Page 65 of Dark Master's Redemption

Even Devi and Curio stew, as they both growl now that Quinn has somehow been cut off from us by Florian. As Devi and Curio play an intense game of chess in the living area nearby, Devi’s power flares like a corona of scarlet blades all around her. Curios soothes it with a flash of his winter winds.

Though even those are churning, restless as they blow a chill air through the room.

I’m orders of magnitude more tense than Quinn’s top lieutenants, but I’m grateful for Arturos’ Siren magic and Alleno’s dark quietude bolstering me. Both have calmed me at least a dozen times already tonight, though the night is still relatively young.

And we have no clue how much longer this is going to last.

“Gods. How much more do we have to wait?” Ariana echoes my thought as she heaves a sigh and drains her wine, moving to the small bar and pouring another. “I don’t trust this recent development with Florian, and am inclined to agree with Lucca; that we scrap this plan and do everything we can to get Quinn out. Now.”

“Florian will not leave Quinn alone to meet with the returned Revenants until he is thoroughly satisfied with their new arrangement.” Devi snarls as she waves a hand, her gaze fixed on the chess match. “It could be hours, or it could be days—like Quinn, Florian is a daywalker, and can make this madness last as long as he wants to, day and night.”

“Florian hasn’t had Quinn in a very long time,” Curio says quietly now, even as he watches the game. “I also had a personal history of being his plaything when Quinn and I were in Emiliana’s Dark Haven. It’s likely he’ll make Quinn’s torment last a while, until Quinn’s thoroughly hating himself for going against all his righteous principles and morals, succumbing to his body and the ecstasy Florian can produce.”

“Even Florian tires of his games, eventually. He will leave Quinn at some point, to ruin another until he feels like torturing our dark Master again.” Arturos glances at me, then Ariana.

“At which point,” Curio chimes in again, “Quinn shall be alone, to speak with the other returned Revenants inside the Hotel, as we recently heard from that Pict Vampire who visited him. Florian’s deepest weakness is hubris; he doesn’t believe those Kissed to him will tempt his ire and torment by helping Quinn, and most don’t. But all of us felt how much Quinn still has his own mind through Florian’s sways, bolstered through our bonds. Those bonds are still there, even if Quinn and we can’t consciously feel them right now.”

“Not feeling what’s happening is going to drive me mad.” Ariana echoes my sentiment as she heads back to the bed with her wine, where she was before my outburst.

“Too mad.” I growl as I scrub a hand through my hair in tense agreement.

“Be grateful for that.” Devi looks up from her chess match now, wrath in her scarlet-chocolate gaze—but also trust for Quinn. “If we were to feel what Quinn’s about to go through with Florian, all of us might rush in there and get captured, or worse. If Quinn were less clear-headed right now from Florian’s power, all our plans might be lost. As it is, we have a chance of him doing what we let him go in there for, even if we can’t feel what’s happening. Because he will find the returned Revenants—and connect with them. Giving us what we need to attack that place from within.”

“I just don’t know how you can all be so calm about this,” I growl hard now as I rake my hands through my hair yet again, plopping to a hard seat on the bed beside Ariana.

“You love him,” Arturos says quietly, even as Ariana scoots to me and wraps her arm around my waist, cuddling me. “No one wants to watch someone they love get tortured, even if they volunteered for it. Or feel it, for that matter.”

Just then, a knock comes at the door. As Arturos goes to open it, I rise from the bed, Ariana behind me. We all stand as Adicus Briarwick enters, Bello Bellissimo right behind him. A curious look is on Adicus’ face as he gazes around, though Bello beams like something amazing just happened.

“There’s a group at the front door; or in the entire front drive, rather. I think you should come speak with them. At once,” Adicus says as he gestures for us all to come down.

“A group?” Ariana lifts her eyebrows at her father, but in his Darkwatch way, Adicus says nothing, only gestures mysteriously for us all to follow him and Bello.

We do, heading down the stairs with me and Ariana behind them, everyone else right behind us. As we make it to the front door of the manor, then head outside to the sprawling porch, I see a massive group has swallowed the entire gravel drive out front.

A group of towering Giants.

Blond-haired and brown-eyed, though they have a deep crimson ring around their irises, they look mostly human except for their incredible stature and towering bulk.

I know at once they’re German Rock Giants, the most normal looking of all Giants, despite their astonishing eyes. But though their massive energy feels like Giants—like boulders smashing down a mountain, with a sound like cannons in battle—their power swirls dark in a way I’ve never seen before.

I realize then that what I’m looking at is a small army of Vampire-Giants, as I inhale in astonishment. Dressed in gargantuan battle leathers and silver plate, one steps forward from the rest. A massive man with shaggy white Yeti-fur adorning the shoulders of his gear, he steps up the lowermost porch stair, towering over all of us as our small group moves forward to receive him.

“You. And you.” He points at me, then Ariana. “Our Master told us to find you, his allies’ mates. So here we are.”

“Your Master?” Ariana steps forward now, because I’m too shocked as I stare at this impressive cadre of what must be three hundred Vampire-Giant warriors standing before us. Ariana looks their leader over, as I feel comprehension fill her. “Is your Master the Vampire-Giant Gunter Spielmann, Master of Bavaria?”

“The same.” The enormous Giant nods, as he places a fist to his heart. “Our Master has been tied up with the Vampire Council attacking our Dark Haven recently. He killed them, then sent us here to find you. He honors an alliance with Quindici DaPonti, Master of Florence. And has a message for Master DaPonti’s ears.”

“Quinn isn’t available right now,” I say tightly, finding my voice. “We can hear your message, and through us, he will hear it. Hopefully soon.”

“It is enough.” The big man nods, as he looks me over with curiosity but also with respect. “My Master says, Fuck the Council, Quinn. Fight their asses and take them down. I will be there fucking them, right alongside you. My Master would have come himself, but he was gravely injured in the battle. He is recovering, and will join us as soon as he is able, with more of our brethren from the Dark Haven of Bavaria. Until then, you have us.”

“Saints and sinners amaze us.” Curio whistles now as his brisk, pepperminty winds freshen us all beneath the night stars. “Well, I guess Quinn has an army, when the time comes to retake the red Letter Hotel Florence.”

“Let’s hope it’s enough,” Arturos says now as he regards the Giant host.

“It’s far more than we have now.” Devi snips at Arturos before she faces the big Vampire-Giant. “As Quinn’s Second-in-Command of the Dark Haven of Florence, we welcome your Master’s most valuable gift, and your presence here. Our Dark Fae army could use your fighters right about now.”

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