Eternal Seduction (Darkness Within #1)

She cringed as she pulled her hands from under his shirt. “I’m not sure,” she threw her hands up between them, “but let me explain why before you or your brother hit me.”

“Make it quick,” Kerestyan snapped. It took every vestige of control he possessed to stop the room from turning red again. And truthfully, he grew tired of attempting to keep his beast at bay.

“Okay,” Raze breathed. “I had Jared watching Craig’s pack while I tended a Veil breach in Central Park. He said they attacked a really tall Servio down on a subway platform in Soho then hopped a train with her.”

“How did he know she was a Servio?” Odin blurted out in a rush. “Are you sure it was Logan?”

Raze nodded. “Jared said the blood on the platform smelled old, so I flashed in and took a look. It was definitely a Servio who belongs to your family. I know what you guys smell like. Jared said he watched Craig and his people get on the train with her, and then he jumped in the car ahead of them. By the time he walked to the back window, Frank, Craig and Logan had disappeared. The rest of the pack got off in pairs, at four different stops, and all went different directions. He followed the last pair, but lost them when they hit the alleys in Brooklyn.”

“Why the fuck didn’t Jared help her?” Odin yelled. “What the hell?”

Kerestyan ground his teeth together and stared at Odin. “Frank is a Watcher.”

“Oh, great.” He threw both arms in the air. “We’ve got a Tech running around using his blood to make people invisible…which means the two fuck-heads could’ve gotten off the train with Logan at any stop.”

Kerestyan focused back on Raze. “How long ago was the attack?”

“Thirty minutes, tops. I came here as soon as I realized it was Logan. Jared has the rest of the team checking all the places Craig’s known to sleep, but so far they haven’t found signs of him or Logan.” She pressed her lips together as tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry I don’t have more information for you, Kerestyan, I really am. I feel like I let you down.”

“No,” Odin bellowed. “Jared let him the fuck down. He could’ve helped Logan the second they started attacking her. What the fuck is wrong with him? Is he stupid?”

Kerestyan shook his head then stepped over and pulled Raze into his arms. “Jared’s a Fledgling, Odin. If he’d have gotten involved, it wouldn’t have helped Logan. The fight would have only escalated. And then Logan, and the Veil, would’ve been torn to shreds. He did the right thing.” He caught Raze’s chin and tipped her head up. “And so did you.” He released his hold and tried to offer her a reassuring smile before he moved to pull the blade down from the wall behind his desk.

“What are you doing, Kerestyan?” Raze asked.

“First, I’m going to find the woman I love.” He pulled the Ancient blade from the scabbard and tested the weight. “Then, I’m going to kill all of Craig’s friends.” He sheathed the blade and drew a deep breath. “And for the finale, I intend to stand back and watch as Craig becomes the newest decoration in my Father’s chamber.”

“Fuck yeah! I don’t even know who Craig is, but I’m so going with you. Want me to call Vouclade? I bet he can find the little fucker.”

“No Vouclade!” Kerestyan turned to glare at Odin. “He won’t be able to find her any faster than we can, and as soon as he finds out what happened to her he’ll go straight to Father. And while my beast would like nothing more right now than to watch him scourge every Fledgling in this city, that is not my way.”

“I’m all for the culling of the ranks,” Odin said as his well used blade appeared in his hand. “But screw this trying to find her shit. I’m just gonna tap on her brain, wake her up if she isn’t already, and ask her if she knows where she is.”

“No,” Raze interjected. “Craig sensed when Kerestyan and I were using telepathy the other day. If he can sense mine, he can definitely sense yours. No one in his group, including him, is old enough to sustain a mind link. If Craig senses one go off, he’ll kill Logan the minute it happens.”

“How do you know?” Odin asked. “When the hell did you become a Fledgling behavior expert?”

“When I started killing Leeches for a living,” she offered with a vicious smile. “I know because if I was him, that’s exactly what I’d do. The first piece of information she’s going give up, aside from her condition, is her location. Craig’s ignorant, but he’s not stupid. If he senses telepathy he’s going to kill her then skip town and let his pack take the heat.”

Kerestyan tightened his grip on his blade and stared at Raze. “Craig won’t be going anywhere when I’m finished with him.”

“Kerestyan,” she pleaded. “There has to be another way. I don’t agree with what Craig and his people did, but you and Captain Black Eyes can’t go running around the city with swords strapped to your backs.”

Odin’s laughter filled the room. “This is our way, Raze. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

“No! This is Stefan’s way.” She glared at Kerestyan as gold rippled the air around her. “You’re better than this. I accepted your offer because you promised you’d run a fair and just city. You promised you’d give the Fledglings a place where they wouldn’t be trampled under the boots of Ancients. That’s what you said you wanted.” She motioned between him and Odin. “But that’s not what this is! At its core, Craig kidnapped a Servio. You don’t have any rules against kidnapping or killing servants.” She motioned to the door behind him. “You sat out there three days ago and let him go for committing the same action you’re about to kill him for. How is that fair? Just because it affects you now, you want to change the rules?”

She raised her hands and backed away. “I refuse to be a part of this. You’re better than this, both of you. This ‘kill all who oppose or offend’ mentality is exactly how your Father earned his reputation as the Butcher of Naples. Are you sure you want to follow in those footsteps?”

Kerestyan closed his eyes as his beast went to war with his heart and conscience. Those weren’t the footsteps he wanted to follow in. He didn’t want to be an iron-fisted tyrant. He wanted to be a fair Lord. He wanted to give the Fledglings a place where they didn’t have to fear being trampled under the feet of veritable Blood Gods. He wanted to watch his city grow and thrive.

But not at the cost of the woman he loved.

There would always be another city. But there would never be another woman who stirred him the way Logan did. No woman whose distant green eyes he craved to fill with happiness, even if it was only when she gazed up at him. No woman who sauntered up to him with challenge lighting her beautiful features, and then fought to the last no matter the odds.

Kerestyan dropped his blade on the desk and stared down at it. He fisted his hands as yet another function that ceased the day he died flared back to life. Tears heated and burned the rims of his eyes. “What would you have me do, Raze? Stand here and allow Logan to die? Should I drop down on my knees and pray for your God to save her? The God who stood by and let his own Children toss around the curses that made me what I am?” He shoved the sword off his desk and glared at her. “I stopped believing in your God the day he turned his back on his own creation. But I will not turn my back on Logan. My city created her and I will save her…no matter what it costs me.” He turned to face Odin. “Get Vouclade.”

Odin considered him for a long moment then slowly shook his head. “No.” He walked around and turned on the two lamps in the office that weren’t already on. “Is the closet over in the corner dark?”

Kerestyan narrowed his eyes. “Yes. Why?”

“Because your heartfelt rant gave me an idea better than Vouclade. Raze is right. You’re not Dad. Logan means as much to you as this city does, and I see that now. I heard it in your words. We can get her back without a bunch of innocent kids dying.” He moved to stand next to Kerestyan. “I promised you I’d fix this and I meant it.”

Kerestyan sensed the use of telepathy but before he could ask who Odin contacted, the closet door burst open and Drake Black stepped out.

Odin immediately pointed and laughed. “I got you again.”

Drake looked behind him then shook his head. “Dude, the whole Drake coming out of the closet routine is getting old. Get some new material.”

When Kerestyan cast a sideways glare at his brother, Odin simply shrugged. “What? I think it’s funny.” He motioned to Drake. “He came out of the closet, get it?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Drake groaned. “Everybody gets it. Now what the hell do you want?”

“Remember meeting Logan when you popped in the other day?”

Drake nodded. “Yeah. Why?” He cracked his signature lopsided grin. “Does she want a night of Drake style fun?”

Kerestyan stiffened. “She doesn’t want a night with you. She’s mine.”