Eternal Hearts (A Darkness Within)

by Jennifer Turner

  As Toni stepped into the foyer outside Christian’s office, she pushed Drake out of her mind. She absolutely refused to let him distract her from this meeting. This was what she came back to Chicago for. This was what she’d wanted more than anything else.

  Chicago was her home.

  She straightened and squared her shoulders. She wasn’t about to let wayward thoughts of him interfere with the very meeting that would decide her fate. If she could get through losing her family…she could get over Drake.

  She turned and looked when she heard the high pitched sound of someone whistling. And that someone happened to be Robert. He stood in front of the large French doors leading to Christian’s office with a weird smile plastered on his face.

  He greeted her with a slight bow. “You look absolutely stunning, Miss Tutoro. I hope you don’t mind if an old man gawks.”

  No matter how bad she might have felt at the moment, how could she not smile at that? She accepted his hand when he extended it and let him turn her around. “I don’t mind, but you have to promise you won’t get used to it. If I’m lucky, you’ll never see me in a dress again.”

  “That would be a shame, my dear. You look very beautiful.”

  She patted his shoulder. “Thanks, Rob. I needed that.”

  He winked as he opened the door. “Anytime, dear. Anytime.”

  Toni kept her eyes focused forward and her back straight as she stepped through the door into Christian’s office. If Clint was right and the dress represented more than just fabric, she wanted to do it justice. She carefully made her way across the large meeting room to Christian’s desk, trying to focus, yet not focus, on keeping her ankles steady. The last thing she needed was to do an elegant face plant on the ivory carpet before she even opened her mouth.

  She grinned wide as she neared his desk. First, because not only had she made the journey without tripping or toppling over, but because she’d managed not to show him her ass through the slit. And two, because the Lord of Chicago, the most powerful vampire in the city – was staring at her.

  She watched as his eyes met hers then slowly slid down her body, lingering briefly on her hips before inching down to her feet.

  Maybe Clint had been right, maybe the dress was a good idea.

  Stopping roughly a foot in front of his desk, Toni patiently waited for Christian to raise his eyes. He looked very handsome in his dark gray suit. And while her eyes, no doubt, showed her appreciation of his appearance, her mind revolted by flashing vibrant images of someone else.

  She bit the inside of her bottom lip, attempting to stop the stinging tears before they started. Christian was gorgeous, his advanced age made that fact undeniable, but she didn’t want to touch any part of his body. There was only one body she wanted, and only one heart that went with it.

  Toni returned her attention to Christian when he finally smiled. “Miss Tutoro, how are you this evening?”

  “I’m good, Lord Locke. How are you?” She tried her best not to smile when his face went slack at her use of his proper title.

  However, he quickly recovered, his face changing back to the cold stone she knew best. “I’m well, thank you.” He motioned to the large rectangular table in the center of the room. “Please, have a seat and we’ll discuss the conditions of your permanent acceptance back into my city.”

  Toni moved to a seat at the side of the table. She watched intently as Christian picked up a thick manila folder from his desk then moved to sit in the chair across from her.

  He dropped the folder on the table then rested a hand on top of it. “After much deliberation, I’ve decided that since you were exiled for causing a disturbance, to regain permanent residence again, you’ll need to end a disturbance. I think that’s fair. Don’t you?”

  She arched a brow. “End a disturbance?”

  “Yes. It would appear there are members of the city who want to stir things up a bit.” He narrowed his eyes and smiled in a way that made her nervous. “I’d like you to take their stick away.”

  She shifted in the chair, not exactly sure how to take that comment. “Okay…um…are you saying you want me to strap my guns back on and go looking for trouble?”

  “No. I’d like for you to use your mind this time, not your brawn. I’m asking that you study the leads I’ve gathered for you, and then use them to locate the individuals causing the trouble. My Enforcement Team is currently engaged in other matters, and I find myself in need of an investigator. I thought it only fitting that you fill the position. If you can identify the person or persons responsible, without breaking any of my rules, you may stay in Chicago.”

  “But what happens if I can’t find them…or if I break the rules?”

  “If you’re unable to locate the individual because after exhausting the leads the trail has grown cold, you may stay. If you break the rules, you’ll be afforded two nights in which to gather your things and exit the city.”

  Toni chewed at the inside of her bottom lip. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected. She’d hoped he’d give her a curfew or maybe make her stay in a certain area of town for awhile, but leading an investigation was more than she was prepared for. Scouring the city for someone causing trouble really wasn’t her forte. Of course, she’d been the one causing the trouble before. But forte or not, the unforgiving line of Christian’s mouth told her she didn’t have a choice in the matter.

  She shifted again, the dark leather chair growing more uncomfortable by the minute. “So where do I start?”

  When Christian pushed the folder across the table then flipped it open, she stared down at the small collection of wolf photos setting atop a stack of white paper. Wildlife pictures? She was supposed to start the investigation in the park?

  Toni looked up when she heard Christian chuckle. “I don’t get it, Christian.”

  One corner of his mouth rose slightly. “I didn’t think you would at first glance. You’re still very young.”

  Yeah, tell me something I don’t know. She half smiled at the thought, but when Christian frowned, she panicked. Had she said it out loud? Oh God, was he reading her mind?

  “The pictures you’re currently looking at aren’t of normal wolves, Miss Tutoro. They’re werewolves. I’m going to make this brief, so please pay attention. I do have other business to attend to this evening.” The authority in his voice sent tingles surging through her body.

  She sat up a little straighter. “I’m listening.”

  “These pictures were taken by a web camera at the Chicago Zoo. Three days ago we received a transfer from the Toledo Zoo. To truncate a very long story, the Toledo Zoo said they never sent a transfer to Chicago, and has no knowledge of such a request. You’ll see from the two pages directly underneath the pictures that the transfer documents for these wolves were forged. This pack of werewolves consists of three men, each extremely dangerous in their own right. Below the transfer papers you’ll find descriptions of what these men are believed to look like when they wear their human forms. And should you actually see them, Miss Tutoro, do not engage them. If the information I have is correct, their physical capabilities are far more advanced than yours. Furthermore, below the descriptions you’ll find a map denoting where the most recent rash of dog bites and animal attacks has occurred.”

  Toni opened her mouth, but before she could ask her question, Christian raised his hand. “Whenever an aggressive pack of werewolves moves into a populated area, many household pets become aggressive as well. You’ll notice one area of town, aside from the zoo, where this is true.”

  She took a moment to study the report. The concentration of red dots reflected exactly what Christian had said, but what really caught her eye was the specific area of town. She silently recited the list of street names just to be sure.

  It can’t be… She stared up at Christian, hoping she was wrong. “Isn’t this the neighborhood where Stryker used to live?”

  “She still resides there.”

  Toni squirmed as a shiver cr
awled across her shoulders. “But why would she bring werewolves into the city? Wouldn’t they attack her just like they’d attack any other vampire?”

  “I will not say that Miss Stryker is the guilty party in this particular matter, as I have no proof of her involvement. However, I do believe she may know something about it.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  He flashed a smile as cold as she felt. “I was visited by a young man early this morning, who confided in me that he’s been very concerned about Miss Stryker’s actions as of late. According to him, she is not at all amused by your return, and believes you’ll interfere with some plans she currently has in progress.”

  Toni rolled her eyes. She’d barely been in the city for 48 hours. She hadn’t had time to cause trouble for anyone but herself. “Why would she just assume I’d be out to ruin her plans?”

  The frost burned off Christian’s lips as his smile spread from ear to ear. “Gee, I couldn’t possibly imagine.”

  Not wanting to reopen old wounds, she simply nodded. “Continue.”

  “Whether Miss Stryker is the one responsible for bringing these werewolves into the city, I can’t be certain. She is crafty for her age, that respect I will give her. And the fact that these wolves were brought in via the zoo, instead of simply walking in while wearing their human forms, is very reminiscent of the same convoluted dramatics she’s been known for in the past. However, I’m not sure I believe she’s quite skilled enough to secure an agreement with werewolves, for the very reasons you’ve already mentioned.”

  “Wait,” Toni said as she shifted in her chair. “What do you mean by convoluted dramatics?”

  “I mean that members of the youth often make situations far more complicated than they need to be. Werewolves, when wearing their human forms, are nearly indistinguishable from normal humans. Even Elders aren’t able to tell the difference upon sight. Keeping that fact in mind, it’s my opinion that only a Fledgling would have gone through so much unnecessary trouble to accomplish a simple task such as this. Believe it or not, sometimes the quickest route between two points truly is a straight line. And for some strange reason, that particular lesson proves very difficult for some Fledglings to learn.”

  Toni sat quiet for a moment. She understood Christian’s point about making things more difficult than necessary, but she’d tried the straight line option with Stryker once before, and it hadn’t exactly gotten her the results she’d been hoping for. Of course, she also didn’t think right now was the best time to argue with him.

  She nodded. “Okay. So what else do I need to know?”

  He leaned forward and pointed at the stack of papers. “There’s another document here which lists the names of people who could clear a transfer at our zoo. You’ll also find their work numbers listed, along with any home addresses and personal telephone numbers I was able to procure. Below that is a Toledo Zoo badge, which should allay any suspicions one might have should you go knocking on office doors after sunset. However, please keep in mind that it will not help you if you go knocking on the front doors of personal homes. The last piece of information you’ll find is the address, per say, of the alley in which Miss Stryker held a meeting two nights ago. For some reason, she still hasn’t quite caught on to the fact that the police are mine.”

  Toni cracked a grin born of pure bitchiness. “Hey, at least I learned from my mistakes.”

  “Sometimes you have to smack a child’s hand only once to keep them out of the cookie jar. Other times…you have to destroy the cookie jar.”

  Toni took a deep breath as she flipped through the contents of the folder again. “Okay, so I have to ask you something. Where did you get all this stuff?”

  His mouth turned wicked at the edges. “It’s good to be king.”

  Toni grinned as she shuffled all the papers back into a neat stack. “So let me make sure I have all this straight. Someone, possibly Stryker, invited werewolves into the city. We don’t know why or what they’re here for, but it can’t be good because they’re dangerous. And they supposedly came from a zoo that doesn’t even know they exist. Do I have it all?”

  Christian nodded. “Yes, you have it all. If any further information should come across my desk that pertains to this situation, you’ll be the first to know.”

  She stood up and tucked the folder under her arm. “Okay then. I guess I better go and get started.” She pushed her chair in then turned and headed for the door. “Catch ya later, Christian.”

  “Toni?”

  She slowly turned around, completely surprised that he’d called her by her first name. He’d never done it before. “Yeah?”

  The warmth and compassion she’d always hoped were somewhere behind his eyes…wasn’t hidden anymore. “Whatever has you heartbroken, I do hope you work it out.”

  “How did you…”

  “The eyes truly are the window to the soul. Never forget that.” And with that and nothing more, he turned and walked away.

  Toni turned back towards the French doors. Drake’s eyes had told a far different story than the one currently unfolding. And maybe Clint was right about something else. Maybe she should talk to Drake and give him the chance to explain. Maybe he had some magical explanation that would instantly fix everything and let her trust him again.

  Maybe, but she wasn’t counting on it.

  She opened the door and stepped back into the foyer. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to talk to Drake right now. She had to focus on what Christian had asked of her. If she could secure herself a permanent place in the city again, she’d have more than enough time to talk later.

  After saying goodbye to Robert, Toni took the elevator down to her car. Once she was inside with the doors locked, she pulled her leather pants and a t-shirt out of the back seat. There was no way she was staying in the Lolita dress any longer than she had to. It took a bit of driver’s seat acrobatics, but somehow she managed to get changed without showing the security guys patrolling the parking garage everything she had.

  Leaning the folder against the steering wheel, Toni picked through the contents again. The dog bite evidence was unbelievable. She’d have never thought to look for something like that, but it made sense that if aggressive dogs were around others would be aggressive, too.

  She frowned as she finished studying the papers. Now that she was alone and able to process the information at her own speed, she realized almost every lead pointed directly at Stryker. Or did it only seem that way because she wanted it to?

  She dropped the folder on the passenger seat. The revenge crazed part of her, kept alive by the hateful monster living in the pit of her stomach, still wanted to tear Stryker to shreds. But the part that ruled the majority of the time, the part that was still every bit the human woman she desperately tried to be, wanted to let it go. If Stryker had done nothing more than sell an address, was she really the one to blame for what had happened?

  Toni pulled out of the parking garage and headed west. She’d done everything in her power to not think about Stryker since she’d come back, but here she was, starting an investigation that focused on the bitch. What were the chances?

  He did it on purpose. Toni stared at the reflection of Prudential Plaza in her rearview mirror, where Christian’s office was located. Had he planned to pit her against Stryker all along? She remembered Clint saying something about a test. Was this it?

  “I wish you’d realize there’s more going on here than you can see.” She slammed her foot down on the gas as Clint’s words rang in her ears. What the hell wasn’t she seeing? Hadn’t she and Stryker been at each other’s throats enough in the past? Or was that the point? Was she supposed to prove she could go toe to toe with Stryker now, without pulling out her guns and chasing her through downtown? Was she supposed to show Christian she could play the game the way he and the Elders did?

  Toni smacked her hand against the wheel. She wasn’t a damn Elder. And truth be told, aside from her actual age in years, she really
hoped she never became one. She didn’t want to be a part of Elder’s games. Their games lead to seeing the world in a different and horrible way, Clint had said so himself. And she didn’t want to live like that. Ever.

  She didn’t want to be a monster all the time!

  Besides, she already knew Stryker was way ahead of her. Stryker had always hated her, and it wasn’t even because she’d done something to offend her. It was solely because Alexander had killed her eldest child, Mika. Mika, in a fit of rage with fangs bared, had drained a human dry in the middle of a Goth club on Rush Street, on a Saturday night no less. But sadly, his bad night hadn’t ended there. When his faculties had returned and he’d realized what he’d done, he let the beast take control again and ran down the crowded sidewalk in a homicidal rage.

  His escapade had hit the papers the next morning as nothing more than a Goth kid hyped up on drugs who thought he was a vampire. According to the Chicago Tribune, when the police attempted to apprehend him, he’d pulled out a gun and fired at the officers. Forced to take him down, he’d been pronounced DOA at Cook County Hospital due to complications caused by multiple gunshot wounds.

  If she remembered correctly, the public outcry was minimal, and most people had simply chocked it up to another young man who’d gone down the wrong path. And after a few days had passed, pretty much everyone in the city had forgotten. Including Toni, until Alexander had told her what had really happened.

  Christian had fabricated the story for the papers and arranged counseling for every person who’d witnessed the scene. The counselor pointed out how unhealthy it was to believe in vampires, and how as a witness to a brutal crime, it was often easier to believe a human being wasn’t capable of committing such a violent act.

  Christian had also arranged for the police to not only conveniently catch the killer, but be forced to kill him too. Of course, neither of the events actually happened, the police and the coroner just lied and said they did. Then the parents of Mika’s victim were consoled, heavily compensated for their loss, and a few days later the case was closed.