Authors: Rhyannon Byrd
For the first time since they’d met, Raine suddenly found herself asking why they couldn’t have met
earlier,
before she’d been broken into pieces. Before the parts of her that had known how to seek happiness and pleasure had been scarred with hatred and this consuming need for revenge.
And yet, she’d
enjoyed
what had happened between them in that hotel room in Berlin. But honestly, who was she trying to fool? She enjoyed it every time he touched her. Every time he kissed her… But being beneath him, with his wicked mouth turning her inside out with ecstasy—
that
had been the best. And she’d wanted more. She’d wanted it all, everything he could give her…everything he could do to her. At least that’s what she’d wanted right up until the moment her fangs had released and she’d caught his heartbreaking look. Though Raine had known it would hurt to find herself in such a horrid situation, the pain that flooded through her body had been shocking, as if someone had reached into her chest and squeezed, leaving her heart bloody and pulverized.
God,
she thought, shivering with confusion.
I am such a mess.
Just before Gideon and Seth reached the table, she said, “By the way, I happen to know that I’m not the one
you want, either. So, no, you wouldn’t have really been tempted, Ashe. But it was nice of you to say so.”
The vampire tensed at the soft words, and she knew he was wondering just how much she knew about his personal life—but he didn’t have time to question her before his brother was slapping his shoulder and taking the seat on his right, while Seth dropped into the one on his left.
Seth gave her a gruff hello, then started relaying the new information that he and Gideon had been able to get out of Seton about the security on Westmore’s apartment, acting as if he wasn’t at all affected by her presence. But Raine knew he wasn’t as calm as he seemed. She could hear the rush of his pulse, his heart beating hard and fast, his body burning with feral waves of heat. And then there was the way that he kept flexing those big, scarred hands on the arms of his chair, as if he was trying to keep them from fisting…or grabbing on to something.
To someone…
Though Raine knew it was wrong, she would have given anything at that moment to be able to read his mind, but he remained stubbornly blocked to her. It was so frustrating, never being able to see into the ones she most wanted to read, and her muscles cramped with frustration.
“I can’t believe this is the place,” he muttered, taking a long swig of the beer he’d carried outside with him, obviously having picked up the icy bottle at the café’s bar. “Garrick and I were in this town three weeks ago, looking for Westmore, but the trail stopped cold. Then
we heard he was seen in Budapest, so we headed that way.”
“Speaking of Garrick,” Ashe murmured, “what’s going on with him? Kierland told me he’d had some kind of family emergency.”
“His dad had a heart attack, so he had to head home. When I talked to him this morning, he said the doctors didn’t think his dad was gonna make it.”
“That’s terrible,” she said, feeling awful for Garrick.
“Yeah. His dad’s a good guy. I’m hoping he pulls through.”
Raine could tell by the tone of Seth’s voice that he was genuinely worried. Her fingers itched to reach out and stroke his arm, offering comfort, but she fought the impulse, feeling too unsure of herself. Impossible not to second-guess everything she thought…everything she
felt,
since all of it was still so new and unfamiliar.
Of course, it didn’t help that his mere presence had her on the knife’s edge of desire, her senses drenched in him, as if she was absorbing the sensual data through her skin. She felt trapped, restless, her foot tapping as she tried to just calm the hell down.
“So,” Gideon said around a mouthful of pastry, nodding toward Westmore’s building. “How hard do you guys think it’s gonna be to get to the Kraven?”
“I think it might be easier than you think,” Raine offered. “I haven’t been able to pick up anyone on the top floor, so I think Seton was telling the truth when he said that Westmore’s alone. Which means that if we can get
past his security, we’ll have a clear shot at him, as well as the Markers.”
“I don’t like it,” Seth muttered. “It doesn’t feel right. He’s too paranoid to just be hanging out on his own.”
Gideon shrugged. “But he doesn’t have much choice, does he? Not when he knows what Raine can do.”
Ashe spoke up, saying, “We’re going to need to move fast. He’s bound to be growing anxious, considering he hasn’t heard from Seton. If we don’t move tonight, he might try to run, and we can’t risk losing him
or
the Markers.”
They talked a bit longer, and decided that the brothers would stay and keep an eye on Westmore, while Seth took Raine to a local bed and breakfast so they could grab a few hours of sleep. Then they would meet up again later and make their plans for the night. After saying goodbye, Raine followed Seth out of the café, using the rear exit to avoid being seen by the Kraven if he was watching the street. Once outside, Seth directed her to a gleaming black Jeep.
Neither of them said much as he steered the car through the narrow streets, the tension between them so thick it felt heavy in her lungs, like the humid Mediterranean air. When he finally pulled to a stop in front of a small white villa located at the end of a shaded lane and surrounded by a thick, wild garden of flowers, she asked, “Is this the bed-and-breakfast?”
He cut the engine and ran his tongue over his teeth, staring through the front windshield. “No. This is the safe house where we left Seton and Spark.”
“I thought we were going to a B and B,” she said, her tone tense. “I don’t want to stay here.” The idea of sleeping under the same roof as Seton made her skin crawl.
“We’re not staying here, Raine.”
Panic started to creep through her system. “What’s going on?”
“Seton told us the truth about Westmore’s location, which means he’s probably told us the truth about the security systems, as well. We’ve gotten what we needed from him.”
She could tell from his tone that something wasn’t right, and she whispered his name.
“Seth?”
“We won’t be here long, I promise,” he said, getting out of the car. A moment later, he introduced her to Liam, who’d walked out to meet them on the front porch. She could easily see the guy’s resemblance to the Granger brothers, though Liam was a good bit younger, with lighter hair. As they followed Liam inside the villa, he gave Seth an update on Spark and Seton, explaining that they were due for another round of sedatives if he wanted to keep them knocked out. Seth thanked the vampire for keeping an eye on things, then turned to Raine. “I need to go downstairs for a moment. Just wait here with Liam.”
He didn’t wait for her response, turning and heading down a narrow stairway tucked into a corner of the room. Unfortunately, Raine had never been all that great at following orders, and as soon as Liam stepped out onto the front porch to make a call—no doubt wanting to let
the Grangers know that Seth had returned to the safe house—she followed the soldier down the stairs.
It didn’t take her long to find the room where Seton and Spark were confined. They were both in cuffs, hained to metal chairs that had been placed back-to-back in the center of the floor, so that they couldn’t see each other. Cells lined the sides of the room, dismal but clean. And for the moment, empty. There were no other prisoners but for the two sitting on those chairs.
Seth stood in front of Seton, his arms crossed as he stared down at the sneering Casus. She hadn’t made a sound, and yet somehow the human knew she was there, lurking in the doorway. “Raine,” he said in a low voice, “go back upstairs.”
“No.”
At the sound of her voice, Seton turned his head to the side, his mouth curling with a slow, cruel smile. “Do you want to know something sweet, honey? Westmore told me a little secret before I left. Seems the next time he gets his hands on you, he’s finally going to treat himself to a piece of psychic pie. ’Bout time he had a taste. I know he’s gonna get such a kick outta that little power charge inside you.”
A guttural sound tore from Seth’s throat that reminded her of a Lycan, and he slammed his fist into the Casus’s face, splitting tissue, the monster’s blood flowing hot and free. But it didn’t shut him up. Seton spit out two teeth, then grinned. “You can do whatever you want to me, human. But it won’t change the fact that she’ll be the last
girl I fucked when I die.” He slid Raine a sharp smile. “And when I come back again, she’ll be the first.”
“Not if we do this right,” Seth growled, slanting a dark look toward Raine. He came toward her, holding out his hand as he said, “Give me the Marker.”
Her eyes went huge as she stared back at him, hardly believing what he’d said.
His deep voice vibrated with command. “Now, Raine.”
Her fingers felt numb as she took the cross from her pocket and placed it in his outstretched hand. She couldn’t believe he was actually going to use the Marker to destroy the Casus, her lungs tight as she watched him palm the metallic cross in his right hand and head back toward Seton. She could believe even less that she wasn’t arguing with him about the right being hers. Yes, she’d needed to be the one meting out punishment for all that Rietta had suffered at the hands of these sadistic bastards, but…it felt somehow
right
that McConnell was working with her. Helping her to carry the load.
But will it change me? Will I weaken if I share this with him?
she thought with a frown, suddenly wanting to reach out and snatch the Marker back from him. But it was too late. His muscular arm was already glowing, his veins bulging beneath the golden sheen of his skin as he gripped the Marker in a tight hold.
Wearing a fierce look of determination, he grabbed the back of Seton’s chair and pulled it away from the one that held Spark, giving him room to get behind the Casus. Fisting his left hand in Seton’s hair, he wrenched the
Casus’s head forward, exposing the base of his skull as he snarled, “You’re going to hell, you son of a bitch.”
Though he didn’t try to fight for his escape, Seton’s ice-blue eyes burned with hatred as he stared across the room at Raine. “And once Calder gets his hands on you, hunter—well, let’s just say that you’ll be joining me there.”
“What do you mean?” Raine demanded. Seton’s words had been more than just an idle threat. It sounded like they actually had a
plan
for Seth. But before the Casus could answer her question, Seth slammed his hand into the back of Seton’s neck, jerking a guttural cry from the monster’s throat. Within seconds, Seth’s arm was engulfed in flames, those flames spreading rapidly through the Casus’s body.
When Seton had been reduced to nothing more than a smoldering pile of ash, Seth took a step back, his body drenched with sweat, every muscle coiled and ready for battle, his expression one of grim intent as he turned his attention to Spark. The assassin blinked as he moved in front of her, and it was the only time Raine had ever seen the female’s face drained of color, her green eyes wide with fear.
“Don’t,” Spark whispered, shaking her head.
Seth ground his jaw as he pocketed the Marker…then drew his gun. Raine tried to read the look in his eyes, but they were hidden by his lowered lashes.
“Please!” Spark gasped, straining against her bonds. “I’m begging you, don’t! I don’t want to go to hell!”
“It’s where you belong,” he muttered, releasing the gun’s safety.
“That’s not true.” The assassin’s voice cracked as she stared up at him. “You don’t…you don’t know what made me this way. You don’t know what was done to me. Why I became what I am.”
“Excuses at this point are pointless, Spark. You could have helped Raine when she was in Westmore’s compound, but you didn’t. You were willing to let them rape her again…and again, rather than disobey your fucking orders!”
“And why should I have helped her?” she cried, her voice choked with tears. “No one ever helped
me!
”
“You were raped?” Raine asked, stepping into the room. Seth glared at her, his look warning her to stay back, but she ignored him.
Spark lowered her head, quivering, looking smaller than she ever had before. More fragile. Breakable. Then she gave a stiff, jerky nod.
If Raine had thought the information would soften Seth’s resolve, she’d have been wrong. “Your past doesn’t excuse the choices you’ve made, Spark.”
“Doesn’t it?” the assassin whispered, glaring up at him, her pale face streaked with tears. “I’ve been intimate with you, McConnell. And I’ve read your file at the Collective headquarters. You know something about being tortured, don’t you? Know how it can fuck with your mind.”
He managed to blank his expression—but not before Raine caught a glimpse of the pain that stabbed through
him, and he seemed to pale beneath the flush of anger burning along the crests of his cheekbones. He popped his jaw, his nostrils flaring as he drew in a slow, deep breath, his gaze locked on some distant point on the floor. She swallowed, needing to help him…to know what he was hiding, but she couldn’t read him now any more than she could before. So she shifted her attention to someone she
could
read…and focused on Spark.
It took a moment to push her way through the as sassin’s anger and fear, but Raine finally managed to seek out those memories that she’d always purposefully avoided, knowing how badly it would hurt to see Seth and this woman together. But in that moment determination drove her, and she sought out those things she needed to know…searching until she found them. There was no order to the chaos. Just violent blasts of images and words. She saw the cruel, brutal scarring that covered his groin, her heart breaking as she found the information Spark had discovered in his file. He’d been tortured by the rogue Deschanel who had attacked his family, the scarring caused by fangs that had torn into his sexual organs again…and again.
It was impossible to imagine how painful the horrific experience must have been for him. Raine felt herself swaying and had to reach out, bracing her hand against the wall, her stomach churning as she tried to process the gruesome images Spark had seen in the file. Photos of the young McConnell that had been taken at the scene of the attack. Others after he’d reached the hospital and
the Collective doctors had fought to put his broken body back together again.