Stygian Read online

  Anstice drew back from the bed, hand covering her mouth.

  “Abby and now Balen? How do you know him?” I asked between clenched teeth. “Anstice, I swear if you don’t tell me, you’re no longer my friend.”

  Silence.

  I grabbed my lamp, ready to throw it at her, when Anstice said, “Balen’s my brother.”

  “Fuck.” Keir turned away and stalked over to the window then back again.

  Anstice ignored him and continued. “I couldn’t tell you. I . . . Danni, I thought I’d never see him again. I swear, I wanted to tell you, but Waleron—”

  “Your goddamn brother? You let me wallow in hell for two goddamn years, looking at my paintings, and he’s your fuckin’ brother?” I threw the lamp across the room. The bulb busted and shattered on the hardwood floors. “Get out. Do you hear me, Anstice? Leave. I don’t know who the hell you are anymore.”

  Anstice closed her eyes, staggering backward. Keir hooked his arm around her waist. I felt so betrayed that the pain in my head was nothing compared to the treachery. Her brother? No wonder Anstice always turned away from the paintings. Why she’d urged me to forget him. He was her fuckin’ brother. Why the hell hadn’t she said anything? Where had he been all these years? We’d known each other since grade school and I had no knowledge of Anstice having a brother. Why keep it a secret?

  I wanted answers, yet I was so furious I couldn’t even speak to her. My friend could say nothing that could ever repair the damage that was done.

  Keir’s voice was low and quiet. “You’re angry and in pain. But she did it to protect you. She warned you to forget him.”

  “Fuck you, Keir. My guess, all this is your fault. So, our busted friendship . . . yeah, that’s on you.” I looked at Anstice. “Your mystery brother was there. In the cages. He was tortured. Shit, the sick bastard slammed a sledgehammer down on his leg numerous times. Did you know that, Anstice? Did you know that not once did he scream in agony?”

  Anstice’s complexion paled as she leaned back on Keir for support.

  Yeah, well, I hope you’re horrified. “Why is he in Spain? Why did he leave?”

  Anstice said, “He went there for . . . work. It was decided—”

  “Love, don’t.”

  She looked up at Keir and glared. “No, Keir, she needs to know.”

  Keir’s eyes narrowed and his body stiffened, but he nodded.

  My hands curled into the comforter. “It was decided? Who decided? Does he work with you, Keir?” Was Keir involved with drugs? With weapons? Shit, he and his friends all looked like they were in some motorcycle gang, maybe they were? Keir had a bike, I’d seen it last summer and Anstice mentioned riding on it. Fuck. This wasn’t good.

  “Balen broke the law,” Keir said. “Yes, he had to leave. Now—”

  “What law? Your own law? Like a club law or something? What the hell kind of work do you do?” I grabbed the closest thing to me, my pillow, and flung it across the room. I was so pissed off with them. With myself for not seeing this sooner. God, when did the lies end? “He wanted to stay. Balen didn’t want to leave. Was he running from you? Were you going to kill him for fucking something up? Hadn’t he been through enough? He was tortured for fuck’s sake. Tortured.”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Keir said.

  “No fuck. Guess whose fault that is. But I saw the part where Balen’s leg was mangled from a sledgehammer. Yeah, that part I saw firsthand.”

  Anstice stepped out of Keir’s embrace and came toward the bed. “Danni, please. It’s their way. He broke their trust.”

  Un-fucking-believable. I looked away. “He lived in a cage with water dripping down on him. Beaten to a pulp by some psycho. Do you get it? Whatever he’s done can be forgiven. He shouldn’t have to leave.”

  I noticed the change in Keir’s stance. His shoulders stiffened as he looked toward the door.

  A man with a shaved head and a five o’clock shadow stood in the entrance. He was tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and, holy wow, hot looking. Like Jason Statham hot. But it was his eyes that made him look scarier than Keir and Damien and Balen put together—ice blue and colder than the Arctic. He looked like he could kill with one hand and not even think twice about it.

  A snake tattoo was on the side of his neck that curled behind his left ear. There was no doubt this guy was another friend of Keir’s.

  He nodded to Keir and Anstice, and they started to walk from the room.

  “Whoa. Wait a sec. Anstice?” But they were already gone.

  Snake tattoo guy remained at the door, watching me, his legs slightly parted in an intimidating stance. When he spoke, his deep English accent sent a chill down my spine.

  “I’m Waleron,” he said. His eyes roamed over my body as if he could see beneath my duvet. Then his penetrating eyes met mine and, for once in my life, I knew to be a little more careful with what I said.

  “The head doctor.” He sure as hell didn’t look like a head doctor. “Well, I’ll save you the trouble of doing all that double-meaning questions shit. Been there. What I need is for everyone to leave my place.”

  “You slept with him,” Waleron said.

  My mouth dropped open. Was he some psychotic pervert who watched me and Balen from the alley?

  Waleron’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. “I know because I smell his scent all over you and this room.”

  “But that’s imposs—”

  “Quiet.”

  I sat up, willing myself to face this brute of a man on my feet. Gone was my common sense to keep my attitude under wraps. I met his stare and glared back, then tossed the covers aside and slid my legs over the side of the bed.

  “You leave that bed, you’ll fall.” He said it matter-of-fact, like he knew exactly how weak my legs were. Well, he didn’t. He knew nothing about me.

  “Well, then, wouldn’t you have a nice laugh. Looks like you need one. Now, if you don’t mind, get the hell out of my place.”

  “I’ve returned with Balen,” Waleron said.

  I froze just as I was attempting to stand. I sank back down. “It’s him, isn’t it? That’s why I feel okay again. He’s here.”

  He nodded.

  “I knew it. I just knew it. Okay, so there’s some device implanted in me or something that makes me sick whenever he leaves. Why? Who would do that? God, that’s just wrong.”

  “I don’t know what’s going on.” He reached in his back pocket and took out a little narrow container that looked like it had a duck’s head on the top. The beak opened and whatever was inside popped out and he put it in his mouth.

  Candy? He was eating a freakin’ candy?

  He approached me and I was beginning to wonder if maybe I should’ve been nicer because that tat on his neck with his broad muscular stature was intimidating. “The pain has lessened?”

  “Umm, yeah. Pretty much gone now.” I didn’t know why this man would know the answer, but I had to ask. “Will I die? I mean, is this device going to explode or anything?”

  “There is no device,” he said. “But without him, you will suffer.”

  “Okay, maybe I’m a little lightheaded right now, but what you’re saying sounds crazy. No device. No implant. Okay, so a voodoo thing-a-ma-jig. Come on, Doc, are you purposely trying to get me committed?”

  “I don’t know what’s causing this.”

  “Where is he? If he has to leave again, then I’m going with him.”

  For the first time, I saw his expression falter with surprise. In a flash, the look disappeared and the cold demeanor returned. “You’re human. That’s impossible.”

  “Of course I’m human.” Then my breath hitched as the memory of the man who had abducted me and Balen came rocketing into my mind. The fangs. The blood. His laughter.

  “Yes,” Waleron said. “Your memory returning is unexpected. It has not happened before.”

  What the hell was going on? Why did everyone know about what happened to me except me? Wh
o was this guy? Another of Anstice’s brothers? “How do you know so much about what happened to me?”

  “We rescued you and Balen.”

  I winced. Guess I had to tone down the bitchiness. “You rescued us?” That was why Anstice and Keir wanted me to meet Waleron. Holy crap, he must be a cop. No, that didn’t make sense and he sure as hell didn’t look like one. “Is this Ryszard still alive?”

  “No. He’s dead.”

  Well, there’s one good thing out of this mess. “Why was Balen there with me? Why did Anstice keep it a secret? No bullshit.”

  Waleron said nothing.

  “Ryszard. He had fangs like a dog and smelled like black licorice. He bit my neck and . . . he drank my blood.”

  Waleron stepped closer to the bed. “Vampire. Ryszard was a leader of a group here in Toronto.”

  Vampires. Vampires? “Are you insane? Seriously . . . think about what you just said.”

  “They feel constant thirst and the only way to ease it is to drink blood. If a woman consumes a vampire’s blood, they become his slave. And a slave to one of them is worse than death. Vampires have no remorse and kill for the mere pleasure of it.”

  What he was telling me had to be bullshit, but the guy looked dead serious, and I knew from pieces of my memory coming back that this Ryszard had felt no remorse for Balen’s suffering. His fangs had been real, and I’d had bruises on my neck. It hadn’t been a ring. It had been teeth marks on my neck.

  But it was impossible. “Why did he hurt Balen? He tortured him so badly. I don’t understand. Who would do that?”

  Waleron’s brows rose. “Ryszard hurt you.”

  “Yes, but Balen . . . I don’t know, it was much worse.” I didn’t know the full extent of what went down, but I saw it in Balen’s eyes. It was more pain than any person could normally endure. “No bullshit? There are really . . . vampires?” A hard pill to swallow, but for some reason, things were beginning to make sense now.

  “Yes.” He lowered his hand to my forehead and I felt a swirling heat grip my body. I went to say something, but I wasn’t sure what because my mind was foggy. I attempted to move away, but he continued to send a pulsating throb into my head until I became so tired that I fell back onto the bed and was asleep within seconds.

  I PACED THE LENGTH of the room in Keir’s basement, a.k.a. the Tomb. Restless wasn’t even close to describing how I was feeling. Completely fucked up mess of emotions was more accurate. Shit, I’d been fucked up before, now I was totally screwed, too.

  Waleron had turned the plane around, but that didn’t mean I was going to live happily fuckin’ ever after. The Wraiths were going to be pissed at Waleron for defying judgment. My death was most likely now on their agenda.

  But not before I saw her. Not before I found out what the hell was going on. I had to know she was okay. Jesus, what I felt in the plane had freaked me out. Sure, I was a Tracker, but being able to scent Danni’s emotions from that distance—impossible. And Waleron damn well knew it. Something else was at work here and I’d be damned if I’d let Danni face this without me.

  The sweet scent of her drifted into me and I stopped pacing. Fuck, they brought her here. I walked to the door, threw it open, then took the stairs two at a time to the top floor and strode down the hall to where her scent led me.

  I threw open the door, and then stopped abruptly. Anstice sat on the bed with Danni’s hand clasped in hers. Shit. I’d been unprepared to see my sister. She looked up at me with a tentative smile. Guilt hit me hard. It had eaten away at me for two years and now it was in my face and it sucked.

  “You haven’t forgiven yourself,” Anstice said.

  I said nothing. No, of course I hadn’t. How could I. I deserved her bitterness and hate.

  Anstice lowered Danni’s hand and rose. God, she looked like our mother, regal with deep brown eyes filled with kindness. “Ryszard was going to make her his slave, wasn’t he?” Her voice was soothing, like a Healer’s. I remembered our mother’s voice being like that.

  I nodded, my eyes flashing for a second to Danni lying so still and pale in the king size bed.

  “Forgiveness is not required, Balen. I owe you my gratitude for saving her.”

  “No,” I said. “I betrayed my own blood and kin for a stranger. I risked your life and that of the Talde. I broke our law.”

  “Have you thought of the consequences if you hadn’t?”

  Yes, a thousand fuckin’ times and I came to the same goddamn conclusion. I’d do it again. And that was what destroyed me. If given the chance, I’d do it again the exact same way.

  Anstice approached.

  I stiffened as her soft footsteps stopped inches away. She raised her hand then cupped my cheek. Jesus, it was like my mother was right here, all the good now in Anstice. “We’ve missed so many years. Please, don’t block me out now that you’re back. I want to know my brother.”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t look like that will happen.” I turned my head and her hand dropped.

  Anstice sighed. “Waleron woke her from deep sleep a few minutes ago.” She put her hand on my forearm and squeezed. “Balen, you did the right thing.” Then she walked from the room, closing the door softly behind her.

  Waleron’s theory of why Danni had been so ill . . . fuck, it was my fault. Did it ever end? The pain I caused others?

  I ran my hand through my hair, back and forth, and groaned. Jesus, this was a total fuck up. And yet I couldn’t deny that I was happy as shit to be back, to see her again.

  She was mine, damn it.

  “Balen?”

  My heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice. My knees actually weakened. It had never happened before and it took several seconds before I could put one foot in front of the other. Shit, I was in trouble with this woman.

  She reached out her hand and I stared at it, remembering her long slender fingers unbuttoning my jeans, caressing my chest, stroking my cock.

  When I remained motionless, she shifted closer on the bed and took my hand. “You’re here.” She rose up on her knees and put her hands on either side of my head, pulling me toward her. “Took you long enough.”

  Before I could reply, her lips met mine, soft and hesitant, and it was so fuckin’ sweet. But nothing in me was sweet when it came to her. The impulse to throw her back on the bed and taste her again took control and I deepened the kiss. My tongue drove inside her mouth, tasting, touching the velvet surface that sent quivers through every muscle in my body then straight to my straining cock. Jesus Christ, I loved the feel of her lips on mine.

  I hooked my arm around her waist and yanked her into me, groaning at the feel of her soft curves. She was a part of me, the goodness I lacked. Could I ever deny myself this woman? Fuck no. I was too selfish to let her go. The only word that roared through my head was mine.

  She tilted her head back and I kissed the curve of her neck. “God, Balen, I want you so badly it hurts.”

  “Danni.” I pushed her back on the bed then came on top of her, my hand pushing her shirt up so I could feel the warmth of her skin. Her scent was driving me crazy. She was driving me crazy. The relief to be back with her . . .

  I had to have her.

  I groaned low in my throat before I claimed her mouth again. I felt her palms on my chest, so warm and . . . they were pushing.

  Pushing.

  “Fuck.” I jerked up and all sexual urgency died instantly. Danni’s eyes were wide and panicked. God, what the hell was I doing? “Jesus.” I flew back until my back hit the wall on the other side of the room.

  Danni sat up. “Balen, I’m sorry, I just—”

  “You’re sorry? Jesus, Danni.”

  She rose from the bed, her pink boxer shorts and white tank top revealing far more of her body than I needed to see right now. Her nipples were erect through the skimpy top as if pleading with me to touch them.

  Desire rose again as she walked across the room toward me. My breath sucked from my lungs, our eyes locking as she stopped inches
away. She placed her hands on my chest, resting them there like they had a place near my heart.

  “The pain is gone. I don’t know what’s going on, but you came back and it . . . it’s like it just vanished. How . . . God, I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore. But it has something to do with you. With us. I feel it.” Her fingers curled in my shirt and she half-laughed. “Am I crazy? Is that crazy, Balen? Please tell me you felt it, too.”

  I searched her eyes for the hatred for what I’d caused, but it wasn’t there. “You’re not crazy.” But I was for coming back here. I should’ve stayed away. Never returned to Toronto in the first place. Now, I’d put Danni in danger with the Wraiths and whatever was connecting us.

  She stood on her tip toes and kissed my lips. “What happened to you . . . what Ryszard did to you . . .”

  I cupped her chin, my thumb moving back and forth as I looked down at her. “You remember?”

  “Some of it. I remember us talking, the cages and . . . they tortured you.”

  Fuck, if she remembered my mouth on her throat, I’d lose her. And I’d deserve it. She’d be disgusted. She’d wonder what in hell she’d done by sleeping with a fuckin’ animal. I was disgusted. Scars didn’t drink blood, but I had. I’d taken Ryszard’s . . . and Danni’s. Could that be why we were connected? I’d never heard of that before, but a Scar had also never drunk vampire blood and lived to tell about it.

  I hooked my arm around her waist and brought her in tight as the door pushed open. Keir stared at us for a second, no doubt taking in that I had my arm around her. Scars and humans, yeah, that was so against the law. Well, I was fucked already, what was one more broken law.

  “Living room. Now. And drop your block from us.” Keir spun around and left.

  Danni stiffened as she looked around, probably just realizing where she was. “What am I doing at Keir’s? I don’t remember coming here? And what does he mean by block?”

  Shit, I hated lying to her. I didn’t want to do it anymore. And Keir should know better than to mention our powers in front of her. I’d shielded my mind from all the Scars, and it was difficult allowing them to communicate with me again. “I have to talk to Keir and Waleron, right now. Find out what’s going on. Then I’ll let you know. Get some rest.”