he would make sure the generations to follow never knew this kind of pain.
* * *
From where she sat in the bog, the frogs croaking at her feet, Pippa listened to Michael’s screams. She heard the way his bones broke, the sound like the snapping of twigs. When his cries became inhuman, she covered her ears, tears streaming down her cheeks. Twice she stopped herself from stepping from the shadows. It was a blessing that Michael was distracted by his suffering. Fortunate she could move so quietly. Years of training with her fencing tutor had taught her to stay light on her feet.
What was happening to him? Had she erred in following him into the bayou? When his cries began to shift into the howls of an animal, she stopped short, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.
She didn’t know much. She wanted to help him.
But whatever he’d become was dangerous.
And it did not sound as if he would be able to tell her where Celine and Bastien had gone.
The next instant, Pippa moved from where she was crouched in the bog and began to hurry home.
There were entirely too many unanswered questions around everyone involved with Jacques’ and the Court of the Lions. Pippa knew they were not at all what they seemed. At home in Yorkshire, she’d lived a life tainted by secrets, the ones she kept and the ones that were kept from her.
Pippa despised secrets. Almost as much as she despised being kept in the dark. Her wedding was in less than a month. In her mind, that meant she had a little more than three weeks to find out where her best friend had gone. What kind of secrets Celine continued to keep.
If Michael wouldn’t lead her to the truth, Pippa would begin hounding someone else from Jacques’. Someone who’d already infiltrated their circle. Someone she was bound to understand, especially since they’d journeyed to New Orleans from the same country.
Yes. Arjun Desai would be her next mark.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wrote this book in the middle of many life changes, and it reminded me so much of how cathartic artistic expression can be. It’s easy to lose sight of that in all the deadlines, the social media posts, and the frenetic energy of each passing day. To write is such a gift, and it is a gift made possible by so many, including each and every one of my readers. I have the best readers in the world. You make me laugh and cry and experience joy and sorrow in the fullest measure. To me, that is the stuff that makes life worth living.
To my agent, Barbara: thank you for always being the mast of the ship in any storm.
To my editor, Stacey: thank you for always having the best questions and the best laugh in the world. The owner of Count Saint Germain’s home will never be the same after crossing paths with us.
To the tireless team of dream makers at Penguin: thank you for loving and championing my stories with such unabashed enthusiasm. Special thanks to my publicist, Olivia, for all your amazing work. To Tessa for the tireless planning and for midnight tacos in the middle of nowhere. Thank you to Caitlin Tutterow for your patience and professionalism. A huge thank-you to Carmela Iaria, Venessa Carson, Doni Kay, Felicia Frazier, Shanta Newlin, Christina Colangelo, the entire marketing team, and the wonderful book lovers in school and library. Special shout-out to Kara Brammer and Felicity Vallence for being The Best™.
To Cindy and Anne for the notes and meticulous edits and for keeping my days of the week straight. Anne, thank you for sharing your love and expertise on our favorite city.
To Carrie and Brendan: it is such a gift to have you both so close by. I especially like how everyone at Cantina just knows to leave us alone. For hours. As long as we have chips.
To Jessica Khoury for the map. It never fails to take my breath away.
To Alwyn, Rosh, JJ, and Lemon: I am so lucky to have you in my life. CMC forever.
To Baa: you are more than a friend. You are family. Every day I am thankful for you.
To Emily Williams: thank you so much for keeping me on track and making sense out of the chaos.
To everyone at IGLA: thank you for everything you do to get my work in the hands of readers everywhere.
To Elaine: isn’t it such a comfort to know you will never, ever be rid of me? ;-) If the Spanish in this book is wrong, I’m telling everyone to @ you.
To Erica, Chris, Ian, and Izzy: I am so excited for everything the future will bring us. Here’s to lots of Disney. To Umma, Dad, Mama Joon, and Baba Joon: thank you for all your love and support. To Omid, Julie, Navid, Jinda, Evelyn, Ella, Lily, Isabelle, and Andrew: I am so thankful for each of you. To Mushu for being my constant writing buddy and for all the kisses and cuddling.
And to Vic: I think this next chapter will be our best chapter. There is no one I would rather write this story with than you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Renée Ahdieh is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her spare time, she likes to dance salsa and collect shoes. She is passionate about all kinds of curry, rescue dogs, and college basketball. The first few years of her life were spent in a high-rise in South Korea; consequently, Renée enjoys having her head in the clouds. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and their tiny overlord of a dog. She is the author of The Beautiful, Flame in the Mist, and Smoke in the Sun as well as the #1 New York Times bestselling The Wrath and the Dawn and its sequel, The Rose and the Dagger.
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