Eris searched through the shadow realm for new prey. This would be his third victim. He knew it was daylight, which would make this attack risky. It would, however, catch his sister off guard. Thinking about his sister made him realize that something was off about her. He couldn’t understand why she would fear him. He loved her. She was Selene, his little sister, who had always looked up to him and would look after him. Those had been the last words she had ever spoken with their father. Her birth father, not his. His was dead.

Selene meant more to him than anything, and he would tell her; he would explain everything to her once he found Jason and found out once and for all if he was born of Light or Shadows. She would understand and return to being the endearing little sister she always had been.

Wouldn’t she?

The question ate away at him, giving him cause to worry. If he found out that Jason was born of darkness, he would kill him and hide it from her. He would not let another pair of lifeless teal eyes look at her.

Eris hated those of the dark, now more than ever. Pietro wasn’t supposed to exist. Eris had always known that the moment he saw him staring at Selene. The immediate attraction had felt wrong. Pietro had felt out of place and Eris had wanted him to stay out of their lives.

Instead, he had pursued her and she had fallen madly in love. It hadn’t been Pietro’s fault; he knew that. Pietro was just a pawn used by those of the dark. A pawn used…but for what? He still didn’t know. It was the not knowing that bothered him the most. What also bothered him was that Jason was alive. It felt wrong. Wrong was not the right word. Jason’s presence felt…different. Yes, that is it. Different. The distinction of the two did not ease his nerves. Were the gods further tormenting her or giving her one more chance? He hated the Gods. They used Eris, Selene, and possibly Jason as pawns against each other.

Eris started walking again and thought about Negal. As always, he knew she knew more than she told him. He knew that trusting her was a thing of the past. The look in her eye, long ago when he had first inquired about Jason, confirmed that. Negal knew who Jason was, whether he was light or dark. She knew and was not divulging anything. Why? Did she truly see him differently?

Maybe he was different, but he was doing what he thought was best for Selene. Selene was his priority. His sister who seemed so scared of him. Maybe he was being too rash when he talked to her and acted as he did. He was just so damn worried and frightened for her. In the end, she had to understand; she just had to.

A scent caught his attention, and he looked at the prey. A lovely girl was leaving the Darkling District. He licked his lips and looked down the alleyway through the shadows. No one was around. Eris seeped from the brick and stonewalls that lined the alleyway and wrapped one hand around her mouth while he wrapped the other around her waist. The girl kicked and fought, making him want to laugh. But what good would that possibly do? She was scared, and rightfully so. He pitied the poor girl, half wishing that he could only harm her and not kill her. But sadly, there was a need for collateral damage.

“Don’t worry; your death is for a deserving cause.” He saw her green eyes fill up with tears, and she continued to struggle and whimper as his fangs sunk deeply into her neck. It took time, but her whimpering began to cease, and the tears stopped falling down her cheeks as her eyes shut. Her head fell limp, and her blond hair covered her face. Finally done, Eris gently laid her down on the cobblestone ground, licking his lips. She almost looked like she was sleeping.

Staring down at her, Eris’s eyes were drawn to her big black purse. He looked back at the doorway to the Darkling District. He didn’t want anyone to know she had been there for some reason.

Grabbing her purse, he pulled out the black candles, the syringes, and the Fairy Dust. He looked back at her, saddened, and pulled her blond hair out of her face, realizing what she had been about to do. If only Pietro had never been brought into the picture, none of this would be happening. Except Pietro was not the only problem; the dagger was Nuri’s shadow, too. That dagger had almost poisoned Selene. The dagger that had made her immune to the darkness and shadows. Her weapon of choice was tightly bound to her leg like a garter. She knew what it did. Selene knew it would stop poisoning if left in a body for too long. Instead, it took over the host.

Looking back at the girl, he stroked her face. She was beautiful. Damn you, Pietro, he thought. It was his fault Eris was doing these extremes. The poor girl was now another body count, although looking at her bag, she would have been anyway. He only needed one more body, and the Garrison would arrive.

“Hello, Eris.” Eris turned around, confused by the sight of Evida next to Shira. She eyed him respectfully, unnerving him with her almost empty eyes.

“Yes?”

“We’re here to help.”

“Her included?” He tilted his head towards Evida. She still creeped him out like she did thousands of years ago. He can still remember her flinging his sister into the darkness, watching her red eyes glow as she stepped from the dark hall.

“Yes.”

“Good. Alert the Enforcers and media, and I’ll be at the cave.” Eris looked at Evida once more. Something about her bothered him. He wondered if he could truly trust her.

“Don’t dawdle,” said Eris, looking away from them both as he sank back into the shadows. Once again, he asked himself the same question he did every day: was he doing the right thing?