Devil’s Mate(17)

Sebastian drove her home, dropping her off at the low stone wall and as she got out, he asked, “Will you meet me again?”

Her smile was huge. “Just name the place and time.”





CHAPTER 8



His father practically ambushed him as he walked through the door. Sebastian looked at him warily; Brand was angry and Sebastian could see it on his face. Sebastian didn’t want to ask but he had to: “What is going on?”

“The Tribe somehow managed to slip one of their own women into the nightclub down on 17th. The idiot human that manages the place hired her as a waitress and she broke our enthrallment on the women there. Now they’re all back dancing and earning money for the Tribe.”

“How did the human manager know that a Tribe woman came into the club?” Sebastian asked.

“He didn’t, of course. Gregory searched his memories and found the truth buried in his subconscious.”

“But… that would’ve killed him.”

“It did, yes.”

“Father, are you really that willing to keep excusing the bodies that Gregory is piling up?”

Brand gave his oldest son a frosty glare. “Sometimes these things are necessary, Sebastian.”

“I’m very well aware that death is often necessary. Only I don’t see how it was necessary to kill the manager of the club to recover his memory. A mere hypnotism would’ve sufficed and you know it.”

“Don’t presume to question my decisions, Sebastian.”

“It’s not your decisions that I’m questioning, Father.”

The two of them faced each other, and the tension in the room became electric and thick. Sebastian was well aware that most of the problem was that his father had never really loved Sebastian’s mother, Nemia. The two were still friendly, although she had joined another pack years ago. It was well known that part of their friendliness stemmed from the fact that whatever was between them had been purely physical. She had given him twins, Sebastian and Moira, and he loved them, but Gregory was the one he loved the most.

That had led to some division between Sebastian and his father. Moira, his sister, had also suffered after Gregory had been born. She’d borne a child to her husband Liam, but the boy, Devon, came along right before Gregory and after Gregory’s birth Devon was all but ignored.

After Gregory had been born, and his mother died, Brand had ignored almost everyone in favor of Gregory.

Gregory’s mother Lana had been the love of Brand’s very long life. He had been crazy about her, and she had given him only one child. Soon after Gregory’s fifteenth mortal birthday, Lana had been killed by a rogue. Gregory had slain that rogue and carried his mother’s torn and bloodstained body to her mate, his father.

Brand had changed after that, and in the five years following Lana’s death he had drawn closer and closer to Gregory and grown further apart from his other two children. It was not healthy and it did not bode well for the Fallen.

Everyone knew that Sebastian was in line to be the next ruler of the Fallen. Like kings of old, it was blood that decided kingship, and the eldest son was always the first in line to inherit the throne. That made Sebastian a threat to Gregory’s ambitions, which he had never bothered to hide. He knew that eventually, he would have to fight his half-brother. Sebastian did not want that, but he knew it would be inevitable if Brand did not make a move to thwart his youngest son.

And if Sebastian did not, others would. Sebastian had heard the whispers. Gregory was evil, he had more rogue in him than good. Gregory was power-mad and very young. He was spoiled, he had never learned of the consequences that his actions could bring about. Brand sheltered and excused him at every turn. He would continue to do so, and Sebastian knew that something must change or there would be anarchy within the pack.

The Fallen had many packs scattered across the globe, and all packs had their problems — problems with kings who were foolish, too young or just greedy. Gregory was all of those things, and Sebastian knew that Gregory would do anything it took to claim what he perceived as his rightful place as king of the pack.

“Father, Gregory is out of control. Why is it that you cannot or will not see that he is tempting others to go rogue? Most believe he’s the cause of the rash of deaths that we have had as of late. He’s stirring up dissent and many of the young ones are looking to him for leadership.”

“Does that make you feel threatened?” Brand’s eyes were impassive, but his hands lifted and lowered, a gesture that gave away the depth of his feeling.

“No,” Sebastian said honestly, “but it’s not endearing him to many of the Elders.”