Page 53 of Love At the Gates of Hell (The Seven Sinners Trilogy #1)

A light flickered overhead, and Gideon felt a heaviness settle into his skin.

Benny’s head whipped around and back again, her eyes wide and alert.

The feeling in the air felt strangely familiar, and when Benny’s hand gripped at his forearm, it clicked.

It was the same as he felt in the hallway at Harker’s.

That feeling Benny had explained. It was here suddenly all around them.

“The coven,” she murmured, confusion flickering across her face. “But Imani said—”

“A coven? No, sweetheart. That’s me you feel,” Frank said, his mouth widening into a smile.

Two large bodies approached from behind Frank, and Gideon was almost certain one of them was the vampire from the quarry.

“No, I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’ve been patient long enough. I’m not going to leave empty-handed.”

The lights in the corridor went out one by one, and soon enough they were enveloped in darkness, the only light the dim red of the emergency signs.

The air began to feel thick, like someone had wrapped something around his neck.

Benny held her hands out at her sides, little balls of light sitting in her palms.

“Stop—” she cried.

The light of Benny’s powers lit up Frank’s face, the shadows dancing across his weathered skin. He looked demonic now, just like this.

“Ben—” Gideon’s voice faltered, his hand reaching for his throat.

He couldn’t breathe.

“Gideon?” Benny reached for him, fingers curling in the lapel of his suit jacket. She looked back to Frank, her face stricken with panic. “What is this? What are you doing to him?”

“I just want to make it real easy for you,” Frank said. “’Cause I’m not the bad guy here, Benny. You come with me now, I’ll give you right back after the ritual.”

“Bullshit,” Gideon croaked out.

“If you bring me the ruby,” Frank continued, ignoring as Gideon nearly collapsed, his body falling back against the wall, his lungs struggling for air.

Benny's hands were steady on his shoulders, and it hurt to even look at her face, the worry settling so heavily into her features.

“If you let me have the Heart of Fire, I will take only the blood I need. Fresh strega blood is the strongest offering I can give. I must have it.”

“No—” Benny shook her head, her voice growing thick.

“If he doesn’t, you die,” Frank said. “Now will you come willingly, little witch? Or would you prefer to watch him suffocate? No hard feelings, Gideon. I mean, I’d rather not watch myself. We’ve always been close.”

Gideon shook his head.

He’d rather die than watch her get taken.

He knew Frank. He knew he’d never give her back.

But when he met Benny’s gaze, when he saw the tears welling in her eyes and the resolve on her face, he knew what her decision was going to be. And he wished he had the air to tell her no. To let him go. To beg her to blow up the whole goddamn hotel if she had to in order to get free.

“If I come with you, you can’t hurt him,” she said, turning back toward Frank.

Frank held his hands up.

“He’ll be good as new, as soon as we’re gone.”

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll go.”

If Gideon could shout, he would have. He tried anyway.

“One condition,” Frank said, holding up a hand. “No fucking funny business until then from you and Luke, Gideon. You make one attempt to try and take Benny back, and I will hurt her in ways she won’t come back from. Do you understand?”

Gideon grunted, his hand banging back against the wall.

“Good,” Frank said. “Let’s go.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, leaving him with one last glance. “I’m so sorry.”

9:55pm

“Gid? Gideon !”

Luke grabbed roughly at his brother’s shoulders, using one hand to tap at his face doing his best to restrain the strength behind it as he tried to wake him up.

His pulse was there, steady enough. But there was a nasty red ring around his neck, like he’d had a rope wrapped around it. He cursed under his breath.

Gideon was never late. Ever. When he didn’t show up to the meeting spot with Benny in tow, Luke knew something was wrong. His instincts never failed him.

It had been too fucking easy.

“Come on, brother,” Luke muttered. “Come on—”

His brother woke up suddenly, his chest heaving as he tried to gasp for breath.

“Frank—” Gideon blinked and coughed, his shoulders shaking. “Fucking fuck —”

“What? What happened? Where’s Benny?”

“It was Frank ,” Gideon said, his eyes squeezing shut. “This whole fucking time.”

Luke sat back, his body sinking to the ground as he stared at his brother.

How was that possible? Frank Markos running a team of vampires?

Kidnapping teenagers? No. It just didn’t track.

This was the kind of guy who jacked a horse race, who conned a fucking casino.

What did he know about ancient rituals? But Gideon had never lied to him before.

And he looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“Where’s Benny, Gid?” he asked.

“He has her,” Gideon replied, fixing his brother with a steady glare.

Luke nodded.

“What are we gonna do?”

“We’re gonna stop that ritual, and we’re gonna get my girl back.”