Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
SEBASTIAN
Anxiety, frustration, and fear stream through the connection I have with Marcus and Andrei.
As soon as my eyes open, I’m fully aware that something is wrong.
Taking my time to disentangle myself from between the sheets only makes it harder for the two males who are aware of my waking state.
If something has gone wrong, they should be afraid.
I have come a long way to reach this goal and will not allow anyone or anything to thwart my plans.
Sharp, stabbing pain pierces my chest when the thought of losing the girl floats through my head.
Pushing it down, I walk under the stream of hot water in the open shower.
Feeling every drop slicing the air and sliding over my skin, warming it up, soothes me.
I’ll take my time, letting Marcus and Andrei come to me.
Patience has never been their strong suit, even though they’ve been with me for over a century now.
Hunger gnaws in my gut, reminding me it’s been a couple of days since I’ve fed.
That will need to be remedied soon before it takes control of my actions and the Americans see their fears of us are very much sound.
Watching the suds swirling around the drain at my feet, my lips tilt up at that thought.
Maybe it’s not a bad idea to confirm what they’ve been whispering between each other.
I will think on that a bit more. Every action needs to be precise and strategically made to further our cause.
Pushing my hair out of my face, squeezing the water from it, I snatch a towel and tie it around my waist. The same face I have seen for too long to count stares at me from my reflection.
Day by day, humanity has been slipping through my fingers until nothing remains of the man I used to be.
Boredom is what led me to search for something to give me purpose again.
Something other than hunger and thrill to fill my days.
When I had almost given up, I found the old parchment buried in the Colosseum in the middle of Rome.
Who would’ve thought that new things could still be found there?
Written in a shaky hand, as if the one holding the quill was in a hurry, it spoke of a time when things were not as bleak as they are now.
It talked of greatness and power beyond anything any of us have considered possible, including the self-proclaimed gods of the Council.
That weathered piece of confession, as I like to call it, brought me where I am today: in the middle of the nest, where my eternal life may end.
Or start anew.
It all depends on one girl. If I get my hands on her.
With that reminder, I dry off and start pulling my clothing on.
Whatever it is that got two strong and smart males anxious and afraid will no doubt make me unhappy.
However, it will need to be dealt with before I satisfy the hunger raging through my veins.
My fingers still at the buttons of the shirt when a knock disturbs the silence of the bedroom.
Marcus is the first to want to end his torment, it seems.
“Come in.” I finish buttoning up my shirt.
Marcus opens the door and walks inside, closing it gently behind him, not meeting my gaze.
It brings me great pleasure knowing that my friend knows better than to provoke my ire more than necessary.
Letting him dwell on whatever it is that ails him, I continue my dressing, pulling the jacket over my shoulders.
When my second set of cufflinks is placed correctly, the red and gold contrasting on the white fabric, the door opens again, and Andrei walks in.
It doesn’t escape my notice that he didn’t knock.
I know he understands my displeasure when his body shudders and a pained grunt sounds from his firmly pressed lips.
“It seems we have a problem,” I say, finally facing them both, aware that my eyes are flashing red, because the predator in me is too close to the surface. “A big enough problem that we forget our manners.” My gaze lingering on Andrei, I tuck my hands in my pockets.
Andrei flinches but keeps staring at his feet. Marcus is the one that shows his bravery by meeting my eyes. Swallowing a couple of times, his Adam’s apple bobs up and down before he speaks.
“We lost the girl, Sire.”
I doubt that they can see the stiffening of my shoulders in the unnatural stillness all of us possess.
What they can feel, however, is the blast of my power that hits them through our connection like a monsoon, bringing them down on their knees.
Pressing the bridge of my nose with a thumb and forefinger, I breathe slowly in hopes to calm my natural reaction pushing me to kill them both.
I pride myself on the control I have accomplished over my instincts.
It is the only reason both of them still have their heads attached to their bodies.
“Lost her how exactly?” With slow, measured steps, I stand in front of their kneeling bodies, looking down at the two males I trust more than anyone else. “Lost her, as in she escaped? Or lost her, as in she is dead and lost for eternity?”
“The human I tasked to watch over her during the daylight hours couldn’t find her at the sewer where she hides, Sire.
He found the brother and sister sleeping there, but our girl was gone.
I’m hoping she was looking for food or something and that she will be back.
I will go wait for her myself.” Marcus speaks through his pain, grinding his teeth.
“I waited to inform you myself before I go search for her.”
“I will go with him, Sire,” Andrei adds, head still bowed. “We will find her before the sun comes up.”
“And if you don’t?” My words are spoken slowly, softly, like a blade gliding over skin, cutting to the bone.
“We will find her, or die trying, Sire,” Marcus assures me a little too quickly for my taste.
He doesn’t have time to see me move before I grab him by the collar of his shirt, throwing his body through the wall of the room.
Plaster and brick rain down around us as his body flies through the large living room until it hits the opposite wall.
He drops on the floor when I walk over the broken piece of the historic hotel.
It should be a shame to destroy something that has stood up to the hands of time, but I don’t care about that at the moment.
No history or future will be vital if we lose the girl.
Strolling towards him with murder on my mind, I ignore the sound of a door opening somewhere behind me. Bending down, I grab Marcus by the collar again, lifting him up to throw him over the balcony. It won’t kill him, but it’ll hurt like a bitch until he heals.
“La prossima volta che mi deluderai assicurati di essere in un posto dove non posso trovarti.” Marcus cringes at my snapped words.
“Sire…” The warning in Andrei’s voice stops me enough to look over my shoulder.
“Ah, ah, ah…speak English you stubborn Italian.” The woman standing at the entrance wiggles a finger tipped with a long red nail at me.
Irina, one of the Council members, stands at the opened front door.
Her platinum hair is tied up in a high ponytail on top of her timelessly pretty face.
Red silk covers her porcelain skin, the slit of the floor-length dress exposing one perfectly shaped leg all the way to her hip.
Labored breaths raise her breasts up and down, most likely from her palpable anticipation of violence.
Red glistening lips are curled up in a feral smile, and her black eyes, lined in smoky shades of makeup, glitter in excitement.
Behind her, four human women cower and press their bodies together, staring in horror at my display.
“Next time you fail me, you better make sure to be somewhere I cannot find you,” I amend, repeating what I said, this time in English. Not that she didn’t understand me. It was more of a power play than anything else.
“Don’t let me interrupt your fun, Sebastian.” Her Russian accent is thick, her fangs peeking over the cushion of her lips. “Do go on. I can wait.”
“You have displeased me, Marcus.” Turning my back on Irina, I watch Marcus to ensure that he understands what I’m not saying.
“You should thank our Council member for saving your life. Now get out of my face. I tire of you.” Pushing him none too gently towards Andrei, I straighten my jacket, pulling on my shirtsleeves.
“Think about your mistakes and come back when you can apologize appropriately.”
“Aww, you are no fun.” Pouting, Irina glides inside the room, leaving the humans scrambling behind her to get out of the way when Marcus and Andrei head out. They better be back soon with the whereabouts of the girl.
“I see you’ve brought something that looks like a lot more fun than me disciplining my subjects.” Giving her my trademark smile, my gaze roams over the humans. My hunger roars in my ears, but I ignore it.
“Ah, yes!” Waving her hand, she doesn’t even turn to look at them. “I brought breakfast. I hoped you’d be famished.”
“I’m ravenous.” Walking to the only chair that is left without dust or broken pieces of plaster, I sit, not offering it to her. Satisfied at the slight frown she doesn’t manage to hide; I grin at her. “Let us taste what delicacy you have brought to offer.”