“And they trust Aidan so much that even if their eyes tell them he’s guilty, they know he’s innocent?”
“Yes,” Seth replied again. “Well, except for Roland. One of the missing women is his descendant, so he didn’t wait around long enough to hear us dispute the evidence, but he’s come around now. And Chris Reordon, the head of the East Coast division of the network, has some doubts. That’s why I’ve told Ethan not to let Aidan out of his sight. Ethan has what he likes to call a photographic memory raised to the nth power and notices all the little details that tend to escape the rest of us. He has viewed the video footage and is convinced that the man in the video was not Aidan. So if he keeps Aidan close and another gifted one should go missing, then Ethan will be able to confirm without a doubt that Aidan was not responsible and lay Reordon’s suspicions to rest.”
Nodding, Dana seemed to mull over Seth’s words for a moment. “So is it the old divide-and-conquer thing? Is Gershom trying to pit you guys against each other so he can defeat you more easily or do whatever he intends to do while you’re distracted, fighting each other?”
“In part,” Seth agreed. “But Gershom also bears a hell of a lot of animosity toward me. I’m still not sure why. But he knows how precious my Immortal Guardians are to me and knows he can strike at me through them.”
“And through Ami and her daughter?” Dana added.
Seth’s brows drew down in a frown. “How did you know that?”
Dana shrugged. “They clearly mean a lot to you.”
Seth sighed. “Ami is like a daughter to me, her child like a granddaughter. I love them both dearly and fear they have also become targets of Gershom.”
“This Gershom sounds like a real asshole.”
Aidan laughed.
Seth did, too. “An insane one, apparently. Anyway, I’d rather not have a repeat performance, so after tonight I’d like you both to stay at David’s place. David is nearly as old and powerful as I am and opens his homes to all immortals and the mortals who aid us. He is, in large part, the reason we’ve become such a close family.”
Aidan frowned. “I don’t want to place Ami and Adira in danger.”
Dana shook her head. “I don’t either.”
Seth smiled. “I appreciate that, but my immortals seem to be leaving me little choice in the matter.” He smiled wryly. “If you omit Zach and Bastien, Immortal Guardians very rarely defy me. The job I have assigned myself is to keep them all safe, so when they make that harder for me to do, I tend to not react well.”
Aidan snorted. “A bit of an understatement. Unlike the youngsters, I’ve seen you fully unleash your anger.” Which was another reason he hoped like hell that Dana’s vision of Seth wanting him dead wouldn’t come to pass.
“So their defiance tonight,” Seth continued, “was quite telling.”
Dana patted Aidan’s thigh. “If defying Seth is such a big deal, they must really love you.” Almost as much as I do.
His breath caught.
Had she meant to send him that thought?
Skillet’s “Monster” began to play.
Seth drew out his cell phone and glanced at it. His lips quirked up as he answered. “Yes, David?”
“Everyone still alive and breathing over there?” Aidan heard the elder immortal ask.
Seth’s smile widened. “Yes.”
“No injuries?”
“Aside from Dana trying to tranq me twice? None.”
David’s startled laughter floated over the line.
Aidan glanced down at Dana.
“I’m going to be hearing about that a lot, aren’t I?” she mumbled.
“Yes.” Laughing, he gave her shoulders a squeeze. “They’ll cheer you for tranqing Roland and revere you for trying to tranq Seth.” And his heart did a little leap, because it sounded like she didn’t mind sticking around.
“I’m going to stay for an hour or two and let Ethan and Heather get some sleep,” Seth continued. “Can you and Darnell field my calls?”
“Of course,” David promised.
“After tonight, Aidan and Dana will stay at your place until all is resolved.”
“I’ll have a room ready for them when they arrive. I thought I would also have Richart fetch Imhotep and Chaak for added protection.”
“Good idea.”
Seth pocketed his phone, then frowned. “I guess you can’t really have a date night with me hanging around. But if you need an alibi, Chris would never doubt my word, so I shall remain here until Ethan has gotten some rest. ”
Dana sent Aidan an apologetic smile. “I don’t think I’m up for a date night anyway. I may not be a morning person, but I do usually go to bed before midnight and get up early for my clients. So the abrupt change to the night shift is taking its toll.”
Aidan didn’t think lack of sleep was the only thing taking its toll. Throw in several adrenaline rushes, a few brushes with death, and the reality of his world being dumped on her, and he was surprised she still had enough energy to stand, let alone stand up to Seth.
Seth gave her a kind smile. “Why don’t you two get some sleep as well? I’ll wake Ethan and Heather before I leave.”
Nodding, Aidan rose and crossed to Seth. When he offered Seth his hand, Seth stood and clasped it.
“We can’t let Gershom come between us, Seth,” Aidan said again. “We’ve been friends… family… for too long to let that bastard win.”
Seth dipped his chin in a nod. “He won’t.” Pulling him into a man-hug, Seth clapped him hard on the back, then released him. “Go get some rest.”
Chapter Fourteen
Seth let the younger immortals sleep for a couple of hours before waking them so he could teleport to David’s study.
David sat behind his desk, speaking to an Australian immortal on the phone.
Darnell was seated at Ami’s desk, fielding the calls Seth received that bore no urgency.
Both men nodded at Seth’s appearance, then ended their conversations.
“Have Zach and Lisette returned from their hunt?” Seth asked.
Both nodded.
Zach? Seth called telepathically.
Yes? Zach responded from the bedroom he and Lisette shared below.
Join me in David’s study. There’s something I’d like to discuss.
I’m on my way.
Darnell grinned. “Did Dana really shoot you with a tranquilizer dart?”
“Twice,” Seth replied, amused despite his worries.
Darnell shook his head. “That was gutsy as hell. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Well, they’ll be here by morning, so you’ll have your chance then.”
Zach entered, clad only in black pants and black boots. He had worn a shirt to Ethan’s home in deference to Dana. But tonight his chest was bare, and large dark wings graced his back. “What’s up?”
David rose, circling the desk to join them by the door.
Seth looked to Darnell. “Can you field my calls for a little while longer? Reordon can help you if you need him.”
“Sure.”
Without another word, Seth touched David’s shoulder and teleported away.