“You’re alive?”
He covered her hand with one of his and turned his face to press a kiss to her palm. “I’m alive, Leah.”
Another sob burst from her lips as she threw herself into his waiting arms and wept.
Seth wrapped his arms around her. So strong. So real. So alive. He stood, drawing her up with him, and held her tight.
Murmurs rose around them. Then someone large and muscular closed his arms around the two of them in an embrace that constricted her breath.
Prying one eye open, she saw dreadlocks.
David wept as he hugged them.
Then another body crowded against them and another and another until everyone formed a tight knot around the man they had all thought they’d lost.
“You died,” she whispered.
Seth pressed a kiss to her hair, then rested his cheek atop her head. “I know.”
“I thought I’d lost you.” She clutched him tighter, if that was even possible. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart. I’m sorry I scared you.”
David shook his head. “She wasn’t the only one you scared,” he murmured, voice hoarse.
Seth chuckled as bodies continued to press into them. “All right. All right. Give us some air, would you?”
The close bundle of bodies reluctantly floated away one by one until only Leah still hugged Seth.
Standing nearby, his face tear-streaked, Aidan shook his head. “What the bloody hell, Seth?”
“Where are the children?” Marcus blurted.
“Are the children still safe?” Roland asked at the same time, their words overlapping.
“The children are fine,” Seth assured them with a smile. “They’re safe.”
“Hooooly shit!” Ethan exclaimed, his voice conveying utter astonishment.
“What the hell?” someone else whispered.
Leah finally eased away from Seth but couldn’t bring herself to let him go. Keeping one arm around his waist, she leaned into his side. When she finally looked around, she gaped.
The building was gone.
Not damaged, but gone. No walls. No doors. No ceilings. No roof. And no rubble. All that remained was the small patch of concrete slab beneath their feet, which had been scoured clean.
By wind? By fire? Both?
No bodies lay about. No vehicles were parked within sight.
They were all alone.
Leah looked up at Seth. “What happened?”
He glanced around with a rueful smile. “My father happened.”
Reaching up, she fingered a few strands of his much shorter hair. “You died,” she said again, tears blurring her vision.
He grimaced. “A careless error on my part. I didn’t expect there to be any fail-safe measures inside your cell.”
Zach shook his head, his expression both weary and relieved. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“Me, too,” David added, the beautiful midnight skin of his cheeks glistening with tears.
Leah released Seth so he could draw David into a bone-crushing hug.
“I’m sorry,” Seth whispered.
David shook his head, his fists clenching in the back of Seth’s shirt. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
Stepping back, Seth cupped the back of David’s neck in one hand and stared into his glowing amber eyes. Both were silent for a moment. Then David nodded and smiled.
Ami claimed a hug next. Then Zach. And Lisette.
One by one, the others followed while Leah impatiently waited for her chance to hold him again.
“Your father saved you?” Roland asked as he claimed his own hug.
Seth nodded.
Marcus hugged him next. “Who is your father?”
Seth visually consulted David while Leah and everyone else held their breath, awaiting his answer.
“My father,” he said at last, “is a Watcher.”
Sarah’s eyes widened as her jaw dropped. “He’s a Watcher?” she asked, her expression incredulous. “Seriously?”
Leah glanced around. Most of those present seemed as clueless as she was. “What’s a Watcher?”
Sarah answered, her face still full of awe as she stared up at Seth. “It depends on who you ask. According to religious scholars, ancient scriptures describe Watchers as angels who became enamored of human women and married them. But some historians and scientists believe the Watchers were aliens. Either way, the outcome was not good.”
Seth nodded. “Human women bore the Watchers children who were described as giants capable of sorcery.”
Leah looked him up and down. “No wonder you’re so tall.”
He smiled. “Not compared to them. They were giants in the true sense of the word. I’m tiny by comparison. The Watchers and their progeny shared knowledge, sorcery, technology, and more with humanity, corrupting mortals to such an extent that the world had to be wiped clean.”
“By the Great Flood,” Sarah said.
He nodded. “Those who were more powerful than the Watchers buried them so deeply they would never see the light of day again, then slew the giants they’d fathered.”
Leah tilted her head to one side, trying to puzzle it out. “But if your father was one of them…” How had he helped them? And how had Seth escaped death?
Seth shook his head. “I’m not one of the first generation of Watchers’ sons. Zach and I and the Others came later. Our fathers didn’t wish to meet the same fate as their predecessors, nor did they want us to be slain, so they altered our DNA while we were still in the womb to make us blend in a little better.”
Melanie took a step forward, her face full of fascination. “They can do that? They can alter DNA?”
Lisette snorted. “Even so, you and Zach would never blend in. You’re too damned handsome.”
Seth grinned. “And we were expressly forbidden from interfering in human affairs.”
Zach tightened his hold on Lisette. “Aware of what happened when the first generation of Watcher sons tampered with humanity, we all readily agreed.”
Bastien frowned. “No wonder you thought such would result in Armageddon. It already had once.”
Seth nodded.
Leah touched his arm. “But you married a human woman.”
A smile lifted the corners of his lips as he gave a light shrug. “I suppose I’m too much like my father.”
Foliage rustled in the forest fifty yards away.
Everyone spun to face it.
Had any of the immortals borne weapons, Leah knew they would’ve drawn them. But none save Seth and Zach did, and they kept theirs sheathed.
Leah stared at the dark forest.
Cliff stepped out of the trees, then just stood there, looking dazed.
Bastien and Melanie gasped, then raced toward him.
“What happened?” Cliff murmured as they reached him and drew him into a hug. “Did I have another break?” His clothing bore numerous holes and tears and burn marks. Blood marred his face and arms. “I don’t remember what happened. Where are we? How did I get here?”
Melanie shook her head. “You helped Seth save us.”
“I did?” Neither his face nor his voice betrayed any emotion. His responses seemed almost robotic.
Bastien nodded.
“Are you okay?” Melanie asked, blinking back tears as she rubbed the vampire’s arm.
Cliff glanced down and inspected his torso. “Yeah.” He looked around. “My ears feel funny.”
Bastien exchanged a concerned look with Melanie.
Melanie gently clasped Cliff’s chin and turned his head from one side to the other, then ran her hands along his limbs. Her brow furrowed. “I see blood, but I don’t see any wounds.”
Seth frowned. “His wounds are all healed?”
Melanie nodded. “There isn’t a scratch on him.”
The sound of a vehicle approaching distracted Leah.
A Humvee sped into view, kicking up dust on the dirt road. Tires locking, it dr
ifted to a halt inches from the concrete slab upon which she, Seth, and the rest stood.
Leah squinted against the headlights.
Chris Reordon stumbled out, eyes wide, hair mussed. Striding forward a few steps, he stopped, turned in a circle, then met Seth’s gaze. “Okay. I don’t know how the fuck I’m going to cover this up.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Seth was still laughing when Chris surprised him by closing the distance between them and wrapping him in a bear hug.
“Glad to see you made it,” Chris said.
Seth clapped him on the back. “Glad to see you did, too.”
Chris had already ordered his men to haul ass and clear the building when Seth had told Leah and the others to close their eyes.
“Did the other Immortal Guardians and network soldiers all make it out safely?” Seth asked when they parted.
“Yeah. They’re guarding the prisoners we took a couple miles away. I didn’t know what to expect after that big-ass explosion, so I told them to keep their distance and watch the flock while I came to see what had happened.”
“There was an explosion?” Leah asked. She had felt wind and heat, but…
Chris stared at them. “Well, yeah. I don’t know how you could’ve missed it. Honestly, I expected all of you to be toast when I came back. It was that fucking big. And loud. And bright as hell. It stopped just short of creating a mushroom cloud.”
Leah stared up at Seth with wide eyes.
He shrugged, not wanting to go into it. Instead, he addressed Chris. “Don’t worry about the cleanup. Have Henderson get his crew back to network headquarters here in Texas and have the teleporters get the rest back to your headquarters in North Carolina. Have Mattheus and the other immortals remain there and guard you all. Gershom is out of the picture, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a plan B waiting in the wings somewhere.”
Chris nodded. “I’m on it.”
Seth caught his arm as Chris turned away. “Would you take Cliff with you and have Dr. Machen examine him once you’re home?”
“Sure.” Chris gestured to Cliff as he strode toward his vehicle. “Hop in.”
Seth was both surprised and relieved to find the young vampire alive. A quick inspection revealed that Cliff’s mind was even wonderfully clear of the voices that had constantly plagued him. Perhaps the brilliant light from the explosion had accomplished what Aidan taking Cliff into sunlight still sometimes did and silenced the voices for a time.
Seth would check on him later just to be sure Cliff hadn’t suffered any brain trauma in the blast that might require healing. Right now the vampire just seemed a little dazed, the way he often did after experiencing a psychotic break.
As soon as Cliff ducked into the vehicle, Chris started the engine and sped away.
Bastien and Melanie returned to stand with Seth and the others.
Ami stepped forward. “Seth?”
Gideon, he called telepathically. Jaden. Bring the children to me.
The two Others abruptly appeared beside Seth.
Leah jumped and released a yelp of surprise.
Seth slid an arm around her. “Sorry. I should’ve warned you they were coming.” Her nerves were understandably frayed.
Gideon held Adira close to his chest. One large hand cupped her bright orange curls while she leaned against him and played with strands of his long black hair.
Jaden held Michael and shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other.
More reserved by nature, Michael just stared somberly at the man who held him.
Jaden frowned at Seth. “Why does he keep staring at me like that? Am I doing something wrong?”
Before Seth could answer, the children’s parents swept forward and plucked the toddlers from their powerful babysitters’ arms.
Roland and Sarah fussed over Michael.
Ami and Marcus cuddled Adira.
Happy to be back with her mommy, Adira snuggled against Ami’s chest and offered Gideon a smile and a wave.
Gideon’s face lit with surprise. Then he smiled back and waggled his fingers.
Seth glanced at David.
David arched a brow. Will wonders never cease?
Seth laughed.
“You see?” Jaden complained. “She likes Gideon. Why doesn’t the boy like me?”
Gideon snorted. “Because you didn’t hide your fear from him.”
Seth bit back another laugh. “You were afraid of him?” He knew Jaden had never held a child before, but hadn’t thought the powerful warrior would actually be afraid to try it.
Jaden narrowed his eyes, unamused. “No. I was afraid the shit was going to hit the fan when your head left your body.”
“We all were,” Gideon said. “That scared the hell out of us. Fortunately, it didn’t.”
Leah’s eyes widened. “It didn’t?”
Lisette gaped, too, and motioned to the small patch of clean slab, all that remained of the military compound. “This wasn’t the shit hitting the fan?”
Seth shook his head. “Believe it or not, no.” He and the rest of the Others had always presumed that if one of them—a Watcher’s son—was ever slain, his father’s response would not be nearly as restrained as Seth’s father’s had been. It was the only reason Seth had stopped just short of killing Gershom. Those of their ilk, they believed, must be dealt with differently.
Gideon caught Seth’s eye and scowled. “Don’t do it.”
“Don’t do what?” Seth asked, feigning ignorance.
Gideon slid their audience a glance. “Don’t tell them.”
Seth shook his head. “Too late. I’ve already begun. And they deserve to hear it after everything they’ve been through.”
“The Others won’t like it,” Jaden warned.
Anger rose. “I don’t give a flying fuck what the Others do and don’t like. If they had helped me capture Gershom as soon as he defected and I told you he was a problem, none of this would’ve happened.”
When Jaden would’ve spoken again, Gideon held up a hand to cut him off.
“Understood,” Gideon said simply. “We shall take our leave now.”
Both men vanished without another word.
“Grab a shoulder,” Seth ordered everyone else. Tucking Leah tighter against his side, he waited until everyone present had done as asked. Then he teleported them all to the great hall of his castle in England.
Linking his fingers through Leah’s, he led them upstairs through a series of hallways until he came to a closed door. A wave of his hand unsealed and opened it so he could stride inside.
Leah moved forward with him and surveyed the room curiously as she stroked his arm with her free hand.
Seth glanced around and tried to see it through her eyes. Large enough to serve as a ballroom, it boasted no furniture. Nor did it possess any windows. Were it not for the overhead lights that brightened at his telekinetic command, they would be standing in a dark void.
No paintings adorned any of the pale gray marble walls. Nor did tapestries or photographs or flat-screen televisions. The only ornamentation the stark room boasted was an elaborate engraving that whorled across the floor and up three walls.
The one that housed the doorway remained untouched.
Ami entered behind Seth and Leah, Adira cradled in her arms.
Everyone else remained in the hallway, their gazes averted.
Until now, everyone—immortal, gifted one, and human—had been forbidden entrance. This had been Seth’s room and Seth’s alone. Though the large oak door bore no locks, anyone who tried to open it in his absence would’ve found the task impossible. Even preternatural force and power tools would not have granted them entrance if any had been foolish enough to try.
None had. Seth had expected Bastien to when he had imprisoned the immortal black sheep in the castle for a time. But even Bastien had respected his wishes.
Ami had not known this room was forbidden though and had dared to enter it. She had been so innocent
and damaged at the time that he had felt neither anger nor resentment over it. So she was already familiar with the room and many of his secrets, as was David.
“It’s all right,” Seth told the rest. “You may enter.”
Those who could see inside from their positions in the hallway sent the room quick, cautious glances, as though they feared too long a peek would turn them to stone. When Seth didn’t do whatever it was they thought he might do, they crept into the room and peered around with interest.
The image on the floor—an enormous tree painstakingly carved by Seth’s own hand—drew their fascinated attention.
“Every one of you,” Seth began, “has asked me why gifted ones are born with such advanced DNA and possess such wondrous gifts.” He motioned to the carving. “The answer lies before you.” He met Zach’s gaze and found only approval and relief in his eyes. Zach had wanted to share this with Lisette ever since the French immortal had stolen his heart.
Seth strolled farther into the cavernous room, drawing Leah with him. “Zach and I and the rest of the Others were the very first gifted ones. Less than the giants who came before us, but more than human, we are children born of a union between human women and Watchers, who are far more advanced beings.” He glanced at the faces around him. “The rest of you… are my descendants.”
Silence engulfed them.
After a moment, Roland spoke. “How is that possible? I thought your children were slain alongside your wife.”
“They were,” Seth acknowledged with a familiar pang of grief. “But my daughter and son-in-law gave me three grandchildren—two girls and a boy—who managed to escape death that day.” He motioned to his second-in-command. “David is my grandson.”
Eyes widened and jaws dropped as they all stared at David.
David grinned, amused by their shock.
Ethan looked back and forth between Seth and David, then spoke slowly as though fearing he might offend. “I see the resemblance in your features, but…”
Seth laughed. “You’re wondering how I could have a grandson as dark as David?”
“Yyyyyyeah,” he admitted.
“My wife, Ayana, was Ethiopian and as dark as David.”
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