Stalking the hall, Eris made his presence known to all, dragging the shadows along the wall after him. Most of the Coven was in the dining hall eating whatever concoction of raw bloody Jeanette had prepared. He was a personal fan of her rare steak and potatoes with a side of green beans. Sometimes, he wondered how Nivette dealt with the food companies, procuring the food they needed to limit their need to hunt. However, considering her attentiveness and ability to be kind and frightful, it didn’t surprise him how she managed to do it. Better her than him.

Next, on his little stroll through the halls, he passed the library. Designed by Selene, the room had bookcases filled to the rim, tables here and there, with chairs strewn all around. Someone was always in the room, and today, one of the few in the little room was Blake, leg crossed over the other, book in hand. Unfortunately, his little sister was not in her not-so-little sanctuary.

Thankfully, though, her scent was strong in the air.

Following it, he found himself on the threshold of the Training Room. Hardly anyone ever went in there anymore. Only Selene and her Hunters. Opening the door ever so slightly, he peeked inside to watch Selene, studying her moves. She was fighting hard, pumping her muscles as far (perhaps farther) than they could go. It was obvious that something was bothering her. She hadn’t been this vicious and forceful in months.

“What are you fighting,” he asked, leaning against the threshold, tossing the door open.

“It’ll be you shortly if you don’t leave me alone.” She stabbed at the concrete floor, quickly pulling her blade back out, sending pieces of concrete scattering on the floor.

“Hostile today, aren’t we?”

“Very much so.”

“Why? Upset that you haven’t gone hunting lately? I would think that would be a good thing.”

“It probably is, but I’m a Hunter. I need something other than deer to hunt, brother dear.” Leaping onto the wall, she launched herself at another, arching her back and easily landing back on the ground, her eyes closed, her mind focused on chopping off the head of an imaginary foe in the process.

“I should search the news then, shouldn’t I?”

“Don’t bother,” she said, flying through the air. “I already have.”

“Are you no longer content here, Selene?” he mocked. Selene shot him a look through her long bangs as she landed on the ground, fist clenched.

“I enjoy seeing the world, Eris; I do not like being kept in a single place for so long.”

“So then go off. Visit Naavah.”

A shrill sound filled the air. It could have been laughter. “You must be kidding. I’m not welcome there. Not anymore.” Sadness swept over her purple pupils. When had she become so sad in spirit? Eris clenched his hands at the reason that permeated his mind.

“You probably shouldn’t have done what you did.”

Selene licked her lips, her pupils turning red with rage and thirst. “They deserved no less. The lot of them. Besides, I was pardoned.” How could she be so flippant about it, he thought. How could she disregard her actions as though they had been nothing? Did she not know how she had broken his heart? Did she not know, or did she just not care? All these thoughts spun through his mind, setting his emotions ablaze heightening his darker urges.

“By luck,” he said, containing his urge to shake and scream at her. “There are still rumors that his Queen bestowed favor upon you.”

“It’s absurd. I don’t even know Vampyre Queen. I never met her or her husband. It was just good luck.” Selene waved him away. “Now, please, leave me be.” Her runes glowed, and the door slammed shut in his face quickly, barely giving him time to move out of the way. A low growl escaped his throat before he walked off.

It only took moments before he sensed her and smiled. He stopped walking and looked in her direction.

“Hello Negal, long time.” He watched Negal seep from the shadows clad in a dark black gown, a silver crown on her head, small and delicate. Even after all this time, the anger and heartbreak had not left her eyes. “Really? It’s been over two thousand years.”

“Why have you enlisted Shira’s help to find someone? Who is this Jason?”

“A Witch, with sandy blond hair and teal-colored eyes. See my problem?”

Negal’s eyes flared wide with barely controlled rage. “You are an overprotective controlling fool.”

“You saw what happened the last time. She went on a killing spree! She slaughtered her and most of her family.” It took all of his strength to keep his voice level, to keep from shaking, to keep from reliving the memory of Selene covered in blood and in chains.

“They deserved to die.”

“She incited his wrath purposely. She was seeking death!” His voice rose higher than he liked, and with a clenched jaw and a deep breath, he continued, “I will not have history repeat itself.”

“Who says it will, Eris? She might never find this, Jason. She might never take notice of him in her nightly walks. And should they cross each other’s path, why wouldn’t you want her to be happy? She could get a second chance at love. This could be fate.” There was an eagerness in her voice that almost made him second-guess his actions. But then the memory crept up again. No, he couldn’t lose his resolve.

“But which side of the pendulum is Negal? Our fates, according to Selene, were already stripped from Those of Light. Now, I never liked Pietro. I could sense that something was not right with him. Something about him felt unnatural. Who wrote out his fate? Light or Darkness?”

Negal regarded him coldly while he waited for an answer. “If I find you that answer, will you let him be?”

“That depends. If Light has weaved his fate, I will let him be. Should it be Darkness, I will kill him.”

“What if it’s both?”

He let the thought sink in. Would that even be possible? After a moment, he shook his head. “If that’s the case, I must think about my actions.”

“Think quickly.” She vanished, and Eris looked back down the hall. Wondering if this was Selene’s second chance at happiness, to be with the man she loved so much that she spilled blood.

*** 

Stalking the cave, he had hunted down Shira, only to have her vanish. And right when he needed her most. Lucky enough for him, he was able to corner Jeanette. Her icy blue eyes glowed against her skin as they regarded him hatefully. He smiled at her charmingly.

“Jeanette, I need you to do something for me.”

Jeanette snorted. “I am not at your beck and call like a dog, Eris.” His name came out like a hiss through her lips and sharpened fangs. “I follow Selene’s orders, not yours. And that is due to rank, not choice.”

“Bitterness makes you less and less appealing.”

“I. Don’t. Care.” Her tone was slow, deliberate. “You have Nivette, and that lost Reborn. As they say nowadays, four’s a crowd.”  Jeanette moved to walk past him, but he stopped her. Jeanette growled, barring her fangs that shined like the moon,  illuminated more so by the cave’s dim light.

“Tsk, tsk. I could kill you if I chose, but I won’t, considering our past. So please, stay and listen.” Eris said in a patronizing tone, throwing her against the wall. Her body hit the stone wall hard. Cracking her neck, he watched her try to hold her composure while she embedded her nails into the wall.

“What do you want?” she growled.

“I need you to try to find someone tonight.”

Confusion washed over her, turning her red eyes blue again. “Why not ask Selene? She’s bett—”

“You’ll find out if you find him,” Eris said, cutting her off. There was a method to his madness. “A Touched Born named Jason. Check the blocks by the clock tower.”

“A name? That’s it? How in the world am I supposed to do that? A description would be nice, Eris.”

Eris’s eyes twinkled. “Don’t worry, you’ll know him when you see him.” Walking off, leaving her boiling. “One more thing,” he said, spinning on his heel back to face her, “keep this from  Selene.”

Jeanette growled. “Very well, but let me make this clear. I am only doing this tonight and tonight alone. I will not waste my time with a needle in a haystack.” Eris waved off her agitation and headed back to his bed chamber where, sure enough, Nivette was waiting.

“Hello, beloved.”