Seduced by Darkness Read Online Free PDF Page B

jumped in front of Sam and protected her. "No!" She screamed at the Beast. "Leave her alone!"
    While Rose faced off against the Beast, Sam ran to me, dropping to my side as she used the sword to cut her wrist and drip her blood into my mouth. "You need to feed. Don't fight me."
    I was losing consciousness, and her blood smelled so good. Tasted so good. I wanted to resist, to push her away, but I drank and my body sighed in relief and set to repairing itself. The Beast glared at Rose and I feared she'd be torn apart, but instead the Beast ran into the woods, leaving a trail of blood in its wake and leaving Rose alone.

S EVEN
     
What Remains
     
D RAKE
     

     
     
    Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.
    — William Shakespeare, Othello
     
     
    SO MANY WOUNDED, mostly IPI agents, but also some of our people. Toby faired the worst. I'd recovered quickly after feeding on Sam and had scoured the battlefield. When the smell of blood from the injured tempted me, I ignored it, hating the urge even though blood worked to heal wounds that would have killed anyone else.
    I carried Toby into the infirmary as Dr. Susie set the lounge area to accommodate so many injured. Fortunately, no one had died, and the worst injuries were from the living trees. The Beast hadn't bitten anyone but me, so no one would die as Curtis did. We considered that a miracle given the level of destruction wrought.
    Serena, so small with her long blond hair, dressed bandages and helped Dr. Susie. She'd become an apprentice to the nun-turned-doctor and was learning to use her healing powers in small doses, enough to help accelerate healing in others without draining herself and risking her own life. Her white Persian cat followed at her heels, hissing at anyone who threatened her human with too much closeness, especially anyone with shifter blood.
    Rose stood next to Derek's bed, holding his hand and whispering something to him. Lucy did the same with Hunter. They'd both heal fast, but it couldn't be easy seeing someone you loved hurt.
    Sam hugged me, shaking as the last of our friends and allies were given care. "What the hell happened out there? How could he control the trees like that?"
    I kissed the top of her head. "I don't know. I've never seen powers like that. He's going to be harder to defeat than we'd thought."
    Mr. White walked in, and I stormed over to him. "Bishop Alaric was right," I said. "This was a blood bath. You put everyone here at risk."
    He inhaled a cigar and stared at me. "You can't catch a monster without taking risks."
    "You didn't catch him," I said.
    "No. We didn't. But we will." He walked away without any more explanation.
    Sam and I went to collect Ana and help the younger kids get settled, and I held my little girl. Exhausted, she fell asleep on my shoulder, all innocence and trust.
    "Sam, I need to talk to Beleth. Can you call him?"
    She nodded, closing her eyes as she focused her tracking and mind reading to hunt down Beleth. When she opened her eyes, she looked tired.
    "You okay?" I asked.
    "I just need this day to be over."
    We went back to our cottage and put Ana to bed while I waited for word from Beleth.
    He showed up late that night, looking more haggard then I'd ever seen him.
    We shouldn't have been walking around outside. There was a ban on the outdoors until the Beast was caught, but I wasn't worried with Beleth.
    "I need you to train me," I told him. "I have to know more about my powers." I'd had a taste today, and it felt exhilarating, even under the circumstances. If I could channel that more, maybe I had a chance against the Beast.
    "It went after my family," I continued. "Your family. It'll come back again, and I'm going to make sure it can't hurt us or anyone else ever again."
    Beleth stared at the moon in the sky, a glowing sliver against the darkness. "This is not wise. Your powers should remain dormant. My talk