“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Vincent pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance at their complete lack of incompetence.
“A man and woman showed up through one of those portals and grabbed him.”
So Anastasia had come for her friend. How the hell had she gotten through the barrier? It should have prevented her from accessing the cell through a portal! He was far too irritated to allow himself to dwell on what that meant.
“So you’re telling me that you let two people take our prisoner right from under your noses?” He stood. “Are you that incompetent!” His voice took on a dangerous tone. “Tell me why I even keep you around.” Vincent closed his fist and the men fell to their knees, gasping for breath.
“Master?” Vincent turned to see his newest recruit standing in the doorway.
“What is it, Gage?” The man winced at the mention of his name.
“Your guest is awake,” the man said sharply. Vincent ignored the tone of voice. He had been a tough sell, and it seemed he still had his doubts. It would only be a matter of time before he came around completely, though, Vincent had made sure of it. And with the man’s ties to Anastasia and Dakota, he was worth keeping around even through his obvious distaste.
“Wonderful,” he muttered under his breath. He released his fist and the two men at his feet began sucking in breaths like their lives depended on it. Vincent chuckled to himself. He supposed they did. “Don’t fail me again. Next time I won’t be so amicable.”
“Yes, master,” they both choked out. Vincent hid his appreciation at the nickname. He loved the control that came hand in hand with the power he held. To be feared was a wonderful feeling.
Vincent walked down the hall of his penthouse apartment and into the guest room where she was sleeping. It truly was wonderful to see her again. She had always held a place in his heart, and when he had been forced to cut her beautiful throat, it had killed the last beating part of it.
Now that she was alive, he knew they could find a way to exist together. To work together to obtain the power he craved.
He pushed the door open and let out a breath when he saw her. She had lost some of her beauty through the years, probably due to being holed up and alone for so long. But he could see past the plainness on the outside to the beautiful power that burned inside her. It was like a beacon calling him home.
“Monique, I am so glad to see you awake.”
Her bright eyes were wide with fear, and she pressed back against the headboard.
“Do not panic, my love. I have simply placed a block on this room. I can’t have you running away, now, can I?”
“I am not your love.”
“Oh, but you are. You always have been.” He took a seat next to her on the bed and she scooted away from him.
“You are a monster. I was a fool to not have seen it before.”
He ignored the pain he felt and ran a finger down her cheek. “I have missed you, Monique.” He turned her head to reveal the thick scar that ran across her slender neck.
“You tried to kill me.”
He dropped his hand and stood to pace. “You stood in my way. I had to do it.”
“I loved you. I would have followed you anywhere.”
“You were holding me back.”
“Why? Because I forced you to see the goodness that was in your heart?”
“Exactly!” Vincent yelled, and for the first time the pain he carried inside showed through in his emotions. “I needed to be better. You stood in my way. Your power should have been mine.” He said it simply, and the emotions that had shown through only moments before were replaced by a calm façade.
“What happened to you?” Tears streamed down her cheeks as images of the young man he had been played out in her mind.
Vincent continued pacing and then turned to face her again. “How did you survive?” he asked, ignoring her question.
Monique’s teeth ground together. “Gregory saved me.”
“Of course he did. Gregory was always the good one, wasn’t he? The perfect son. You probably preferred him over me too. Didn’t you?” he yelled, his anger returning. He was quickly remembering why Monique had been bad for him: she forced him to confront feelings he preferred to keep locked away.
“I only ever had eyes for you, Vincent. We could have lived together, had a family, and you turned your back on all of that when you tried to kill me because of my power. I was terrified of what I was becoming and you tried to murder me for it!”
“But we have a second chance now,” Vincent pleaded with her, and took a seat back on the bed. “We can have all those things.”
“No we can’t. I hate you. Do you not understand that? I would rather die than be with you,” she growled, and he stood up as if he had been slapped.
“That’s how you feel, then?”
“Yes.”
“You will regret this decision.”
“I doubt it,” she snapped back.
“One way or another, I will have your power, Monique.”
“Kill me, Vincent, that’s the only way you will have it,” she lied.
He let out a laugh. “Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve put the pieces together. My niece was with you, her body heals itself—I saw that little trick for myself when I had her in the stasis—she also somehow managed to portal in through my block. Those three things combined can only mean one thing: that she is going to be the next Sorceress. Now, I can’t have that, can I? Not when I am so close to reaching my goal. Therefore, you will stay alive and well until I don’t need you anymore.”
“Just like old times, then,” she said simply.
“You’ve made your choice,” Vincent said, and walked out.