Upon my return to the house, I was called into Sebastian’s office, where Josh and Gavin were already waiting. My brother’s eyes were darkly intense as he nervously chewed on his nails.
“Josh has a plan,” Sebastian said as I closed the door.
“We need a meeting with the vampires,” Josh explained. “Not like last time. Just their best hunters.”
“A public meeting would be dangerous for civilians,” I said. Given the intensity of the latest attacks, we had to assume that any large gathering of our kind might draw a significant attack—the kind we didn’t want to occur in public. “And we’re not going to the Seethe.” Regardless of the alliance, we would be walking into a trap Demetrius couldn’t resist springing.
“I have a plan for that, too,” Josh answered, straightening. “We’re going to invite them here.”
The vampires had never been invited into the retreat for a reason. Once invited, they could enter at will. The retreat would become vulnerable. The idea was preposterous. I turned to Sebastian and saw the resignation in his expression. The argument had already been made, I realized. I turned to Gavin. For once, I shared his anger.
“I can revoke their invitation after the meeting,” Josh explained in a rush. “But it’s a complicated spell. I recommend waiting until the crisis is over.”
I growled, shaking my head. “This is an unnecessary risk.”
“We need the vampires, Ethan. I think I can get us some answers, but I need one of those creatures, the sooner the better. Whatever else they are, the vampires are experienced hunters. It would be irresponsible not to take advantage of their skills.”
“Chris gave you the creatures’ blood. You weren’t able to source it.”
“It’s not the blood I need,” he said, his eyes brightening with excitement. “I’m going to source the creature itself.”
There was no use in arguing. Judging by Sebastian’s resigned expression, he didn’t like inviting the vampires into our home any more than I did, but he’d made his decision.
“They’ll be here at dusk,” Sebastian said.
“I hope you thought this through,” I warned my brother. “If this goes wrong, it’s on you.” I strode out of the room. As I made my rounds through the house, I felt the walls closing in as every possible stress exerted itself.
At the end of my rounds, I caught the strong scent of peppermint drifting from Winter’s recovery room, just across from the clinic. Kelly and Dr. Baker had done their best to create the appearance of a bedroom, even going so far as to paint the customary white walls with an earthy tone. Nature-themed pictures dotted the walls except for the far one, which was dominated by a large TV. Next to a cherrywood nightstand, Winter’s large hospital bed was draped with a floral duvet. Despite their best efforts to make the room comfortable, it was still filled with various medical equipment, and several IVs connected to her arms.
Sky sat next to Winter, braiding her hair while Kelly changed the television channel to some melodrama. When she saw Sky’s surprise, Kelly touched a finger to her lips and whispered, “It’s her guilty pleasure. Let’s just keep it between us girls.”
I shook my head and walked away.
Seeing the vampires stroll smugly and freely through the halls of the retreat made me ill with anger. That Josh could revoke their invitation as soon as our alliance was at an end didn’t matter. Their presence here was a violation.
We gathered in the conference room, where the table and chairs had been cleared away—no need to make the vamps comfortable; they would be out of the house as quickly as possible. Chris stood next to Demetrius on the far side of the room, going out of her way to ignore me. Sebastian had allowed Sky’s presence, over my objection. A year ago, she had played a front and center role in spoiling Demetrius’s scheme. It was possible he might still hold a grudge against her. I didn’t see the point in offering him such a stark reminder of his failure, but Sebastian had decided otherwise. He was hoping that including her would bring her closer to accepting his invitation to join the pack.
She lingered at the back of the room, leaning against the wall and trying not to be noticed as the vamps settled in on the far side of the room. Unlike the previous meeting at the restaurant, where our alliance was formed, only eight vamps were here. Their presence at the restaurant had been a show of force. This was a business meeting.
I tensed as I noticed Michaela’s attention fixed on Sky, peering through the crowded room of vampires and were-animals to single her out with a cold, predatory stare. Sky tried to ignore Michaela, but her discomfort was obvious in the way she shifted, her eyes darting about but repeatedly returning to the vampire that had briefly captured her a year ago. Only Josh’s intervention had saved her from Michaela’s notorious lust for torture and brutality.
I was about to put the Mistress in her place when Michaela turned and gave me her most innocent smile. I folded my arms over my chest and glowered.
Josh frowned as he glanced about for Gavin, who wasn’t present. Given his propensity for causing trouble, I didn’t mind. The room was tense enough without throwing in a lit stick of dynamite. Sebastian, just as irritated as Josh, shrugged and nodded.
He strode to the center of the room and waited as the vamps and were-animals slowly quieted to hear what he had to say. He cut an odd figure; one of the most powerful witches in the country commanding attention while wearing baggy jeans and a bright blue t-shirt with the Sesame Street characters posed on the front, displaying in black writing: I WAS RAISED ON THE STREET. Demetrius sneered in revulsion at Josh, while the rest of the vamps appeared amused and unimpressed.
“Nice shirt.” Chase grinned as he leaned against the wall.
Just as Josh was about to speak, Gavin decided to make a grand entrance. His cold glare passed over the vamps like a rude warning as he sauntered to the back of the room. For their part, the vamps barely regarded his arrival, except for Sable, a young vampire with parchment-like skin, who followed his every move with a childlike wonder. Possibly sensing her attention, he turned to meet her gaze. Instead of receiving the warning his look intended, she rushed toward him like a child going for a cookie jar. Had Quell not reached out and pulled her to him, Gavin would’ve killed her without hesitation.
Before Chase had turned her at the age of nineteen, Sable had already earned her reputation as a callous, ruthless killer. Her parents and sister had been murdered in a home invasion, leaving her an orphan. Despite her youth, she’d showed an unusual dedication, taking two years to track down the murderers, who had eluded the police. Rather than kill them outright, she’d made them watch as she’d assembled, tortured, then murdered their friends, family, children, and anyone they cared about. Then she’d let them grieve and suffer until she’d finally killed them. Her lack of remorse during the very public trial that had followed was notorious.
It wasn’t surprising that she’d drawn the attention of Gabriella and Chase, who staged her death in order to rescue her from prison to become their psychopathic protégé.
“Sable.” Quell tried to soothe her, but she remained mesmerized by the were-panther. He repeated her name, finally drawing her attention. She smiled, as if his presence were a welcome surprise.
“Quell.” She rose up on her toes to kiss him on the lips—a hungry, lurid kiss that apparently passed for platonic among vampires. The were-animals in the room shifted uncomfortably. None of us wanted to endure the vampires’ perversions. “It’s a were-panther,” she exclaimed, breathless. “I’ve never had one of them before. Look at him. He’s so beautiful.” She absently laid her head against Quell’s chest while her attention remained fixed on Gavin. “I want him.”
Gavin made no effort to discourage her interest. Sable presented him with an opportunity to throw our alliance into chaos. All he needed was for her to attack. Despite her reputation for violence and cruelty, which had only grown since she’d become a vampire, she was no match for him. He would kill her easily. And he would enjoy it. If she initia
ted the attack, he would be well within his rights to do so, but the alliance would likely come to an end—possibly in violence.
“Yes, he is quite intriguing,” Quell acknowledged. “Do you remember the mean wolf that you despise?” Her genteel face puckered as she nodded. I wasn’t sure who he meant. “The panther will be a hard one to feed from. Compared to him, the mean one is as gentle as a pup.”
Her bottom lip extended into a pout, but she allowed him to guide her to the other side of the room. He sat on the floor near Michaela and drew Sable next to him. She lay with her legs propped on him, regarding Gavin as Quell kneaded her legs.
“I have her,” he informed Chase.
As I leaned against the wall, arms folded over my chest, I noticed Kelly trying to blend into the corner of the room. She watched what transpired with a delighted, secretive smile. I bit back a curse. This was no place for her. Until now, she’d never even seen a vampire. She had no idea how dangerous it could be to attract their attention. Her fearlessness among were-animals made her an asset, but it also made her vulnerable. Judging by the tension in Sebastian’s shoulders, he’d noticed her as well, but was trying not to draw attention to her.
Demetrius, on the other hand, made no attempt to disguise his curiosity. Under his dark gaze, her heart rate quickened, drawing the attention of the rest of the vamps. He listened intently, closing his eyes as he slowly tilted his head back as if he were being lulled into ecstasy. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his piercing stare intently focused on Kelly. He inhaled, drawing in her scent, and smiled—an easy, innocent smile, the kind I imagined he used to put his prey at ease just before he killed them. It was working. She seemed mesmerized, unblinking as she returned his stare. I tensed, as did Sebastian and every were-animal in the room. Before either of us responded, Demetrius violently ripped his gaze from hers. His body was rigid, straining, as he cast his eyes to the floor in an attempt to stave off his bloodlust.
Kelly’s gaze, however, remained transfixed as she chewed on the left side of her lip. Her breathing became ragged. Caught in a panic she seemed unable to escape, she started forward—not toward him, but toward a young, unfamiliar vamp next to him.
“Stop it. Now!” Josh shouted at the vamp, who ignored him.
Sebastian charged, but Demetrius reached the grinning vampire first, taking him by the throat and driving him back against the wall. I saw the stake in Demetrius’s hand just before he drove it into the surprised vampire’s heart. In his rage, he drew a knife and finished the job, brutally decapitating the vamp, who collapsed to the floor in a pile of dust.
Josh intercepted Kelly, anxiously gazing into her eyes as he held her face between his palms, then leaned close and whispered an incantation to break the charm. Freed from the vamp’s grip, she began to tremble, tears filling her eyes as she tried to make sense of what had happened to her. Steven gently escorted her from the room. On her way out, she glanced back at the vamps with revulsion.
Sebastian remained like a tense statue in the middle of the room, glaring at Demetrius as he stood over the ashes. Sebastian’s fists were clenched. The muscles of his neck were rigid. Only his principles kept him from violating the truce and killing Demetrius.
“We are not here for games or to indulge our desires,” he announced. “Our Seethe is being hunted like animals and I won’t tolerate anything but compliance until the person responsible is found and punished. If you don’t behave, there will be consequences.”
His speech did little to ease the tension in the room. If anything, we’d just been reminded how precarious our alliance with the vampires was. They were slaves to their bloodlust. Even Demetrius, with his power and experience, could barely stop himself from preying upon Kelly. I glanced at Sky, wondering if I should escort her from the room, but I didn’t want to draw attention to her. And she wouldn’t go willingly. I glanced at Quell. Hopefully she’d learned something.
Demetrius ignored Sebastian as he flippantly gestured to Josh. “You have our attention. Get on with it.”
“I have a task for you all,” Josh said, glad to move on. “I need one of the creatures. But I need it alive and unharmed.” The disappointment in the room was palpable as he continued, “Those of you who have killed or injured one realize that they disappear when injured. That is why I need it alive.”
“For what?” Demetrius inquired.
“To source the creature. To track it back to its creator.”
“And you can do this?” he asked, his brow rising with interest. When Josh nodded, Demetrius told Sebastian, “He’s more gifted than I imagined.”
I frowned at the vamp’s newfound interest in my brother, but I knew when Josh had asked to arrange the meeting that we wouldn’t be able to hide him from Demetrius’s attention any longer. Up to now, he’d known Josh was a witch, but to Demetrius witches were a dime a dozen. Now Josh had done worse than display his talents—he’d impressed the Master of the Northern Seethe.
“Yes, he is an asset, one that we are happy to have,” Sebastian stated, letting the vamp know that Josh was protected by the pack.
“Whoever’s successful,” Josh continued, “bring the creature back here.”
The vamps started toward the door when Josh declared, “You should pair up, vampire with were-animal.”
The room grew quiet.
“Why?” Gabriella asked.
“With the were-animals, the creature shifts to match their appearance,” he explained. “I assume it does the same with you all. Shifting, no matter how strong the magic is, can be difficult. If it has to shift quickly and too often, it will be easier to apprehend. We agreed to help each other,” he said, cutting off several complaints, “which is an impressive sacrifice by both parties. Not much of a sacrifice if you never really deal with one another, now is it?”
“Of course,” Gabriella said tersely.
“I think that’s a grand idea,” Michaela exclaimed with an impish smile. “Confuse the creature. One could only imagine how it would respond if we complicated the equation even more. Perhaps adding a human would improve our chances.” Her mischievous regard shifted from Chris to Demetrius, who seemed indifferent.
Chris gave no reaction, either. She wanted to be a part of the hunt, but she had to know Michaela was putting her out there as bait, punishment for Demetrius’s interest. Michaela was looking for revenge. I wondered if he would object, but she’d really left him no choice.
“That is a strategy worth considering.” He nodded.
“Or perhaps adding her would further endanger whoever she’s with,” I said gruffly, earning a sharp glare from Chris that I ignored. “This isn’t her fight.”
“Ethan, you’re insulting her as well as underestimating her skills,” Michaela said. “If nothing else, she is efficient in wiggling herself in and out of all types of complicated situations, aren’t you?”
Chris answered with a forced, polite smile and a perfunctory nod.
I scowled at the two women, irritated to be drawn into Michaela’s game, but there was nothing I could do to stop either of them. “Fine,” I conceded, “then she partners with me.”
“If I am not mistaken, the last time she partnered with you, her shoulder was dislocated,” Demetrius snapped. “Perhaps she would fare better if she was partnered with someone more capable of making sure she isn’t harmed.”
“Well, if your comfort with the situation is of utmost importance, perhaps I should demonstrate how capable I am of keeping her safe.” I pushed myself from the wall.
“Perhaps you should,” he declared, walking toward me.
“Gavin,” Chris shouted, drawing our attention, “do you mind if I tag along with you?” Her face was flushed with anger.
“There aren’t too many things that would make me happier,” he agreed, glancing in my direction.
“Look at that,” Michaela said, pleased as punch. “It’s settled then. Josh, would you care to do the honors of pairing us off?”
“I don’t think
it really matters. I asked that you invite your strongest and most skilled. Pair as you like.”
“Then I choose Gabriella,” Gavin announced. Chase bared his fangs, drawing a smug smile from Gavin. He knew the vamp had a notorious temper.
“I choose Michaela,” I declared, surprising everyone. She noted Demetrius, fuming, and gave me an intrigued nod.
The pairing off continued with some groans and complaints. When finished, the vamps left to feed before the hunt. As they departed, Gabriella guided Sable toward the door. Her attention remained transfixed on Gavin, as had been the case the entire meeting, until she reached the door. She turned away and was halfway through the door before she twisted from Gabriella’s grip and lunged at him. As if expecting the outburst, he calmly stepped around her lunge and grabbed her from behind. One of his hands wrapped around her throat while the other wrapped around her forehead, pulling her head back into his chest. One simple gesture would snap her neck.
The room stilled. Every gaze focused on the pair—none more frightened than Gabriella and Chase.
“She attacked me,” Gavin stated, a calm thrill in his voice. He’d gotten what he’d wanted. He looked to Sebastian, daring him to stop him. As Alpha, Sebastian could intervene, but he would appear weak before the vamps as well as the other were-animals. His hands were tied. That didn’t mean there wouldn’t be consequences for Gavin later. He was putting the pack’s safety at risk to satisfy his own desires.
“Do as you see fit,” Demetrius declared, surprisingly indifferent to Sable’s fate.
That’s one way to get rid of a problem child. The rumors that Sable had been turned without his approval seemed to be true.
“Please don’t,” Gabriella pled softly, her concern genuine. Chase stood next to her, his expression fearful as they waited in horror for Gavin’s judgment. He wasn’t known for mercy. It wasn’t often those two faced a fear they couldn’t kill.
Darkness Unveiled Page 17
