The Darkest Hour Before Dawn

by H M Wolfe

  "Bloody bastard," Sebastian cursed, hands balled into fists. "That disgusting piece of trash ruined a lot of lives out of greed. All the pain he caused us, the hell he put you and your husband through...If he was in front of me right now..."

  In the same dreamy voice, Willa started to explain how, once her husband's cousin's real intentions, namely getting his hands on the family's company, were discovered, all the relatives rallied against him. They helped the young couple get in touch with a lawyer, James Weldon, who occasionally was involved in shady businesses.

  He was in charge of everything: adoption papers, finding a pregnant woman willing to give up her baby, and all the other details. They never met the woman; a nurse from a private clinic in New York City brought the baby to Boston one day after he was born. A year after that, Willa got pregnant with Ariana, Theodore, following almost two years later. Both of them were Simon's biological children, much to everyone's surprise.

  "What's going to happen from now on?" Hayden asked, still shocked by his father and aunt's revelations. "Should I start calling Hugo brother, too, or...I'm a little in the dark here."

  "No," Martin Cornelius gently spoke, smiling in his cousin's direction, "we'll confuse and hurt both him and Daniel. If everyone else agrees, I'd suggest leaving things as they are. Auntie Willa may not have given birth to Hugo, but she's his mother in every sense of the word, and Uncle Simon, whom we didn't have the privilege of knowing, was his father."

  "Is Tarquin alright?" an extremely agitated Elliott burst into the waiting room, Eugene in tow. "What exactly happened? Is Daniel, alright?" The man fell exhausted into Sebastian's arms, catching his breath.

  "Tarquin is fine, four cracked ribs, no major concussions, no damage to the lungs or any other vital organ," Nicholas whispered, rubbing circles on the blond's back, helping him to relax. "He should be awake by now. I'm sure he would be happy to see you."

  "What about Daniel, how is he? According to Luca Moretti, he sustained pretty serious head injuries and was still in surgery at the time we got the phone call. Isn't he out yet?"

  "He is, but..." Sebastian started, clearing his throat, when Hugo, accompanied by Alasdair, stepped inside, interrupting him.

  "Someone, please take this gent to the cafeteria, he needs a lot of food and water, milk or lemonade to recover after donating all that blood. Oh, Elliott, glad to see you. Tarquin's awake now, he asked for you. We also decided to push Daniel out of the induced coma, and you can go see him, Uncle Sebastian, Uncle Joraan," Alasdair turned to the two older men, smiling.

  "Papa? Dad? What happened? Where is Tarquin? Why am I here?" Daniel whispered, looking around, confused, and somewhat scared.

  "Shh, everything's alright now." Sebastian wiped his son's sweaty forehead, lightly kissing it. "Your husband's fine, the two of you will be out in a couple of days. What do you remember about the accident? Was another vehicle involved?"

  "Accident? What kind of accident?" Daniel frowned, trying to focus on his father's words. "Oh, I remember now." He waved his hand, trying to shift in bed, without success. "Papa, what's wrong with my legs? I can't move them. Why can't I feel or move my legs?

  "I've come for the next assignment, just like I promised." Brennan looked straight into Fabian's eyes as he spoke. "As for the mission, I failed to accomplish..."

  "Oh, don't worry about that one, it turned out better than if you would have killed the bastard." The older man's dark-blue eyes shone evilly. "The pesky thing won't create any more problems, bedridden as he is, and without the possibility of ever regaining the use of his legs or...other parts of his anatomy."

  "So, that was all about you wanting the blondie for yourself." Brennan pressed his lips together. "Not my business, anyway." He shrugged indifferently. "So, what's the next assignment, again?"

  "This time, you won't have to kill anyone. Not yet, at least. There's this man, who's been a thorn in my side for quite some time now. He nearly put me out of business and made me lose a lot of money and loyal clients. All you have to do is keep a close eye on him and inform me about every move he makes."

  "That's too easy. There must be a catch somewhere, and I'm not in unless you tell me what it's all about." Brennan's turquoise eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'll continue to work for you, but I don't trust you anymore, so it's either that or..."

  "I understand, and honestly, I would do the same if I were you." Fabian falsely smiled, waving his hand. "There's this kid, the result of a horrible experiment. I've raised him since the day he was born. Recently, we've had a little disagreement, and he ran away from home. I have reason to believe this man has the boy, and he's going to hurt him very badly."

  "I'll do it." Brennan nodded. "You better not fool me, you know what kind of monster I am and what I'm capable of doing. I'll end your fucking life in a blink of an eye and turn your ugly corpse to shreds, feeding it to a pack of hungry dogs. Do I make myself clear enough?"

  "Very clear," Fabian dragged the words, looking at the young man, his eyes half-closed. "As I said, you don't have to kill anyone, never mind that the perverted whore might hurt the boy, once he finds out he's under my protection."

  "Wait a minute...what whore?" Brennan turned around, the interest in his voice unmistakable.

  "The one who used the lowest, dirtiest seduction techniques and his luscious body to twist the head of my late partner. He manipulated the guy to hand him over the control of his company, then killed the poor fool. Name's Ardan MacNamara. You better remember it, the bastard is deadlier than the most poisonous snake."

  Fabian watched with satisfaction as the younger man sucked in a sharp inhale, anticipating a burst of rage, but that was the only reaction he got. Without a word, Brennan turned around and left, closing the door behind him, and making his employee groan in frustration. For the first time in four years, he regretted the decision of removing the then-teen out of the lab of horrors and training him as an assassin.

  His first obedience was gradually replaced by the current, defiant attitude, much to Fabian's discontent. He should have been stricter, punished the young man more often, like the brat he was. He should have kept him on edge with drugs that would have increased his aggressiveness. Brennan was supposed to be a tiger unleashed. Tearing into his prey, and most of the time, he lived up to those expectations.

  Recently, however, Fabian had noticed a change. Subtle at first, then more and more noticeable. Somehow, the young man had found a way to temper the effect of the psychotic episodes, fighting them off and keeping the aggressiveness they usually induced at bay. Besides that, Brennan started to question his orders, becoming increasingly distrustful. Just like the little, spoiled, white-haired brat who'd begun to give him headaches.

  At this point, Fabian clenched his teeth, the helplessness and frustration pent up inside him, ready to burst. If Ardan MacNamara got his hands on the boy, all his hard work of the last twenty-three years and even earlier, all the plotting and deceiving would be in vain. He couldn't let that happen, couldn't lose when the victory was so close, almost tangible.

  Brennan would do his dirty work, as ever. He'd bring the wayward son home and maybe also eliminate the thorn in his side. Fabian would take care of all the others, then use the white-haired boy to claim what was rightfully his. Once everything was over, Fabian would take the kid by force and breed him, just like he'd done with his father.

  The man's cock twitched at the thought, but he showed restraint, as ever. "Just a couple of months," he mumbled, "and I can do whatever I want, no stupid rules to obey. Until then, though, I have to be patient and wait for the perfect moment to deliver the devastating blow. They won't see it coming, none of them." Fabian smiled evilly.

  CHAPTER 9

  F or the first time since he'd worked as Fabian's assassin, Brennan was confused. Judging by the description the man provided for him via a detailed email, he expected The Base to be something between a mined field and a hole in the ground. Instead, the place, supposing that it was the right locat
ion, looked like quiet suburbia rather than an impenetrable fortress.

  The psychotic episode Brennan had experienced the previous night had left him weakened like never before, his head aching and stomach-churning. A sudden sensation of dizziness overtook him, and he closed his eyes in an effort to stop it, with little to no success. Hugging himself, the young man bent over and started to dry heave.

  "Hey, are you alright? Here, take this." Brennan heard a concerned voice, while a delicate hand softly rubbed his back. "It will make nausea go away, and it'll calm the dizziness, too, because you were dizzy, right?"

  "Thank you." The man opened his eyes, widening them in shock, as he saw himself flanked by two identically looking kids in their mid-teens. "Are you...and how did you figure out I was dizzy? The nausea was obvious, but..."

  "Well, I've dreamed of becoming a doctor since I was thirteen," one of the boys answered. "That's when I came to live with Pater and met Spitfire. He's become my idol and inspiration, an example to follow. And there's Thorvald, of course, I've learned so much from him." The teen lightly blushed.

  "Hey, boys, what's up? Shouldn't you meet Jeroen and go to the library together?" Another soft voice, this time belonging to an adult, made the boys turn their heads, a small smile playing on their lips. "What's wrong?" a delicate-looking young man with kind green eyes asked. He pushed a double stroller, the babies inside sleeping peacefully.

  "We found him right in the middle of the street, spilling his guts out." Cian, a little shorter and slimmer, pointed to Brennan. "And Lorcan gave him a pill and some water. Then, he wanted to know how my brother knew he was dizzy, too, and...you know..." The boy smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

  "Shoo, go away, you are going to be late." The young man lightly pushed the teens. "I'll watch over your patient. Take care!"

  "Okay, we're on our way. Have a nice day, dude. You are now in Peyton's hands; they are the best caretaker around. Second to Spitfire, of course!" the one called Lorcan yelled the last part.

  "They? We haven't been properly introduced. My name's Brennan, and I'm very grateful for..." he started, only to be cut short by the other one.

  "Yes, they." Peyton candidly smiled. "And there's no need to thank the boys or me. You were in a dire situation, and they helped. It's just the way things go around here."

  Brennan didn't know what to reply, so he stayed silent, examining the other one. He never understood the whole they thing, not even over the years he'd spent in the lab. Despite the horrible experiments, they subjected the boys to, the twisted-minded fuckers still respected their identity, using the male forms of pronouns when speaking about them. Going neutral seemed strange for him, like swimming in troubled waters.

  A soft noise brought Brennan back, and from the corner of his eye, he saw how the other one took something out from under the stroller, then leaned over it, cooing at the babies inside. It turned out that the objects were two bottles, the person trying and partly managing to feed both babies at the same time.

  "Um...excuse me, can I help you? I don't have experience with children, never did that before, but you look like you could use an extra hand, and I thought..."

  "Thank you for offering, that's sweet of you." A smile bloomed on Peyton's sensual lips. "Here, feed Alexis, they won't give you a hard time, Selma here is the troublemaker. I don't know whose temper she inherited." They shook their head.

  "My stepfather used to say I take after my father, which doesn't put the guy in the best of lights, considering how violent and antisocial I am. For some reason, my stepfather, the best man who ever walked the face of the Earth, always spoke with respect about him."

  "Well, he most likely had good reasons," Peyton replied in a lighthearted tone. "You know, sometimes, stepfathers are thousands of times better than the biological ones, like in my case. My biological father was a cold-hearted bastard, a monster, and so is his older son, while the man who married mom and raised me..."

  "What about the babies' father? Or mother," Brennan asked with a confused expression, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, I'm totally new to this whole they thing. I don't know how..."

  "That would be my husband, Ezra, one of the best men ever born," Peyton interrupted him with a soft laugh. "And you are absolutely cute worrying like that. Oh, where were you heading to when the boys found you? That should have been the first thing I asked." They smiled apologetically.

  "To a place known as The Base, but I doubt the directions I have are right," Brennan answered, totally relaxed in the other one's presence. "And I'm not cute, not in the least, I'm..." The protest ended in an incomprehensible mumble, much to Peyton's amusement.

  "Oh, we are going in the same direction, then. Our destination is over there." They pointed straight ahead to a massive structure surrounded by a tall, brick wall. "You can keep us company if you like." They eyed the babies in the stroller, who was staring at the two of them, in a milk-drunk state.

  "I'd be happy to. Let me help you with that." Brennan gently took the stroller from Peyton, earning himself a grateful smile.

  The two of them continued the walk in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. On the contrary, the serene atmosphere and Peyton's discreet presence had a calming effect on Brennan's nerves, still tense after the last psychotic episode. He hadn't experienced a sense of peace so deep since his mother and stepfather were alive.

  As the two of them got closer to their destination, the young man was paying more attention to the surroundings, especially to the wall enclosing the Base. The structure was partially covered by the luxurious vegetation growing around it, from ivy to bushes and all kinds of tall trees, that conferred it a friendly, eye-catching appearance.

  When they were only a few yards away from the gate, one of the babies started to squirm, then pouted, the telltale sign of a crying fit. Awkwardly, Brennan put his hand on the little one's belly, softly rubbing it. The baby gradually calmed down, then drifted asleep, much to Peyton's relief, who gave the improvised babysitter another bright smile.

  For the first time in his life, Brennan started to wonder how it would be like to fall in love with someone and be loved back, to have one or even two children of his own. To raise a family and have a job, like all the other people. To be happy, just once. But the next second, he shook off the thought, almost terrified by the idea.

  Love and raising a family wasn't for a lab rat, a creature as violent and twisted as the crazy people who made him that way, Brennan thought bitterly. Monsters like him didn't deserve to be happy and loved; they belonged in the shadows. As for the one who would be foolish enough to fall in love with him, they would end up living a miserable life. Some things simply weren't meant to be.

  "A penny for your thoughts," Peyton's soft, melodious voice made him turn around, a little disoriented. "We've reached our destination. Better brace yourself for what's to come." They feigned terror.

  "What do you mean?" Brennan frowned, regretting that he was so harsh with Fabian. The man was right to be concerned about his pupil if that sweet person warned him about the terrible things happening within those walls. "I want to know what to expect so that I can protect myself from..."

  "This." Peyton grinned, as they punched the security code, opening the gate. "The most vicious attackers ever invented."

  "Hey, new kid!" Brennan felt a pull to his trousers. "Come play hide-and-seek with us. Everyone's at school now, and it's boooooring!" a little, high-pitched voice, belonging to a black-haired little boy, demanded.

  "Christopher-Benjamin Bloom!" Peyton exclaimed, eyes wide. "What you just did wasn't nice. Please, apologize to our visitor like the sweet, well-behaved child you are."

  "But he's right," another small voice, belonging to a black-haired girl, no older than five, spoke. "The new kid could come and play hide-and-seek with us. All the other ones do." She scrunched her nose.

  "Sorry, Peyton, the situation has gotten a little bit out of control." A tall, hunky man headed to them, panting. "They
cheated, like every time, and when I was busy looking for them... Who's this?" The guy frowned threateningly, pointing to Brennan.

  "The poor fellow got sick in the middle of the street. Lorcan and Cian found and helped him. Then he fed Alexis and accompanied me here, so stop glaring at him," Peyton spoke in a surprisingly firm tone. "Sorry, buddy, this is Lothier. He's in charge of protecting this place. Barks a lot, but never bites." They grinned widely.

  "My name is Brennan. The gentleman I work for sent me to look for his grandson, who disappeared from home. I've heard about this place and decided to look around; maybe the disoriented kid looked for assistance. He suffers from a very rare condition and ran out of drugs three or four days ago," the newcomer lied without even blinking.

  Lothier examined the other man suspiciously. Something about his story seemed very off. As if it had been concocted on the spot. He didn't offer a description or a name for either the boy or his grandfather. On the other hand, the chief of security couldn't turn the man down, at least not until he'd found out more about him.

  "Well, I have the feeling you are a very underpaid employee, judging by the way you look," Lothier spoke as relaxed as he could, "that's why I will make you an offer."

  "What kind of of...offer?" Brennan cast a somewhat suspicious glance in the other one's direction. "And you're wrong; my boss pays me according to the work I do." Another lie, but it didn't matter.

  "The kids like you, so you'll keep them company in the morning when the other adults are busy. There's plenty of time for you to look around, searching for the missing kid. In the afternoon and evening, there's a job waiting for you. Easy and generously paid. How about it?"

  "Thank you for the generous offer." Brennan dipped his head. "I accept."

  CHAPTER 10

  "W here are you going?" Daniel sleepily asked as he sensed Tarquin leaving the bed. "Get back here. I miss your warmth."