Darkness Unleashed

by McKenzie Hunter

  “First, that wasn’t my client and I will prove that. Second, what I saw was a young man skilled in martial arts and perhaps hand-to-hand combat. Third, the video has been edited. You can’t be sure what you’re seeing,” Ethan asserted, covering the very things he’d addressed with the DA.

  Andrew’s eyes gleamed with cynicism and determination. “I’m a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and I don’t move like that.”

  “The man in the video is at least twenty-five years younger than you are. Do you expect to move like someone twenty-five years younger than you are? And anyone who moves faster and better is labeled a supernatural creature?” Ethan asked with a smirk.

  Drew glowered at Ethan’s slight. The broad build and well-defined muscles visible through Andrew’s suit were the results of dedicated gym work and athletics. There was no gray in his hair but based on the fine lines along his lips and a few on his forehead, he should have had some. I suspected he colored his hair to stave off the signs of aging. Pointing out that he looked more than twenty-five years older than Steven didn’t go over well. He smiled decorously at Ethan but slid his gaze back to me. He tossed back the contents of his glass.

  He gave me a quick nod. “It was nice talking to you. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” His pleasant words warred with the dark look he gave us.

  Ethan frowned, his eyes following the man as he walked out. “That’s concerning.” He looked over the growing crowd of people in the bar. Were-animals mingled with humans, who often frequented the pack’s bar and contributed to its success. The magnetism that most were-animals possessed was hard to understand. It was innate, primal, and undeniably alluring, and the desire to be around it was difficult to resist for most. As a were-animal, I wasn’t immune to its draw; I couldn’t imagine others denying it easily.

  “He knows more than he’s letting on,” Ethan continued in a low voice, his gaze still moving over the room as if he were gathering intel on everyone who wasn’t part of the pack. They were no longer patrons but potential enemies, and he was watching them with a level of suspicion.

  Josh walked in looking more relaxed than he had earlier. He’d changed from the Darth Vader t-shirt and well-worn jeans to a long-sleeved shirt and slightly darker jeans. The contrast between the brothers was stark. Josh’s shirtsleeves were rolled up, exposing many of his tattoos. Ethan was a sartorial model in a dark suit. He’d discarded the tie and opened the first button of his shirt, but he still wouldn’t have looked out of place in an office. Josh’s earlier black mood had lifted, and the plaintive wayward smile had returned. As he made his way through the crowd of people, we saw why. London was following him. The quarter-length sleeves of her shirt revealed some of her tattoos. A distinctive tribal tat was so similar to one on Josh that there was no way it was coincidental. Its location on her forearm wasn’t by chance, either.

  “I know. Do you think he’s a Red Blood?”

  Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know, but he definitely suspects you’re a supernatural.”

  “You got all that just from talking to him for three minutes.”

  “I got all that from studying his body language. He was simultaneously intrigued and put off by you.”

  “I don’t care about the curiosity. I’m concerned about what he plans to do with it. If he’s just one of those people drawn to the idea that we exist, he’s probably harmless. If he’s a Red Blood, he could be trouble, especially if he’s a reporter.”

  “Did he give you a name?”

  I nodded. “Andrew.”

  “Last name?”

  “He didn’t give me that.”

  “I have a feeling this won’t be the last time you hear from him.”

  Ethan ordered a drink and sat next to me while I did what I did best in the bar—I people-watched.

  I allowed the music to distract me from all thoughts of trials, Red Blood, and the removal of my mark. Or rather, I pretended to let it distract me. It was hard to let it go, especially the missing mark.

  “Your brother’s working himself to the bone. He needs to slow down, or he’ll give himself a heart attack from working so hard,” I said, grinning and pointing at Josh on the dance floor, drink in hand, dancing with London. Every so often, he leaned down to give her a kiss, his lips brushing lightly against her cheek while the other hand remained casually around her waist.

  Ethan chuckled and took a drink from the glass the bartender had just placed in front of him. “He’s working. He’s just working on the public relations part.”

  “Hmm, last month I saw him doing shots with a couple of NHL players. I’m sure that was part of some sort of marketing endeavor. It seemed like he was promoting vodka from what I saw. A couple of weeks before that, he took one for the team and shared one of his special cigarettes with the band. I couldn’t help but be impressed by his work ethic.” I couldn’t suppress a laugh.

  Ethan shrugged dismissively. “Say what you will, after Josh started managing our clubs, they tripled what they’d taken in before.”

  Once Josh had finally taken a seat, Ethan stood and headed toward him to do what he did best with his brother: be a killjoy. Josh rolled his eyes at his approach. Ethan leaned down, said something, and moments later, they left together. It had to be about Andrew; by the end of the night, Ethan would have Andrew’s last name and know everything about him.

  London appeared content to stay on the other side of the room after Josh had left. Ethan’s seat didn’t stay empty long. A fair man with blond hair and eyelashes just as light sat next to me. His odd green eyes reminded me of Quell, but any similarity ended at his wiry build. I looked at him too long, because he smiled, leaned into me, and asked if I’d been at the bar before.

  I sighed into my drink at his lack of originality before taking another drink and debating whether I should go find Ethan and Josh.

  “I come here often,” I said in a low voice, knowing he couldn’t hear me over the music, deterring conversation.

  “This is my first time. I’m new in town.” He was lying, but at least that was more creative than the first line. He leaned in closer. “I’m Brett.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I’d increased my volume a bit once I’d realized he was using his inability to hear me as an excuse to put his hand on my back to steady himself as he leaned in.

  He glanced at my glass, which was nearly full. Based on the banality of his other lines, he was going to ask if he could buy me a drink. “What are you drinking?”

  Damn, he changed course.

  “French martini. She always drinks them here.” Ethan’s coarse voice startled Brett. Ethan moved in silence, even when it was quiet and footsteps were easily detected. With all the noise in the bar, it had been impossible to hear him, but I’d felt his presence, adding to the long list of changes I’d noticed in our connection.

  Brett faked a smile. It looked tight and uncomfortable, and Ethan didn’t do anything to ease it. Steely gunmetal eyes bored into Brett, and Ethan’s lips lifted into a scowl. No, more like a snarl.

  Brett broadened his smile and extended his hand. “I’m Brett.”

  Ethan didn’t give the hand a second look. “I don’t care.”

  Brett’s eyes widened at Ethan’s incivility. I wished I were as surprised by the response. A befuddled look settled on Brett’s face as if he were debating how to react.

  After Ethan settled in on the other side of me, it didn’t take long for Brett to find someplace else he’d rather be.

  I took out my phone and scrolled through it, and moments later, Ethan’s phone rang. He made a face as he assessed the e-mail I’d sent him. “You sent me a book?” he asked incredulously.

  “Yep, it’s about social skills and norms. Perhaps you should read it tonight.”

  His tongue moved over his lips before he gave me a wolfish grin and made a show of deleting the e-mail. He leaned down and kissed me, his teeth nipping gently at my bottom lip before he brushed featherlight kisses along my cheek to my ear. “You knew what you were ge
tting,” he whispered. Easing himself back into his seat next to me, he maintained his smug grin.

  Yep, I have myself a Betahole.

  CHAPTER 8

  What is this? I turned the opened black ring box I’d found on the bed while making it up. I tried to make sense of it while I brushed my teeth and washed my face.

  When I joined Ethan in the kitchen, I brought it to him and said, “Would you care to tell me what this is?” From his position at the stove, he glanced from the skillet on a burner to the ring box. “Sky, it’s a ring.” His brow furrowed. Flashing me a grin, he continued in a deadpan voice, “This is a skillet.” He placed the spatula on the counter and reached to the right to grab a piece of fruit from a bowl. “This is a mango.”

  He put bacon on a plate and turned around to face me, still wearing the smirk. “Are there other things you need a refresher on? I have all day.”

  Don’t kick the Betahole. I said that mantra in my head as I moved closer to him.

  “I know what it is. Besides using the light that reflects off it to direct planes, what is it for?”

  He chuckled. “It’s for you to wear.”

  “I’m familiar with what to do with a ring. I just don’t know why you’re giving it to me,” I said, looking at the box again.

  After several moments of silence, he said, “I want you to wear it.” He lifted his hand, revealing a silver-looking band around his ring finger. Since he couldn’t wear silver, it had to be white gold or platinum.

  “I’m supposed to get you that!” I shot back.

  “But you didn’t,” he pointed out.

  “So,” I started slowly, “is it an engagement ring, or what?”

  “It can be anything you want it to be. A whatever ring.”

  I was perplexed. Why did we need rings? It seemed like everyone in any given room knew we were mated before I even entered, as if there were a magical flashing banner that marked my status as his mate. Even Demetrius knew, and from the way Quell had looked at us the other night, he did as well.

  I scrutinized him and then the ring. “I’ve heard of a friendship ring, a promise ring, and an engagement ring, but I haven’t heard of a ‘whatever ring.’ You want to tell me about it?” With effort, I controlled the smile that was fighting to emerge.

  It was a poorly veiled attempt to let those who didn’t have the ability to detect I was mated know I wasn’t available. I wasn’t sure why it was so hard for Ethan to admit it.

  His mouth moved, chewing on the words but unable to let them out.

  I looked at the large princess cut ring again. It glinted in the overhead light. I would have preferred to wear the oversized sign designating me as Ethan’s property that Josh had playfully made when he’d accused Ethan of passionately kissing me in public as a sign of our bond.

  “Fine, it’s an engagement ring,” he blew out in exasperation.

  I leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek before handing him the ring back.“Well, don’t you think you should ask me properly?”

  Exhaling a sigh or maybe a growl, he started to kneel.

  I stopped him. “Wait! What are you doing? I don’t want to be proposed to while I’m in my kitchen and dressed in Hello Kitty pajamas.”

  His gaze traveled over my heart-patterned fluffy white socks, black boxers with the famed cat on them, and tank top. Clearly, my attire earned his disapproval. “About that?”

  “You knew what you were getting,” I retorted with a playful sneer, throwing his infamous words back at him. Tugging at my shirt and giving him a full view of Kitty’s face, I pushed past him and made my way to the food.

  With both a hint of humor and curiosity, he asked, “What? Do you need to be swept away to some exotic location? A fancy dinner where a violinist plays you a selection while I ask? A romantic coach ride? Sky, what exactly do you want?”

  For someone who claimed I was predictable, he seemed quite flummoxed at that moment. It dawned on me that Ethan might be as lost as I was in this situation. He’d gone from one shallow relationship to the next—if they could even be considered relationships. They’d been one-night stands that had lasted too long. His most serious attachment had been with Chris. It had survived and strangely thrived by being dysfunctional. It had been further complicated by the secrets that had existed between them. They had known the superficiality and weaknesses of their relationship and hadn’t cared to do anything to change it. Ethan and I didn’t have secrets anymore, but our complications existed in droves.

  I shook my head. “I’m simple. I just don’t want to be in my pajamas.” I grabbed a handful of bacon and started back toward the bedroom to shower and dress.

  During breakfast, I waited for him to present the ring to me; instead, I was met with his miscreant smirk. I sat at the kitchen table, long after he’d cleared it, waiting for a proposal that never came.

  When I stood, he moved closer to me. His fingers curled around my waist. Warm breath breezed against my lips when he spoke. “Is something wrong, Sky?” The subtle challenge and the smug, haughty grin ensured I would never bring the ring up again.

  “No. Nothing at all.”

  A rumbling chuckle reverberated in his chest. “Good. It seemed like you were looking for something. Were you?”

  “No, I was just wondering about Steven. Where is he?”

  “Home.” Before I could ask, he added, “It was his decision. Joan will be in town today with the other Alphas. I assumed he went to prepare the house for her visit. Or at least to try to make it less of a mess.”

  Ethan had told me that the Alphas were meeting. I figured it was to discuss Steven’s situation and to address the worst-case scenarios and options if things didn’t go as planned with the trial. Ethan and Sebastian always had a preemptive strategy; I was sure they’d want to address the option of us coming out if necessary to protect Steven. I hoped the other Alphas would be briefed on the Red Blood and their affiliation with Dexter and his role as the instigator of this mess.

  Seeing Joan in conflict with anyone was strange, but it was completely unsettling to watch her be at odds with Sebastian. It meant the situation might be worse than we’d all anticipated. I was thoroughly uncomfortable when I walked through his half-open door to find them just inches away from each other. The tension was thick, the anger heavy, and the contention between them palpable. The scowl on Joan’s face pulled so tight it sharpened her delicate, genteel features. She was every bit the jaguar that shared her body—an apex hunter, a predator.

  She had an advantage over Sebastian—she was a predator trying to protect her young. That made her extremely vicious. Usually, Joan was amicable, and between the two of them, she was definitely the one more likely to compromise. From her body language, she was unable to let go of the very thing Sebastian needed her to—her feelings—and operate on reason. I heard her say she didn’t think they needed to discuss anything with the other Alphas and whatever needed to be done to protect Steven was the only option.

  Sebastian ran his tongue over his lips before he spoke, I assumed to temper his words and probably buy time to find the patience to deal with the situation. There had always been a subtle bond between them because of Steven. He’d spent his summers with Sebastian before joining the pack. Joan and Sebastian respected each other, but I suspected they’d been romantically involved at some point. He was always too gentle with her, uncharacteristically nurturing and tender. Even as she stood before him seething, nearly challenging him, he looked as if he wanted to touch her and comfort her.

  Instead, he caressed her with his words. “Joan,” he said softly, “you know I would never do anything to hurt Steven. As his Alpha, I have a responsibility to protect him as much as you do. Your maternal instinct to protect him, albeit understandable, doesn’t override anything I choose to do. We’ve had this discussion twice, and we won’t have it again. When you walk out this door, you will leave whatever you’re dealing with behind. I will not continue to ignore your challenges to my authority.”


  Joan’s jaw was clenched. She held her arms at her side, hands balled into tight fists. She looked pained, searching for words that wouldn’t come. Sebastian stepped close to her and gently touched her shoulder. His fingers stroked her with a slow, easy rhythm. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. It wasn’t romantic, but I was intruding on a moment, witnessing the display of a bond they shared.

  Joan had found Stephen near death, after he’d killed a vampire. She’d changed him so he could survive the injuries and raised him as her own child. A huge responsibility for a person who’d been in her late teens when she’d taken him as her own. I knew Steven and Joan’s story. But I never knew Sebastian and Joan’s. Curiosity overtook any improprieties I felt about asking about it. When I had a chance, I would ask Sebastian. It only took a moment, though, to change my mind and decide to ask Joan, who would be more likely to offer an answer. Sebastian would answer my question by asking why I wanted to know.

  “This is a big decision,” Sebastian said. “Although I have the authority to decide on our behalf, it will take all of us to make it successful. If we are going to come out, we all need to be on board, especially with the way things are.”

  Joan didn’t say anything; she simply nodded.

  Tension was high as everyone spilled into the large living room. The Alphas and the Betas were present, along with a few of the other ranked members from the four packs. I stood next to Ethan, watching as the room slowly filled. Were-animals’ enigmatic power shrank any space they occupied. Being surrounded by outsiders reminded me of my difference. I’d accepted that it existed within my pack.

  I knew the Alphas and some of those from the Southern Pack, whom I’d met when they came to the Midwest after Ethos’s creatures had attacked them. I spotted Sara, a sensual, curvy blonde who’d garnered a great deal of Ethan’s interest when we’d gone to New York to talk to fae friends about Josh. I suspected they’d spent the night together, but he’d told me she’d wanted information about transferring to an extension pack near us. She must have gotten the transfer because she was standing next to another woman, who seemed to be the liaison for Indianapolis, where Sara had wanted to relocate. My curiosity about her was piqued; it had only been a couple of months since her transfer request. Why had Sebastian invited her to the meeting? I’d only been invited because of my position as the Beta’s mate. Was she mated with the liaison for the extension pack? I didn’t feel a bond, and there didn’t appear to be any interest between them.