by Dannika Dark
Claude returned to the driver’s seat and started up the engine.
After a brief minute or two, Shepherd got up and slammed the rear doors. “Nobody’s got time for that. Let’s go.” He knocked on the door twice, and Claude hit the gas.
Chapter 27
As soon as we entered the mansion, the Keystone group howled victoriously. Several headed for the dining room to open a few bottles of wine while the rest of the team changed out of their bloody clothes. I took advantage of the last shower I might have for a while, taking a final look at the room that was once mine. Since my clothes were stained with blood, I stuffed them back into my bag and put on a loose pair of jeans and a long-sleeved grey shirt. After my last cab ride, I decided to walk back to the city. As long as it didn’t rain, it would be a nice evening for that.
I hefted my duffel bag and slung it over my shoulder, taking a leisurely stroll down the stone steps, my fingers running along the banister and tracing the grooves of a corner statue. My shadow ran away from me each time I distanced myself from a hanging lantern.
When I saw Blue crossing the room in front of the stairs, I dropped my bag and ran down to the first level. “Blue! My father…”
She turned on her heel and touched my arm. “He’s fine. Darius didn’t send out his men to search the area. The only thing I saw moving for miles were a few rabbits and a teenager sneaking out.”
My shoulders sagged, and I collapsed on the step behind me. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to him. I never meant to put him in danger with my late-night visits. I rubbed my eyes with trembling hands, trying to hide my emotions.
Blue’s floor-length red dress looked antique, with long sleeves that widened at the cuff and a hood in the back. It was very plain and a deep rose color. It swished as she turned and sat to my left.
“Were you two close?” she asked.
He was my world, I thought to myself. But that was not what I said. “It wasn’t the typical father-daughter relationship. I didn’t appreciate him as much as I should have.”
“Memories should be cherished, not looked upon with regret.”
I tucked my unkempt hair behind my ears. “It’s hard to think of my father as a memory when he’s still alive.”
She nudged me with her shoulder. “It gets easier with time.”
I laced my fingers together. “So, you’re a bird?”
She laughed and stared at the tips of her shoes. “My animal is a peregrine falcon. It’s not as formidable as a bear or panther, but she allows me to go virtually anywhere undetected. She can rest on windowsills, fly through subways, and travel across the city faster than a cab could get you there. Most people don’t pay attention to birds, so we make good trackers and spies.”
“Don’t you lose a lot of your clothes when you shift?”
“Not really. I plan most of my shifts and always choose a spot to leave my things where no one will find them. But the earrings sometimes get lost. No big deal. There are plenty more where they came from.”
I hadn’t connected the dots until just then. The feather in the earrings I’d seen her wearing must have belonged to her animal.
“You did a good thing tonight, Raven. To be honest, I didn’t expect that from you. Darius has money and power, and his offer must have been tempting. That’s a lot more than Viktor offered you. I’ve known people who switched sides for less.”
“Darius only wanted to use me for his own gain. I’m nobody’s lackey. If he hadn’t done it right away, he would have eventually tried to get rid of me like he probably does with anyone who stands in the way of getting what he wants.” I stood up and lifted my bag off the floor. “Thanks for looking out for my father. I guess maybe I owe you.”
She stood up and lightly tugged a lock of my hair. “It wasn’t a favor.”
I looked on wistfully as Blue headed off toward the dining room, where bursts of laughter echoed through the dark hall.
“Raven, can I speak with you before you go?” Viktor asked, standing in the open doorway of a room to the right of the stairs.
The front door opened, and Christian strode in with an arsenal of attitude. He flipped off his trench coat and draped it over one of the wings of the statue next to me, pretending I wasn’t there.
“I should give you a thick ear for leaving me behind like that, but I’m beginning to see my place in this house.”
Viktor folded his arms. “Let’s not be dramatic.”
“I’d like to speak with you, Viktor. Alone.” Christian flashed an enigmatic look at me.
“It will have to wait. I need to discuss something with Raven before she leaves.”
“It’ll just take a moment of your time.”
Viktor’s hand flew up. “Let’s not spoil the festivities. Unless someone is dying, it can wait.”
I followed Viktor into the dark room, and he struck a match, lighting a small candle on the table to my right.
“Sit down,” he said, closing the door. “This won’t take long.”
“You should really think about solar-powered lights. Did you know hardware stores sell lanterns that are rechargeable?”
He chuckled and moved the candle to the center of the table. “You young ones and all your inventions. There is something that natural light brings to a conversation that artificial cannot.”
“An inability to read people’s facial expressions?”
The candle stopped flickering and finally stretched into a slender body of light.
Viktor tucked his cheek against his fist. “What are your plans?”
“To leave the city.”
His brows furrowed. “Why would you leave?”
Maybe I was just tired, but I had to clear my throat before I replied. “There’s nothing left for me here but enemies.”
“There is more to your story than that.”
I placed my hands flat on the table, watching the way the candlelight illuminated my skin with gold accents. “I always believed that the custom of leaving behind your human family was pointless, so I kept visiting my father.”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed and he lowered his arm.
“No, it’s not like that,” I quickly said. “He doesn’t know I’m alive. I just kept going back home so I could reminisce, I guess. It just felt good to be able to see his shadow moving around inside. Listening to the sound of his voice made me feel normal again—made me forget what I was, even if it was just for an hour. I’ve been putting him in danger all along, and I can’t do that anymore.” Tears gathered in my eyes, and I looked down.
It devastated me to sever that last thread—to say good-bye and close the door on the possibility of ever returning to my old life.
“I understand how you must feel,” he began. “You are finally accepting your true death from that life. It must pain you beyond measure to turn your father into a memory, but we make sacrifices in order to protect those we love. That is why I asked you to leave. Each member of Keystone is family to me, and I would never put them in unnecessary danger.”
“I’m sorry for that. I just didn’t know how quickly I’d talk after someone put a fiery metal rod against my face.” I rubbed my cheek, remembering the scorching agony. “I would have never been loyal to Keystone.”
Viktor leaned forward. “Your actions belie your words of self-doubt. Not many people have as much conviction as you do, even if it’s misdirected. There are times in life that we have to trust our instincts, and mine are telling me that you should stay.”
I sat back, dumbfounded. “You’re not serious.”
“Finding Christian wasn’t enough to change my mind. Loyalty is the glue that holds this team together, and you proved that tonight. When I saw you heading out the door, I realized that you hadn’t done this to get back in.” Viktor’s eyes were reflective as he gazed at the candle, the lines etched in his face more visible. “It is my dream to someday see more groups like this one. There is too much crime and not enough effort to clean things up. You
cannot imagine how many people are illegally making Vampires, but maybe you can, seeing as you’re half. The population is growing, and it must be controlled. The black market is good money for those who do not want to earn a living the honest way.”
“You kicked me out. I gave up information about Keystone.”
“Why are you trying so hard to convince me otherwise? Do not squander your immortality. I cannot promise you riches or a chance to rise to a higher position; everyone here is an equal. All I can offer is a sense of justice in your life. This is an imperfect group of individuals, but we find balance.” He rested his elbows on the table, his hands moving while he talked. “I cannot send Wyatt to fight because that’s not what I hired him for. What can I do? I pair him up with a capable man who is not only skilled in combat but also has medical experience. Shepherd is impulsive and aggressive, and Wyatt’s intelligence and quick thinking evens out their weaknesses. You see? I had my doubts when you went behind my back. That kind of influence is what could tear this group apart. But you have also shown growth and the potential to learn from your mistakes. What say you?”
I blew out a breath, and the candle shivered. “I wasn’t expecting this at all.”
“Perhaps you need a moment to think about my offer.”
“Christian will leave if I stay. Am I worth losing someone you trust?”
“I have no control over free will.” When Viktor rose to his feet, the chair noisily scraped against the floor. “I’ll be in the dining room. Join us when you have come to a decision. You are welcome to stay for drinks no matter your choice.”
He walked briskly toward the door and left it ajar on his way out.
I’d never felt so many conflicting emotions. This was an important decision that could change my life, and I needed to consider if this was something I actually wanted to do.
After a few moments, I blew out the candle and returned to the entrance room, where I stood in front of a window that overlooked the estate. The only thing I could see was darkness and my own reflection.
A grating sound caught my attention, and I turned to see Gem speedily approaching from the long hall on my left. She had on a pair of roller skates—the old ones with a wheel on each corner. Her arms swung back and forth as she breezed by me and giggled. “You’d better hurry up before they drink all the wine!”
A few strands of my hair floated in front of my face from the gust of wind left behind, and I thought how amusing it was that a Mage—who could flash at incredible speeds—would put on a pair of skates to get around a big mansion. Gem had a youthful heart, and it made me curious how she ended up in a place like this.
“Did he offer you the position?” Christian asked.
I watched his reflection in the window approach me from behind, but I didn’t turn around. “Yes.”
“And?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
He tilted his head to the side. “You’re an odd woman. One minute you’re ready to cut a man’s throat for the job, and the next you’re having second thoughts.”
“Can I have a moment to think?”
Frustrated, I stepped around him and hurried up the stairs. The last thing I wanted was a Vampire needling me when I had an important decision to make, and I didn’t want him to say anything that would influence me either way. Viktor might want me, but would the rest give me a second chance if I were responsible for someone quitting? How would Christian leaving change the dynamic of the house?
I opened a set of french doors and stepped onto a small balcony that overlooked the estate. The railing was circular, large enough to accommodate a party of three. When I glanced up, the moon was shining bright, missing only a sliver from her edge. It was enough light to frost the tips of the trees. Most of the land in front of the house was a meadow, with only a few clusters of trees at a safe distance. It made sense not to have anything that would allow intruders to climb into the building. I had a breathtaking view of the road that led to the main gates, and the dense forest that surrounded Keystone from a distance.
“Looks like the rain finally cleared up,” Christian said, leaning on the balcony to my left. “That’s how I know Mother Nature is a woman. She changes her mind that fast.” He snapped his fingers.
“Did you come here to impart your words of wisdom?”
He snorted. “Do I look like a fortune cookie? I just came up here to make sure you didn’t jump. That would be another mess of yours I’d have to clean up.”
I snickered. “If I wanted to kill myself, I would have gone to the roof and aimed for the courtyard pool when it was empty.”
“I would have left you there for a week until your corpse festered.”
“It’s hard to believe you’re single.” I turned around, my elbows on the railing.
Christian stepped over my legs in a straddle and placed his hands on the rail behind me so we were inches apart. “Made up your mind?”
“Back at the cemetery, I realized how much they care about you. If you leave, they’ll despise me. It might not be worth it.”
He tilted his head to the side, lowering his eyes. It was a submissive gesture I’d seen Vampires do when they wanted your trust. “If you stay, I’ll stay.”
“And if I go?”
His eyes lifted to mine. “Let’s stay, precious.”
A gentle breeze cooled my hair, ruffling it over my shoulders. “We might end up killing each other.”
Christian’s smile widened, and it was a handsome grin. “Aye, but I’m rather fond of working with someone who can’t stand me. Never a dull moment.”
I lingered on his wolfish brows that sloped down and how beautiful his skin was up close—not alabaster and dull, but a natural beige with warm undertones that glowed with health and vitality. “I don’t hate you, Christian. I think that’s what scares me the most. That’s why we need a clean slate.”
He pursed his lips in thought. “And what do you propose?”
“If I stay, you still owe me a favor.”
He leaned in close. “I’m not washing your knickers, if that’s what you have in mind.”
“I want you to scrub my memory of our kiss.”
Christian blinked rapidly and jerked back. “Pardon?”
“I won’t be able to work with you as long as I can remember us locking lips. It doesn’t seem to bother you, but it changed things. I don’t want to partner with someone that—”
“That you feel something for?”
When I stood up straight, he stepped back. “That’s not what it’s about. I have my reasons, and it shouldn’t make a difference to you either way. If you erase it and this conversation, we’ll be good. I don’t work well with distractions.”
“Maybe you just don’t want to admit you feel something for a Vampire.”
“It shouldn’t matter to you what I feel.”
He put his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels. “I don’t hate you any more than you hate me. You and I are cut from the same cloth, and that’s why all the friction. That’s not an admission I like you either—I don’t have love for anyone. My heart is too black to feel such a whimsical emotion. If I can put the memory out of my mind, why can’t you?”
“Yes or no?”
Christian lifted my chin with the crook of his finger. “Aye, I’ll do it.”
“Don’t go poking around in there erasing other stuff. Just the kiss and this conversation. I don’t ever want to find out about it. Don’t joke about it or allude to it; just pretend it never happened. Give me a chance to do my job.”
Maybe it was just a kiss to him, but I hadn’t been able to put it out of my mind since. It hadn’t been such a big deal at the time because Viktor had already thrown me out. But things were different now—I was different. I’d never be able to partner with him as long as we had this memory lingering between us like a sticky cobweb.
When Christian gazed deep into my eyes, a sweet rapture pulled me closer until the entire world blackened and all I could see was him
.
“I’ve never met a woman quite like you,” he said on a soft breath. “And I don’t know if that’s a compliment or an insult. How old are you?”
“Timeless.”
“Hmm. You’re going to be a handful in a few hundred years. Hold still, lass,” he said, his voice smooth and velvety. “This won’t hurt a bit.”
“Christian?”
“Yes?”
“Why do you call me precious?”
He drew closer, his hand curving around my nape. His tone was smooth and innocuous. “You don’t read much, do you? The idea came to me when you were trying to steal my onion rings. There’s an interesting book about a shiny little ring that drives men mad.”
Our lips almost touched. “Be sure to erase that too.”
“Aye, precious.”
Chapter 28
After strolling through the mansion and deliberating Viktor’s offer, I finally headed down to the dining room with my bag in hand. I passed the empty booths and turned left, confronted by the expectant eyes of everyone in the house.
The crystal glasses on the table glimmered beneath light that emanated from the candles on the iron chandelier and lanterns alongside the wall. Several bottles of wine were open, some empty, and the ambiance in the room had an Old World feel, as if I’d stepped back in time. Viktor had made a fair observation about natural light; it was like a living organism that could affect your mood and frame of thought, making you feel more present.
Christian swallowed his entire glass of red wine and sat back.
Viktor’s eyes swam down to my bag, and he rose to his feet, his glass high. “Let us make a toast to Raven and wish her a safe journey.”
I dropped my things and strode forward. “No need to get up. I’ve considered your offer, Viktor, and…”
Everyone looked on with bated breath.
“And?” Wyatt blurted out. “I hate suspense.”
“I accept.”