Page 97 of In the Dark

“Well. Shit.”

“My sentiments exactly.” Leo shifted again in an attempt to get comfortable. Knew his comfort was not exactly the point of this confinement.

Whatever low-life hired scumbags working for Orestes had taken them, and not only made sure to catch them off guard but took the time to scuff them up a little. Leo was willing to bet Kelsi’s introduction had been a strictly off the books encounter.

He remembered nothing about his capture. He’d been in the car on the way to the cabin, pushing the pedal to the metal and wishing he could make better time. Cursing the weather for keeping him from the speeds he wanted and the office for asking him to stay late in the first place. His family needed him, not the one he was born into but the one he chose.

His soon to be mother-in-law was in a coma, stuck in the infirmary with strangers doing god knows what for her. And, from what he saw coming across his desk, there was a string of magic-related murders to attend to. Hell of a day, and all he wanted at the end of it was a warm cup of coffee and to kiss his girlfriend. To tell her everything would be okay and they would work through whatever came next.

That opportunity never came. Somewhere between his office and the cabin he’d gotten waylaid. The last shred of affection he felt for his father disappeared.

“Do you know how long you’ve been down here?” Leo asked Zee. To hear the sound of his voice. To hear something, anything, to fill the muted and heavy air of the Vault.

The other man sighed, the sound pain-filled. “Too goddamn long. How…you said you’re a friend of Astix? Is she okay?”

“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t know. She was holding on when I left her. She’s a strong woman. All three of them are.”

“You’re telling me.” This time his tone held a touch of warmth. “What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know that either,” Leo admitted.

A soft chuckle answered him, and then a familiar, if unwelcome, voice. “You are going to tell me what I want to hear or stay like this until I can figure out what to do with you. Do you understand me, Leonidas?”

Orestes maneuvered into view, hands in his pockets and a cocky swagger to his steps. Soft-soled loafers made no sound on the floor as he strolled toward them, stopping at a wall panel to make sure security measures were in place. He flicked a switch and appeared satisfied with the setup before turning ice-cold eyes on his son.

A swell of fury took Leo and had him seeing red before struggling again with his bindings. “Dad? You have a lot of nerve—”

“Nerve is only one of the traits I possess in abundance, my boy. And has served me well through the years.” Unconcerned with the rest of them, Orestes might have been ready to go to a business luncheon or social event. He’d dressed to impress, though he would never admit it to anyone. Perfectly pressed matching slacks and suit coat were fashionable, but the button-down shirt in an uncomplimentary shade of yellow cast his skin in a sickly shade of pale olive.

“How did you find me?” Leo had to know and asked the question, though he had an inkling.

“I had you followed,” Orestes said. “Naturally. What, you didn’t really think a little swerving and backpedaling would keep me away? And the stupid little cabin of yours…a hideout to make a thief proud. At least, it was.”

Blood froze in his veins. “What did you do?”

“Let’s say it was nothing a little controlled burn could not remodel.”

“That was my home.” Leo bit his tongue until he tasted blood. “There could have been people in there.”

“Trust me, son. I’ve taken care of everything. Anyone inside is long gone. It’s better this way.”

“Let me out of here. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Leonidas, you’ve always been a smart child. You tell me why it’s a horrible idea to let you go.” Orestes laughed, a wheezing click of sound he reserved for private situations and personal humor. The skin at the corners of his mouth began to twitch. “Because you’d run back to your slut and her horrible family. Well, what’s left of it.”

“Dad, no.”

“And I can’t have you siding with them. Look at what’s become of the illustrious Cavaldis. A human boyfriend for the eldest daughter, the youngest possessed and causing mass destruction. The middle girl’s freak-of-nature birth. Her magically defunct twin is rotting in my prison alongside his half-dead father.” Orestes clucked his tongue. “No, I will not have my son cavorting with such riffraff or being a part of their downward spiral. No. Not when I’m so close.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course I do. I’ve had years to think about this and put my plan into motion. Now is the time for action.” Pacing while he spoke, Orestes moved between cells with fervor deepening his gaze. “I used to think it was the girl, the one with her father’s magic. I used to think she was the one who held the key to power and if I isolated her, manipulated her, she would fall into my hands. The Harbinger witch. But I was wrong, so wrong. It’s been someone else this whole time. I need to get them out of the way first.”

“What are you saying?” Leo knew the answer would be something he couldn’t understand. If Orestes were willing to give a lucid explanation. It was a peculiar thing, seeing the same familiar face he’d known since birth but having no idea who that person was. It felt like a betrayal of the worst kind.

“I’m the only one who can bring our society back to purity. Away from the dark and into the light. It’s been me the whole time, son, only I was too selfless to recognize it before. Now I do.” Orestes slammed a palm down on the nearest table. “And I am through going easy. With the arrival of the eclipse, the last shreds of the veil will disintegrate, and I’ll use the full force of power from the world of ancient magicks to make this world into what it should be.”

He was talking crazy talk. Leo switched tactics. “Let me out of here and we can talk about it. Just the two of us. We haven’t had one of those father–son chats in a while, have we? Have we, Dad? Let’s sit down and talk and you can tell me about your vision. Mom would be happy to see the two of us getting along again. Wouldn’t she?”

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