by Sam Crescent
“I came to you, remember? No messing from my end. You’ll get what you want and I’ll get what I want.” Her tone was insolent.
He didn’t like it.
Within seconds he had wrapped his hand around her neck and was squeezing. “I want you to remember, sweet Emma, I don’t care about you. I’m not William Valentine. You’re one witch in a sea of others and any time I want I can pluck the next one out. You get on my nerves and your days are numbered.” He thrust her away and turned from her.
“It’s because of her, isn’t it?” Emma cried.
He stopped, stood rigid and turned with a snarl on his face.
“You’re doing this because—”
“I suggest that if you like breathing you keep your mouth shut.”
He didn’t speak again. He didn’t need to. His warning was clear.
Chapter One
Present day
The sound of glass smashing could be heard in every corner of the bar. The audience looked on at the spectacle in silence, each doubtless wondering if they would be the target of the vampire’s wrath.
“Where is she?” A fist was raised. Usually, bar fights were great sport, but in a predominantly vampire-filled bar there was no sport, just information gathering—and it wasn’t acquired over tea and biscuits. It always got bloody and it never ended well. A Valentine was on the prowl and no one was about to get in his way—even if the vampire William targeted was scared for his life.
The way the other customers saw it, the guy getting pummelled shouldn’t have earned a reputation for being a messenger to the wolves. A man supporting both sides of the war.
“I don’t know, man. No one has talked.” The guy covered his face, denying all knowledge. Adam stood and observed from the dark corner as he watched his older brother lose control. William was completely out of it.
Since another witch had been taken—Katie, the best friend of his brother Robert’s bonded mate—it was like he was losing his sense of reality. No one could reason with him.
“Tell me where they are,” William snarled in the young vampire’s face. Adam winced. He was here as a favour to Robert and he loved his brother, but this was too damn much. There was no thought, no consideration of the chaos he was causing. It had hit him worse even than losing Emma. It was like someone had carved out his heart and left him hurt and bleeding.
Katie White, the last remaining witch, was still alive, and that made it worse. At least Emma had been dead and he’d known there was nothing he could do to change that. But William knew that Katie was out there, and he was leaving a wave of destruction everywhere he went in his efforts to find her.
William wasn’t the same man. There was no mercy in this guy. Rage, anger and pain consumed him now. His was on a destructive path. No one—not even Robert—could stop him now.
Adam looked around at all the people observing the fight. Vampires, wolves…shit, even demons sat and watched William. Most of them looked terrified of the vampire who had clearly lost his mind.
Shaking his head, Adam turned back to watch his brother.
As much as he thought that this was wrong, he would never get in between his brother and what he felt he needed to do. The witch clearly meant something to him. No vampire went this crazy for a woman unless she was a bond mate.
Adam didn’t know much about her. He’d never met her. A few months ago, she had been taken by the wolf Alpha, James. The same night his own father—head of the vampire council and the most powerful vampire in all of Beyer West—had been killed. Murdered, actually. Taken from them by the same wolf.
Everything around them was going to shit and his brother was determined to go down the same path. At any time the other customers could jump them and finally be rid of the unstable Valentine boy. For decades, William had made himself a reputation for being the crazy brother, but now he was driving his ruthlessness to a whole new level.
Adam tensed as the barman approached his brother. The barman was a vampire and, from the look of it, one of the older generation. Adam moved closer. If it went the wrong way he would back his brother. Whether he believed what his brother was doing was right or not, family came first.
That was what made him a Valentine.
Adam watched as William raised his fist, ready to take another set of swipes at the guy he held. The barman stopped his raised fist easily, holding it in his, and span William around as if he were nothing more than a rag doll.
“Son, he said he didn’t know nothing. Leave him be,” the barman said.
William hissed and tried to hit the barman, a great insult amongst their community. Out of respect, no one attacked the older generation. Adam swore and moved forward.
The barman grabbed William and, using the full force of his upper body, threw him against the bar. The bottles rattled and the customers close by dispersed, not wanting to get involved in a fight that was clearly about to get worse.
Adam ran, going for the man who was holding his brother. The barman turned and sucker-punched him across the room before Adam could even land a blow. He crashed through the window, broken shards of glass spraying around him.
“Fuck,” Adam cursed. The only humans in the street were ones who had seen too much of this world and were pretty much crazy. Drunks, druggies and prostitutes who knew better than to talk about what they had seen. His fangs protruded as his anger rose.
Fuck protocol. Adam was pissed off and cruising for a fight.
He stormed back into the bar.
William was bloodied but he was getting in a few punches of his own.
“I’ve told you not to bring shit like this to my bar. I didn’t serve your fucking family to have you ruin my business,” the barman yelled as he pushed William away from him.
Adam stopped as his words registered. This man used to serve the Valentines?
“What the hell are you talking about?” William asked, spitting blood on the floor and wiping his lip.
“Name’s Donald. I served the Valentines for over three generations and this is the type of respect I get?”
William pulled himself up off the floor.
Adam couldn’t believe what his brother had done. Fucking asshole. Donald ‘Don’ Hargreaves was a well-known guard and warrior. He had fought for and protected the Valentines up until their youngest sister, Rose, had been born. After Rose had come home safe and sound, their mother healthy, Don had been relieved of his duties by their father. No explanations—nothing. Centuries had passed since this fierce warrior had been seen, which was why William hadn’t recognised him. He’d done nothing other than working in a bar, where no one would have thought to look for him.
“Don Hargreaves?” Adam asked.
“Yep, that’s me. About time you two heathens bloody noticed,” Don replied, his anger still close to the surface.
“Shit.” William wiped his face, smearing the blood along his cheek. “I’m sorry, Don. This had nothing to do with you.”
“It has something to do with your father’s death a few months back?” Don asked William.
“Part of it,” replied Adam, who could see how much William was struggling to keep himself together. The natural instinct to hunt and kill was close to the surface, ready to erupt.
Don didn’t look at Adam. He kept his eyes firmly on the other Valentine brother. The one whom he considered a threat, Adam supposed.
“What is all this about?” Don folded his arms.
Adam stared at William. After all, this was William’s deal and he had nothing to do with it. He refused to talk about something he had no hand in.
“A witch was found a couple of weeks back.” William raised his voice so that everyone in the room could hear.
Murmurs and gasps filled the room.
“Bullshit. Witches have all been killed off,” one of the customers yelled.
Pretty much his first thought when he’d been told. Every vampire with a few years on them would remember the slaughter of the witches.
“Yeah,
this is some shit you Valentines are selling. No witches. It’s why the world has gone to shit,” another agreed.
Growls and curses rang through the bar, all in agreement. There were no more witches.
Don cut them off by raising his hand. Silence came instantly. All of them were happy to shout and curse at the Valentines, but for Don, they shut up.
“This shit real?” Don asked.
“More real than you could ever imagine. I had her in my arms. I saw the power she’s got. What she’s capable of,” William confirmed, his sincerity and adoration obvious to everyone.
Adam saw Don nod and look at each customer in turn, assessing the room.
“Who took her?” Don finally asked after a pause. A simple question, but all the immortals in the room looked at each other for the answer.
“The Alpha wolf, James. The same night he murdered my father,” William replied.
“Shit,” Don cursed.
Adam didn’t have a clue what the older man was swearing at.
“What has the witch got to do with you?” the older man asked.
“I promised to take care of her,” William answered.
“I swear we don’t know anything here. This is a place for us all to come, relax and drink,” Don told the Valentine men.
Adam looked around at the clientele again. They were all nodding. He wondered what the hell William was going to do. The man was on the edge. There was no predicting him anymore.
William glared around the room. Tonight had turned into another dead end, more useless information that led him nowhere. Not only had it led him nowhere, but straight into a fight with Don Hargreaves, the warrior who had supported his father back in the day, helping to support the alliance between the species. Back when they hadn’t fought each other but had worked to protect each other and to build peace.
It seemed that Don had succeeded where their father had failed. His bar offered a place of safety for any immortal, with the promise that they would be protected by the warrior himself.
Wiping his brow, he felt the blood dripping down his face. He welcomed the rush of pain, the first real feeling he’d had since Katie had been taken from him.
“Any information you get, let me know?” William asked.
Don hesitated for a split second, then nodded. Satisfied with his answer, William turned to the room at large.
“I don’t believe all of you are as innocent as you claim. Let the word on the street spread. Tell James, Alpha of the Beyer West Pack, that William Valentine is looking for him and he wants blood. I’m bringing this war to his door. That witch dies and his pack is forfeit.”
William made sure his message was clear to all. They looked like a combination of scared and pissed off civilians. Quite frankly, he didn’t give a fuck—he was on a mission and anyone who stepped in his way was about to have their life turned upside down.
“See you around,” he said to Don, moving towards the door.
“How’s your mother?”
The question took him by surprise. Turning around, he saw Don had shut down, a neutral expression firmly in place.
“She’s coping as best she can.” At least, that was what Adam had told him earlier.
“Send my regards.”
William acknowledged Don, nodding one last time before leaving the bar.
Flicking open his phone, William placed a call. The phone rang and rang and, finally, on the last ring, someone picked up.
“You gave me wrong information. I’m coming for you.” He flipped the phone closed and started walking away. Humans moved out of his way. They must be able to see the evil within. It was just beneath the surface, like a second skin.
Adam caught up with him and walked beside him, emanating anger.
William kept walking, steering them down an abandoned side street, the only place nearby suitable for a stand-off. Younger brother or not, William was on a mission and he intended to complete it.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
Adam shrugged.
Irritated, William repeated himself. He didn’t like his questions to go unanswered.
“Robert sent me. He wants you home,” Adam admitted.
William laughed, sounding hysterical. “And Robert thinks you’re the one to do it,” he mocked.
William didn’t know why he was intent on hurting Adam, but he wanted him away from him. He no longer felt safe to be around. William could feel the beast rising inside him with every passing second that Katie was away from him. If he wasn’t careful, William knew he would hurt Adam.
His sense of her had melted when James had taken her. The only way Katie could be this invisible to him was if she was protected by a spell. Impossible, as Katie was the only known witch. But James had done something to keep her emotions, their connection, locked away.
“Robert is a little busy at the moment,” Adam growled in reply. William turned back at his brother’s words. William frowned, wondering what he’d said.
Several seconds later, he realised.
That’s it, little brother, be angry with me. I can deal with anger.
“I’m sure having his little mate Sophie waiting in the wings to take care of his problems and dealing with being head of the council is really busy work.” The sarcasm leaked from his tone.
His taunting was having the effect he desired. Adam’s hand was fisted at his side. He looked ready to pounce. William needed to give him a little more ammunition to fuel the anger. He wanted to get rid of his brother and, by showing him his lack of caring, hopefully Adam would lose interest.
“Don’t diss Sophie. She’s been fantastic throughout all this. Which you’d see if you came home.”
William didn’t doubt it. She might be small but she was one tough gal, just like his Katie.
“Well I’ve got stuff to do—”
“What? Your crusade of trying to get yourself killed? Do you think Mum needs to deal with your little martyr complex?” Adam growled at him.
William tensed. His brother had no idea what was going on. Saving Katie was more than a martyr complex. He’d begun the mating ritual that distant night, long ago. She owned his heart and soul and he wouldn’t rest until she lay safe and protected in his arms.
“Go back to Robert and give him your report.” William dismissed him.
“Always the coward’s way out,” Adam hissed at his retreating back.
William reacted, spinning around and slamming Adam against the opposite wall. The brick building shifted. Any more pressure on the building and it would fall to the ground around their ears.
“What the fuck are you saying?” William’s fangs sprang out, his aggression ready to find a target.
“You’re nothing but a coward,” Adam yelled the words at him, pressing against the arms that held him against the shaking building.
“You’d better be thankful you’re my brother—”
“Or what?” Adam interrupted him.
William was tempted to hit him, but as soon as the thought came to him he dropped his arms. He would never—could never—hurt his brothers or sisters. A small amount of control was coming back to him. Where moments ago he’d wanted to hurt his brother—to do damage—the idea now repulsed him. An image of Katie smiling at him broke into his mind, fracturing him into a million pieces. She would be ashamed of him if she saw William attacking his own brother.
William sagged and let Adam go, the shame of what he’d been about to do to his brother filling him with utter regret.
“Come home,” Adam pleaded.
“I can’t,” he whispered.
Adam shook his head and William could see the exasperation in his face.
“We’ll figure this out—you, me, Robert and Jason. We’ll have the council backing us.”
William shook his head. “This is my battle.”
Adam sighed.
William stood waiting. He needed to make sure Adam was okay to get home—he couldn’t have his life on his conscience. The last thing he nee
ded was to take his anger out on his little brother.
“Why, Will?”
Will, a small word he hadn’t heard in such a long time. The last person who had called him Will had been Emma, on the day of her death.
Emma, the other witch he’d failed—the other bonded mate he’d lost to the alpha wolf.
Shaking his head, William looked at his brother. Adam had aged in the weeks since their father’s murder. Strange, considering that vampires aged at a slower rate than humans. William could see the outline of too much crap and not enough time to deal written all over Adam. His stance—his very energy—had changed.
He shook his head. This was not how their lives were supposed to be.
“I promised her I’d keep her safe,” he said.
“The witch?” Adam said.
She’s more than a witch. Katie is my salvation.
“I promised her, gave my word, and this is something I’ve got to do. Alone,” he added for good measure.
Shaking his head, Adam looked at him. William stared back. He’d nothing to hide. This was what he had to do.
“What makes you think she’s still alive?” Adam tried to reason with him.
Because I can still feel her. I would know if she’d died—no magic in the world would be able to mask that.
“I know,” William replied.
Adam hesitated, glancing up and down the street. “Call Robert, okay?” he said.
William nodded. He’d phone Robert at some point but he wasn’t ready to talk to his older brother just yet.
Robert had everything he wanted, while William was still hunting for what was his.
Adam sighed and William watched him disappear around the corner. The younger man shouldn’t be worrying about this. He was no part of this war. William didn’t want to be part of this war, either. He wanted to be with his mate and at peace.
Life didn’t always go to plan.
William waited for a few moments, until he could no longer sense his brother nearby. He took time to gaze at the moon and the stars.
The stars, lonely and bright in the sky, with so much space to immerse themselves in.