Page 97 of Enchanted

“Because no one else who’s challenged him stood a chance against him,” Emerson said, cracking his knuckles. “Us included.”

“But you might.” Ezra’s gaze swept over us. “Especially if you have our help.”

Micah simply raised a brow. “What makes you think we plan to kill him?”

All four vampires looked at me, but it was Ezra who spoke. “Because he’s taken an interest in Ramiel’s mate.”

The tension in the room deepened as he confirmed my worst fears. Fury and terror contended for the upper hand as I stared Ezra down. “Tell me everything you know. Now.”

He sighed. “Honestly, we don’t know anything more than you do. We got a tip-off that he’d warded your mate’s house.”

“Who gave you the tip-off?” Micah’s voice was like ice.

Ezra’s eyes flicked from me to Micah. “Sebastian LeClerc.”

I ran a hand over my face. Fucking Sebastian. I didn’t know whether I wanted to throttle him for not telling us Damien had kids, and that he knew them, or thank him for giving them a heads-up.

From the expressions on the rest of the Seraphim’s faces, I knew I wasn’t the only one having this internal battle.

“We weren’t aware Damien was in the country,” Elias said, his tone bitter. “Let alone in the same city as me.”

“He’s always been good at staying hidden,” Emerson added. “It’s part of his M.O. Doesn’t let his targets know he’s there until there’s no chance of them escaping him.”

A chill went down my spine. “Targets?”

Ezra smiled at me, and I fucking hated every ounce of sympathy in it. “Our father, if we can call him that, always follows the same pattern. He chooses a human to become his…project. To hear of him speak of it, you’d think they were his fated mate.”

Benji stated the obvious. “Vampires don’t have fated mates.”

“They do not,” Ezra confirmed. “But that doesn’t matter to Damien. He’s always searching for the elusive ‘one.’ Every century or so, he fixates on a human. Always a human.”

My eyes narrowed. “Why is that detail important?”

“Because a supe might survive what he puts them through,” Erik said quietly. “His tests.”

“What tests?”

Elias stared down at his hands as he answered me. “He claims they are to see if the human is worthy of being his mate. How much they can survive before he claims them.”

“No one has survived,” Emerson said. “It’s just a fucking excuse for him to continue playing these sick, twisted games.”

“I have to go to Ethan,” I said numbly, shoving back from the table. “I can’t leave him alone.”

Several Seraphim stood at the same time as me, faces contorted in alarm. But it was Micah who reached me first. “Rami, wait.”

“I can’t wait!” The words exploded from me, ricocheting from the walls as my wings tore from my back. “That’s my mate he’s fucking with, Micah!”

“I know,” he said calmly, blocking my way to the exit. “And we need you here to help us plan how to stop him. Ethan is safe right now. He has five quite frankly terrifying demons watching his back. Damien won’t attack now.”

“Micah’s right,” Emerson said. “Damien wants a challenge, but he’s no fool. He’ll wait until Ethan is alone before he acts.”

“So we make sure he’s never alone,” Ez said as Micah firmly steered me back to the table. Thankfully these chairs were adapted for our wings, because there was no way I was in control enough to compel mine away. “We’ll guard him around the clock while we track Damien down.”

“Tell us everything you know,” Micah commanded as he returned to his seat. Benji pulled out a notebook and pen, waiting to record whatever we learned. “Every detail. Nothing is too small.”

I tried to listen to the Gaunts as they spoke, but it was too difficult. My mind was a couple of miles away, with my mate.

Micah’s right, he’s safe. Nox and the others won’t let anyone near him.