Chapter 54
Seraphim
The thing about being the big, bad enemy was that it ignited my desire to stir up trouble. Sam and I were too alike in some ways, particularly our tendencies to be dramatic and annoying. I could admit it and I wasn’t ashamed of who I was.
After the speech in their gathering room, I started receiving even more withering glances. There were those that avoided me at all costs, others that seemed to be trying to behave, and my personal favorites were the ones who obviously wanted to kill me on sight. If I were anyone else, I might have been worried about it. Unless they all banded together, though, they were hardly a threat.
Mark clearly didn’t enjoy my presence, but he was smart enough to know they needed me. Every once in a while, he looked up from his tablet, then returned his attention to it. When he did it again, I leaned against the wall and crossed my ankles.
“What’s on your mind, little bro?” I asked.
His jaw worked as he studied the screen. “Stop that shit.”
“Still salty about it?”
“I’m not upset about anything. Just trying to stay on task.”
“To me, it looks like you have something you want to say. If it’s about my devilish good looks, I should inform you right now that I don’t bat for your team.”
“Pity. That ruins my fantasy about cutting off your dick and using it as the mistletoe this year.”
“So, you do want to touch it.” I smirked up at the ceiling. “It’s more like the Yule log.”
“Gross,” he muttered.
“Mm, I imagine you think that human’s dick is preferable.”
The tablet began to crack in his hands. He relaxed his fingers, but I could still hear his teeth grinding.
“Assume I know everything,” I went on. “I’ve kept tabs on everything that goes on here for a long time. More so lately.”
“Thanks for reminding me of the reason I hate you. Spoiler alert. I didn’t need you to remind me.”
“Well, I’m sort of like a moth. I’m a creature of the night attracted to the light and I relentlessly flap around where I’m not wanted.”
“It sounds like you just insulted yourself.”
“Self-deprecation is a necessary part of life. Well-rounded and all that.”
“Right.”
“What are you doing?” I asked, pushing off the wall to stare over his shoulder.
On the tablet, there was what looked like a digital rendering of a large building with a courtyard. As I watched, he zoomed in, then entered the house. There were little figures stationed throughout the spaces. They were like little toy soldiers.
“Is this a battle plan?”
He huffed. “Yes. It’s the layout of the house they’re staying in. It was only built a few years ago so it was easy to find. If you’re not going to help, you should just find something else to do.”
“I’ll help. I’m a master strategist.”
“Is that what you call getting thrown off your plan by a snarky twenty-one-year-old and ending up on the side of the enemy?”
Pursing my lips, I continued to study the tablet. He looked satisfied by my reaction, but his jab hadn’t hit its mark. I was trying not to laugh because he was fucking right and the longer I was here, the more ridiculous I found it all. Things hadn’t been exciting for far too long, so at least there was that.
“Sam doesn’t suspect anything, right?” I verified.
“No, she’s ready to hand herself over and ruin her entire life.”
I snorted a laugh. “We might all be dead by sunset tomorrow, so let’s not assume our plan is that great either.”
“Better dead than prisoners.”
Lights began to flash rhythmically just before the sprinklers kicked in. Mark swore, tucking the tablet under his shirt to shield it.
“Must be Sam with her damn fire. What the fuck,” he muttered, staring at me as the drops turned into steam before they could reach me.
I shrugged. “Master strategist.”
“You’re an idiot is what you are.”
“Don’t be jealous, Markell.”
He locked a hand around my throat and slammed me against a wall, making me grunt. “Don’t call me that.”
“Markell Haydn,” I mused, grinning when he tightened his grip.
Leaning forward, I searched his eyes. He was good at hiding from the world. From himself, too. People like him were the most enjoyable to lay bare. Strip away their control and you’d find some shit underneath those layers.
“You buried your past pretty deep,” I went on. “Deep enough that I had to gather information from people rather than records.”
“We all erase ourselves when we turn,” he replied dismissively. When I heated my skin, he gritted his teeth and released me.
“You did more. It took me a long fucking time to find anyone that knew who the hell you were.”
“I was an addict. Homeless and worth nothing until Lock found me.”
“That’s true, but it was by choice.”
“Don’t presume to know anything about me. Facts can be gathered if you care enough to look, but the past doesn’t mean shit.”
“It seems to matter to you.”
He narrowed his eyes, raising his chin. “Nobody here likes nor trusts you. Why are you stirring the pot?”
“I get bored.”
When he approached me again, I heated the air. He shook his head with a small laugh.
“Here’s what I think, Seraphim. You’ve never belonged anywhere in your life.”
Keeping my face expressionless, I raised my brows, waiting for him to go on.
“Your family didn’t want you. I mean, how much of a fuck up do you have to be for a cult to kick you out?”
“Clearly, they weren’t free thinkers. It’s not too hard to get excommunicated.”
“Then, Liah found you, and poor baby Seraphim thought he might actually be worth something. Then, she left because she didn’t fucking care. You were her pawn, her backup plan. When Vas invited you to join their little merry band of misfits, you jumped on the opportunity. So desperate for love and acceptance, you probably didn’t even question it until it was too late. Until you realized none of them actually gave a fuck about you because, again, all you were to them was something useful.”
Moving my tongue ring along the back of my teeth, I stared past him. There was a long row of windows that offered a nice view of the bay.
“Any other astute inferences?” I asked coolly.
“Sure. I bet you’re currently teetering on the edge right now.”
“What edge is that, M?uschen?”
His nostrils flared just as his eyes flashed at the name. He wiped the expression, cocking his head similarly to the way his maker did.
“Hope, Seraphim. You’re so close to feeling it again and it terrifies you. That’s why you’re here taunting me instead of spending time with Sam, who could use the practice before we go on this mission. Every moment you spend with her, you’re afraid it’ll crack you wide open and send you running into her arms, once again desperate for that acceptance you’ve never actually felt. Family. You’ve never fucking had it.”
“Is that what you call this?”
“Yes. Take it from someone that had the picture-perfect family with only horrors hiding under the surface. This is what it feels like to be a part of something, to have people that care about you, but you’re never going to have that here because you’re not wanted.”
“Sam seems to want me,” I said, painting on a smirk that was meant to be taunting. He saw through it, though. Mark was too familiar with this type of longing, this emptiness. I meant to peel away his layers and reach inside him to get the upper hand, but he was flipping it on me.
“Her blood needs you. That’s it. She could never actually see you as family or even trust you because you killed the man she loves.”
“He didn’t die.”
“For those moments she thought he was gone, it was real enough, and part of her died with him. Do you think you ever get back that part of your soul that flees when your other half is taken from you? Even if it was only temporary, it was powerful enough to break her.”
Her eyes in that alley flashed in my mind. It was the first time I’d seen the flames dancing behind the surface, even though she couldn’t touch them. Truthfully, it had broken part of me as well, but it didn’t matter anymore.
The water shut off, snapping our attention back to the present. Mark pulled the tablet out again and swore.
“What is it?” I asked.
“One of the prisoners has been demanding to speak with Lock for two days.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Probably because he cut off his face.”
“I can talk to him.”
“What good will it do? We have other things to worry about.”
“Well, I’m a fucking curious kitten, M?uschen.”
“I will kill you.”
“Yeah, yeah. The threats in this place get pretty old. Toodles, little bro.”
Shifting to smoke, I traveled to the room I’d seen displayed on the tablet. I stood in front of it and waved at the camera, then smiled when I heard the lock. After putting on my mask, I strode inside, feigning interest as I glanced around.
“Oh, Jesus fucking Christ,” the man in the corner mumbled. He curled in on himself, shaking his head.
“You know of me,” I realized, not bothering to hide my surprise. Sure, there were people that were familiar with my masked persona, but not many. Most of them were within Sibon’s ranks or involved with BCP.
“I make it my business to know a lot of things,” he replied, sounding slightly more put together than he had a moment ago.
“Interesting. And what knowledge were you intending to pass on to Hemlock?”
He watched me approach, blinking more rapidly as I leaned against the wall. Crossing my ankles, I stared down at him with a level of curiosity I didn’t expect to feel for this man. He was a weak vampire- physically, at least. I could feel the pull of magic in his blood, the kind that all vampires had, and there was nothing special about it.
“Strange things have been happening here,” he replied.
“Yeah, Lock is a cheapskate. His tower is full of mechanical issues.”
“Or magic.”
Reaching up, I stroked one of the horns on my mask. “Magic, huh? Sounds like you’re dipping into too many fairy tales.”
“Playing coy is unbecoming of someone with your level of power, Seraphim. Or should I call you Eternal Flame?”
Before he could speak another word, I enacted a sound mirage and heated his blood to the point of boiling. He reared back, pressing himself against the wall as he released a silent scream. With the constant severing of his vocal cords, he couldn’t make a sound.
“What do you know about it?” I demanded, easing the heat so he could catch his breath.
My eyes flicked to the top corner of the room where I knew one of the cameras was hiding. One way the psychopath liked to toy with his victims was keeping them in the dark about the actual camera locations. It was easy enough to discern that one was being watched, but not knowing where the cameras were added to the uncertainty of their situation.
The cameras were nearly silent, then they were set behind military-grade glass. It was just enough to make them undetectable, even to vampire hearing. I, however, could sense the very slight heat signature that came from them. Everything had a slightly different temperature and even though the best equipment couldn’t detect the cameras, I could easily feel the difference.
“For fifty years, I’ve devoted my life to learning,” he said, leaning forward. “I spend my time traveling. I’ve been to every country in the world, explored every library, and spoken to the greatest scholars alive. The only thing I haven’t done is speak to a real Archon.”
“Archon,” I repeated.
“Archon. Shinseina. Iraivan. All are interchangeable to refer to the same being. Those with magic. The ones that rule above all else.”
“Sounds dramatic.”
“Most historical accounts are dramatic. Watch any badass movie based on real events and you’ll be disappointed to learn how the real thing went down. No mood music or men with six packs.”
“I do have a six pack,” I noted with a smirk.
His eyes traveled over my body before he cleared his throat. “We’re all in peak physical shape. Peak is just different for each body type.”
“And I could both tear you apart and incinerate you all while you couldn’t hope to defend yourself against me. My blood is stronger than yours, but here you are finding superiority in knowledge.”
“Knowledge is superior,” he countered, lifting his chin.
“How do you figure?”
“It’s an asset. Perhaps I couldn’t fight you hand-to-hand, but having knowledge allows me to determine the best way to take you down. Suss out your weaknesses.”
“I have none.”
“Of course you do. It’s the same as every vampire, except you’re actually weaker to it.”
“Alright, professor. I’m listening.”
“Blood.”
My brow furrowed at his simple statement. “Blood is a vampire’s strength.”
“Sure, until you’re low on it and you become weak. Against a human, a dry vampire is still a threat. Against another vampire or more, blood can lead to your success or downfall. Magic burns it off much quicker, so you have to take into account how much magic you’re using versus the threats you’re facing. Even if you’re physically stronger than each individual vampire you face, once you’re unable to harness magic, you’re not that special.”
“I’m very special.”
The gears in my head were turning on an endless loop. It was an obvious assertion, but I hadn’t thought about it that hard.
“So, essentially,” I drawled, absently swirling smoke around my fingers. “A vampire’s greatest strength is also their Achilles heel.”
“Yeah. More power equals more energy expended. It’s basic physiology, just adapted. Same idea.”
“This was helpful. Thanks, bud.”
As I began to walk away, he latched onto my wrist. The sudden touch made me immediately send scorching heat to my skin. He cried out, scrambling backward and staring down at what was left of his hand. It wasn’t much.
“Sorry,” he rushed out, even though he was the one currently maimed.
“When dealing with beings that far outmatch you, use words, not hands.”
“I didn’t think. Please.” He cowered as he cradled his hand against his chest. It was healing slowly and I wondered when he’d last been given blood.
“I have no interest in harming you,” I told him. When I moved closer to him, he watched me warily. I held my wrist out to him, prompting him to take it. “The blood in my veins is fresh. You’ll be better off than you are now.”
“You… You’re offering me your blood?”
“I get bored easily.”
Taking the hint, he grasped my forearm and positioned his mouth over my wrist. His fangs sunk into my vein and I stared up at the ceiling while I waited. It was awkward and for a moment I wished I’d just left, but the man knew many things and I thought it would be beneficial to have him as an ally if I needed him. Until Lock killed him, of course.
He pulled back, dragging the back of his hand over his lips. “Thank you, Seraphim.”
“When it comes down to it, I’m able to leave this place and drink more blood. You’re needlessly suffering. What are you doing here?”
“BCP. I encountered it on the streets and killed a human in Lock’s territory.”
“Unfortunate. I don’t believe that should earn you a death sentence.”
He shrugged, looking mostly unbothered. “Since I’ve been here, I met Hemlock Giudice and Seraphim, the Eternal Flame. Those are incredible experiences to have before I die.”
“Well, it’s lucky you’ve met us when you did, as we may all be dead soon.”
“Why?”
I waved a dismissive hand. “Magic and villains. The usual.”
“The sprinklers… Are you setting things on fire at random or is it possible there’s another?”
“Just me being problematic.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Don’t make me regret giving you blood.”
He chewed on his lip before he glanced up at one camera, then the other. So, he knew where they were. He was smart, obviously. Maybe he’d seen me or one of the others look at them.
“You helped me,” he said, appearing timid now. “Maybe I can help you.”
“I don’t see how.”
“You’re bound by a pactum.”
Grinding my teeth, I just stared at him. He offered me a slight smile, as if recognizing some unspoken truth between us.
“Considering your arrival in this place, I assume you want out of it.”
“There is no way out.”
“Do you have an Ark?”
Again, I remained silent. It didn’t do much good, since he seemed to already know before he asked. Still, I feared giving him any more information than he could discern on his own.
“With a completely bound Nexus, the pactum can no longer hold you. It will dissolve.”
“A full Nexus,” I mused. “What if one of those meant to be in the circle is dead?”
He shrugged. “Then they’re not part of it anymore. Anyone that remains alive completes the group.”
“So, what, just by having a full Nexus, she won’t be able to remain in my head?”
“A Nexus must be bound together. There’s a ritual of sorts.”
“I fucking hate rituals.”
“The Nexus is completed by rebirth. An Ark absorbs the power of each individual part.”
“Wait, absorbs? This is what one does to gain power from others. It kills them.”
“No,” he shook his head. “When a full Nexus comes together, they partake in a ritual equivalent to that of a human becoming a vampire. The Ark drinks from her acolytes, they drink from her, then she kills them. Once she has absorbed them, her blood gains a better understanding of the magic before she releases it again. Until this happens, an Ark is unstable. Their body is able to harness magic, but full power isn’t achieved until you’ve tethered yourselves and opened a free-flowing connection of magic between each other.”
“Tethered…”
“Yes, your thoughts are correct. This is a similar ritual to the mating bond.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Bonds are just magic. Some might call them curses. They push you to share power while also giving you the means to keep it for yourself. An Ark doesn’t have to return the magic to her circle.”
“Wouldn’t it tear her apart?”
“It could, but that’s a risk some were willing to take in order to hold power.”
“And if one was to do this without a complete circle?”
“I’m not sure, but I imagine it would be harder to contain on both ends. That open connection is stabilized further by each component of the Nexus.”
“What else do you know?”
“Off the top of my head, that’s it.”
With a curt nod, I turned on my heel and headed for the door. It wouldn’t do us much good without that last piece of our Nexus, but at least we knew there was a way. He’d given me some useful information to mull over.
There was something I thought could work, but it might also be the most dangerous thing I’d ever considered. It could backfire horribly. Really horribly.