Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Skarde left Gemma when she drifted into deep sleep. She wouldn’t be able to avoid day sleep this early in her transition. It had taken him decades before he could function in daytime. He still wasn’t great at it, but he could avoid the lure of sleep when needed.
Historically, he hated the aftermath, when sex cooled down and heads cleared up.
The moment he realized what had seemed like a fun, exciting idea at the start had been stupid was the moment things got complicated.
His bed partner wanted more than he wanted to give.
With Gemma, part of him wished he could give her the more she desired.
He didn’t know how to navigate the landscape of insanity that was called “love”, especially not with a woman now confirmed to be the other piece of his prophecy.
He’d watched his parents’ love self-destruct.
His older brother had gone crazy when he fell in love, to the point he killed himself and the woman he loved.
Time to sort things with Cade. Trust lay in precarious balance between him and his brother. Given Cade’s unwavering dedication to his missions, he might plot to steal Gemma away while Skarde slept. This time he’d make it clear there would be no taking her to the Directorate.
The rest of the cave, which was what this place was—a modified hole in the side of a mountain—had few rooms. The place might be warmer than his castle, but Skarde hated being locked inside thick layers of rock.
He noticed a difference in himself as he moved. He felt stronger and clear-headed. His senses no longer see-sawed between a haze and near-clarity, a no man’s land he’d grown accustomed to navigating the past few years.
The rumors that feeding from a vampire bestowed more strength than any human blood could grant had turned out to be true.
And this after taking barely a sip from her out of fear—she needed as much of her own blood as possible right now.
What would happen if he took a serious drink?
Maybe that’s how he became stronger than any other vampire, as the latest prophecy suggested.
Cade raised his glass from his seat at an ancient kitchen table. The drink wafted the smell of something alcoholic. “Not dragged to hell yet, I see.”
Skarde sat across the wooden table from his brother and cradled his head in his hands.
After a gulp from his cup Cade said, “Sounded like you two got on well.”
“I’ve never… Not with a vampire before.”
“It’s entertaining to see you in a twist over her. What’s that feel like?”
Refusing to get into a heart-to-heart, he said, “I have to go south tomorrow. I accepted a commission before the delay at Petra’s place. There’s a witch raising the dead.”
“Necromancy?”
“Technically, necromancers aren’t all bad even though what they do is peculiar.
They can talk to the dead. The bad ones harness the dead to do their bidding.
They don’t give the dead new life, which I suppose means this lady is making zombies.
” He tugged at his hair. “I despise dealing with zombies.”
“First, why do you still need to deal with that business?”
“I made a promise.”
“Second, why are you telling me this? Is it because of Gemma?” Cade leaned back in his chair.
“She’s off limits to you. If you kidnap her and take her to the Directorate or do anything else, I will hunt you down and kill you.”
“She’s safe from me taking her there. For now.” He stared into his cup. “I’ll deal with my failure to finish a mission and the Directorate myself.”
“Why do you still work for them? You hate it.” He glanced up in time to catch his brother wince. He’d guessed correctly.
“Why do you go after evil things? You hate it.” A slow smile spread across Cade’s lips. “Creatures of habit, aren’t we?”
“Trained killers who need an outlet.” He spun a knife on its side in circles on the table.
“I considered quitting. Gemma asked me why I didn’t.
My targets try to kill me every time, obviously.
I could become an assassin for hire or find something else for the money.
I took a break for two weeks to think it over. But I couldn’t quit. I promised Lissa.”
“I don’t know that our sister wanted you to fight magical creatures for the rest of your life.”
“She asked me to kill the demon possessing her. To kill all demons.”
“She was terrified, in pain, and dying. She may not have even known what she was asking of you.”
Skarde grabbed the knife to stop its twirl.
“I do what I do because it’s who I am. There’s no one else to do it, which Gemma acknowledged.
I’m uniquely qualified. We heal fast. We’re strong.
I’ve studied these beings for long enough that I know their weaknesses and conceits.
Don’t get me wrong. They still surprise me a lot of the time. ”
“What about those human kids? The Hunters?”
“They’re good at sniffing out trouble. They uncovered this new bit of insanity with the necromancer. I’m sure they’re headed down to see if they can deal with it, but if it goes the way it usually does, they’ll make a mess of it until I get there. I can’t take Gemma with me this time.”
“Why not? She’s got nothing else to do.”
“She’s untrained. I can see her trying to help a zombie feel better instead of having proper fear of it.”
“That’s how she got me free. She helped the witch free herself of the slave band. It threw the witch completely for a loop. Maybe her brand of unusual can be helpful to you.” He paused and added, “I’m not filling in for you when her hormones kick into high gear.”
“You sure as hell won’t,” Skarde snarled.
Cade chuckled.
“Fine. I’ll take her with me. We’ll leave after dusk.”
“The snow might be too deep.”
“It’ll change to rain tonight. It always does this time of the year. The roads will be cold and slushy.”
“Did you ever notice how the year-round cold weather began at the same time as our species’ curse?”
“Never thought about it.”
Cade smirked. “Are we going to talk about the fact that you successfully turned her?”
“Maybe we all have one turn in us.”
Cade shook his head and compressed his lips.
“The members of the Directorate have been testing the curse for years. Each of them tried to turn someone they deem worthy, and it failed every time. They’re older than us, older than any other vampire in the world.
I think the oldest on the panel turned at least fifty humans before giving up.
They’ve asked newer vampires who’ve never turned another to try. They all failed. Until you.”
“How would they know no one else succeeded after you? That was over a century ago.”
“They watch. They have spies. It’s why anyone interested in risking a turn has to ask for permission. Sometimes they grant their permission just to see if it works, knowing it probably won’t, and it hasn’t so far. Then, they kill the half-turned human.”
“Except VanFliet. Why isn’t he getting Punishers up his ass for not asking permission?”
“He’s already killed two Punishers who tried.”
Skarde stared at his knife. “Why didn’t they send you to stop him?”
“I told them I’ll only deal with one blood brother at a time.”
“Are you going to deal with me now?”
“I fucked up my role as Punisher when I pushed you to turn her. We’re both on new paths.” The word “together” hung unsaid in the air between them.
The relief to have his brother back on his side surprised him. “The inability to turn reeks of magic. A curse.”
“That’s their theory, but they’ve burnt so many bridges with the magic world that no one will talk to them.
Even Magdalene hates them more than me. That’s where it gets interesting in regard to you.
Why do you think they’ve tolerated you doing what you do?
Why wouldn’t they have sent me to warn you, or outright stop you from mucking around with magic?
You fight magic with magic. Technically, it’s not breaking the rules since you don’t sleep with witches nor do you attempt to turn them into vampires.
And there are prophesies about you, unlike other vampires.
Since they’re well aware of the prophecy, why has the Directorate chosen to leave you be? ”
He stabbed his knife into the table. “Fuckers. They wanted to see if I could. Then Magdalene came up with that gem of a new prophecy. They panicked and sent you. Bet they figured you’d be the only one of their four Punishers I wouldn’t kill.”
“Technically, only two of us remain after VanFliet destroyed Zal and Kian.” Cade folded his hands on the table. “They were right. You didn’t kill me, but you could’ve. Maybe you broke the curse?”
“Doubtful. I was probably a loophole that is somehow serving the needs of those who cast the curse to begin with. If you want answers, go to the dwarves.”
“They won’t talk to me—or any of us.”
“I might be able to talk with them. We’ve had dealings in the past. I’m not inclined to do that for our people, though. No member of the Directorate has treated me as anything other than a leper. What about you? Where is this female you turned?”
Cade’s expression clouded. “She wasn’t with me for long. Eight months.”
“What happened to her?”
Cade ran his teeth along his lower lip before glancing up. “You killed her.”
“Me? I never kill vampires indiscriminately. I don’t remember you being around any vampire I killed. I’ve only killed two females. Tania and… Jasmine?”
Cade’s gaze darkened further, his muscles tensing.
“Please tell me it wasn’t Jasmine.”
Cade pressed his lips together.
Skarde released a harsh breath. “Oh, damn, I’m sorry. Jasmine …” Memories he longed to forget flickered in his brain. “She was an awful case.”
“What happened?”
“You don’t want to know, Cade, not if you had feelings for her. Perhaps, still do.”
He slammed a fist on the table. “Tell me.”
Skarde considered toning down the truth, making it something palatable. But if someone did that to him, he’d hate it. Cade deserved the truth.