Page 80 of Sunshine and the Vamp

I answered the call.

“Hello, Damyr. Took you long you enough,” Ronin taunted. “Too busy and distracted with those pesky little raids I organised for you. Sorry about that by the way. I did need your attention elsewhere. Tell me, how does it feel to have a weakness? You know, you really should take better care of your things.”

I clenched my jaw. At least I knew he had them now.

He chuckled darkly. “How about a little game? Everybody loves a game, don’t they? And what’s a game without a little risk. I’ll make you a wager, Damyr. And don’t worry, I’ll make it generous. You can have one of them, but you have to come and collect them. How do you know they’re still alive, I hear you ask. Well, allow me a moment to provide you with proof of life.”

Muffled screams came down the line. Benjamin. All of a sudden, they became louder as if Ronin had moved the phone closer.

“Damyr, don’t. Please,” Benjamin said, his voice hoarse and his words seemed a little slurred, like he was a bit out of it. “No. Stop—” His words cut off with a blood curdling scream.

That sound had a profound effect on me. My entire body twisted with rage and pain, and I could barely see through the anger.

“Benjamin!” I cried, crumpling the frame of the SUV beneath my fingers.

I’d been stabbed, shot, blown up but all that was nothing compared to the pain that hearing his agony caused me. I was going to lose my fucking mind if I had to hear that sound again.

“Let’s hear Vladimir now,” Ronin continued, sounding almost bored.

There was a sound of a knife plunging into flesh followed by a strangled hiss.

“Fuck you,” Vlad shouted.

“Not my type, sweetie,” Ronin said with a laugh. “So, who are you going to choose, Damyr? I’m curious. But I suppose you have to find them first. Don’t worry. You’ve been here before. It’s my old family home, or what’s left of it. Morley Hall. Be seeing you soon.”

Ronin hung up and the sound of Benjamin’s screams echoed in my ears.

Ronin was a Morley? How? Edwin didn’t have a family. Or did he? I racked my brain, but I couldn’t recall anyone. It had been so long ago.

I dialled Roxie.

“Oracle of truth speaking, how may I help you?”

“Edwin Thomas Morley. Born circa 1650 at Morley Hall, died 1673. Can you talk me through his family tree.”

“Why?” she asked, her nails clicking over keyboard.

“Someone related to him has Benjamin and Vlad.”

Roxie’s silence spoke volumes. “Right. Give me a minute.” There were more rapid clicks on the keyboard and still my mind replayed those screams. I think I’d be hearing them until I had him back safe in my arms. I wasn’t going to chose between them. No fucking way. I’d have them both and then I was going to pull this Ronin apart, limb from fucking limb.

“Okay,” Roxie said. “Edwin Thomas Morley, born 8thJune, 1650. Son to William and Mary.”

“What about siblings?”

“I can only see one.”

One was all I needed. “Who?”

“Hmm, that’s strange. He seems to have just disappeared.”

“Who?” I paced in front of the car wreck, trying to hold myself together long enough to hunt this fucker down.

“I can’t see a full name or birth, but his name is Silas.”

I froze, the name striking recognition in my bones.

Silas William Morley. Edwin’s younger brother.

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