by Haley Weir
"Olivia says you keep trying to shut down my project." There was something about Diana's tone that caught his attention. Seth turned to face her and took in the stubborn set of her shoulders.
"It's nothing personal."
"Sounds personal," she accused. "Taking on Giddeon's story cost me everything. I lost my job with one of the biggest film production companies in the world, and I lost my credibility as a screenwriter. Those are things I may never get back. Relationships can be mended and my health can recover, but in my world...reputation is everything."
"The future of my people must be secured."
"That's why Giddeon needs the money we could make from this project—”
"We have money," Seth laughed. "Our father left behind a vast inheritance."
"It's nearly gone, Seth."
"What?"
"You really didn't know?" Diana asked as her brow furrowed. "Why do you think Giddeon sold the cabin to Casey's ex-husband before they got a divorce and opened the dating agency?"
"I thought...actually, I'm not sure I cared enough to even wonder. Balor and Caleb asked him about it, but I wasn't always around. I did my duties, and then I went to the station each day to work."
"Well, the thing about old money is it doesn't last forever. Giddeon wanted the profit from the agency and our project to make sure a constant stream of revenue was flowing into the palace," she explained. "It was never his intention to endanger his people."
"Why wouldn't the film company support the project?"
Diana pulled out a chair from her small dining set near the window and sat down. "It's a big risk for a studio to support something like this."
"Why?"
"Too many unknown variables," she explained. "Even the gods involved in all of this are enough to raise a few questions we can't answer. Especially with Atë trying to kill your brother and—”
"Woah!" Seth interrupted. "What does Atë have to do with anything?"
Diana glanced around awkwardly and chewed her bottom lip for a moment. "I think it might be time for you to talk to your brothers. Balor would be much better at explaining all of this."
"I'm not asking my brothers, Miss Kelly; I'm asking you." He took a seat across from her at the table and leaned forward. "Tell me everything you know about my family. I mean it...everything." Seth reached out and grasped her trembling hands. "Even if you think it might upset me to hear it, I need to know."
"All right, I'll tell you, but I want you to remember that I'm just giving you the facts. I'll withhold my opinion."
"I know I'm putting you in an uncomfortable position and asking a lot from you, but I have to know what's really happening with my family."
"Then we'll start from the beginning." Diana stood up and wandered into the kitchen. She put on a pot of coffee and leaned against the counter. "I hope you're sure about this. There's no going back once you know the truth."
"I'm ready."
"This might take all night."
"My schedule is free."
Chapter Three
She sat on the couch with her legs tucked beneath a quilt and stifled a yawn. The steam from the coffee fogged up her glasses as she took a cautious sip from the porcelain mug. "A seer went to your father, Samael, the night he was crowned king by the gods. She told him that the downfall of his people was inevitable. Samael took the seer's words as a challenge of his power." Diana glanced over at Seth Black and locked onto his intense stare. "Samael killed the seer. Her death summoned Thanatos, the God of Death. He requested repentance for the death of his seer."
"What form of repentance?"
"Sacrifice," she answered. "A soul for a soul. Thanatos told Samael that he would come to claim his soul the day he produced an heir. Samael told no one of the punishment he had brought down upon himself. He thought no harm would come to him unless he sired an heir with a human. Surely, the gods would never leave the fate of his people in the hands of an impure son."
"Madeu."
Diana nodded. "The day Madeu was born, Thanatos came to claim Samael's soul, but he pleaded for his life. Samael promised Thanatos that he would produce four pure-blood heirs with enough power to rival that of the gods themselves. The sons would fight as warriors of Thanatos, collecting souls for the God of Death. But there was a catch…"
"Of course there was."
"Samael would live on through the ages so long as the souls were collected. If one of his sons took his life, Samael's bloodline would be cursed to burn in Tartarus for breaking the deal before it’s time was up,” Diana said with a yawn crawling up her throat. “When Samael killed Madeu’s mother, Madeu swore to avenge her. He failed. Samael enslaved his firstborn son to battle as his champion until the end of days. The king grew even more arrogant as his offspring proved to be far more powerful than he ever anticipated. But fate had beckoned Calleus, the third-born son, away from his father’s influence with the love of a woman who belonged to a rival clan.”
“Sarina.”
“Yes,” she replied. “When Sarina learned of Samael’s deal with Thanatos, she sought to free his sons from their burden and plunged her blade into the king’s chest. Calleus stopped Sarina from killing his father in fear of what would become of his first love. He ordered her to flee, and yet he hesitated when his hand touched the hilt of the dagger in his father’s chest. Life and Death stared deeply into Calleus’s soul, for the choice rested in his hands. Samael warned his son of the curse that would befall his brothers if he were to take his father’s life.”
“Obviously, Caleb chose to save us rather than kill our father.”
“It isn’t that simple.”
“Why not?”
“Because Calleus’s desire to be free from his father’s wrath had caught the attention of a second god...Atë, Goddess of Delusion and Ruin, went to Calleus and gave him a choice. He could kill his father and doom his brothers, or he could spare his father’s life for a price. Calleus did choose to save his family, but, in doing so, traded one form of servitude for another.” Diana set her coffee on the table beside her and pulled the blanket around her shoulders. Just the thought of the gods toying with human lives was enough to make her skin crawl. “Calleus became the goddess’s key bearer. He carried it with him always, feeling the weight of his burden wherever he went.”
“What about Sarina?”
“In retaliation for her failed assassination attempt, Samael beheaded Sarina in a public execution. Calleus removed the key from around his neck in hopes that it would save the love of his life,” she sighed. “But Atë saw his actions as a betrayal and set in motion the events that the seer spoke of. The legacy of Samael Black was doomed to fall to ruin. Madeu continued to save his brothers on the battlefield knowing they were ignorant of his existence. He, like Calleus, had paid the ultimate price.”
“So, now what? We just watch our people suffer?”
“The gods took pity on all of you,” Diana answered. “They gave you a chance to right the wrongs that had been made in your father’s name. Yes, the purity of your bloodline will end with the birth of half-human offspring. Yes, Madeu will be allowed to prove himself worthy of the crown. Yes, the very fate of your people is uncertain...but they gave you a chance to possess something that most humans could only ever dream about.”
“And that is?”
“Love.” Diana ducked her head, feeling the heat rise in her face. “True love. The kind that nurtures the soul and lasts for much longer than any shifter’s lifetime.”
“What of the key?” Seth rubbed his temples with a groan.
“Rina has it. She and Caleb have vowed to keep it safe. They have their own bargain with Plutus to worry about. What Giddeon wants everyone to focus on is the talisman.”
“Talisman?”
She nodded and offered Seth another cup of coffee. He waved off her offer with a polite smile and went back to rubbing his head. “Your father’s necklace had been turned into a flash drive. They think it holds Octavius’s plans to get the k
ey and take the throne from Madeu. Gideon hopes to use the flash drive to expose Octavius’s maliciousness to Madeu and end the war. He’s...willing to give up the crown if it means saving everyone.”
“Giddeon agreed to give Madeu the throne?”
“It’s his birthright.”
“To hell with birthrights!” Seth jumped to his feet and paced across the floor. “He tortured me...every day I had to look into the eyes of my father and feel immeasurable amounts of pain until I thought I would break. He debased me! I want him dead—”
“Did he?”
“What?” Seth whirled around and glared at Diana. “You think I’m lying?”
“Not at all,” she said quickly. “I have no sympathy for Madeu. He knew what was happening in that facility. And if you tell me that Madeu was the one who hurt you, I’ll agree that he should pay for what he’s done. Heck, I’d shout it from the rooftops.”
~*~
He couldn’t do it. Seth stood there, in the center of Diana Kelly’s living room, with his hands on his hips, unable to speak the words she needed to hear. Madeu hadn’t been the one who inflicted pain on him, but he had visited Seth’s cell and loomed over his battered body, nonetheless. They all deserved punishment. If they felt even a fraction of his pain...it would have been enough for him. Instead, Seth learned that his brothers intended to reward the bastard if the gods willed it. “For so many years, the gods remained silent,” he said finally. “What made them get involved now?”
“War.”
“How do you know?”
“Balor says that none of this was meant to come to light, that the gods wanted all of you ignorant long enough to build their forces," she supplied. "Shifters as pure as you and your brothers have enough power to kill a god. I think if you kill enough, you could rise as Titans."
"Sounds like all of this was a ploy designed by Atë to ensure her own ascension." Seth ran a hand through his hair and winced. "Giddeon was right. This is far more complicated than I thought."
"The question is...what are you going to do now that you know?"
"Nothing."
Diana seemed surprised by his answer, but it was the only one he had at the moment. Seth wasn't going to pretend he wasn't angry. There was a lot he needed to process before he made any decisions. "We need to focus on keeping you safe."
"Isn't your mate going to get upset you're staying here tonight?" she asked.
"I don't have a mate."
"I'm not sure if there's a particular order to these things, but Balor seems to think you're up next to be mated." Diana popped a grape in her mouth before making a strange face and spitting it in the garbage. "Giddeon and Casey, Rina and Caleb, Madeu and Damien—”
"Madeu and Damien...that's enough to give anyone pause. A bear shifter and a wolf as mated Alphas could get messy."
Diana laughed and returned the grapes to the refrigerator before she grabbed a bag of chips. She plopped on the couch, and Seth joined her on the other end. He was helpless to reject her after she wagged the bag of chips under his nose. "Thank god. I never trust a man who turns down a potato in any form."
"I feel that way about burritos."
She slapped his arm playfully. "No way! I love burritos. I have some in the freezer."
It was Seth's turn to make a face as he snatched the bag from her hands. "Those aren't burritos. I'm not even certain it's food at all."
"Where else am I supposed to get authentic Mexican food here?" she chuckled.
"My house."
"What? You cook?"
He nodded proudly. "I spent eight years in Mexico helping refugees that turned out to be a pack of shifters. They taught me a lot of things, and cooking was one of them.”
“I want burritos!” Diana exclaimed as she grabbed at the bag of chips.
Seth laughed and held them out of reach. “What do I get in return?”
“A kiss.”
Seth and Diana froze mid-grab. He looked into her lovely eyes and leaned forward instinctively. Seth held his breath as he drank in the scent of the forest on her skin. Diana tilted her head to the side and her eyelids fluttered against her cheekbones. The bag of chips tumbled to the floor. Seth braced his hand against her jaw, stroking gently with his thumb. They were trapped in a bubble of warmth and temptation.
Her breath tickled his upper lip as the space between them became smaller and smaller. Seth’s right hand lowered and rested against her hip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt nails scraping at the nape. Seth shivered. “Deal,” he whispered. Diana gasped, and Seth moved in to seal their bargain, but his phone blared to life. She pulled away. He stood up with an irritable grumble and fished for his dreaded cellphone in his discarded jacket.
“Sheriff Black,” he answered. Seth glanced over at the clock on her microwave. “Is that clock right?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s broken.”
“I lost track of time,” Seth explained to his deputy. “What did you find?”
“There’s been another murder.”
“Same M.O.?”
“Female, twenty-five to twenty-six years old, approximately two hundred and twenty pounds, brunette hair with auburn highlights, about five feet six inches tall...”
“Damn.”
“Exactly,” Deputy Harris replied. “Anything we can use to identify her?”
“We might get dental records after the autopsy.”
“Eye color?”
“Heterochromia. One blue, one green.”
“I’m on my way.” He hung up the phone. Seth pulled on his jacket and headed towards the door. He hesitated and looked back at where Diana stood with the chips in her hands. “I’m late getting back to the station. Deputy Harris will be here in about five minutes. Have a good night, Miss Kelly.” And with that, he was on his way to the car. Seth couldn’t believe how close he had come to crossing the line with Diana.
The sound of footfalls stopped him in his tracks.
“There was another body, wasn’t there?”
Seth stayed quiet.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not,” Seth huffed. “You’re staying here and waiting for Deputy Harris.”
She was a beautiful woman, there was no denying that, but he couldn’t involve himself with someone tied to an open case. He shook off the lust that had crawled across his mind and climbed behind the wheel. Daylight peeked over the horizon and he cursed underneath his breath. Time had moved so quickly as Diana told him things that his own family had kept from him. Seth wasn’t sure how to approach Giddeon about the matter, but he set a reminder on his phone to schedule a meeting with his brother as soon as possible.
Chapter Four
Diana headed inside and slammed the door. She was furious that Seth had left without her. If the killer was after her, then she wanted to know why. The four walls of her apartment mocked her. Diana wasn’t going to find answers cooped up inside. Someone was killing women who looked like her; how could she be expected to sit still? Fear wasn’t going to stop her. Diana rushed into her bedroom and ignored the knock on the front door. She wiggled her sock-clad feet into a pair of boots and changed into a hoodie.
“Miss Kelly?” Deputy Harris called as another knock came from the door.
“I’ll be right there!” Diana eased open the window and climbed out onto the fire escape before closing it behind her. She stepped carefully, trying not to shake the iron grate beneath her feet. The ladder crashed to the ground floor, and Diana cursed her foul luck. Already, she heard Deputy Harris’s footsteps in the main hallway. She climbed down and grabbed the emergency set of keys from her mailbox.
Diana made it to her car before the female officer burst through the rear entrance of the building. She turned over the key in the ignition and sped off down the street. Diana felt bad about ditching her security detail, but answers weren’t just going to fall into her lap while she twiddled her thumbs on the couch. The roads were mostly empty that morning, which made
finding Seth’s car much easier. She parked a few blocks away and walked over to where the crowd had gathered around the police tape.
Officers moved in and out of the house with increasingly confused expressions on their faces. Diana ducked under the tape and went around the back of the house before anyone was the wiser. She stepped carefully, trying not to disturb any evidence as she approached the window. Seth stood beside a uniformed deputy. At their feet was yet another woman who resembled Diana. From the looks of the murder scene, she had been mauled just like the others.
Diana nearly screamed when Seth appeared beside her faster than the speed of sound. She pressed a hand to her chest and looked past him at the pattern of blood splatter on the walls. “I told you to stay in your apartment and wait for Deputy Harris.”
“You know I want to put an end to this just as much as you do,” she argued. “Besides, I have information you and your deputies haven’t figured out yet.”
“Like what?”
“I’m not giving you anything else until you agree to include me in the investigation.”
Seth pulled her aside and lowered his voice to a whisper. “If these murders turn out to be more than just a human problem, then I’ll have to cover up as much as I can before the feds start poking around. This is serious, Diana.”
“I mean it, Seth. I want in.”
An officer stopped beside them and eyed her curiously. “Is she the consultant, Sheriff?” the young man asked as he tucked a notepad in his pocket.
“No, she’s a—”
“Journalist,” Diana replied before Seth could blow her chances. “Sheriff Black was kind enough to promise me an exclusive look into the investigation.”
The officer moved on with a skeptical nod. Seth leveled his livid gaze on her face as his chest heaved. “We don’t just give clearance to reporters. This is going to raise questions, and I’ll have to go to the mayor to get his approval first.”
“No one has to know. The people elected you as their sheriff, which means they trust you to handle this. No need to bring politics into it unless absolutely necessary.”
