Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

Leah’s voice filled his head. Seth? she asked tentatively.

Yes?

I can feel your turmoil. What’s happening?

Tessa is missing.

Oh no! Can I do anything?

Where are you?

Fussing over Caleb. He nearly lost an arm and a leg earlier tonight.

Warmth filled him. His Immortal Guardians all adored Leah, who shone in her new role as matriarch of the group. Meet me at David’s when you’re finished. I’ve called an emergency meeting and will head there as soon as Imhotep has gathered as much information as possible.

Okay. I love you.

Love you, too.

A spray of water raced toward them, then veered behind a building. Seconds later, Imhotep rounded the corner and joined them, his countenance grim.

“What did you learn?” Seth asked.

“Jared said she intended to run to Sean’s house. I believe she began doing so at a mortal’s pace, but a man waylaid her up there.” Swiveling, he pointed up the path.

“Waylaid?” Jared blurted. “By whom?”

“A vampire she thought was a student.”

Jared frowned. “I wouldn’t have expected her to fall for such a ruse.”

Imhotep shrugged. “He was good. Nothing in his speech or mannerisms gave her reason to doubt him. Yet she remained wary. They spoke briefly. Then she left. The vampire headed off in a different direction but changed course once he was out of sight. She stopped.” He met Jared’s gaze. “To call you. I saw your name on her phone. But before she could, the vampire came up behind her.”

“She didn’t hear him?” Jared asked.

Imhotep shook his head. “The rain made too much noise, drumming on the roofs, hammering cars and dumpsters, and splashing in puddles as the campus flooded.” He held up a cylindrical object with a fluffy red end. “He shot her with this. It took me a while to find it. It floated some distance away after she yanked it out and dropped it.”

Seth took the tranquilizer dart. “Is it the sedative?” He sniffed it but smelled only rainwater and mud.

“Yes. She reacted wisely and raced away as fast as she could. Too fast for the vampire to catch her at first. If the drug had not tugged at her, she would’ve lost him. She passed the stadium, crossed Cameron Boulevard, and tried to lose him in the trees. But her declining speed enabled him to keep her in view. She was trying again to call Jared when the vampire caught her and took her down. I found this in the floodwater.” Imhotep held out a cell phone with a cracked surface.

Taking it, Jared turned a tortured gaze on Seth. “I should’ve been with her. I never should have left her.”

Seth shook his head. “We didn’t anticipate this.” He held up the dart. “Roubal didn’t have the tranquilizer, so we assumed that whoever we’re dealing with now didn’t either.” He turned back to Imhotep. “What happened next?”

“The vampire called someone. An SUV with dark windows pulled up. He got inside with Tessa, and then they drove off. I followed but lost them when they reached 15/501.”

If the rain and the late hour hadn’t kept pedestrians inside, Seth knew Imhotep would’ve lost them long before that. “What direction were they heading?”

“North.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime, my friend.”

After pocketing the dart, Seth rested a hand on Imhotep’s shoulder. “I’ll return momentarily.” He teleported to Egypt, bid Imhotep good day, then returned to Duke.

Jared stood in the same place he’d left him. “I shouldn’t have left her alone,” he said as soon as Seth reappeared.

“Caleb needed you. David and I were both away, and Zach—”

“She needed me more!” he roared.

Seth kept his voice tranquil. “You didn’t know that.”

Jared shook his head. “What is the use of having precognitive abilities if they don’t warn me about what’s coming?” His visions were far stronger than Seth’s and almost always came true.

“I wondered the same thing when my wife and children were slain,” Seth murmured absently.

A stricken look crossed Jared’s features. “You think they’ll kill her?”

“No. If this vampire worked for the same group as Reed, they need her too much. Either Reed told them she’s an immortal, or they think she’s a vampire friend of Becca and their only remaining link to Nick now that they believe Becca is dead. Regardless, we’ll get her back.”

Jared’s hands curled into fists as his eyes blazed with golden light. “I’ll kill them all when we do.”

“I understand your thirst for vengeance, your desire to punish,” Seth said slowly, “but you will do this my way.” When Jared shot him a glare, Seth held up a hand. “You will do this my way, or you will remain behind.”

“You think you can stop me?” he growled.

“Yes.”

Knowing Seth really could stop him didn’t reduce Jared’s ire.

“To be an Immortal Guardian,” Seth reminded him, “you must maintain the delicate balance we always have. If you can do that, follow me to David’s. If you cannot, return to the network and sit this one out.”

Leaving him to decide, Seth teleported away.



Sean eyed the men and women gathered around David’s long dining table. Ami sat beside Marcus, catty-corner to Seth’s empty chair at the foot of the table with a baby monitor in front of her. Little Adira must be sleeping. Roland and Sarah sat beside them with a second baby monitor.