No Rest for the Wicked (Immortals After Dark #3)(11)

At thirteen, Murdoch had had a devilish grin that had already earned him entrance under many women’s skirts in the village. At the same age, Sebastian had been the quiet lad with a sweating fistful of crushed wildflowers that would never make it to their intended.

So he’d turned to his studies. Incredibly, even after he’d trained for war since he was old enough to hold a wooden sword, Sebastian’s mind was the strongest part of his body. He’d written treatises and scientific papers, which garnered him the notice of some of the great minds of the time—

“You’ve seen something,” Myst said, bringing Nikolai from his thoughts.

“I can tell you where Murdoch is.”

“I saw him only yesterday,” Nikolai grated. Murdoch lived at Mount Oblak, a castle seized from the Horde. It was the new Forbearer stronghold, so Nikolai traced there most days.

“Oh, yes. Of course,” N?x began in a sarcastic tone. “Murdoch is right where you left him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” At her blank look, he said, “About Murdoch—what did you mean?”

“Did I say something? What did I say? How am I supposed to keep track of what I said?”

He was losing patience. “Damn it, N?x, I know you could tell us where they are.”

Her eyes went wide as she breathed, “Are you psychic, too?”

Sometimes he really hated his in-laws.

“N?x, I need you to help with this,” he said, biting out the words. As a former general in the Estonian army, and a current one with the Forbearers, he was used to giving orders—and having them obeyed with alacrity. This... this asking for things was excruciating.

Yet now N?x concentrated only on her craft, until she’d folded what looked like an intricate fire, gingerly placing it next to the other two. More pages ripped free, folding at an even faster rate. Nikolai found his attention riveted to the creations that she seemed compelled to make.

Moments later, she’d wrought a baying paper wolf. Four shapes placed as though for a storyboard. Myst spared them no more than a glance, but Nikolai was enthralled.

“N?x, try harder!” Myst snapped, and Nikolai shook himself, forcing his gaze away.

“I can’t see Conrad!” she snapped back, and lightning struck nearby.

“What about Sebastian?” Myst said. “Tell us anything.”

“Anything? Well, what do I know?” N?x frowned. “What do I know? Oh! I know what I know!”

Nikolai paced impatiently, gesturing with his free hand for her to continue.

She shrugged. “Right now, your brother Sebastian is bellowing at someone outside a castle, demanding that they return to him, wishing it with everything that he is.” She smiled, as if pleased with herself for seeing so much, then gave a quick clap. “Oh! And his skin just caught fire!”





5




Why would she run from me?

Repeating this agonizing question over and over in his mind, Sebastian scuffed through the pouring rain and the puddles of water along the main street of the deserted village.

At sunset, just as he’d set out to search for her, the rain had begun. Even now, hours later, it still fell with a pounding force, visibly eating away at the cobblestone grout. It struck his burned face and hands, but he hardly perceived it.

What the hell had happened? He’d just been feeling the centuries-old weariness lifting, disappearing with her arrival. Now it had returned doubled.

“Don’t!” he’d bellowed to her. Before he’d been forced to trace back, she’d turned to him, her eyes wide, her lips parted. She’d seen his pain, his skin beginning to burn.

Her expression had become stricken. He’d seen that look before. It was the same one soldiers had a split second after a cannon blast had landed too close—as if they simply couldn’t assimilate what had just happened.

Why did she run? What did I do wrong?

He’d searched all night, scouring the empty streets and the entire valley. He’d traced to the airport, but he knew she was long gone.

As were the denizens of this village. Only a dog howled in the background. Though Sebastian had avoided humans since he’d been turned, he was fully prepared to question them now. He was desperate to. If they had information about his mysterious Bride, he’d become the thing they feared in order to get it from them.

Yet they had disappeared. Even the home of the butcher who secretly sold him blood and occasionally transacted for clothing and books was darkened and empty. Apparently, she’d warned them that he’d be searching for her with a vengeance.

Again and again, Sebastian contemplated what he knew about his mysterious Kaderin. At times he thought her too beautiful, too perfect, a vision who existed only in his fantasies. He had been alone for so long . . .

And had been mad in the past.

But if he thought he’d imagined the entire thing, he had a glaring bruise on his chest and rents in his shirt from where her claws had dug into his back and his arms. God, she was fierce, his Bride, and even now he was hard for her.

Never before had he felt such lust. No woman had ever stirred him to anything like this. Surely the desire for her was stronger because he’d abstained for so long. That had to be it. He hadn’t even taken her.

Hell, he hadn’t even seen her naked body or touched her skin.