Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

As Seth healed Étienne’s wounds, thunder rumbled.

“Seth,” Ami said softly, “it wasn’t your fault.”

Nicole held a hand out to Sean.

Grasping it, he let her tug him to his feet. “It was mine,” he admitted. “I should’ve called you as soon as I saw her. But her eyes glowed green, so I thought she was a vampire. It caught me off guard.”

Krysta frowned. “Are you sure she wasn’t a vampire? I thought our eyes all glowed amber. Except for Seth’s, Zach’s, and Jared’s, I mean.” Almost all gifted ones and immortals sported dark hair and brown eyes that glowed amber. Seth’s, Zach’s, and Jared’s glowed gold.

The wind picked up, whipping the trees into a fury

Seth shook his head. “Sarah’s eyes are hazel and glow green.”

“Oh. Right,” Krysta said. “I forgot.”

Sean shifted. “There’s something else.”

“Tell me,” Seth ordered.

“She may be newly turned, but she fought like an elder immortal.”

Nicole nodded. “She did. She was incredibly fast.”

“And strong,” Sean added. “She was kicking my ass and probably would’ve succeeded in killing me if the bullets hadn’t slowed her down.”

“I shot her,” Nicole blurted, wringing her hands. Might as well get the truth out there. “A lot.”

“No, she didn’t.” Sean stepped between her and Seth. “She’s trying to cover for me. I shot her.”

“Bullshit.” Nicole moved to stand beside him and sent him a scowl before facing Seth. “She really was kicking his ass. And not just because she was stronger. Sean wouldn’t take the offensive because he wasn’t comfortable striking a woman.”

Étienne frowned. “Merde. I didn’t think of that. I wouldn’t be comfortable hitting a woman either.”

“Well, I didn’t have a problem with it,” Nicole snapped. “No way in hell was I going to let her kill Sean. I shot her all to hell and would’ve kept it up if Sean hadn’t stopped me.” Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin and looked Seth in the eye. “I know you want her and the others taken alive. But my first priority is to keep Sean safe, so… do whatever you have to do to punish me. I don’t regret it.” Holy crap, she was nervous though. Her hands even began to shake. Nicole was probably the only Second who had ever come this close to killing an immortal.

“Damn it, Nicole,” Sean ground out.

Seth raised a hand to halt whatever else he intended to say. “There will be no punishment, Nicole. You kept Sean safe, and the woman didn’t die. Next time, however, call me before you begin shooting.”

She relaxed a little. “I was reaching for my phone when the bitch threw a dagger at me. It hit me so hard that I fell back into the building. The next thing I knew, I was waking up, and she looked like she was about to decapitate Sean.”

Frowning, Sean touched the blood that coated the side of her face. “You must have hit your head on the side of the building.”

Since she couldn’t remember, she shrugged. “I guess so.”

Sighing, he dropped his hand and turned back to Seth. “How could that woman be so strong if she’s newly turned?”

Seth drew out his phone. After several taps and swipes, he held it out to Sean. “Which one was she?” he asked in lieu of answering.

Nicole glanced at it.

The photos app was open, displaying a woman’s headshot.

Sean wiped his crimson-coated hands on his pants and swore when both came away more bloody.

“Here.” Nicole turned away from him.

“Thanks.” Sean rubbed both hands on the back of her jacket, then took the phone.

While Nicole and the others waited, he swiped through a few photos. “This is her.” He glanced at Nicole. “Don’t you think?”

Leaning closer, she studied the picture. “Yeah. That’s her.” The bitterness that had darkened the woman’s features while she fought Sean was absent in the photo. Instead, she faced the camera with a friendly smile.

Some of the anger that had burned inside Nicole over Sean’s close brush with death gave way to remorse as she looked up at Seth. “I’m sorry I called her a bitch. It isn’t her fault Gershom is fucking with her head.” That bastard was twisting the minds of his immortals with lies so they would help him defeat Seth.

Taking the phone, Seth studied the picture. “Tessa Hayes.”

Tessa Hayes.

Committing the name and face to memory, Nicole hoped fervently that she and Sean wouldn’t have to face the woman in battle again.





Chapter One





Present day





Sean felt his Second’s stare boring into him as he wolfed down the lasagna she’d prepared for them. Thank goodness immortals weren’t undead like the vampires in movies. If that had been the case, he would’ve missed many drool-worthy meals like this one.

Though it might seem like it should be pretty far down the list, one of his favorite perks of being an Immortal Guardian was the food. Incredibly enhanced speed, strength, and regenerative capabilities were awesome, of course. But he and Krysta had endured some lean times since leaving their parents’ abode to pursue their respective goals as adults.