Page 58 of Dark Master's Redemption

We’re not meant to be. I say almost sadly, because I know how much I feel with him, and he feels with me. But some men aren’t meant to be life-mates; they’re meant to be set free, to roam the world and find their own way.

As a sad but sweet song fills my heart, I hear the Music chime all through me. Quinn startles as Lucca inhales, to hear that song cascade from me alone now, without them. As it does, it flows to Arturos, pulling the smallest, most beautiful Ascendant Sigil right out of the air and placing it sweetly inside his heart.

Free, that sigil writes, as something I can’t control inside me summons it. Be free of sorrow—and live your life.

As that sigil blossoms inside Arturos’ heart, I hear him gasp. His hand flies to his heart, as tears brim in his eyes. For the first time, his eyes blaze a bright, beautiful blue beneath the stars. The darkness in them is banished, as hope lights him up for the very first time.

And he is beyond beautiful.

Though he was never meant to be mine.

24

THRALL

Istand across the street from the Red Letter Hotel Florence, back in the Twilight Realm as the sun sets. Though furious power lives inside me now, my magic renewed from part of my Dark Haven becoming re-Kissed to me last night, Florian Delano’s guards around the building are blissfully unaware of me, yet.

I contemplate his people, standing in the shadows of the porticos well out of the slanting evening sun as they watch Summer Fae pass in the street. Though Florian can daywalk like me, my daywalking power comes from me still being Fae, which Florian isn’t.

Not all his Sirees can withstand the touch of the sun; most of his guards hide in the shadows now, as regular citizens of Florence come and go before the Hotel’s long facade. Though I came through via portal from the human realm, right across from their doorstep, Florian’s people are still unaware of me. My Dark Fae abilities give me an advantage, and every part of my plan hinges on the fact that Florian doesn’t yet know that about me, even if the Vampire Council has their suspicions.

I’m not hiding my whereabouts, but none of the Vampire Council’s Societas Sanguinis in the city have felt me, either. As I watch the street, I know the Council hasn’t sequestered the city. Though they’d love to, to punish me, they can’t; only half of Florence’s citizens are Vampire, the other half Fae, who drift by now in the evening’s lowering shadows.

Though they want to find me, with their numbers diminished, the Council can’t start a shitstorm with the Summer Fae King right now, powerful as he is. It works in favor of my plan now, as I take a moment to gather myself, staring at the vaulted porticos and stuccoed walls of the ancient building and surveying Florian’s forces.

Had the Societas taken me right now, there’s no guarantee they would have brought me to Florian, even though he wants me. Nobody knows I’m here, and it suits me; this plan carries tremendous personal risk, but I still know it’s the best shot we have at taking back the Red Letter Hotel Florence and saving my Vampires.

I take a deep breath and still my beating heart, ready to make my entrance. Dressed in a dark maroon suit with a black shirt and tie, courtesy of my favorite human world designer Armani, I place my hands in my pockets and emerge into the sunlight from the shadows of the hedge I was standing near.

The guards at the door come to immediate attention. Their gazes pin to me as their dark auras spread wide, their black Vampire spears lengthening fast as they startle at my arrival, in shock. As their gazes sweep the street, however, they see only me standing in it.

And the Summer Fae, passing casually by.

This is my moment, as I stand tall, staring them down. I let nothing of my Dark Fae aura be seen nor felt as I come towards them now, taking my hands from my pockets to let them know I am unarmed. I do a slow spin; unbuttoning my jacket, I hold out the lapels to show them I have no weapons, either modern or ancient. As I re-button my jacket, I see the confusion on their faces.

Watching me approach without a single friend or ally to my name.

“Quindici DaPonti.” The big guard out front is someone I know, one of Florian’s guardsmen named Julian. Tall and robust, he looks like an American football player with his sandy blond hair and blue eyes. But he’s a Vampire; I see the tips of his fangs as he speaks. He hands his long black spear to another guard, gazing quizzically before nodding his chin at me. “Why have you come?”

“To turn myself in, of course.” I hold his gaze with my darkest, deepest calm. “That is what Florian wants, is it not? What he asked for, when he threatened my Vampires.”

Julian’s gaze penetrates me for a long moment, trying to figure out my gambit. His gaze breaks from mine and sweeps the street, examining even the most casual passersby to see if any of them could be my army in disguise. At last, he realizes I’m alone. As his gaze snaps back to me, a strange look is in his eyes.

Because no one would willingly turn themselves over to Florian Delano—not in a million years.

“Come with me.” Julian nods for me to ascend the ingress steps, then for four of his best guards out front to accompany us as I surrender to them. I go, stepping up the stairs of my establishment and feeling a strange thrill move through me, that Florian’s guards have no idea what I’m doing.

Florian himself is another matter; he has some mind-reading talents and I’m taking an enormous risk, heading into the lion’s den where I could be found out at any moment. I’m trusting Florian’s nature, however; that he’ll be too preoccupied gloating that I’ve capitulated to his demands and turned myself over.

Than digging deeper into what I’m doing here—and the truth of why I’ve come.

I hold on to that as I’m escorted through the halls of the Florence Hotel. A modicum of relief fills me as I gaze around, taking it all in; though several areas were damaged by magical fighting in the halls when the Hotel and Dark Haven were taken, Florian hasn’t desecrated any of the Hotel’s finer areas out of spite, of which I am grateful.

He knows this place is a jewel for his crown; even though I hate him, Florian has sense when it comes to building his empire, and not needlessly tearing down that which could be an asset. Indeed, a number of the halls are already being repaired, Florian’s people and even several of my own Vampires hard at work fixing beams, replacing ruined drapes, and cleaning.

The only part that twists me is to look around and see my Vampires gazing at me with bleak beseeching in their eyes. Florian isn’t known for treating his people nicely; even as I’m led through the main halls, I see no fewer than six of my Vampires get beaten to their knees by Florian’s guards, for not doing something to Florian’s specifications. It takes everything I have to bite my tongue as I’m led on through. I gaze up at my beautiful pastoral paintings on the walls and will myself to calm.

Though I’m raging, deep inside—wanting to kill him until he meets his true death for harming even a single one of them.

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