Eternal Seduction (26 page)

New York City

Manhattan, Upper East Side

“I miss the days when your kind lived openly. You were so much easier to hunt and kill back then.”

Kerestyan chuckled as Raze, his hand chosen Head of Enforcement, stretched her long, denim clad legs across the glass coffee table situated between them. “I’ve only been absent a few days. Is the situation really that bad?”

She nodded, sprigs of vibrantly colored hair jutting from her high ponytail in all directions. “Your new Fledglings are reckless, Kerestyan. They push so close to the bounds of the Veil it’s only a matter of time before one of them screws up, big time.” Her pale pink lips curled into a scowl as golden flecks shimmered in the air around her. “And they’re so God damned mouthy. They have no respect for my position as your Lead Enforcer, and I’m willing to bet the entirety of the salary you pay me that the brainless twits don’t even know
what
I am. Sometimes it takes everything I have not to slaughter them where they stand.”

He shifted in the overstuffed chair as the animal inside him shrank back ever so slightly. Now he knew why Raze had invaded his mind shortly before sunrise, requesting a meeting as soon as possible.

Her aura only sparkled like the sun when she was angry, and she only took her God’s name in vain when she wanted to rend a supernatural creature limb from limb. Some unlucky vampire must’ve dug themselves firmly under her skin in his short absence.

Truthfully, Kerestyan was just glad it wasn’t him.

Although she’d be a more than apt opponent when it came to crossing steel, she lacked the age and experience to keep up with a vampire as old as him. He eyed the sheathed Creator Blade lying on the cushion next to her. Of course, there was the tricky matter of not being able to heal any wounds made by her weapon.

He watched her closely as she turned a bright pink coffee mug in her sun kissed hands then blew away the steam rising from the dark liquid. As a Paladin, and an old one at that, she’d been born with the holy fire to defend humanity from vampires and werewolves. However, walking in the light and blessings of her God had also bestowed upon her immortality, without restriction. No matter how much damage she incurred, she wouldn’t die until the day He saw fit to allow her that peace.

Kerestyan cringed internally. At least if a day ever came when he couldn’t bear to watch the world any longer, he could walk into the sunrise and be done with it. But to not have any say in her future, to not have a choice…he couldn’t imagine how trapped she must feel.

Is that how Logan feels?
He stiffened at the thought. He truly hoped Logan didn’t feel trapped by him. He’d attempted to give her every choice possible in terms of her future.

Well, except for last night.
He smiled to himself. The only reason he’d given her no choice then, was because she’d left him with none. The woman drove him absolutely insane. If she wasn’t yelling at him, she was screaming under him. And if she wasn’t staring at him through haunted, distant green eyes, she was setting him ablaze with heated emerald glances and playful smiles.

Whether he was allowed to voice it or not, Logan was amazing.

The insistent clicking of Raze’s shiny black fingernails against the ceramic mug pulled Kerestyan’s attention back to the present. He cleared his throat and offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. My mind drifted off.” He motioned around her. “What happened to upset you?”

She arched a pierced brow. “You mean, who pissed me off?”

He nodded. “That, too.”

“Last night I caught Craig Anderson wearing his fangs openly again at
Fetish
. He’s worn them so often, humans have begun asking questions when he doesn’t.”

Kerestyan rolled his eyes. With his execution of the three Fledglings who’d trapped Logan in her alley, Craig had, no doubt, ascended to leader of the wayward group. “Is he feeding openly as well?”

“Is he chewing Necks in the middle of the stage? Not quite. But he’s pushing the shadowed corners exception a little too hard for my tastes.”

He ground his teeth together. While he didn’t blame Raze for doing her job, and certainly understood her frustration, the idea he’d left Logan to talk about a low born whelp sent the animal stalking in his gut. “Then either kill him or drag him to Court for judgment.”

Raze tipped her head to the side and pinned him with her unnaturally violet eyes. “Did you just snap at me and give me rights to kill one of your vampires?” She kicked her feet down and leaned forward to set her mug on the table. “What’s up with you lately? You old school execute Tom, Dick and Harry. You don’t answer your phone for two days. You leave the city without telling me. Then you force me to break through Lord Evil’s barrier to contact you mentally, both of which you know I despise with a passion. I want some answers.”

He groaned. “Those weren’t their names. And please, Raze, much as I’ve asked you a dozen times before, don’t refer to my Father as Lord Evil. I understand you don’t care for each other but your feud has nothing to do with me.”

“They’re dead now.” She flashed a bright but sinister smile. “And by they, I mean the three troublemakers and your moldy Sire, who probably hasn’t breathed for any reason other than to ruin someone’s life in more years than I care to count.” She inhaled a deep breath, which he was sure she needed after her diatribe. “But I digress. I don’t care what their names are, were, will never be again. I want to know what’s going on with
you
.”

“Tom, Dick and Harry, as you so lovingly referred to them, died because they were fighting in a Brooklyn alley, in plain sight of a human woman. Then, when she asked them to stop so she could pass, instead of calling you for sanitation assistance, they were so caught up in the beast’s fury they asked if she was a Puppet.”

Raze threw her head back and let out a husky laugh. “See what I mean? They’re so stupid.” The amusement quickly faded from her graceful features. “Why did you take her to
him
,” she sneered.

He shook his head. “I’ll assume by the tone of your derision, you mean my Father. I took her to him because she’d been exposed to vampires for an extended period of time. Her memories were too vivid and numerous to erase or rearrange.”

“Why didn’t you just kill her?”

“You would have me kill an Innocent?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t play that card on me, Leech. You know damn well that’s not what I’d have you do, but I also understand sometimes it’s necessary. If the whole of humanity were to learn supernaturals exist, it would only make protecting them that much more difficult.”

Kerestyan snapped his mouth closed. What was it with the women in his life spouting off all manner of offensive comments as of late? “I can’t believe you just called me a Leech. If it means that much to you, I apologize I didn’t call to let you know I’d be out of contact for a few days, but time was of the essence.”

Her face softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just feeling out of sorts over this whole Craig thing.” She frowned. “Wait. What do you mean time was of the essence?”

He drew in then exhaled a deep breath. “Logan, the woman in question, was placed under time constraints by my Father. I needed to assist her through the withdrawal process before I could take her to him, which is why I wasn’t answering my phone. Honestly, I left it in my bed chamber without a second thought.”

She stood and held a flattened hand below her right ear. “Logan? Are you talking about the dark haired heroine junkie who’s about this tall? The one with the cold green eyes that just scream she’s seen too much?”

Kerestyan leaned forward. “That would be a fitting description. How do you know her?”

Raze lowered her hand, hesitation flickering behind her lavender eyes. “I’ve run into her a couple times in Brooklyn. She’s been on the streets for a long time. Did Stefan turn her?”

He wasn’t sure what concerned him more. The fact that Raze seemed to know Logan; or that she actually called his Father by his given name. “No, he didn’t. Logan’s been remanded to Trinity, as her
Servio
. Why do you ask?”

“Why are you so interested?” Her usually whisky voice rose an octave.

Kerestyan stood up and stepped over the coffee table. “I happen to care a great deal for Logan, that’s why I’m so interested.” Without thinking, he let his eyes burn into hers, but gnashed his teeth when the golden Paladin haze glittered around her, blocking him from accessing her mind. “What do you know, Raze?”

Her eyes flicked to the blade resting at the end of the couch before she met his stare again. “What do I know? I know I’m not getting involved in anything with your Father’s bloody signature all over it. That’s what I know.” She jammed a claw into the middle of his chest. “And don’t you ever do that shit to me again. I’ll forgive you this time because I can see that blasphemous beast stalking behind your eyes. But don’t you ever try to read me with your cursed magics again.”

He watched, rage simmering in his blood as Raze dropped down on the couch. If it wasn’t for the fact she liked to blame everything bad happening in the world on his Father, he’d put more stock in her words. However, their hatred for each other had bloomed thousands of years ago when his Father still called Naples, Italy home, and had only grown through the ages.

Kerestyan returned to his chair and sat down. Whether she despised his Father or not, he knew he owed her an apology for his thoughtless action. “I apologize for attempting to read your mind, especially in your own home. It goes against everything I was taught, and I truly am sorry.”

She set the blade across her lap and picked at the frayed golden strands braided around the sheath. “I accept your apology. No harm, no foul.” She chewed at her bottom lip for a moment before offering him a faint smile. “I like you, Kerestyan, you know I do. You and Odin are the only Nelek’s I’d ever consider working with. But I told you when you asked me to be your Enforcer that I wouldn’t get involved in anything my gut told me was part of a Nelek game. I’m sorry, but that’s exactly how this feels.”

He tipped his head to one side then the other, stretching out the tight muscles in his neck. Part of the reason he’d chosen Raze as his Lead Enforcer was because of her gut feelings. The Paladin’s propensity to be correct was uncanny.

He stared into her eyes, hoping she would answer his question. “Can you at least share why you feel that way?”

“I could…but I won’t. If I do, that puts me right in the mix and I’m just not gonna go there. If I were you, I’d go back to the Castle of Doom and talk to your Daddy.”

If it were only that simple.
He slowly shook his head. “I was only allowed to stay with Logan until sunrise, which given the time difference between New York and Chicago, was about fifteen minutes ago. I can’t return to the castle until her training is complete.” The corner of his mouth rose of its own accord. “I’ve been banned.”

Raze giggled a purely feminine sound and burst into a wide smile. “You must really like her if you’re not allowed to be around her. How long do you think her training will be? Is she coming back to New York when it’s over?”

He nodded. He wouldn’t stand for anything less. “Yes, she’ll be returning. Trinity asked my permission to station Logan here and I granted the request. As for how long her training will last, Trinity, even for all her idiosyncrasies, is still rather thorough. I expect to see Logan in two weeks, maybe three.”

“I have to say, Kerestyan, I’m a little surprised.”

He arched a brow. “Why?”

She shrugged a bronzed shoulder then adjusted the strap of her white tank top. “I always pegged you as a lover of the curvy, voluptuous blond types. You know, the sexy chick with intense blue eyes and an ass to die for. Logan doesn’t even come close to fitting that bill. I would think she’s more Odin’s style.”

Kerestyan couldn’t help but laugh, loudly. If Raze had the pleasure of watching Logan and his brother in childish action, he was sure she’d change her mind. “Logan and Odin don’t get along, at all. I’m certain they’d rather strangle each other than have a friendly conversation.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Really? I figured trying to crack her cold, icy demeanor would be right up his alley.” She sighed. “Oh, well. So much for my holy powers of precognition,” she smacked a hand against the couch, “which brings me back to the original reason I wanted to talk to you. What would you like me to do about Craig and his gang? As much as I hate to admit, they haven’t breached the Veil, yet. So by your own law, I don’t have any right to kill them, yet.”

“Am I to infer you’re simply biding your time until you have ample reason to slay them?”

Her face sobered. “No, no, Lord Kerestyan. Of course not.” She leaned forward and grinned as she motioned between them. “But between me and that sliver of you that isn’t the Lord of New York, I can’t wait to rip their heads off.”

“Do they irritate you that much?”

She relaxed and stared off at something behind him, her eyes clouded with a weariness he knew all too well. “Some of your Fledglings have a lot of potential. I won’t ever deny that. They treat everyone around them, even the humans, with respect and dignity. But this new gang,” she shook her head, “I’ve been watching them on and off for the last couple months and they’re just abusive. They gorge themselves on blood and have damn near killed a vessel on a couple occasions. They lord their powers over the humans, messing with their minds to make them perform stupid, demeaning tricks. They make me sick.”

Kerestyan inhaled a calming breath. He didn’t approve of the way some Fledglings treated the humans of New York City, but at the end of the day, he had no choice but to remind himself the modern world was a completely different place than it was when he was turned. Honor and integrity were prized in his day. Even in death, valor and virtue were paramount.

Now, it seemed the opposite was considered and accepted as normal.

As much as he wanted to agree with Raze, he couldn’t in good conscience. His species, by its very existence was innately abusive to humans. And in a time when even humans fought and killed each other for no more than a pair of running shoes, he couldn’t forbid his Fledglings from engaging in any activity, degrading to humans or not, unless it threatened the Veil.