ver meant

e long polished teak table sat in the flickering candlelight, their shadows writhing against the cold stone w

on-embroidered black dress swishing as she crossed her legs. Her fingers tapped a

unblinking, took in his siblings with a quiet authority that seemed to swallow the s

nd almost disinterested, as if he were debating whether it was worth the e

o Damien. "Brother? Does that mean we're all cursed b

h contempt. "Lucero is a bastard. A failed experiment. The product of Fathe

immediately, his fingers absently drumming on the table. His gaze finally settled on Kaier, the eldest. Kaier's stilln

owl. His gaze swept across them all, his pow

tion was over before it had begun. Kai

leaving Damien alone with Kaier. Kaier didn

sta

sture relaxed as though he were just observing. "You wea

voice lowering to a dangero

lat and unconcerned. "Scared of what

gers twitched, the claw-like nails

ant to di

ut they carried the wei

conversation wasn't of great consequence to

stant, Kaier was across the room, his claws at Damien's throat. The power

his voice colder than death it

Kaier's grip. "Go ahead. You know as well as I

ilt? But it vanished as quickly as it appeared. With a final growl

ea

ed out without another word, his footsteps echoi

aier... you won't b

n he wa

his thoughts not on Damie

presence haunted his every dream, pulling a

-

O'S M

ointment in fort

didn't respond. His dark eyes stared off into the distance, his gaze lost in some unseen horizon. Shi

murmured, his voic

ou," Eduardo replied, his

er the silk, almost as if searchin

do asked, motioning t

la

he mundane matters of business. It wasn't the meeting, th

was

invisible thread

felt it, like a whisper in the dark, pulling at

ated

here was no

-

DR

orld beyond him spinning, loud and ignorant. The S

eting?" he asked, his

is eyes fixed on the road ahead, neve

his sleeve absen

ey wound through quieter streets. The hum of the engine was the on

nch

hout question, not ne

d long learned to trust his instincts, the same instincts that had kept the

s someth

from his lips. A name, unknown, but one

the seat, his dark eyes sca

ld feel her waiting. Even