I glared at her, shocked at her newfound audacity.
But glad of it nevertheless.
We watched each other in tense silence for another beat before I finally allowed myself a thin smile. “No, daughter of Midnight. We cannot rely on soldiers whose only loyalty has been forced or bought.”
The woman didn’t breathe a sigh of relief. Didn’t show an ounce of softness.
She was strong. Stronger than I’d given her credit for.
I didn’t know whether to be glad of it or… or defeated by it.
Oona deserved better. But better was not her lot in life.
“Then my path is clear,” I said finally. “There is but one final option. One final faction upon whose quest for blood and vengeance I might be able to rely.”
Her eyes widened, her jaw going slack as the realization set in. “Sir, you…Father. You can’t be serious.”
“I fear I have no choice.”
Some of the steel melted from her eyes, her shoulders sagging under this new weight. “But they’re… they’re nearly feral. All traces of humanity eradicated. Fighting for us? Risking their lives when… No. They wouldn’t. They simply wouldn’t. It’s an impossible request with nothing but disappointment and death as the answer. How can you evenconsiderit?”
“Because,daughter.” I stepped close, so close she had to tilt her face up to hold my gaze. Her violet eyes held a lifetime of suffering, a sight that threatened to bring me to my knees with rage and regret in equal measure. Tucking a finger beneath her chin, I said softly, “In a war with nopossiblepath to victory, we must seek out theimpossibleand hope—against the most devastating odds—it shines its light on another path.”
I withdrew my touch and headed for the exit, hoping she would do the same.
Hoping, against more impossible, devastating odds, she might find some peace tonight.
“What new orders, then, sir?” she asked, still so eager to obey. To serve. “What would you have me do before your journey?”
“Send word to Gem and my fugitives that the production schedule has been moved up. I want that product packaged and ready to distribute in two days’ time.”
“I’m not sure they’ve completed the testing. We don’t know how potent or effective the new formulation—”
“I care not, Oona. We must move soon if we’ve got any hope of weakening Darkwinter and the other factions working against us.”
She nodded once. “Very well, sir. And the blood witch? Any orders for her?”
The blood witch…
A fresh barrage of images assaulted my mind, each one more torturous than the last.
Haley Barnes kneeling in the moonlight. Haley Barnes crying out as the pleasure took hold. Haley Barnes, her entrancing beauty haunting my dreams and nightmares both, making my blood boil, my heart race, and my cock stiffen painfully.
I closed my eyes, allowing myself the briefest, darkest indulgence…
The things I would do to that soft, sweet little mouth…
“Sir?” Oona pressed, breaking the fantasy’s hold.
Just as well. I couldn’t afford to be sidetracked by foolish notions of pleasure. Notions ofheron her knees forme.
“Inform Gem about the schedule change, Oona. I will deal with the witch myself.”
4
HUDSON
The sight of her standing alone on the balcony, shivering in the moonlight like all the hope had been sucked right outta that great big heart of hers…
