Page 25 of Curses & Keys (Curses & Gods #1)

PHAEDRA

M athias slides into the seat beside me on the plane.

Incredibly handsome and impeccably dressed in a black button-down shirt and pressed slacks, he exudes sophistication.

If it weren’t for his glasses, I’d be a bit intimidated by his demeanor, but the latter lends him an almost nerdy vibe.

A divine smell wraps around me, and I subtly inhale.

Vampires have no magic and, therefore, no scent, but whatever cologne he’s wearing is seductive.

He’s the quietest of the group, and I can’t help but wonder if he resents me being here.

Not that he has said much to me. The only times I’ve been around him are in my condo when he slit the throat of my intruder without an ounce of remorse or when he’s lost to the computer he commands with such speed.

Which is the real Mathias? The ruthless adversary or sophisticated tech genius? By all standards, he’s unusual for a vampire. Most of the ones I’ve met seem kind of cold. He radiates a quiet confidence that comes across in his loyalty and dedication to the team.

He sets his laptop on the table in front of us. “Do you want to see footage of the last break-in at your condo? I must warn you. Their search caused a lot of damage.” His dark eyes flicker with concern.

I couldn’t care less about the damage, but I do want to get to know Mathias a little better, so I nod. He presses play, and I watch them destroy the beautiful condo. “There’s nothing of value in there, but I hate that they’ve done so much damage.”

“Do you recognize any of the faces?” he asks, tapping on one face in particular.

“How about this guy?” When I shake my head, he flashes a dangerous smile.

“He was one of my attackers at the museum. At the time, the cameras couldn’t get a clear enough shot of their faces, but I remember him.

Pretty soon, I’ll have all his information. ”

The cold satisfaction in his voice makes my toes curl. A predator stalking his prey. “Let me know if you need help.” My words seem to surprise him, and his gaze drifts from the computer to me. The corner of his mouth lifts.

“Who’s the girl in the locket?” I ask softly.

For a brief moment, he stiffens, but then he reaches into his pocket and pulls it out to show me her picture.

“My daughter. She’s still in Kallias. The vampire world,” he explains with an anguished expression on his face.

“Our king asked for volunteers to enter the portal, find out what’s on the other side, and report back to him.

I never thought I wouldn’t be able to return.

” One elegant finger strokes softly across his daughter’s face.

There have been so many stories like his. Guilt tightens my throat, but I force myself to continue. “I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. How old is she?”

He smiles. “She was around three hundred years old when the painting in the locket was completed. A little over two thousand years old now. Vampires in my world don’t become adults until they’re at least five hundred.”

Wow. The girl in the locket with her dark curls and deep blue eyes appears to be around ten years old in the picture. “What’s her name?”

His dark eyes study me before he replies. “Calla.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” I tell him, wanting to know more but afraid he’ll be able to read the guilt on my face. Still, I press on. “Tell me about her.”

His eyes light up. “You really want to hear?”

I can see how badly he wants to talk about her. “I do.”

He shifts his attention from the video to me.

“She got her mother’s blue eyes. It’s unusual for a vampire to have anything but brown eyes, so when she was born, I knew she was special.

Her laughter was my favorite sound in the world.

And her favorite thing to do was ride her beloved Shigari, Safro.

” I frown, and he elaborates. “They’re similar to the horses in this world, but they’re much, much faster. ”

“Vampire fast?” I ask, exhilarated by the thought.

A gleam of satisfaction shines in his eyes. “Exactly. She was fearless and mischievous. Always pushing boundaries. Doing stuff I’d forbidden her to do.” He lifts a shoulder and flashes a smile. “I could never stay mad at her, though.”

“And her mother? Was she your…wife? Mate?”

His smile dims. “She was a friend. Her name was Sybil. Calla was a happy accident for us both. Unfortunately, she passed when Calla was around a hundred.”

His leaving left his daughter an orphan. I take a deep breath and clear my throat. “I’m sorry.” Those are the only words I have for him.

He falls silent, lost in the memories of the past. A second later, his dark eyes meet mine. “Sorry. I miss my daughter so much. I can’t help but wonder what she’s like now.”

Guilt pierces my heart at his anguish, and I lay my hand on his. “I understand. My sister… she…disappeared when I was a teenager. I think about her every day. It’s hard to live without them, isn’t it?” It’s been a long time since I spoke to anyone about my sister.

Not wanting him to ask any questions I can’t answer, I quickly steer the conversation in a different direction. “How did the locket get into Westgate’s collection?” It seems odd that he would give such a treasured item to that psycho.

Black eyes darken with fury. “Westgate, self-appointed leader of the vampires, didn’t offer his help for free.

A vampire could exchange something of value or a hundred years of service.

Only then would he help us acclimatize to this world.

I refused to give him my life, so I parted with the only thing I valued in this world. ”

“A hundred years of service,” I state, keeping my voice neutral and my envy tamped down. Sometimes I wish my sentence had a limit. But with all this time, I still haven’t found a way to save my sister, so it doesn’t really matter how many years go by.

Mathias closes the locket with a snap. “It infuriated me. In our world, he had no power, but because he was one of the first here, and exceedingly ruthless, he climbed his way to the top. Ruled over our entire race as if he were our king.” He snarls, and the hair on my arm stands up.

This is the first glimpse I’ve seen of the turmoil beneath his calm exterior.

He stops when he notices my reaction. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He briefly closes his eyes to gain his equilibrium. When he opens them, they’re studiously blank. “Did you want to watch any more of the video?”

I’m the one who should be saying sorry. Instead, I shake my head. “No, I think—” Leaning closer, I see something strange in the paused video. I point to the patio door. “What is that?”

He blinks and turns to face the laptop. “What?”

“Can you rewind? Then, forward frame by frame,” I ask, sure I saw something reflected in the glass. I lean in. There. “Stop.”

He taps a few buttons to magnify the image. Light bounces off the glass, and for a second, it shines on the person standing in front of it. “Can you make it clearer?”

Fingers dance as he tries to clean it up. “It’s a mage spell. It makes the cameras skip and obscure their image.” He finally stops. “That’s the best one we’ll get.”

Wavy lines blur most of the image. “There.” I point to the pair of brown shoes reflected in the patio door. “He must have forgotten to obscure his feet.”

Mathias captures the image and saves it. “Those aren’t the boots of a soldier, which means he’s someone higher. They really want that key. Are you sure it’s in a safe place?”

“The safest place I know,” I tell him. In fact, when I grabbed the key to the safe deposit box, I moved the other one to a more secure location. While the vault walls appear to be seamless, there are a few surprises built into them.

“Thank you for asking about my daughter,” he says with a warm smile. “I love talking about her.”

He pauses and looks from me to Jamison and back.

“All four of us know what it’s like to be alone in this world.

Unable or unwilling to ask for more. To reach out to another.

Jamison made us into a team, trusting we would find our way, and we did.

” He closes the laptop. “Sometimes the fates place us exactly where we’re supposed to be. ”

After delivering his message, he leaves me sitting there, thinking about him and our conversation. Do I dare find what I want in this life, or will the gods continue to punish me? In all these years, not once did I ask them for more.

Eventually, I drift off to sleep, only waking as we begin our descent into London. “Where are we staying?” I ask Gatlin, who’s sitting across the aisle, studying me.

Big arms stretch high above his head. “My place. Lord de Vere has Jamison’s house under constant guard. Mathias lives like a vagabond, rarely settling in one location for long. The press regularly follows Hawthorne.” Folding his massive arms across his chest, he stares steadily at me.

“Why is the press so interested in Hawthorne?” I ask.

His scowl disappears, and he gives me a strange look. “He’s royalty.” When my eyebrows rise, he elaborates further. “Brother to the Elven king. Most supes know this.”

The weight of his scrutiny is intense. I’ll have to watch what I say around him. “I see. Guess I’m not up-to-date on who’s who.”

“It shouldn’t matter here, but Hawthorne says the Elves like to cling to the old world,” he explains. “They see him as a symbol of prestige.”

Poor Hawthorne. I shudder thinking of all those eyes on him, watching his every move. Royalty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Without thinking, I stare at Gatlin, wondering what type of shifter he is.

He screams predator, and because of his size and golden eyes, I immediately think of a lion, but he isn’t the least bit friendly.

Cara’s family is full of cats, and they all want to rub up against me.

I can’t imagine Gatlin wanting to do something so playful.

Although with his body, a woman would probably give a lot to rub up against him. I lick my suddenly dry lips. “What did you think of Cara?” I force myself to ask. He gives me a lazy shrug. “She’s incredibly cool. Has a huge family that’s wonderful. Smart. Owns the gym. Fantastic friend.”

He stiffens. “I only joined the gym to keep an eye on you, not to flirt with your friend.” His gaze turns dismissive. “We’ll be landing soon.” With those words, he gets up and moves to the back of the plane.

A minute later, Jamison joins me. “When we land, we’re splitting up. You’ll go with Gatlin and Mathias. Hawthorne is going to run a few errands. I’m going to make my report to the council.”

“What are you going to tell them?” I ask tentatively.

The silver coin I saw the first night appears in his hand.

“I’m going to tell them about the panel, but I’m not going to reveal the image Kline gave us.

I’ll tell them about your place getting ransacked, but explain you were gone when it happened.

Maybe you can send a message to your department head telling her you need time off? ”

“I have a flexible arrangement with the university,” I inform him. “As long as the university continues to receive artifacts and endowments, I can come and go.”

He slides the coin in and out of his fingers. “Gatlin has a lead on a training camp in Greece. I doubt it’s our enemies’ camp, but it doesn’t hurt to have a team check it out. Plus, it will assure the council that we’re investigating every lead.”

“You’re worried,” I say, watching his hands. “Why?”

“The council will try to label you as their prime suspect, and I’m not sure I can stop them.

Right now, they need to divert the public’s attention away from the human group.

A single person is less of a threat, and your anonymity will likely play against you,” he explains, a deep line between his brows.

Sliding my hand over his, I carefully pluck the coin from his fingers.

“We all have our roles to play. You lead the council’s security forces, and if you don’t do your job, they’ll become suspicious of you.

Label you a traitor.” I carefully slide the coin into his palm and place mine over the top of his.

“We both knew this wouldn’t be easy. You’ll find a way to protect us all. ”

His jaw firms as he stares down at our hands. “You’re from there, aren’t you? Ancient Greece.”

“I lived there,” I reluctantly admit, giving him as much information as I can without lying. With the tip of my finger, I circle the ring he’s wearing. This is the first time I’ve seen it on him since the night we met. “Do you know your ring is cursed?”

A mocking smile twists his face. “Yes. Several of my ancestors gifted me with their magic instead of my father. So, he had this ring made to suppress mine. It took me a while to figure out why I felt so powerful whenever I took it off and muted the rest of the time. I only wear it around him.”

Appalled, I stare at him. “That’s diabolical. Do you want me to remove the curse?”

He chuckles. “One day. Only because I actually like the ring.” He plays lightly with my fingers. “I appreciate the offer, but I can deal with my father.”

I wink at him. “So can I.” It would be a pleasure, too. Let him see how it feels to have a curse laid against him.