Chapter 9

Genevieve

" Brother is home and he ' s summoning me. I ' ll bid you farewell."

Summoning him? I didn ' t hear him arrive.

He stood and made his way to the door. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he turned back to look at me one last time. " It ' s been nice getting to know you, Genevieve. " With that, he left, closing the door being him.

I choked on a sob as I rested the back of my head against the headboard and waited for him to arrive.

It wasn ' t a long wait before Nero appeared in the doorway with a smile on his face. In a pair of ripped dark blue jeans and a black tailored button-down shirt he looked as good as he always did. But this time when I looked at him I saw him with a mind that was clear of the spell he ' s woven around me.

With the right questions and probing his brother proved to be quite informative. I had to suspend my disbelief and have faith that things like magic existed for it all to make sense, but with that realization came the power to fight off the attraction spells Nero liked to trap me within.

" Are you still upset with me? " he asked as he crossed the room with a bouquet of fragrant red roses in his hands. Sitting on the bed next to me he brushed the back of his hand against my cheek.

I felt the familiar warmth flow through me, but with a little effort was able to force it back. My eyes and mind were open and clear. No more manipulation.

" Don ' t bother, Nero. Drop the act and just be honest with me. I deserve that much. "

Dropping his hand, he passed me the flowers which I waved off.

He clucked his tongue off the roof of his mouth and nodded. " I guess you and Godwin had quite a conversation. "

" We talked about a lot of things. At first , I thought he was insane, but as we kept talking and I opened my mind to possibilities a lot of stuff became clear about both myself and you."

" I see. "

" How many women have you murdered? "

" Just getting right into it. Alright. I don ' t remember. "

While the answer shouldn ' t have been a shock, it still threw me for a loop when he answered. " You don ' t remember? "

" I ' m centuries old. I take no pleasure or joy out of what needs to be done, but when it comes down to my own survival or that of a random witch then I ' ll choose myself every time."

" What makes you feel you have the right over anyone else to life? Why should others not lead the life they were destined to for you? It ' s selfish. You ' ve lived your life dozens of times over. Maybe even hundreds. You ' ve had your chance Nero."

" People die every day Genevieve. The world is cruel. "

" But do you have to be part of the cruelty? " I jiggled the handcuff. " I know there is still good in you. There has to be. Godwin told me stories of when you were young. Before you became what you are today. That little boy must still be in there somewhere. "

Anger flashed in his eyes as he leaned into me, his lips so close to mine that if I were to lean forward they ' d touch. " Listen to me and listen very carefully, you ' re looking for humanity where humanity doesn ' t exist. The faster you accept that reality the better off you ' ll be."

Leaping to his feet, he stormed across the room and out the door, slamming it behind him.

Nero

" What have you done, Brother? " Sitting in the mausoleum with my back against the cold stone wall, I looked over at Godwin who was mimicking my position on the floor against the opposite wall. " I asked you to ensure she had what she needed, not to have a heart-to-heart with her. "

He cracked a smile. " She wanted to talk. Your conversations get boring. "

" You know I could have summoned anyone. Maybe next time I ' ll summon someone a little less chatty."

" If you did that, then who would you gripe to? "

" I do not bitch and moan. "

" I ' ve been listening to you for centuries. Want some advice?"

" No. "

" You will get it regardless. You ' ve been on a quest for centuries gaining more and more power, staying one step ahead of the reapers. You ' ve fathered children you never raised, yet their remains are entombed here with the rest of us. I ' ve seen you triumph. I ' ve seen you overcome powerful sorcerers and witches to gain more and more power. But do you know what I haven ' t seen? I haven ' t seen you open your heart and love, not since— "

" Stop ." I winced, putting my hand up. " Stop , or I ' ll send you back."

I didn ' t want to hear of her. The first and only women I ' d ever loved. The reason why I ' d gone on a rampage in a search for immortality. The reason why I ' d nurtured the dark powers that had laid dormant within, hoping to regain what I ' d once lost.

" You didn ' t tell her about …"

I caught my brother ' s gaze and anger surged up within me. " That wasn ' t your story to tell, Brother. "

" It ' s time to live life as it was meant to be, Brother, " Godwin stated. " That witch upstairs, she ' s not a power source, she ' s your redemption. Your new start. You just need to be open to it. "

Anger surged a second time. " I ' m done with this conversation. " With a snap of my fingers, my brother disappeared leaving me alone to wallow in memories I ' d long ago buried.

Genevieve

The sun came and went and I ' d long ago finished my fruit and bottles of water. Nero didn ' t show up again and neither did his brother. Night had fallen and my bladder was about to explode by the time Nero finally came back.

He didn ' t look as confident or poised as he normally did. His hair and clothing were disheveled, although even disheveled he looked handsome.

" I thought you were going to leave me here to die, " I tried to joke, forcing a smile to my dry, clapped lips.

" Even I wouldn ' t be so cruel. I ' m going to undo your handcuff. If you try to escape I will catch you and then I ' ll chain you to the wall of my family's crypt. Are we clear?"

I nodded, not doubting a single word he said.

He approached the bed and undid the cuff.

Snatching my hand back, I rubbed the chafed skin. " I need to go to the bathroom. "

" Go ahead. And you can clean yourself up. I don ' t have any women ' s clothing, but feel free to use whatever you like of mine. "

I started to slide from the bed to be stopped. Grabbing my chin in his hand, he leaned in his lips brushing the side of my neck.

My body stilled, my breath catching in my throat.

" This is a big house, but if you try to run and escape, I will find you wherever you are. I can sense the power you possess. It ' s like a beacon to me. " Releasing me, he took a step back. " You must be hungry. Once you ' re done, find me in the kitchen. "