Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

“Don’t,” the man begged. “I’ll give you anything you want.”

“Information?”

A light of triumph lit the bastard’s eyes. “What kind of information?”

“How did you learn about Nick Belanger?”

“A tip from a friend.”

Seth peered into the man’s thoughts and found the memory of a video, the image pixilated the way nighttime footage shot with a phone sometimes was. In it, Nick Belanger and fellow immortal Eliana walked together on University of Houston’s campus. The footage followed and captured them as they confronted and fought a pack of vampires.

Where the hell had he gotten that?

He delved deeper into Benford’s mind. The footage had come on a DVD in a package with Richard Roubal’s address on it. “Richard Roubal told you about Nick?”

“You know Richard?”

“Yes.”

“I thought he was out of his damned mind. He didn’t even remember sending it to me.”

Roubal had suffered from Alzheimer’s, his symptoms worsened by cancer and the treatment he received. Seth had found negotiating the man’s mind incredibly difficult.

“But my guys confirmed the video hadn’t been altered,” Benford continued. “Roubal said he was going to capture Belanger to study him but died before he could get it done.” He smirked. “He probably would’ve fucked it up anyway. Roubal was a shell of himself by the time he kicked it.”

Well, that was the last piece of the puzzle they needed.

Seth let Benford go.

The man’s heels hit the floor with a thud. Staggering to one side, he drew in several deep breaths as his face filled with triumph. “You won’t regret this.” The idiot thought Seth had changed his mind and intended to make him immortal.

“No. I’m afraid I won’t.” Seth focused on the man’s chest.

Benford paled as what felt like a fist tightened around his heart. Eyes wide, he grabbed his left arm. His face contorted with pain as his breath shortened. Bending forward, he gazed up at Seth. “Wh-Wha—?”

“You’re having a heart attack,” Seth informed him.

The man’s lips moved, but no more sound emerged. In his chaotic mind, however, he shouted, bargained, and struggled to get the words out.

David shook his head. “He still thinks he can buy us off.”

Benford’s face reflected utter astonishment that he couldn’t as he breathed his last breath.

Seth and David watched him fall.

“Roubal sent that video after we defeated Gershom,” David commented.

“Yes.” Roubal hadn’t encountered Nick until a few weeks after the final battle.

“So, how did Reed connect with him? All arrows point to Gershom having sent him.”

A troubling thought. “And yet, I didn’t see Gershom’s name or likeness anywhere in Benford’s memories.”

“Nor did I.”

Seth sighed. “I wish we could’ve read Reed’s thoughts. TJ was never part of Gershom’s army.” Seth’s perusal of TJ’s memories had revealed as much. “He met Reed after the latter lost contact with Gershom.”

“So,” David posed after a moment’s thought, “did Gershom play a role in this?”

“I don’t know. But if he did, that role ended when we defeated him.”

“Are you sure? Zach communicated with Lisette through dreams while he was imprisoned. Could Gershom do the same?”

Seth shook his head. “He’s too weak and buried too deep. I learned from Zach’s trespasses and ensured Gershom could not do the same. He can take no more action against us.”

“Perhaps he merely asked Reed to do a little research and find someone like Benford who would have the resources, desire, and lack of a moral compass to do whatever he could to create an immortality serum.”

“And he just happened to choose Benford, who had a history with Roubal?”

David shrugged. “Benford owns one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country.”

“And the largest Reed would find in North Carolina.”

David considered the quandary. “Coincidence?”

Seth found a smile. “This wouldn’t be the first time coincidence has wrought havoc in our world.”

Chuckling, David shook his head. “No, it wouldn’t.”

Since Seth had appointed himself the leader of the Immortal Guardians, the chaos that simple happenstance could spawn had sometimes astounded him.

“If Gershom was involved,” David asked as they strolled from the lab, “do you think this was the extent of his backup plan?”

Seth sighed. “I certainly hope so.”





Chapter Twenty-one





Nicole grinned as she raced through the trees. Somewhere up ahead, Sean attempted to elude her, but she now had a nose as powerful as an elephant’s. And she loved Sean’s scent. Even more now that she was immortal.

They had wasted no time in asking Aidan to transform her. Nicole would’ve preferred that Sean do it, but practicality overruled that. Aidan was roughly three thousand years old and a healer. That magical combination would make Nicole faster, stronger, and more resilient than she would be if an immortal as young as Sean transformed her. It would also give her a greater tolerance for sunlight.