Page 28 of I Am the Storm
It's empty.
My heart leaps into my throat when someone behind us begins clapping. I spin around, and there I see him.
The man from my dreams.
Pale skin in the torchlight. Dark tattoos covering his arms. A black cloak wrapped around him.
And eyes like the night.
Eyes that can steal your soul.
Cole.
The Beggar Queen
A star’s light shines the brightest, When it’s starting to collapse. ~Supernova by Erin Hanson
Sebastian steps forward first,his fists clenched, muscles tense. I can feel the ground beneath us tremble with his anger. "Are you here to take your revenge?" he asks.
Cole smirks, looking unconcerned. "No,mon frère. I'm here to help."
His French accent surprises me. I was expecting him to sound more British like his brothers.
"Really?" Sebastian doesn't sound convinced. The tension in the room is so thick I'm gagging on it. "Then why not reveal yourself sooner? Why all these cat and mouse games? We know you were at the festival."
Cole shrugs, leaning against the wall casually. Is he really this calm, I wonder? Or just good at faking it?
“I thought this would be the more appropriate location for our reunion,” he says. "A walk through memory lane, as it were."
Something in another part of the ruins crashes down as Sebastian struggles to control his powers. "This is just a game to you, isn’t it? You enjoy toying with people, you always have. Tell me, how did you escape?”
Cole glances at the sarcophagus, and for the first time I see an emotion other than arrogance ripple across his face. Fear. But it's gone in an instant. “A thousand years is a long time. Perhaps the binding wore off...”
“Liar—"
Derek places a hand on Sebastian's arm, giving him a warning glance. "Control yourself, brother,” he says softly. “Or you'll bring the whole place down on our heads."
Sebastian takes a deep breath and steps back, deliberately unclenching his fists.
Derek studies Cole, his expression a mixture of wariness and hope. “Why help us?”he asks, in a much less combative tone than Sebastian.
Cole steps forward, holding the palms of his hands open in petition. “Because I didn’t do it, even though you seem to think I did. This heist was masterful...but not my own. And I would never take credit for someone else’s work. You should know that about me,mon frère."
"That's a very generous attitude, all things considered," Derek says. "What do you want from us, in return for this help?"
"I want what I have always wanted. Peace between us, brothers. My family back." His voice cracks, and either he is a skilled performer, or he's being sincere.
"After what you did?" Sebastian spits, his words creating another shift of stone and rock around us.
Cole scoffs. "After what I did? I stopped a murdering stain on the fabric of humanity. What about what you did to me?" Cole asks, coming face to face with Sebastian. "You betrayed your own brother. Your flesh and blood? And for what?"
Even Sebastian is put in his place by Cole's words, and he looks away, unable to face him.
Liam stares at the scars on his arms, and Elijah and Derek look thoughtful. Lost in past memories.
In the silence, a flash hits me, making my head spin and my stomach clench. As I take a step closer to Cole, the effects ease, and I realize something with certainty. Something the Night brothers aren't going to like. "We need him," I say, through clenched teeth. The closer I get to Cole, the better I feel, until I am standing inches from him, our gazes locked. "We need him to solve this and save Liam."
Cole studies me, his lips curling into a smile. "Smart woman.Et belle. My brothers showed unexpected wisdom in bringing you into the family."