Death of Darkness

by Dianne Duvall

  Seth burst out laughing.

  “I’m serious!” she exclaimed. “I enjoy your company. You’re a fun guy. I like talking with you. I like laughing with you. I like dancing with you. I don’t want some asshat with a grudge to get in the way of us having a good time together. We both lead stressful lives. You more than I, clearly. We’re both self-proclaimed workaholics. And, if you’ll forgive me for saying it, we both desperately need an escape.”

  He was tempted to let her talk him into it. He was so drawn to Leah. And it wasn’t just physical. He liked her and enjoyed her company. He would’ve never guessed while standing out in rain spawned by his own grief and guilt that he could be laughing twenty minutes later. But Leah seemed to have that effect on him.

  “If you’re worried about how it will look,” she continued, “then bring Adira to storytime twice a week. The three of us can hang out up here afterward while Brittney, Mandy, or Tiana—you haven’t met her, but she’s great—mind the store. And you can carry a bag when the two of you leave so it will look like you came for the story and stayed to shop. It’ll be in the afternoon, so no one would believe it was a date or put any kind of romantic spin on it.”

  Was that plausible, or did he simply want it to be?

  “Or what about a playdate? My brother and sister-in-law have been worried that my nephew isn’t getting adequate socialization. He’s about Adira’s age. You and I could meet at the park and hang out while they play.”

  That was doubly tempting, because it would certainly appear innocent. “Would you object to my bringing Adira’s cousin Michael, too?” Why was he even considering this?

  Her lips twitched. “Is Michael the one with the glowering British papa who grumbles a lot and scares Sheldon nearly as much as you do?”

  Seth laughed. “I take it you’ve met Roland?”

  “He and his wife have come to the store with Ami and Marcus a few times. You’re welcome to bring Michael. I think Aaron would like it. How about Tuesday afternoon, one o’clock?”

  “Actually, I didn’t say I would—”

  “Excellent,” she interrupted with a bright smile. “Tuesday it is.” Giving his hand a pat, she released him and clapped her hands on her knees. “Now. I’m wide awake and won’t be able to sleep anytime soon. You need to wait for your clothes to dry. So… what do you think? Pizza and a movie?”

  “I really think it best if I—”

  “Pizza and a movie it is.” When she stood, her gaze strayed to the top of his head. “If you stop arguing with me and let me choose the movie, I’ll brush your hair for you so it’ll dry faster.”

  He stared at her. “Really?” Just imagining Leah brushing his long hair made some of the tension that knotted him up inside ease.

  “Sure.” She winked. “I won’t even make you paint my toenails afterward.” Spinning away, she headed into the kitchen and removed a pizza from the freezer.

  And damned if Seth didn’t feel another smile tug at his lips.

  Tessa stared at the back of Little Gifts. She and Gershom stood atop a three-story apartment building a few blocks over. But her preternaturally sharp eyesight, aided by the moon in the cloudless sky above them, allowed her to see it clearly once she found an angle unobscured by trees.

  Cold wind buffeted her, but the virus that infected her enabled her to control her body temperature, eliminating the discomfort autumn temperatures ordinarily would have imparted. She didn’t wear the long black coat favored by the Immortal Guardians she despised so much. She didn’t need one. The baggy clothes she wore hid not only her gender but also the multitude of weapons strapped to her slender body.

  The back door of the apartment above Little Gifts opened.

  Seth stepped out.

  Fury rose as it always did when she saw him, almost painful in its intensity.

  Gershom rested a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Easy, he cautioned telepathically.

  She took comfort in his presence beside her. He was the only reason she still breathed. And he was her only comfort, her source of strength.

  A woman appeared in the doorway. Holding the door open, she tilted her head back and spoke to Seth.

  Both smiled. Then Seth threw his head back and laughed.

  It only made Tessa’s hatred burn brighter.

  Smiling, the woman ducked back inside and closed the door. Then Seth teleported away.

  “He took what you loved,” Gershom murmured softly.

  She nodded, furious tears burning the backs of her eyes. “So I’ll take what he loves.”

  Gershom nodded. “Everything he loves.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Together we will finally succeed where in the past I have failed.”

  She looked up at him. He was so tall that her head barely reached his armpit. “Thank you for helping me.”

  He smiled. “Thank you for helping me, child.” He glanced over at the door through which Seth had exited. His eyes narrowed. “Seth will pay for all he has wrought.”

  Chapter Nine

  The next several days passed in a blur. Though Seth and Ami spent a few hours each afternoon searching for Tessa, they did not succeed in locating her. Tessa also had made no more appearances at night. Nor had any of the other missing immortals.

  Seth had hoped that the incident with Tessa would herald the appearance of the rest, that they too had begun to hunt with vampires in the area and would show themselves to his Immortal Guardians. But none had.

  Frustration burned his belly as Seth strolled through the front doors of network headquarters. The building’s exterior was unassuming. None could possibly guess its purpose by looking at it. Nor would it inspire any interest should someone inadvertently stumble upon it.

  Parked in a meadow surrounded by forest, it lay many miles away from any towns or cities. No houses or other businesses resided nearby. Only uninterrupted nature. A long slab of parking lot sprinkled with trees preceded it. No windows or ornamentation of any kind adorned the one-story structure. The bland brick exterior reminded Seth a bit of a warehouse for a package delivery service. The building even looked rather tired and worn, though it wasn’t even a decade old. Chris had merely made it appear much older to dissuade ne’er-do-wells out to make mischief.

  Once inside, Seth found himself enclosed in a glass vestibule that would no doubt withstand a strike by a bunker-busting missile. Beyond the clear walls on one side lay a waiting area for guests. Gray sofas clustered together in a U shape while potted plants that thrived in low light conditions interrupted the monochrome decor with splashes of color. Straight ahead, several armed human males sat behind a granite counter that concealed numerous surveillance monitors. All wore black shirts and black cargo pants rather than the standard security uniforms many businesses insisted upon. Behind them, more humans armed with automatic weapons manned two elevators.

  One of the guards behind the counter rose and approached the glass enclosure. “Sir.”

  Seth nodded. “Good evening, John.”

  John Wendleck swiped a card in the keypad beside the door and punched in a code. A buzz sounded, then the door opened. “Good to see you again.”

  Seth smiled. “I take it Chris’s gadget alerted you to my presence before I even entered.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Is he in his office?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Thank you.” Seth strode past the front counter. He nodded at the men behind it, then nodded again to the soldiers who manned the elevators.

  All stood straighter as he passed. Those who hadn’t encountered him before stared in open amazement, excited to finally see the Immortal Guardians’ ancient and powerful leader in person.

  “Thank you all for your service,” he said, sincerely grateful to each and every one of them.

  “Thank you for yours, sir,” one man said. His companions all nodded.

  Seth passed the elevators and headed down a hallway beyond them. At the end of it, a dozen soldiers—all as heavily
armed as the others—guarded the entrance to the reception room outside Chris Reordon’s office.

  Seth frowned. Had something happened? Guards were very rarely posted there.

  They straightened, abandoning their relaxed stances as he approached.

  Seth nodded to them. “Gentlemen.”

  They nodded back with a chorus of sirs.

  Seth entered the reception room.

  An array of comfortable chairs on one side provided ample seating for anyone who had to wait to see the man in charge. Guards now occupied most of them. Additional guards stood sentry at the door to Chris’s office.

  The other side of the room boasted a wall full of file cabinets and a large desk, behind which sat an attractive brunette garbed in a formfitting business jacket and skirt. The buttons on the front of her jacket were unfastened, allowing him to glimpse the holstered weapon she wore under one arm.

  When she looked up and saw him, her eyes widened and an expression of dismay flashed across her pretty features before she carefully schooled them into a polite mask of friendliness. “Hi, Seth.”

  “Hello, Kate. It’s good to see you.” What was going on?

  She wrinkled her nose. “It still feels weird to call you by your first name. You’re my boss’s boss and the most powerful man on the planet. I feel like I should at least put a mister in front of it.”

  He smiled. “I assure you, no mister is necessary. Is our boy in?”

  “Yes, he is,” she admitted, her reluctance evident. “But now might not be the best time to see him.”

  “I just need to speak with him for a moment. It’ll be quick.”

  She hesitated, then reached for the intercom. “Mr. Reordon? Seth is here to see you.”

  A muttered expletive carried across the line.

  She shot Seth a quick glance.

  He arched a brow.

  “Okay. Send him in,” Chris ordered.

  Kate straightened. “He can see you now.”

  “Thank you.” Seth headed for the door, his curiosity rising.

  One of the guards opened it for him, then closed it after Seth strode inside.

  Chris rounded his big desk and met him halfway across the spacious office. “Hi, Seth. I have a conference call coming up in a few, so I apologize in advance if we’re interrupted. What can I do for you?”

  Seth had a sneaking suspicion the conference call was bullshit and Chris just wanted to get rid of him. “What’s with the guards?”

  Sighing, Chris leaned against the back of a chair. It wasn’t until then that Seth realized Chris’s long sofa was missing. “There was an incident earlier with the vampires.”

  That caught and held Seth’s attention. “Did Cliff have another psychotic break?”

  “No. Stewart did. His third in as many months.” Stewart was another of the seven vampires who had surrendered to the Immortal Guardians, hoping to avoid insanity.

  “Was anyone hurt?”

  “Not really. Melanie and Bastien seemed to sense something was up and opted to stay here today instead of sleeping at David’s place. Melanie was in the lab with Stewart. Bastien was up here with me.”

  That surprised Seth. Chris’s one and only fault thus far had been a tendency to hold grudges. And he’d held one against Bastien—who had harmed dozens of guards here at the network during his darker days—for years.

  “What happened?”

  “Stewart lost it. Melanie said she didn’t know what triggered it, but she had to physically overpower and subdue him to keep him from attacking the guards. Cliff saw them struggling. Stewart got in a couple of lucky shots because Melanie was trying not to hurt him. Cliff thought Stewart was trying to kill Melanie and just… tore into him.”

  “Of course he did,” Seth said grimly. Cliff loved Melanie like a sister. He would kill anyone who threatened her.

  “Melanie managed to sedate them both before Bastien reached them. Stewart went down instantly. But the madness has progressed enough in Cliff that one dose of the tranquilizer won’t knock him out.”

  “And two doses can be dangerous.” Two doses could—and often did—prove fatal for vampires.

  “Yeah. Cliff’s okay though. We managed to calm him down without hurting him. But everyone is a little on edge.”

  “Understandable.”

  “So what can I do for you?”

  “May we speak in the conference room?” That particular room was so heavily soundproofed that even Seth couldn’t hear what happened inside it. And he wanted no one but Chris to hear what he had to say.

  Chris glanced at the conference room. “You know what? It’s a mess in there right now. Why don’t we just step into the bathroom instead?” It too was soundproofed. All bathrooms at network headquarters were so the vampires who lived five levels belowground wouldn’t complain about having to listen to employees relieve themselves twenty-four hours a day.

  The bathroom would’ve been fine, but Seth shook his head. “I prefer the conference room. I don’t mind a little clutter.” And he wanted to know what the hell was in there that Chris didn’t want him to see.

  Chris snorted. “Says the man who turned up his nose and looked like he couldn’t leave fast enough when a little clutter in my home aggravated his OCD.”

  Seth almost laughed. “That wasn’t a little clutter. That was a mess the likes of which the CDC would’ve quarantined if they’d seen it.”

  “Oh, ha ha ha. Well, my bathroom here is pristinely clean, so…” He motioned to the open door on one side of his office.

  Seth shook his head and motioned to the other. “We’ll talk in the conference room.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m curious to see what you’re trying to hide from me.”

  Chris stared at him for a long moment, then swore. “Fine. But just this once I’m going to say you suck for not letting me get away with it.”

  Unoffended, Seth followed the blond man to the door of the conference room and entered behind him. No clutter adorned the long, gleaming table around which sleek, modern rolling chairs gathered. But Seth did notice a new addition beyond it.

  Chris closed the door.

  Seth knew now why Chris’s sofa had been absent. He had dragged it in here and installed it at the opposite end of the room. Clothing littered the floor in front of it, having been hastily removed by the attractive couple that slumbered upon it beneath a blanket.

  The woman was beautiful with smooth skin the color of milk chocolate. Her raven hair was drawn back from her pretty face in a series of intricate braids that ended about the same place Adira wore headbands. There it blossomed into an Afro that looked as soft as a cotton ball. Her features were relaxed, her narrow shoulders bare.

  Cliff was spooned up behind her, his skin a bit darker, his hair twisted into a mass of thin dreadlocks. He showed no hint of the peace his lover had found in sleep. His bare arm lay atop the covers, wrapped around her and clutching her tightly. Every visible muscle was tense. His brows drew down in a deep V. His lips tightened. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. The eyes behind his closed lids moved rapidly back and forth.

  Sadness suffused Seth. Cliff was a good man, honorable to his core. He deserved better than to suffer the brain damage the virus would continue to spawn until he became a monster. “You called Emma,” he said softly. “When the first tranquilizer dose didn’t render him unconscious, this is how you calmed him.”

  Chris regarded him grimly. “Yes.”

  Silence reigned. Seth crossed to the couple. Cliff held the woman so tightly he would probably leave bruises. But Seth knew she wouldn’t complain. He touched a fingertip to Cliff’s temple. The vampire’s thoughts were so chaotic and filled with violence—his dream so nightmarish—that it took Seth several minutes to infuse Cliff with tranquility and steer his dreams toward happier times.

  Cliff sighed in his sleep and loosened his hold on Emma. Snuggling closer, he buried his nose in her hair.

  Set
h rested a hand on Emma’s shoulder. Cliff hadn’t harmed her. He had been rough and aggressive when they’d made love, but he hadn’t frightened or injured her. She loved Cliff and didn’t mind when his touch acquired a desperate edge. She just feared losing him.

  Seth sent healing warmth into her to take care of the few bruises that were beginning to form where Cliff had held her too tightly. The same healing warmth filtered from her into Cliff where they touched, further calming him.

  He straightened.

  “You knew,” Chris said.

  Strolling back toward him, Seth nodded. “I’ve known for quite some time that they’ve been seeing each other.”

  “I admit I’m a little surprised you didn’t call a halt to it.”

  “Surprised and relieved?”

  Chris stared at the couple. “Yeah.”

  “They’re adults. They love each other. And both are aware of the risks involved in being together. If Emma believes them worth it, I won’t stand in the way of whatever happiness they can find together.”

  Chris studied Seth. “Even though she’s a gifted one?”

  “Even so.” He cast Chris a mildly censorious look. “You didn’t need to hide it from me.”

  The human sighed and shook his head. “I didn’t want to, but I know how protective you are of gifted ones. I figured you’d want to spare her the heartache.”

  “I wish I could.” Seth thought of Chris’s assistant and found a smile. “Kate looked like a deer caught in the headlights when I strolled into her office.”

  Chris laughed. “Yeah. She likes Cliff and is really rooting for him. What did you want to see me about anyway?”

  “Something that I wish to go no farther than this room.”

  “Okay. What’s up?”

  Seth shifted. The problems he dealt with on a daily basis usually revolved around immortals, gifted ones, and vampires. Aside from certain issues that had arisen with regards to Ami, the problems he brought Chris were never of a personal nature. So he suddenly found himself fighting an absurd urge to fidget. “I need you to covertly provide additional security for a location.”