Page 24 of Shadows of Fate

The male nodded his head. “I understand.”

My shadows quickly rushed up his body and he was gone before he even had a chance to cry out.

I rose from my chair and drained the rest of my tumbler.

“I’m heading back to the manor to talk to Micah. I want this place shut down for the evening, cleaned up during the day, and reopened under new management by tomorrow evening,” I told Bastian.

He nodded his head. “Of course, My Lord.”

* * *

Ifound Micah sitting in the living area of the manor. He was in a high-back red velvet chair, his legs wide as he leaned back reading a book.

Allie lay across the room from him on a small couch near the lit fireplace. Her eyes were closed and her breathing deep, so I knew she was asleep. It brought a small smile to my face that she was comfortable enough here to do so. I didn’t know what she’d been through, but I knew after meeting and seeing Silvana in action, it couldn’t have been good.

I knew her future wouldn’t have improved if those males had taken her either. Part of me wondered if my ice queen knew about the good she was doing by saving women like Allie.

I lowered myself into the chair across from Micah. I nodded my head toward Allie and then quietly asked, “How has she been this evening?”

Micah glanced over at her sleeping form for a moment before his gaze returned to me. “She’s tired, understandably. She’s been through a vast array of trauma over the last few nights.”

“Did she tell you anything about what happened? Who had her and what they wanted?” I don’t expect that she would’ve shared much, but there’s always the possibility that she may have.

I could hear Micah grind his teeth together as he closed his book, setting it in his lap.

“From what she can remember, they took her on her way home from work four nights ago. She lived two towns over. She woke up in the room above The Midnight Run, where she remained until Silvana came and rescued her. She didn’t go into detail about what happened to her, and I didn’t push. However, she did say that they kept telling each other how she’d make a perfect addition to the breeding pack for Victor.” Anger was prevalent in his eyes. “The breeding pack, Raiden?”

I looked toward the floor and tried to choose my words carefully. Everyone has trauma loaded into their past, especially when you’ve lived as long as we have. This entire ordeal just happened to hit on mine, as well as Micah’s, in a deep way.

I let out a slow breath before meeting his eyes again. “They call themselves the Eternal Outcasts—like Allie had mentioned. The one we talked to, he mentioned that there were rumors about breeding. He didn’t sound convinced, though.”

“We?” Micah asked.

I found myself smiling as I looked at my friend. “I found my female this evening. She was at The Arcane Theater in the upper rooms. She killed one male, subdued another, and I killed the third. We then… questioned the remaining male until he volunteered the information we sought.”

“You found your female?” His eyes were wide, and I wondered if he was going to explode on me for going out without backup or if he was nervous about the female I was determined to make my bride.

“Before you bring it up, I brought Bastian with me. I wasn’t alone. Secondly, yes. I found her. She’s even more spectacular when she’s next to me doling out punishment to my enemies.” I knew I was smiling like a lovesick puppy. I didn’t care, though.

Micah was shaking his head. “Well, now I can call off half of that search. What did you find out?”

I quickly relayed back the information Silvana and I tore from Joel’s mouth. If Micah could look any angrier, I know he would. It’s honestly a miracle the Fates blessed him with a passive type of magic. I’d hate to know what he was capable of right now if he had my shadows or Silvana’s ice.

“Do we have a plan?” he quietly growled, so as not to wake Allie with his rising temper.

“I’m going to work with Silvana and hunt every single one of them down.” Did Silvana know that? No, but she would soon. “Bastian is still at The Arcane Theater cleaning it up and bringing in some of our people to run it for now until I can get things resettled and sell it. My goal is to find as many of the females as possible until we figure out who this Victor person is.” I tilted my head for a moment, thinking. “You know, Joel said they called himTheVictor, not just Victor.”

“What is your point, Raiden?” Micah suddenly sounded tired, and I knew this was a lot for him mentally.

“It’s just something I noticed. The one in charge may be using a code name. It would make sense if he’s in power, to not tie himself to something like this until it’s successful.”

Micah looked back toward Allie, slowly nodding his head.

“Did you find out anything about her?” I asked him.

Micah didn’t look away from Allie. “Yes. She has seen nineteen winters. Her parents are both gone and she has an older sister who’s married with kids. She doesn’t want to bring trouble anywhere near them, which she believes she is with her abilities. I can’t say I blame her after everything she’s been through. Some of the people in town call her a witch, that’s why the males took her. Someone sold her out.”

There were myths that all witches originated from human and vampire couplings. Before the Fates took away the ability for us to procreate with humans so easily, there were humans who didn’t end up born with immortality or blood lust but did retain some sort of magic. They made some of the most powerful vampires. I stopped breathing for a moment as it all clicked.

---