few lines of sweat streaking his pale skin.
“I did not come here to provoke you, broth—” Drake cleared his throat. “Chase.”
“First, I’m not going to tell you this again. I’m not your brother. Second, if not to kill or provoke me, you have no business being anywhere near me. Since you can’t do the former, that doesn’t leave anything else. And third, how the hell did you find me?”
“We are connected, in a way. You can deny it all you want, but you are one of us now. I am of Ithreal’s bloodline, and although you are a new breed of my kind, we are cut from the same godly cloth.”
“I’m a hunter, you’re a demon; we’re nothing alike.”
“Now you know that isn’t true. I’m far above any of the creatures your gods, and even my father, have created. And you…you’re not just a hunter anymore, are you?”
“I’m the Protector. I’m the one—”
“But you’re not a hunter. Not anymore. You’re something far greater.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “But that is neither here nor there, for now. I’ve come to apologize, Chase. Willy was not supposed—”
“Do not say his name. You’re not worthy of his name.”
Drake pursed his lips and his gaze didn’t waver. “He was good to you. We should all be so lucky to have a friend like him in our lives. However, such are the consequences of your actions. You are the Protector, and you have chosen to put yourself in harm’s way. I think it’s safe to say there will be losses on both sides before this is over.”
“And what would you know about loss?”
“More than you might think.” He sighed. “This is not about me…not yet. You finally have part of what you’ve always wanted, Chase. You’re in the spotlight. You wanted to be the best hunter and the most powerful with your elements; you wanted to be better than your father, and you wanted to be respected by the Circle. Well, you are the most powerful with your elements, you are more than just a hunter, and you have a group of people who respect you very much. But your father is also powerful and he is out of my control now. If you continue to work with the people who respect you—your friends—more of them will die.”
“You don’t have a clue what I want, and when was my father ever in your control?”
Drake’s pause sent a chill down my arms. He stared back at me and I could see horror in his eyes from past lifetimes. “Once upon a time, I was able to talk sense into your father, but the power of the soul pieces have become too much.”
“So he’s out of your control. So what? You don’t care what happens to my friends. This is what you wanted all along. Riley has the pieces and now he is going to try and invoke Ithreal’s power. You’ll lose your freedom, give up everyone else’s for them, and bow down to a man who was once your enemy. It’s a little late for second thoughts.”
Drake shook his head. “You will soon realize you know very little about all of this. You’ve been but a pawn on a board, moving as needed. Your friends are pawns too, Chase, but you’re the one moving them, not me. And unfortunately, most of them are cannon fodder.”
“I don’t control what everyone else does.”
“You can tell yourself that, but inside you know it isn’t true. You are a leader and even when you’re reckless, they follow.” Drake stepped forward, standing slightly taller than me. “I have not wanted to cause you any more pain than necessary. I think I’ve proven that on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, some of your actions have dictated otherwise and as you can see, events unfolded that were out of my control.”
“I didn’t see you trying to stop Riley. You stood there and watched as he snapped my friend’s neck.” The last few words were spoken through a clenched jaw. My adrenaline had spiked and I squeezed my fist in an attempt to hide that I was shaking.
Drake shook his head. “I told you it was out of my control. But you
“I did not come here to provoke you, broth—” Drake cleared his throat. “Chase.”
“First, I’m not going to tell you this again. I’m not your brother. Second, if not to kill or provoke me, you have no business being anywhere near me. Since you can’t do the former, that doesn’t leave anything else. And third, how the hell did you find me?”
“We are connected, in a way. You can deny it all you want, but you are one of us now. I am of Ithreal’s bloodline, and although you are a new breed of my kind, we are cut from the same godly cloth.”
“I’m a hunter, you’re a demon; we’re nothing alike.”
“Now you know that isn’t true. I’m far above any of the creatures your gods, and even my father, have created. And you…you’re not just a hunter anymore, are you?”
“I’m the Protector. I’m the one—”
“But you’re not a hunter. Not anymore. You’re something far greater.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “But that is neither here nor there, for now. I’ve come to apologize, Chase. Willy was not supposed—”
“Do not say his name. You’re not worthy of his name.”
Drake pursed his lips and his gaze didn’t waver. “He was good to you. We should all be so lucky to have a friend like him in our lives. However, such are the consequences of your actions. You are the Protector, and you have chosen to put yourself in harm’s way. I think it’s safe to say there will be losses on both sides before this is over.”
“And what would you know about loss?”
“More than you might think.” He sighed. “This is not about me…not yet. You finally have part of what you’ve always wanted, Chase. You’re in the spotlight. You wanted to be the best hunter and the most powerful with your elements; you wanted to be better than your father, and you wanted to be respected by the Circle. Well, you are the most powerful with your elements, you are more than just a hunter, and you have a group of people who respect you very much. But your father is also powerful and he is out of my control now. If you continue to work with the people who respect you—your friends—more of them will die.”
“You don’t have a clue what I want, and when was my father ever in your control?”
Drake’s pause sent a chill down my arms. He stared back at me and I could see horror in his eyes from past lifetimes. “Once upon a time, I was able to talk sense into your father, but the power of the soul pieces have become too much.”
“So he’s out of your control. So what? You don’t care what happens to my friends. This is what you wanted all along. Riley has the pieces and now he is going to try and invoke Ithreal’s power. You’ll lose your freedom, give up everyone else’s for them, and bow down to a man who was once your enemy. It’s a little late for second thoughts.”
Drake shook his head. “You will soon realize you know very little about all of this. You’ve been but a pawn on a board, moving as needed. Your friends are pawns too, Chase, but you’re the one moving them, not me. And unfortunately, most of them are cannon fodder.”
“I don’t control what everyone else does.”
“You can tell yourself that, but inside you know it isn’t true. You are a leader and even when you’re reckless, they follow.” Drake stepped forward, standing slightly taller than me. “I have not wanted to cause you any more pain than necessary. I think I’ve proven that on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, some of your actions have dictated otherwise and as you can see, events unfolded that were out of my control.”
“I didn’t see you trying to stop Riley. You stood there and watched as he snapped my friend’s neck.” The last few words were spoken through a clenched jaw. My adrenaline had spiked and I squeezed my fist in an attempt to hide that I was shaking.
Drake shook his head. “I told you it was out of my control. But you
Similar Books
