Nevermore (Crossbreed Series Book 6)

Shepherd stoked the cinders in the hearth, revitalizing the fire. Sparks chased each other up the flue as flames devoured the new log on the grate. The gathering room had an intimate atmosphere that everyone in the house enjoyed. The lofty ceiling and painted windows made it regal, and the massive bookshelf on the right gave it class. Viktor could have spread the furniture out, but he clustered it against the divider wall and in front of the grand fireplace, never allowing an opportunity for someone to isolate themselves from the group.

Hunter was lying on a brown fur rug that Claude had laid out to the right of the fireplace, close enough to enjoy the warmth but not too close. Shepherd found himself constantly analyzing every potential hazard from the perilous staircases to how easily Hunter could unlatch the locks on the outside doors.

This was Hunter’s second night with Keystone since Shepherd decided to raise him. Kira had fallen behind on her duties, so some of the crew took up the slack by watching the kid. Because of the forced vacation, it wasn’t an issue. But what would happen when Viktor lifted the work ban and they resumed taking assignments? How could Kira complete her endless list of duties and keep an eye on the boy at the same time?

Shepherd strode back to the couch and sat down on the far right since Niko was hogging up the opposite end. Niko’s head was reclined and his eyes closed, but Shepherd suspected he was awake and listening to Claude’s storytelling.

Shepherd gazed down at Claude, who was sitting next to Hunter and reading Goodnight Moon, periodically holding up the book so the boy could look at the pictures.

It was the third reading.

Claude—with his soothing voice—didn’t seem to mind. Shepherd didn’t have that voice. His was textured and stern, and no kid would want to hear that before going to bed. Not unless he wanted nightmares.

From the leather chair facing away from the fireplace, Viktor set down his book and glanced at Blue in the chair nearest him. She’d fallen asleep, her legs drawn up and hidden beneath her red dress, the bell-shaped sleeves concealing her hands.

Shepherd enjoyed the company of his team even though he wasn’t much of a talker. Sometimes a man got lonely, and being around others gave him a measure of comfort.

“I think I need to buy him some decent clothes,” Shepherd said, interrupting Claude. “His pants are too short.”

Claude stopped reading and glanced up, his golden eyes absorbing all the firelight. “I think that’s an excellent idea. What about books for his shelf?”

“What shelf?” Viktor asked, reaching for his glass of vodka. “Shepherd has not chosen a room for him. He lives with Kira.”

Shepherd picked up a judgmental tone he didn’t like. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Your vacation won’t last forever,” Viktor reminded him. “Do these things while you still have time.”

Claude set the book on his knee. “Would you like me to pick up some books while I’m out? I’m going to the salon tomorrow. Keystone work might be on hold, but people still need their hair done. It’s no trouble. There’s a store nearby.”

Shepherd nodded reluctantly, uncomfortable with crutching on others to do what he should be doing himself. He was unprepared for the responsibilities of fatherhood, and they were hitting him left and right like a boxer in a ring.

Hunter tapped Claude’s knee, urging him to continue reading. Claude smiled and picked up where he left off.

Why couldn’t Shepherd be that kind of father? Watching the way Hunter interacted with everyone else left him gutted. What if they never bonded? What if Hunter grew to despise him and he wound up stuck in the mansion, living a life he hadn’t asked for?

“Something the matter?” Niko asked.

“You reading my light is what’s the matter. Cut it out.”

“Some things can’t be helped.”

Blue snored a little, and all three of them chuckled quietly.

Niko leaned forward and held his hands in a prayerlike gesture. “Viktor, I need to speak with you privately.”

Viktor hadn’t had as much to drink tonight as he usually did, just a glass after dinner. He mostly had the extra drinks when he was stressing over a case.

Viktor ran his fingers through his silvery hair and stretched. “Can it not wait until morning?”

Niko turned toward Shepherd, a wisp of silky hair slipping across his hollow cheek. “Would you join us?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Shepherd’s jaw set. He had a feeling this had to do with Hunter. No doubt something else he wasn’t doing properly. Niko was the sort of man who would respectfully address these issues in private, so Shepherd reluctantly got up.

Viktor grabbed his brown sweater jacket from the back of his chair and put it on while they followed Niko to the study. Shepherd lifted a white candle from the dining table and stole a glimpse of Hunter through an archway before entering the hall.

After they filed into the study, Viktor took the candle from Shepherd and lit a few more. He gestured for them to sit at the small table on the right while he brought over a third chair from the far corner.

Candlelight flickered on the walls and soaked through the unpolished wood on the square table. Shepherd and Niko sat opposite each other with the wall on Shepherd’s right. Niko kept his composure, making him difficult to read. With his hands on the table, Shepherd couldn’t even pick up an emotion that made sense. Candlelight enhanced the sharp angles of Niko’s Asian features, making him appear older. Sometimes Shepherd forgot that Niko was over a thousand years old. Most ancients had acquired excessive wealth and power, so Shepherd often wondered how Niko wound up with Keystone.

“Now… what is this about?” Viktor settled in his chair and folded his arms across the table. “Do we need drinks?”

“I would rather we do this sober,” Niko replied.

Three candles flickered when Viktor sighed. “Go on.”

Niko’s faraway gaze offered no hint about where this conversation was leading. “Needn’t fear anything, Shepherd. This isn’t about you.”

“So I’m just backup, huh?” Shepherd smirked and sat back. “Afraid Viktor is going to whoop your ass for something?”

“Is whooping not whipping?” Viktor asked. “Do you not whip?”

Shepherd laughed, dissolving some of the tension in the room.

Niko tried to play it cool, but his Adam’s apple bobbed like a broken elevator as he swallowed hard and frowned. “Shepherd already knows a little bit about this, and since some of the story relates to Hunter’s former caretaker, it only seems right to include him. After Patrick was assassinated, we didn’t tell the Regulators the entire truth. The men who beheaded him were indeed employed by Patrick Bane, but I also have a personal history with them.”

Viktor leaned in. “What kind of history?”

Niko’s eyes centered on the candles. “One that spans centuries. A man named Cyrus leads them. He’s been following me around for a while, and I believe he offered his services to Patrick as a means to find out who Keystone is as an organization.” Niko lowered his head and rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. “I can’t help but feel responsible for what happened with the murders.”

“Patrick would have hired someone else if not them. What do they want of you? Who are they?”

“They’re ancients. We share the same Creator.”

Shepherd was surprised Niko was laying his cards on the table, but it was probably for the best. Those men seemed to be turning up everywhere and wreaking havoc. It would only be a matter of time before Viktor found out something was going on that could jeopardize their group.

Niko methodically ran his fingers around the edge of his long sleeves, straightening them out and making them perfectly aligned with his wrist. “You’re privy to some of my past as a slave, but I haven’t told you everything. There is much to take into consideration when you hire someone as old as me. I come with a lot of history.” He laced his fingers together. “Cyrus and his men were my Mage brothers. We were a band of thieves, and they used me as a form of distraction to sneak into homes or steal horses. I did a lot of dirty work so they could commit crimes and build their fortune.”

“So you were all slaves, and then you became their slave,” Shepherd said.

“I went from one form of slavery to the next. The first five hundred years of my life were a constant struggle. I stayed with Cyrus for a long time before escaping. You can imagine how difficult it would be for a blind man who didn’t understand all his abilities. It was different in those days. We often traveled through villages where they didn’t speak a familiar language, and cities were difficult to navigate. When I left, I took something Cyrus had in his possession—something powerful and dangerous. It was the reason I chose to leave, and now he’s come for it.”

“What does he seek?”

“I don’t wish to say. But it’s hidden within the walls of this mansion.”

Viktor and Shepherd shared a glance. This was some heavy shit, and it was pulling everyone in.

Niko held a pensive look, his brows drawn together. “Not revealing that detail is the only way I know how to protect you. He’s already employed a Gravewalker to communicate with one of our dead brothers. That’s how they found the location of the church. I don’t know if Plato’s ghost still walks these halls. Wyatt hasn’t seen him, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still capable of returning. I’m afraid I’ve put you all in danger. Cyrus won’t relent until he has what he wants, and he’s a patient man. He’ll strategize, and that troubles me.”

Shepherd reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out his pack of smokes, lighting one up. “Can’t you just give whatever it is back to him?”

“No,” Niko said tersely. “He can never get his hands on this.”

Shepherd took a long drag and blew the smoke upward. “Destroy it in front of him.”

“I can’t.”

Viktor repeatedly rubbed his short beard, the whiskers making a scratching hiss against his palm. “And what am I to do with this information? Can you not go to the higher authority with evidence that they murdered Patrick?”

Niko’s shoulders sagged. “It’s complicated. Turning him in would lead to disastrous consequences. I would be forced to flee Keystone. It’s not what I wish to do.”

“What is this?” Viktor grumbled, leaning back in his chair. “First Shepherd wants to go, then Raven decides to take a break. Now you threaten to leave. Who is next? What kind of team did I choose?”

Niko’s jaw tensed. “I don’t think any of us have considered leaving because it’s what we want. I didn’t choose to be in this situation, but perhaps I brought it upon myself for the actions I committed centuries ago.” Niko buried his face in his hands, his long hair curtaining his arms. “You deserve the truth, even if it means the end of me.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Viktor said. “Old enemies are hardly the end of anyone.”

“No, but my actions are.” Niko raised his head, and his features hardened like stone. “Cyrus and my Mage brothers conspired against our Creator and murdered him.”

Shepherd cursed under his breath. Mage patricide was a grave offense.

“We lived for many years as slaves to Artemon, our Creator. He was a powerful Mage with many progeny who followed him without question. Those who disobeyed him and escaped were hunted and skinned alive… before he would order their execution. To earn the position of a soldier, each man had to serve him for a minimum of three hundred years. We were whipped, beaten, chained, and kept in deplorable living quarters. When you experience the suffering and hopelessness of slavery, you’ll do anything to break the chains, even if it means serving the master who put you in them.”

“Damn,” Shepherd whispered. “Can I ask something personal? Why did your Creator choose to turn a blind man?”

Niko stared right through Shepherd. “Artemon didn’t know I was blind. He gathered up what he thought was a group of strong young men and turned us, one at a time. We didn’t know what was happening. He raped and pillaged before slaughtering innocents and taking a few chosen men as slaves. Those were different times when men wanted to conquer kingdoms and be gods. The only way to do that was to build an unstoppable army. Cyrus and I were housed in the same room with the men who follow him now. When they had built up enough trust among one another, they plotted and executed the murder. We fled in fear of Artemon’s loyal Learners coming after us.”

Shepherd flicked the ashes of his cigarette into an ashtray on the table. “What happened?”

“Unless someone else took charge, his small army probably disbanded. But some of them had achieved high rank and might have wanted their revenge. I didn’t participate in the murder, but I knew about the conspiracy and didn’t stop it. I’m sure you realize the Mageri’s stance on crimes against Creators. There’s no statute of limitations. I’ll go down with the rest of them, especially for not turning them in afterward. Even now, the position I hold with Keystone won’t protect me.”

Viktor forcefully tapped his palm against the table. “I will protect you.”

Shepherd took another drag from his smoke and blew it toward the wall. “Me too. You had my back, so I’ll have yours.”

Niko reached out and touched the flame on one of the candles. “I have no idea how to resolve this. Cyrus is inching closer to destructive tactics, and my fear is he’ll blindside us. It would be irresponsible not to make you aware of the danger. I can’t turn him over to the law. Whatever happens, I have to handle it directly. But I can’t hunt him down without just cause.”

Shepherd stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. “Being an asshole is just cause in my book.”

Niko shifted in his seat toward Viktor. “Cyrus is cunning and ruthless. His men are skilled swordsmen, and they obey his every command. I don’t even know where he lives.”

Viktor pursed his lips, deep in thought. “If this Cyrus and his cohorts slaughtered your Creator, that is reason enough for Keystone to track him down as an outlaw. The authorities are the ones who make that status official, but if we can show just cause afterward…”

“After we kill them?” Shepherd cracked his knuckles. “I’m in.”

Niko flattened his hands on the table. “I didn’t want to put lives at risk for something that is my burden to carry. I should have told you, but you gave us a chance to leave our past sins behind, and I took it. I have ruminated over this for a long while. Leaving isn’t an option, because that would mean your erasing my memories of Keystone. I will forget he’s found me, and that will make it easier for him to get what he covets. I will honor every rule you’ve set forth, Viktor. I have no intention of fleeing to avoid a memory wipe, but if you force me to go, what options do I have? What I hold in my possession is chaos itself.” He blinked slowly and seemed to notice the flames again. “I am the lone knight on a chessboard, protecting the queen. But my opponents are closing in, and a checkmate is inevitable.” Niko heaved a sigh, never looking more defeated.

Viktor placed his hand on Niko’s and gripped it firmly. “You have my utmost respect for confiding such secrets to me. You are a noble man, and I chose you because of those qualities. I am not a Mage, so I cannot understand how the Mageri would take offense when you have chosen a job that will rid this world of the most vile criminals. If you did not commit the crime, why should they hold you accountable? But the laws are such that we cannot negotiate. I will do all I can to protect you.”

Shepherd sat back, his head spinning with all the recent revelations within the house. “I think we need to tighten it up around here in the meantime,” he suggested. “No frolicking in the woods or going into the city alone for you, my friend.” He shot Viktor a look. “Can you tell Kira to do window checks once a day to make sure they’re locked? Gem did it during the blackout, but maybe we need to hold on to that one for now.”

“Da. I’ll instruct the team to continue with tight security. Because of the sensitive nature of this news, we’ll keep it between us until I’ve decided what to do with it. There is not much we can do until Cyrus makes the first move.”

Niko straightened and rolled his shoulders back. “With Raven away, we don’t have to worry about unlocked windows on the top floor. She walks the roof at night, and I don’t think she always locks them when coming back inside. We’ll fill her in when she returns. I’m not too concerned about the locks. Cyrus would never come to our door. That’s not how he operates. We have a stronghold here, and he’s aware that it would put his men at risk to enter the lion’s den.” Niko sighed and turned his head. “Cyrus is a reminder that we have many enemies, new and old, so we should always be armed no matter where we go.”

“That’s a given,” Shepherd said. “If you think I go to the ice cream parlor without my knife or gun, you’re crazy. Blue’s always got that damn tomahawk strapped to her hip. Those who don’t carry weapons have gifts that are weapons, like Gem. The only person who doesn’t go around armed who needs to be is Spooky. I’ll keep a close eye on him.”

Viktor rose to his feet. “Any social gatherings we may be invited to in the near future are not a concern so long as we go as a group. Vacation or not, we cannot turn down such requests. Perhaps your nemesis will grow weary of waiting and put his demands in writing. Shepherd, you have seen this man?”

“Yep.”

“Watch for him when you’re out. If you see him, follow where he goes. He is sleeping somewhere in this city.”

Both Niko and Shepherd stood up.

Niko extended his hand in search of Viktor, and when he found his arm, he traced his fingers up and gripped his shoulder. “You have my gratitude. I’ve put my trust in few men, so I value your support.”

Viktor returned the gesture. “No man should be an island. Immortals try too hard to detach from others, but we must have people we can trust. Spasibo. I am honored to have you in my group.”

Shepherd felt his cheeks warm when Viktor gave him the same look and patted his arm. He’d carried trust issues for a long time, but Viktor looked out for them as a whole, always fair and just. After all, he’d given Shepherd a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise his son, and he’d been under no obligation to do so. Sure, maybe he did it to keep Shepherd on the team, but it was unquestionable that Viktor had enough compassion to bend the rules. As hard as he could be on them, every decision he made was with regard to their future and well-being.

When Shepherd patted Niko on his back as they left the room, he felt Niko’s emotions were aligned with his own. Neither of them owed Viktor a thing, but both men were indebted to him, and in time, that debt would be paid.