Page 36 of Air of Seduction

“About your second brother, you mean? The third your father mentioned.”

“Yes.” He scratches his chin, his eyes losing focus. “If that’s what he even meant. But I can’t think of anything else he would refer to as the third. He must have a third son somewhere, but if our sibling is anything like us, he doesn’t know about his father either.”

I walk over to a chair and take a seat. “How will you even identify this person? Do you think your father will tell you when you meet him, like he did with Gawen?”

Markus shrugs. “I don’t know, but I hope so. At least then we will have confirmation. Otherwise, I’m not sure how it would be anything other than speculation. It’s not like we can use DNA to prove that we’re brothers. I’m not even sure there’s any biological connection between us. It might be more of a spiritual or magical relationship.” He breathes out a sigh. “So many questions, and so few answers.”

I nod. “What about the master? I gave Lucas the dead vamp’s phone. Do you know if someone has had the time to look at it yet? It might contain something useful about the master or some of the other followers. I don’t know how many followers the old leech has left in London, considering we killed six of them at the ceremony in Highgate cemetery and three yesterday. But I suspect there are still a few.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. You’ll have to talk to Lucas when he wakes.”

“I will.” I pull my phone out of my pocket. “I think I’ll check the local news while I wait for the others to get up.”

Markus takes a seat in the chair next to mine. “Good idea. I’ll skim some of the French and Italian newspapers. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a group of followers in Paris where the master was originally based. Or perhaps further south, in Lyon or Marseille. David, one of his most devoted servants, is currently staying in northwestern Italy, not far from the French border. I’m not sure that’s an indication of anything, since he knows Aidan can easily track him, but we can’t rule it out.”

I nod, suddenly restless. His talk of followers in other cities in Europe makes my shoulders tense. I don’t want to leaveLondon right now. Not when Payton is here without anyone to protect her.

And I’m not the only one. Noah is going to go ballistic if anyone even mentions going to France or Italy. According to him, he’s already too far away from his mate as it is. I doubt it will be long until he takes up position outside the door to her apartment building and stays there until she agrees to talk to him.

Chapter 21

Payton

My eyes are scratchy as I scroll aimlessly on my phone. But every time I close them and lean my head back to rest, images bombard my mind, and I quickly open them again.

Something catches my eye on the screen in front of me.Vampires strike again.What?

I click on the headline and skim the article. By the time I’m done, my heart is racing in my chest, and I’m sitting ramrod straight on the couch, wide awake.

Two women have been found dead in a park not two blocks away, seemingly with their blood drained from their bodies. And their descriptions are eerily similar to Olivia’s and mine. Mid-twenties, one with long blond hair, of European descent, one with long black hair of African descent. If this is a coincidence, it’s far too close for comfort.

My phone rings, and it startles me so much I almost drop it. Taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart, I stare at Ronan’s name on the screen.

I know exactly why he’s calling. He’s seen the article too.

I accept the call and speak before he can. “I’m fine. We’re both fine.”

“Oh, thank God.” There’s a tremor in his voice. “For a minute I thought—”

“I know. I read the article, too, and I’m still shaky. They were found just down the road.”

“I noticed that.” He lets out a long shuddering sigh. “Noah hasn’t seen it yet, or I think we would have heard him. But when he does, and I think it’s when and not if, we won’t be able to prevent him from going to get his mate. His instincts will tell him to protect her at all costs, and that means cutting down anyone who stands in his way, including me and the other elementals. It would be better if you and Olivia came here and—”

“No!” I shake my head, even though he can’t see me. “She’s fragile right now. You know that. Moving her anywhere near him is not an option.”

“Please, Payton. I know seeing Noah can make everything worse, but I have a suggestion that might prevent this from blowing up in our faces. And please keep in mind what I said about Noah coming for her if he thinks she’s in danger. Short of killing him, we might not be able to stop him.”

I press my lips together to stop myself from hurling something at him that I don’t really mean. He’s being realistic about this and trying to find a solution that doesn’t lead to a catastrophic outcome for my friend. I have to appreciate that, even though I resent that it’s necessary.

Taking a deep breath, I uncurl my tight fist. “Fine. Tell me.”

“I’ll ask Lucas and Erica to pick you up, since they’re the ones who drove you home, and Olivia will recognize them. There will be a suite ready for you here, so the two of you can stay together, and she can feel safe. I’ll talk to Noah and explain the situation. When he realizes she’ll be staying here where she’s safe, he’s likely to agree to keep his distance. It might even help him calm down a little, knowing that she’s so close, and if something were to happen, he could be with her in seconds.”

And I’ll be close to you.I shake my head at my selfish thought. That’s not important. Olivia’s well-being is what matters. “It might work, as long as Noah understands that he hasto stay away from her. Even catching a glimpse of him might be detrimental to her right now.”

“I know, and I’m going to make sure he understands that.” He pauses for a few seconds. “Will you talk to Olivia?”

Squeezing my eyes closed, I nod. “Yes. I’ll let you know what she says.” Hopefully, she won’t completely freak out on me.

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