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Towering ivory stone framed wide, panoramic glass in the apartment building that boasted Torrin’s home address. Spotless windows dotted evenly throughout the façade of the skyscraper, clearly portraying their inhabitants and their lives like a transparent fourth wall.
But Kaien made no mistake: regardless of where he lived and the civilized mask he wore, the leader of theCitizenswas no open book.
His hands fisted tightly at his sides, glaring up toward the top of the building where Torrin’s penthouse undoubtedly was situated. The man’s grating presence already impinged on Kaien’s mind.
When the human male had aimed a gun at Blair’s forehead before Kaien had teleported her away, Torrin’s essence had seared into him. The hostility, the vengeance, the cunning intelligence: theCitizens’leader was a dark shadow that’d been burned into his psyche.
And now, the mortal male threatened that which Blair held most dear.
Kaien would never let him succeed. And tonight, he’d end the man who posed the greatest risk to the immortal world. He’d resolve the problem that faced them and threatened the lives of his clansmen. Finally, Kaien would do something worthwhile—out from beneath the shadow of his sister, free of nepotism, and wholly of his own merit.
To ensure Nina didn’t stop him, he clamped down on the bond between them, restricting it to little more than nominal feedback. If she wasn’t paying close attention, she wouldn’t feel the change, nor would she run into trouble after him if things went wrong.
Drawing in a steadying breath, Kaien swept through the threshold and into the cool of the luxury apartment building. The doorman, an eager but suspicious man, had been easily swayed to let him enter with a few hundred dollars in hush money.
In the building, Kaien spread his senses and felt the building’s walls and structure flicker into his awareness. Turning his psychic gaze upward, he located the bleak imprint that was Torrin’s mental and physical signature with distaste.
The human was in his penthouse suite. Kaien would make sure he never left.
He put in the ear plugs that’d saved the life of his fellow immortals in prior confrontations, the small pieces designed to block and repel the harmful soundwaves Torrin and his gang had created to incapacitate immortals.
Silent, Kaien teleported into the penthouse. Reeking of luxury and frivolous wealth, the spotless interior of Torrin’s home had bile rising in Kaien’s throat. The human had built his empire on the backs of others, as malevolent and malicious as ever a human had been.
Oppressively quiet, the only sound in the apartment was the subtle hum of the air conditioning that clicked on, a cool breeze flooding through to him seconds later.
Catching sight of Torrin, Kaien bottled the immediate urge to render him unconscious. The leader of theCitizenssat in a white armchair, his back to Kaien, flipping through a packet of printed material. Before him were spreads of schematics and logistical drawings which Kaien instinctively knew were of Lucius’ compound in Los Angeles.
Kaien made no noise as he stepped closer for a deeper inspection. With hawk-like eyesight, he committed the sketches to memory in case Torrin made a move to destroy them when he announced his arrival.
Creeping closer on quiet feet, Kaien felt the distinct need to cough, but he dismissed the notion immediately. He wouldn’t give away his presence until he needed to.
Based on previous discussions, Kaien understood that the human was immune to the vampires’ talent of suggestion. The gentle mental push had kept the secret of the vampires’ existence by merit of making humans forget their feedings. However, there was a certain number of humans that were able to resist such a psychic call. Though rare, it made the immortals’ existence difficult at times.
Especially now, given that Torrin and most of the people he recruited to theCitizens’cause were immune to suggestion and had striven to rid the earth of the perceived danger from all supernatural beings. Kaien had no way of knowing if the human was also resistant or immune to a Raeth’s psychic abilities.
He would have to keep Torrin conscious for the interrogation.
Scrutinizing the room for any form of weapon theCitizen’sleader might grab, he satisfied himself that the human was alone, unarmed, and entirely at Kaien’s mercy. Though Torrin was immune to suggestion, he certainly wasn’t immune to telekinesis.
An invisible fist grasped Torrin around his neck, instantly making the human scramble to fruitlessly pry off the non-existent fingers. Kaien rounded the chair to stand in front of him, leisurely assessing the papers spread out on the coffee table before him.
The human, who’d obviously been in the military at some point in his life, wore the oppressive confidence that designated an officer ranking. His dark hair was peppered with grey at his temples, a faint lining around his eyes that indicated he was likely in his forties. A strong jaw, roughly shadowed, and muscular physique were his most notable characteristics. At least until you took in the abrasive superiority that he seemed to naturally exude.
Torrin struggled to remove his invisible ties. The human’s face colored a deep red, his pale grey eyes widening as he regarded the Raeth who’d entered his apartment with a mixture of equal parts astonishment and ire.
“No need to fight, Torrin,” Kaien said conversationally. “I’m just here to talk.”
He eased off the strangling grip slightly, allowing the human to breathe once more—and reinforce his own lie that he’d come with no intent to do harm. Folding his arms across his chest, he raised an eyebrow and leaned against the arm of the couch opposite the other man.
“Planning something, are we?”
A strangled cough while Torrin righted himself and glared at him. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Kaien chuckled darkly, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You’re going to have to be a bit more forthcoming than that if we’re to play this game, Torrin.”
“Whoever said I’d roll over and play fetch with you was mightily mistaken,” Torrin warned, adjusting his pressed white collar before sitting back in his chair with an air of confidence. “I assume you’re one of those demons, are you not? The ones who call themselves Raeths?”
Kaien clucked his tongue tauntingly against the roof of his mouth. “Awfully combative for a human. You’re in a dreadfully precarious position to hurl insults and disregard common courtesy.”
