Page 56 of The Fate of Black Hearts

“That’s not how this is going to happen.” Dom compressed his lips.

“Why would you do this for me?”

His lips parted and his eyes turned that shade of pale blue that was her color, the one his eyes turned forher. Yet, he said nothing.

“Me too, Dom,” she whispered. “I want everyone back alive. I’ll be pissed if you get yourself killed or captured.”

Dom smirked in that irritating way. “Evie, you’ll do what you always do if I die. You’ll survive.”

But I’ll always crave you. You said that before you kissed me.

“It was the price. Was it worth it?” he whispered above her.

“Yes.”

Chapter Seventeen

1981

Dom stalked down the bustling avenue into Tivoli next to Evie. Around him, the lights of early Christmas decorations sparkled in the night. Reaching the far end of the block, he disappeared into the shadows to sense around the outdoor eatery where Willem instructed Evie to meet him. Four humans sat outside already, each heavily armed and no doubt part of the ambush. He sensed five or six other humans with weapons in various buildings.

He cloaked himself, manipulating all minds to only see her. On top of that, he put a shield that would repel gunshots or darts if they planned to tranquilize Evie and take her in.

As they strolled down the street, Willem walked out of the restaurant to take a seat outdoors. He waved.

Evie sat on the edge of the seat across from him and remained silent.

Dom took his place standing next to her, invisible to all. He sucked on a strong mint with the hope its piercing flavor might distract him long enough to get him through this. The need to crush Willem in the most painful manner possible burned him from theinside out.

“You made the right decision.” Willem bristled with a cocky confidence.

“How do you propose to free them from the curse?” Evie’s tone came out even despite the fury he sensed she hid.

Willem waved a hand. “We’ll get to that. You look…well.”

“You will answer me.” She retrieved a dagger from her pants and fisted it next to her thigh.

“Eh.”Who knows.

Dom bit down on the mint. It made an audible crack that made Willem look around in surprise. The snake had no clue nor intent to break the curse.

Willem said, “You seem different somehow.”

“Why did you do this to my children?”

“It was a good opportunity.”

“For you.” Stated as fact. “If you can’t get them free, why am I here, and why threaten one of your own children?”

The mint pieces burned Dom’s mouth. A new scan of the area detected three of the five humans with weapons were dead. Two more to go.Good job, Efrem.

The humans in this outdoor area of the restaurant who were clearly involved could be easily eliminated by him at the right moment.

“You’re going to accompany me back to England.” Willem’s cunning smile made Dom fist his own blade.

“Am I?” she asked.

One more hostile human sniper dead. One remained.