Death of Darkness

by Dianne Duvall

  She nodded, swallowing hard. “I know. But now that you’ve seen me, I can visit you in your dreams tonight and hold you.”

  Beside her, Yuri nodded. “We feel real to you in dreams.”

  Bastien barely spared him a glance. “I’m so sorry, Cat.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t be. Blaise fooled us both.” Again she swallowed. “I didn’t know what he was until that night. I found a dagger that had fallen out of his coat. When I picked it up…” She shook her head. “I saw what he’d been using it for.” Cat had been born with psychometric abilities and could glimpse past events that were attached to objects. “I was on my way to tell you when Blaise caught up with me.” Releasing Yuri, she raised her other hand to cup Bastien’s face. “There was nothing you could’ve done to save me.”

  Bastien shook his head. “I protected him,” he hissed, self-loathing choking his voice. “After you died, I protected the man who killed you and your babe.”

  “You didn’t know.”

  When he would’ve spoken again, she covered his lips with her fingers, careful not to let her hand pass right through him. “No more dwelling on the past.” She took a step backward and reclaimed Yuri’s hand. “I’m happy now,” she said, smiling up at the tall Russian immortal beside her. “And you’re happy now.” Her smile brightened as she turned to Melanie. “Thank you so much for loving Bastien and bringing him the happiness he deserves.”

  Seth just stood there, his boots cemented to the floor as emotion whorled around inside him.

  Yuri caught his gaze. “I’m happy, too, Seth. It’s time for you to stop persecuting yourself for shit you could neither predict nor control and acknowledge that. I’m happy now, in a way that I couldn’t be before. I love Cat. She loves me. And I’m not sorry I died that day because it allowed me to be with her.”

  Seth shook his head, unable to grasp it.

  Stanislav leaned forward. “Seth, Yuri was in love with Cat before the battle took his life.”

  Bastien frowned. “What?”

  Yuri shrugged. “I’m like Marcus. I was born with the ability to see spirits. When Seth transferred me to North Carolina, I stayed here at David’s place and”—he smiled down at Bastien’s sister—“discovered Cat haunting it.”

  Catherine wrinkled her nose. “I still don’t like that term.”

  “That’s all right.” Releasing her hand, Yuri curled an arm around her shoulders. “We haunt it together now.” He smiled at Bastien. “Catherine intrigued me from the first moment I saw her. I couldn’t help but speak to her. And once I did, I fell in love.” Again he stared at Seth. “Dying enabled me to be with her.”

  Lisette sent Yuri a tearful smile. “I miss watching baseball with you.”

  He winked. “I still watch it with you sometimes. You just don’t know I’m there.” When he returned his attention to Seth, all levity fled his features. “So are we good now? Will you stop avoiding me every time you see me?”

  “I—”

  “Apologize one more time,” Yuri warned ominously, “and I will plague you every night with nightmares plucked from Sheldon’s weird-ass sexual history.”

  Zach laughed.

  Yuri’s expression softened. “I do not hold you responsible, Seth. I do not regret dying that day. My only regret is not being able to speak with you. And that is something you have the ability to change.”

  Throat thick, Seth nodded. “Only if you’ll come to me in a dream so I can hug you.”

  Yuri smiled. “That I can do.” He turned his attention to Leah. “You’ll hold him to that, won’t you?”

  Leah smiled. “Yes. Thank you, Yuri. Seth may not admit it, but he needed this.”

  His smile grew. “Seth needed you more than anything. Thank you for bringing him the same happiness I’ve found with Cat.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Catherine’s head, then straightened and clapped his hands together. “All right, now that the big surprise is over, let’s get down to business, shall we? Cat and I have information to share.”

  Stanislav frowned. “What kind of information?”

  Yuri encompassed them all with a look. “We heard Liora and Jordan mention a rendezvous point Gershom designated for them, one where they would meet and he would teleport them to wherever he’s keeping them to prevent them from being able to give away its location if captured.”

  Bastien glanced at Seth, then Yuri. “And?”

  “And,” Yuri continued, “we took it upon ourselves to haunt that particular location to see if it was true.”

  Seth frowned. “Is it?”

  Yuri nodded. “It is. While we were watching the clearing, two of the missing immortals arrived by foot. One called Gershom on a cell phone. Gershom arrived an instant later, then teleported them away.”

  Seth met David’s gaze. “Then we know where we can catch him.”

  David nodded. “Precisely.”

  “Even better,” Yuri said. “If we’re present when he teleports, we can follow him to his destination much the same way you can, Seth.”

  Surprise widened Seth’s eyes. “You can?” He’d had no idea spirits could do such a thing.

  Yuri nodded. “We couldn’t at first. But we’ve been practicing and testing the limits of what this form allows us to do… with the help of Blaise.”

  Bastien growled as fury darkened his features. “Blaise? That bastard is still around?”

  “His spirit is,” Cat confirmed.

  “Where is he?” he demanded furiously. “Is he here? Is he—?”

  Cat held up a hand. “It’s all right, Bastien. Blaise can’t hurt me anymore. He’s…” Her brow furrowed with concentration as she lowered her head and tapped her lips with an index finger. “What’s that phrase Sheldon is so fond of using?” Her face lighting up, she snapped her fingers. “Oh yes.” She smiled at her brother. “Yuri and I have made Blaise our bitch.”

  Bastien gaped at her.

  Everyone burst into laughter. Even Seth found himself chuckling. Bastien’s shock at hearing his timid, proper sister make such a proclamation was hilarious.

  Chuckling, Yuri sent Cat an amused look. “That we have, love.” Then he spoke to Bastien. “Blaise is terrified of us—mostly of Cat—so we’ve made him our servant of sorts, forcing him to teach us all his little tricks.” He turned back to Seth. “And we finally mastered one of those tricks enough to follow Gershom the last time he visited that clearing.”

  “And?” Seth prompted.

  Yuri’s face filled with triumph. “We know where the other missing immortals are.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Conversation erupted after Yuri’s astonishing announcement. Leah silently held Seth’s hand, smoothing her thumb over his skin, taken aback by the wonder of it all. Just when she thought she knew everything about Seth and his world—or as much as he could share with her—she learned something new. Seth could see ghosts. Seth could allow her to see ghosts with a touch. And she was now watching him and his fellow immortals converse with ghosts as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

  Bastien seemed only a little less shocked than she was. Leah’s heart went out to the British immortal. He clearly loved his sister and kept darting looks her way as though he feared she would disappear.

  Seth spoke. “You saw all of them there? All nine missing immortals?”

  Yuri shared a look with Cat. “There are only eight immortals by our count. I thought at first the ninth must be out hunting, but there seems to be no room set aside for a ninth.”

  Cat nodded. “And we heard no mention of another.”

  Leah studied them all. “What does that mean?”

  Seth shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

  Melanie bit her lip. “It’s possible the ninth gifted one didn’t survive the transformation.”

  Bastien shook his head. “Or simply didn’t fall into line the way the others did and was slain by Gershom. We know he killed several of the other gifted ones he took for that reason… or had them
killed.”

  Leah looked up at Seth.

  A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Let’s focus on those we can save now. Did Gershom see you, Yuri?”

  Yuri shook his head. “He gave no indication that he did. I assumed he could see spirits, since you, Zach, and David all possess that ability, so we did our damnedest to stay out of sight. We also didn’t speak. In this realm, when we concentrate, Cat and I can communicate telepathically even though we weren’t born with that gift. It’s not as clear and direct as it would be if we were actual telepaths, but it’s something we’ve learned to do well enough to get the gist across to each other.”

  The couple was obviously deeply in love. Leah suspected their knowing each other so well aided them in that silent communication.

  “Since we didn’t talk and our movements are silent,” Yuri continued, “we made no sound Gershom could detect to tip him off that we were there. And we have no natural scent that members of the mortal realm can detect.”

  Leah smiled. “That is so cool. You’re like the perfect spies.”

  He grinned. “Exactly.”

  “Such was dangerous,” Seth announced grimly.

  Leah looked up at him in surprise.

  Yuri shook his head. “We’re already dead, Seth. What more could he do to us?”

  “He could banish you,” Seth replied. “Or banish one of you so the other would be left behind to grieve and suffer.”

  If ghosts could blanch, Leah thought both would have done so as they shared a horrified look.

  Then Cat straightened her shoulders and stared up at Seth. “Even if I’d known beforehand, I still would’ve risked it.”

  “Cat,” Bastien protested.

  She held up a hand. “I’ve changed since we last spoke, Sebastien. I’ve grown. A lot. And you are no longer the only member of our family who is capable of standing up for what’s right or who is willing to fight for what’s right.” She again looked at Seth. “You’re the reason my brother is happy. You’re the sole reason he now has a wife who loves and fulfills him.” She shook her head. “And you’re the only reason civilization has not yet collapsed. Had you not appointed yourself the leader of the Immortal Guardians when you became aware of the virus, gathered the immortals together, trained them, and provided them with the tools they needed to keep the vampire population in check, vampires would have long since slain every human being on this planet.”

  Leah stared at her. That was sobering as hell. She looked up at Seth, awe trickling through her. “Damn, Seth,” she said softly.

  He glanced down at her. “What?”

  “You saved the world.” He really had. He had expressed more than once the importance of maintaining a balance. Had he not pitted immortals against the rising vampire population, there would have been no balance and humans would have all either been slain or transformed. Then those who were transformed—even if they could subsist on animal blood—would’ve succumbed to madness in just a few years’ time.

  Humanity would’ve indeed become extinct.

  Seth had saved the world and was doing his damnedest to save it again.

  He frowned as if he were uncomfortable with her thinking such.

  “Seth,” Cat said, drawing his attention before he could offer a protest, “we know the threat Gershom poses.”

  Yuri nodded. “We’ve been present at every meeting you and our brethren have held, both here and at network headquarters.” His lips tightened as he sent his leader a disgruntled look. “We just remained out of sight so we wouldn’t upset your damned delicate sensibilities.”

  Zach, Bastien, and Marcus all barked out laughs.

  Even Seth laughed, Leah was relieved to see, while David unsuccessfully fought a smile.

  “Gershom,” Yuri continued, “has proven to be far more dangerous than vampires, more so even than the mercenary groups we’ve fought in the past. Cat and I wish to do whatever we can to help you stop him. So… yes, had we been aware of the risks, we still would’ve staked out the clearing and followed Gershom to the place he’s holding the missing immortals.”

  Cat nodded. “And we’ll do it again. Whatever you need. We want to help you end this so you can all get on with your lives without anyone else being hurt. Please, let us do this.”

  A long moment passed.

  “Where are they being held?” Seth asked, making no promises.

  Poor guy. He even tried to protect dead immortals and gifted ones.

  Yuri and Cat looked over at Marcus.

  Marcus crossed to Ami’s desk. When he returned, he carried an iPad. “Here.” He turned the tablet to face them.

  Seth studied the map on the screen. His brows drew down in a scowl. “Seriously?”

  Leah studied it. She wasn’t very familiar with North Carolina’s coast and didn’t have Seth’s outstanding vision to help her read the tiny print. “Where is it? I can’t make out the words.”

  “Roanoke Island,” Seth answered.

  Roanoke Island, she silently repeated, then frowned. “The sight of the so-called Lost Colony?”

  “Yes,” Seth answered with a curl of his lip.

  “What an ass,” Zach muttered. “Did he think he was being clever, holding them there?”

  “I don’t know what goes through that bastard’s mind,” Seth responded. “What kind of building is it, Yuri?”

  “The kind that’s perfect for his purposes,” he answered. “Plain. Nondescript. Set apart from all other homes and structures. Almost no windows.”

  “Is it military?” David asked.

  Yuri shook his head. “I don’t think so, but he has convinced the immortals housed there that it is and that the guards present are there to protect them.”

  “As far as we can tell,” Cat said, “the men who guard them are mercenaries.”

  Seth studied the map. “Chris’s contacts should be able to confirm that for us. Are the immortals aware of each other? Liora believes she only saw Tessa and Veronica once. Jordan thinks he saw Veronica once. But I couldn’t tell if that was true. If Gershom erased their memories of other encounters, their regenerative abilities would’ve rid them of whatever scar tissue resulted in their brains.”

  “Gershom keeps them separated,” Yuri answered. “They have almost no contact with each other. I don’t know how often Gershom goes there, but from what we observed, he taps into their minds when he does and erases any doubts or questions that have arisen during his absence.” He looked at Stanislav. “Gershom is as adept at manipulating emotions as you are. He constantly fuels their anger and their desire for vengeance and even their patriotism.” He again met Seth’s gaze. “He’s convinced them you’re a threat, a power-hungry menace intent on either conquering the world or watching it burn.”

  Seth shook his head. “When he himself is the one who wants to watch the world burn.” He turned to David. “We should act on this now.”

  Leah stiffened. “What?”

  “I agree,” David said. “If there’s even a slight chance that Gershom saw Yuri and Cat, he may even now be searching for a new place to stash the kidnapped immortals.”

  Leah’s heart began to beat faster with fear. Gershom was supposedly almost as powerful as Seth. “Shouldn’t you wait until you have more intel? You know almost nothing about the place.”

  Yuri shook his head. “We can go with you, Seth, and show you exactly in which rooms the immortals are kept, help you navigate the building, and warn you of approaching guards.”

  His words didn’t dispel her rising panic. “What if Gershom did see Yuri and Cat? What if, instead of concentrating on finding a new hiding place, he’s laying a trap, knowing you’re on your way?”

  Zach nodded. “It’s possible. Gershom is a wily bastard.”

  “Which is why,” Seth said, “Zach and I will go alone.”

  “Oh hell no!” Leah blurted. “If you’re going to do this, you should take as many men with you as you can.”

  But Seth shook his head. “If it’s a trap, the
purpose is less likely to be an attempt to kill or capture me and more likely to be Gershom attempting to lure me away from here so he can nab you, Ami, and Adira. Zach and I will go alone and leave everyone else behind to guard you.”

  She looked at David, silently beseeching him to back her up.

  David sighed. “I don’t like it either, but I agree. Gershom has not yet attempted to take Seth’s life.”

  “Not yet,” she repeated, pouncing on the second word. “He has not yet attempted to take Seth’s life. That doesn’t mean he won’t.”

  David touched her arm. “Thus far, Gershom has merely attempted to set events into motion that even Seth—with all his power and resources—will not be able stop or reverse. Seth would be far less useful to him dead than he would be as a weapon Gershom can trigger by harming those Seth loves.”

  Leah wasn’t even sure what that meant but nevertheless found it unsettling as hell.

  “So we’re in agreement?” Seth asked.

  David looked at Yuri. “Are the missing immortals still there?”

  Yuri vanished. A second later, he reappeared. “Yes. They’re still there. So is Gershom.”

  Seth squeezed Leah’s hand and turned to Zach. “We go now. Jared.”

  A man as tall as Seth abruptly appeared in the room with them, not two feet from Leah, startling the hell out of her. “Yes?”

  “We’ve found Gershom. Zach and I are going to confront him and rescue the kidnapped immortals. Do you want to join us?”

  Jared’s eyes flashed with golden light. “Hell yes!” Two long swords appeared in his hands.

  Seth spoke in Leah’s head. Will that put your mind at ease?

  Not really, but she nodded. The last thing Seth needed right now was a distraction. She didn’t want him worrying about her while he was confronting his enemy.

  “I’ve awoken the immortals,” Seth announced, “and alerted the Seconds. All are arming themselves as we speak. I’ve also given Reordon a heads-up. He is currently locking down network headquarters in case an attack should ensue while he prepares for the arrival of the new immortals.”