Chapter Eight
Giovanni
The party was alive with energy, the barn doors thrown open to let in the warm summer air. Laughter and chatter filled the space as guests danced and twirled under twinkling fairy lights hung from the eaves. Some simply mingled as lively music played. Waitstaff moved gracefully through the crowd, their presence barely noticeable as they catered to the guests’ every need.
It was a wedding, and everyone seemed caught up in the magic of the moment.
In the center of it all, on the dance floor under a clear, starry night, the newly married couple swayed to the music. The groom’s eyes were fixed adoringly on his new bride, his love for her evident in every glance and touch.
Amidst all the revelry, they were in their own world, completely unaware of anything else around them.
I stood hidden in plain sight, feeling like an outsider looking in on a world I had never been a part of. A world that had once belonged to Kyson before his life had gone to hell. Now I couldn’t help but wonder if allowing him to stay at Winterhaven had done more harm than good.
Once he had healed, there had been no reason for him to stay. He could have easily started a new life in another city or town, or even in a completely different part of the world.
He may have even found someone who would have loved him deeply, seeing past his scars and into the depths of his incredible soul.
But no one will ever love him as deeply as I do.
A surge of possessiveness struck me at the thought of anyone else bringing a smile to Kyson’s face or hearing his beautiful laughter. Touching him, making love to him, cherishing his heart in their hands.
Of holding him close in moments of vulnerability.
But I had been foolish to believe I could be that person, that he could’ve loved me in return. A bitter laugh escaped. He hadn’t even been able to say those three words back to me.
Kyson had made it clear where he stood when he’d screamed at me to stay away from him after Malachi had brought him home. I should have listened. But I could never let go of the guilt I felt for what Osiris had done to him.
Yet, as I’d watched Kyson heal and rise from the ashes, a desperate longing grew inside of me to be a part of his life.
And tonight, it all came crashing down. I glanced at the couple dancing with a painful ache in my chest, realizing I’d made the worst mistake I could’ve made. I’d opened myself up to him.
Kyson couldn’t get away from me fast enough after what I thought was a profound moment between us. In reality, it was nothing more than sex to him, and I was just another lover who had scratched his itch.
I didn’t need this complicated mess of emotions or the feeling of my heart being ripped from my chest. Love was bullshit, and I didn’t need it in my life.
Then why are you observing the humans? Why are you trying to find a way to be a better man for him, to step out of the darkness?
“Shut the fuck up,”
I snarled at my conscience, something I didn’t used to have. I couldn’t even blame that phenomenon on Kyson. It had been Colson who’d unlocked that inside of me.
Just another reason to resent the cheating bastard.
I could observe them for a hundred damn years, but I still would be the monster my parents had created. I turned away from the celebration. No matter how much I wanted to change for Kyson, my hands would always be stained with blood.
Rather than using the shimmer to return home, I headed down the street. Why bother going back? He wouldn’t be waiting for me anyway.
Damn it. I had to stop fixating on Kyson.
It wasn’t healthy to obsess over someone constantly. I was starting to feel like a stalker.
What I needed was a willing body under me, someone who could help me rid myself of these pointless, soul-sucking emotions.
Just meaningless sex so I could forget how the human had accomplished what centuries of enemies had failed at.
Bringing me to my knees.
I had never needed anyone, and I didn’t need Kyson either.
For thousands of years I’d survived without love.
Shit, I sounded bitter as hell. What was Kyson doing to me?
My steps slowed when I noticed a couple in the park. Two males. One large, one small.
What made me pause was the fact the small male was clearly uncomfortable, recoiling when the other one tried to reach for him.
Instinctively, my hands reached for my daggers as I headed toward them, though I didn’t pull them free.
My monster stirred and grew excited, sensing my foul mood. It craved bloodshed, begged for it.
Tonight, it just might get what it wanted.
After waiting for a car to pass, I closed the distance, catching snippets of the conversation.
“I already told you. I’ve changed my mind. Please, just leave me alone.”
His heart was pounding, his breathing shallow.
My fangs ached with the instinct to feed, but that wasn’t why I was here.
I had a different objective. Teaching this son of a bitch the meaning of the word no.
Why does this even matter to you?
My subconscious would be the next thing I silenced if it didn’t stop annoying me.
Neither turned at my approach. Never alert the enemy to your presence had become second nature to me. A principle I had lived by for so long that it had become ingrained in me. But I wasn’t facing an enemy, just a creep preying on someone who needed help. I wasn’t on a battlefield preparing for war. My feet were firmly planted in Ashwood, yet my mind was transported back to a time under that dead tree, surrounded by carnage.
The memory was so vivid I could still feel the delicate bird in my hands, its soft feathers soothing under my touch. I had carried it with me everywhere until it had finally healed.
Life had been brutal back then, but at least it had made sense to me. I’d known who I was, reveled in battle, and had never concerned myself with matters of the heart.
Because I hadn’t possessed one.
The muscular man finally noticed me, only after I stepped from the shadows. He looked at me with apprehension, as if he knew I now held his fate in my hands.
He would be correct.
My morals were jaded at best, and there were very few boundaries I wouldn’t cross. I’d lost track of how many times I’d been tempted to “sample”
Dane’s blood, even knowing I would face Malachi’s wrath. But I couldn’t walk away from this.
You had sex with Kyson one time and now you’re out here acting all noble? I inwardly shrugged. What the hell. It wasn’t as if I had anything better to do.
“Was there something you needed?”
Clearly his self-preservation had the attention span of a gnat.
The smaller man trembled, his gaze darting between us.
“Try the gas station if you’re looking for directions,”
Jackass said.
My gaze flicked to him. “You have no clue just how lost I am.”
His brows knitted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Is it the power?”
I stepped closer, the side of my mouth curling when he took a step back. “The thrilling rush of dominance?”
“Look, buddy. I don’t want any trouble.”
He held up a hand, palm out.
I paused, my skin prickling. The darkness inside of me began to surge. Narrowing my eyes, I gazed into his. They were filled with stark fear. Demons didn’t feel stark fear. “Run,”
I whispered.
He backed away, spun, then took off.
“Very clever,”
I said, turning slowly. “You nearly had me fooled.”
My mind had been so distracted, I’d almost made a fatal mistake. I’d been ready to unleash my fury on the wrong person.
“Please, just leave me alone,”
the small man mocked, batting his lashes.
“Whom do I have the displeasure of speaking with?”
I asked the demon.
“Oh, this is priceless.”
His laugh didn’t fit the face of the person he had possessed. It was too diabolical for someone who looked like a blond twink. “You’ve already lost. You just don’t know it yet.”
His voice dripped with dark amusement. “But don’t worry. I’ll make sure you feel it long before the end.”
A chill swept through my core. “That’s impossible. I killed you.”
“You tried.”
Khaelix’s narrowed eyes glowed. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to heal from a neck wound, bloodsucker?”
If a stab through the neck couldn’t kill a demon, would daggers through smoke?
Kyson .
“No taking calls this time.”
Sparks of electricity crackled and buzzed around his hands, the soft blue glow intensifying. We were out in the open, the wedding reception still in full swing a block over.
I needed to shut this shit down right now before the humans saw a supernatural fight in their park.
The demon wouldn’t hesitate to harm an innocent person. The stolen body was proof of that. Even though I knew Khaelix was controlling him, the small male bore a striking resemblance to Kyson.
The same blond hair, same cheekbone structure, and the same sensual lips I had crushed against mine.
I instinctively reached for my daggers, pulling them free then spinning them skillfully, telling myself not to see Kyson in the young man’s features. Despite my anger and heartbreak, I could never bring myself to harm him.
Yet, that’s exactly what it felt like I was about to do.
He’s not Kyson. The male is tucked away safely in the castle.
The blue glow brightened, the crackling energy becoming louder. The air ignited seconds before he hurled streaks of lightning toward me. Not one, but three.
In one fluid motion, which took less than a second, my daggers were sheathed and the void surged to life. It devoured the lightning swirling at my hands with ravenous hunger.
I spun then hurled the lightning back at him, striking his upper thigh and cheek, gutted that it felt like I was attacking Kyson.
Khaelix screeched as the noxious odor of burned demon hide filled the air. He retaliated, hurling numerous bolts in rapid succession, his face twisted in a mask of rage.
My body moved like the seasoned warrior I was, swinging my hands to absorb them.
“I could really use your badassery right now, Giovanni.”
One slipped past and slammed into my shoulder. The entire left side of my body felt like a wildfire was raging out of control. I pressed my lips together, refusing to give Khaelix the satisfaction of knowing he’d inflicted pain.
As if my defiance infuriated the demon, he doubled down, launching what felt like three times as many as before. I spread my hands, widening the void but careful not to allow it to become too large, which would threaten to suck in the entire town.
How had I heard Kyson’s voice? While I possessed the telepathic ability, just like Malachi—though I’d never revealed it to anyone—how had Kyson tapped into my subconscious?
And if he was desperate for my skills, something had to be terribly wrong.
“What’s wrong , petit oiseau ? Where are you?”
I collapsed the void then used my speed to reach Khaelix while pulling my daggers free. The whistle erupted as I swung in an arc, driving one blade through the soft skin of the human, then through the tough hide of his shoulder.
The demon let out a cross between a squeal and a roar. He swung sideways, his claws nearly gouging my side.
“Where are you, Kyson?”
“In the kitchen. He has me cornered. What do I do?”
My breath stalled in my lungs. How was that possible? He had to be talking about one of the vampires living at Winterhaven, but Kyson’s scent should’ve kept them away.
“Hold on, baby. I’m coming for you. Just remain calm and don’t agitate him.”
That was the worst advice I could have given. Even if he hadn’t been the victim of a demon, facing a thirsty vampire had to terrify him. And if the vampire had Kyson trapped, he was already agitated.
A horror struck me. I never thought I would have to ask the question after cleaving the smoke of the demon, but what if it was Osiris?
My vision tunneled to one purpose. Getting to Kyson. I charged at Khaelix again. He reached for me, but I dropped and slid between his legs, slicing his inner thigh from groin to buttock. With a jerk of my body, I was back on my feet, driving my dagger into the back of his skull. Yanking it out, and retrieving the one from his shoulder, I embedded the blades into each side under his arms and then yanked them to his waist.
The body crumpled. A demon couldn’t remain in a deceased host, so I waited for the smoke to escape the body. I pulled in ragged breaths, but no smoke appeared.
Khaelix was dead. Soon the body would disintegrate until there was nothing left but a splotch the rain would wash away.
“I’m heading to you, little bird.”
I created a shimmer to get home, but before I stepped through, Kyson’s words chilled me to the bone.
“It’s too late.”
“No! Run, hide, fight, Kyson!”
My heart hammering, I shot through the shimmer, my bloody daggers twirling in my hands, singing out a death knell as I rushed inside the kitchen.
Time slowed to a crawl, the room spinning in a bizarre, dreamlike angle, as if the floor itself was moving beneath me. An ice-cold numbness seeped into every part of my being, paralyzing me as I watched the horrifying image of Kyson collapsing like a puppet whose strings had been severed. His neck gleamed with the dark, scarlet gloss of his own blood.
I had failed him for the last time.
My petit oiseau was dead.
The monster within me surged forth like a tsunami, poised to obliterate everything in its path. I flung back my head, unleashing an unearthly battle cry, the darkness embracing me and welcoming me home.
I was Giovanni Winterhaven, a harbinger of chaos and destruction, granting no mercy, only a savage demise.
The vampire slowly turned, and I knew from the glint in his eyes I was facing Osiris.
“Such a delicious ending for my broken toy.”
He smiled, Kyson’s blood glistening ominously on his teeth.
Fangs bared, I took a step closer. “I don’t kill fast. I don’t kill clean. Every scar you’ve given, every wound you’ve left, I’ll return them all,”
I said in a low, venomous whisper.
A quick feint followed by a real strike. The hilt twisted in my grip, the blade slashing deep across the demon’s abdomen, muscles straining as he clutched the wound.
Then a brutal slash across both cheeks, deep enough to hit bone. My blades struck his skin relentlessly, moving too swiftly for Osiris to retaliate.
A cold detachment spread through my body with every strike, consuming the unbearable pain until only a vast emptiness remained. The demon had taken what was mine, the only person I had ever loved.
Kyson was gone, and with him, my humanity vanished.
Blood oozed from over a hundred gashes before I took a step back, my breathing steady and even. “Tell me how it feels, knowing there’s no way out.”
The dagger hooked under his ribs, carving through flesh before being yanked back. “You think you know what pain is? Let me educate you.”
Each blade drove through one of his palms, pinning the demon’s hands to the wall behind him. With a deep snarl, Osiris tried to yank them free, but he couldn’t. By killing my little bird, he had unleashed my fucking monster. With its release, it had awakened my daggers’ insatiable hunger. Even now, they were slowly absorbing his blood and wouldn’t release him until not a drop remained.
“Giovanni,”
Malachi snarled from behind me. “What is going on?”
I spun, baring my fangs at him, the room bathed in red from the glow of my feral eyes.
“No!”
Dane screamed, dropping to his knees, wailing as he gazed at Kyson’s lifeless body. Tears spilled from his eyes, his trembling hands covering his mouth as he rocked back and forth. “Kyson, no!”
My monstrous gaze swept over my brother, daring him to stand in my way. I was gone, lost to my darkness. The Giovanni he had known was no more. I could wipe out everyone in the castle and remorse would not claim me.
“You should have made sure all of my smoke was destroyed. I guess a piece of me got away. Oops. But I really hope you don’t think you won.”
Osiris sneered, his calm, calculating demeanor obliterated.
“No.”
I slowly shook my head, the numbness creeping into my voice. I was dead inside, and nothing, absolutely nothing, mattered to me anymore. “I lost.”
With a flick of my wrist, the void surged to life. The hollow ache in my chest returned, expanding like an abyss, swallowing everything that had ever tethered me to this world. A breath dragged in, slow and uneven, as if my lungs had forgotten the point of it.
Osiris thrashed, his agony carved into the air between us, but his suffering felt distant, irrelevant. His pain didn’t bring Kyson back. Nothing would.
I spread my hands, causing the void to grow. The cupboard doors rattled, and the hanging pots leaned toward me as if drawn by magnets. The spice rack toppled over and gradually slid across the countertop.
“Giovanni!”
Malachi barked, though I detected a hint of fear in his voice. “I understand you’re mourning, brother. It’s a torment I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but are you truly prepared to drag us all into that abyss?”
I wasn’t dragging anyone into the abyss.
I was the abyss.
Emptiness given form.
Devastation incarnate.
My muscles slackened, the tension that had once held my frame rigid now gone, as if even my body understood there was nothing left to fight for. The world dulled at the edges as my gaze flicked to Kyson.
He hadn’t been just my lover. He had been my salvation. And now that salvation was a corpse.
A black hole devoured my soul, and I was ready to take the entire fucking world with me.
Turning to face Osiris, a single blood-red tear slipped free. “No level of violence exists for the amount of pain I want to inflict on you. So, pick a god, pick a prayer, doesn’t matter. Because I’m not stopping until I hear you break. ”
I slammed the void closed, ripped the daggers from his palms and tossed them aside, then rained blow after blow down on him. When Osiris tried to escape through his mouth, I broke his jaw. When he tried to summon the energy in his hands, I snapped his wrists.
Behind every crash of my fists was anguish, loss, and soul-crushing heartache. I wanted him to feel what I felt, I wanted him to suffer until he cried out for death. But most of all, I wanted my petit oiseau back in my arms.
When Osiris dropped, I turned to retrieve my daggers, but caught the sword midair that Malachi had tossed to me. The dragon hilt curled tightly around my hand before I poured everything I felt into each and every cleave.
Staggering backward, the sword fell from my loose grip, my chest heaving. But as hard as I tried, I couldn’t numb the pain again, as if my body was forcing me to face my sorrow.
In a fog, I turned and made my way to where Kyson was lying. My legs buckled beneath me, and I collapsed to my knees, pulling him into my arms and holding him close to my heart.
For the first time ever, I openly wept. Overwhelmed by grief, I sobbed, pleading for Kyson to return to me, to forgive me for failing him, for not keeping him safe.
I threw my head back and let out an ear-piercing wail.