Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
SEBASTIAN
April disappears in the apartment, giving me a wide berth. Tremors rake my bones, the tenacious craving for her driving me berserk, while Eshe impatiently raps at the door. The situation is so bizarre that I want to laugh.
Rubbing a hand over my face, I glance down my body.
My pants gape open at the waistband, my cock straining the fabric like a tent.
My once-immaculate shirt hangs in strips over my shoulders and red gashes from claws are in various stages of healing over my arms and chest. By the damp feeling I have, my back is not fairing any better, and my thigh still throbs with a dull ache from April’s fangs.
A grin stretches my lips.
Unconcerned about my disheveled state, I yank the door open none too gently.
If I expected shock or a remark about my state of undress, I didn’t get any.
With just a slight arch of an eyebrow, Eshe shoulders her way in, entering the apartment without waiting on an invitation.
I guess we are past formalities after trying to kill each other. Who would’ve thought?
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Turning to face me, she looks pointedly at my erection. “But I don’t have much time.”
“How are you even here?” With my hands on my hips, I scan her for burns. I see nothing.
“When there is a will, there is a way.” Dismissing my comment with a wave of her hand, she narrows her eyes on me. “You are not the only one with tricks up their sleeves that prepared for this mess we find ourselves in.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t play coy with me Sebastian. It doesn’t become you.
” Stalking closer, I can feel her probing my mind to bend me to her will.
Strengthening the walls I’ve built and pushing her out of my head, I smirk at the surprise on her face.
“I almost believed you a fool. When you invited Khan here to see the girl, I was so disappointed.”
Remembering too well the disappointment in her dark eyes the night when the Council summoned me like a child, I watch her, tilting my head.
For the life of me, I can’t figure out her game.
The rest of them have always been clear with their pettiness and treachery.
But not her. Always the one staying quiet, Eshe is the observer of the bunch of old idiots.
“I’m sure you didn’t come here in the middle of the day, risking being beheaded, to give me a compliment.” At her snarl, my smirk grows. “My patience is nonexistent the last few days. Speak your piece before I tire of hearing your words.”
“Cockiness is what got us all to this stage, fledgling.” In the blink of an eye, she gets in my face.
The whites of her eyes almost glow on her ebony face, thick red lips are lifted in a warning snarl.
“I thought you smarter than that. Do not start proving me wrong now. I would hate that I have wasted my time.”
“Step away from him.” April’s soft voice makes both Eshe and me turn slowly in the direction of her voice. “Now, bitch.”
“So territorial.” With a proud smile and gleaming white teeth, Eshe forgets all about me.
I bristle at her dismissal. “I knew what you were before I even saw your face.” Cautiously, she approaches April.
“I waited for millennia but dared not to hope. Yet, here you are. At last. I can feel your power struggling to break free.” Turning to glare over her shoulder at me, her bare breasts sway with the movement, making April bite her lips to hide a smile. “What have you done to her?”
“Unless we are talking about setting me up to die, he has done nothing.” April brings Eshe’s attention back to herself. “You, on the other hand, have been hunting me all my life. You have bigger balls than the man on your stupid Council for coming here, I’ll give you that.”
“What do you want, Eshe?” Coming full circle, I ask the question again.
“Two of your humans were discovered and ripped limb from limb last night.” Squaring her shoulders, she looks down her nose at me.
“Khan is in a foul mood, you see.” Chuckling gleefully, she shakes her head, sending her braids swinging around her shoulders.
“I never thought I’d see the day, but you will never know how grateful I am. ”
“Okay.” Dragging the word, April leans forward on the balls of her feet. “And we get to the point in three, two…” She only mouths one, throwing both hands at Eshe like some witch casting a spell. “No?” Blinking innocently at the scowl on Eshe’s face, April sighs. “Nothing?”
“Don’t mock me child, you are not strong enough to fight me right now no matter who you are.
” At the uncertain glance that April sends my way, Eshe laughs.
“Oh, I know exactly who you are. What I don’t know is how are you not whole?
We don’t have time to search for answers.
” Turning to me, she finally tells us why she is here.
“The Council is assembling in three days’ time.
They regrouped a lot sooner than I thought. ”
“You are talking like you’re not one of them. You think we are stupid or something?” Inching towards me, April positions herself between Eshe and the door. “You are not leaving this building alive. I hope you knew that coming in.”
“So young.” The soft smile on Eshe’s face shocks me into silence.
“So na?ve.” Moving closer to April, she stops within arm’s reach.
“I came to warn you. The Council is having a ball to celebrate your death in three days. My mistress made me give a blood oath to not defend her on the day she lost her life. She made me promise to join the Council and be patient. She swore that we would reunite again when the time was right.”
April and I watch silent as tears trickle down Eshe’s face, her hand lifting towards April’s face with shaking fingers.
“I couldn’t stay silent and watch history repeat itself.
I would meet the sun if I sat and let them hurt you again.
You kept your vow, you came back.” Cupping April’s cheek, she leans in and presses a kiss on her forehead.
“I never stopped serving you. Stay safe, watch your back among your own, and I will await you in the Council Towers three days from now. Your murderers will pay, and I will bathe in their blood.”
One second, she was gazing adoringly at April, the next only a breeze is left in Eshe’s wake. April and I look at each other, the shock evident on both of our faces. Apprehension like ghostly fingers chills my skin and I snatch April, pulling her to my chest.
“What the fuck was that?” She doesn’t push me away, which tells me she is as shaken as I am.
Marcus and Andrei watch us from the open front door. For the first time, I don’t know how long they’ve been standing there but judging by the solemn look on their faces and their clenched fists, I’ll venture and say long enough.
“Call everyone in. No one goes in or out of the building for the next three days. We have a mole in our midst.”
Turning to see who I’m speaking to over her shoulder, April tightens her fingers on my waist. “When you find them, bring them to me.”