Page 17 of Resurrection

“Once he’s back to himself, I’ll go over his portfolios with him. It will be easy enough to transfer all his businesses back. Most of it is managed by my people anyway,” Max said having returned to staring at his computer screen.

“And how long will that take?” Seiran asked. He had his arms wrapped around himself and was staring at the floor. “Before he remembers anything?”

“Not long I suspect. A few days maybe? Better for him to remember in small batches than all at once. No need to shake the revenant loose,” Max answered as though the revenant wouldn’t be an issue.

Gabe knew what that was, the soulless need for blood that could take him over. He had vivid memories of that darkness eating him up, slowly taking over. Is that what had happened? Why he’d gone to ground? More questions and no answers. Though turning into that berserker that slept inside all vampires would explain the witch’s anger.

“I’m sorry,” Gabe said finally, “I will do my best to remember.” He didn’t like feeling weak or beholden. He hated this fog over his thoughts and memories. The pained expression on Seiran’s face made his heart hurt, an intense and weird sensation since he didn’t recognize the man at all.

Max waved a hand. “Go. Some of us have work to do,” he said. Seiran flinched and turned toward the elevator.

“Those books?” Seiran called back as he hit the button that made the door open.

“I’ll make some calls,” Max said. His gaze fell to Gabe. “Go.”

“What if I hurt him?” Gabe asked, feeling unsteady. Max’s tie was strong, holding the dredges of darkness back that Gabe knew at one point he could contain the revenant himself. Would he have that control again? Would distance between them give the darkness rise?

“It won’t be the first time,” Max said.

“The witch can put him back in the ground, if necessary,” Seiran said of himself. “Especially if you even look at my kids wrong. Let’s go.”

Gabe ground his teeth together at the coldness of that tone. Whatever hurt he’d caused before must have made the witch hate him. And since they had a Focus bond, it meant they were stuck with each other. Great. Well, they could work it out as a balance somehow. As long as Gabe had enough time to regain control of his strength and at least some of his memories. Maybe he could give the witch some space then.

“I would never hurt a child,” Gabe said, feeling confident of those words.

“Right,” Sam snorted. “How old was Sei when you first took him to bed?”

Had Gabe seduced a very young witch? That didn’t feel right.

“I was legal,” Seiran said. He had his hand on the edge of the elevator door to keep it open. “Forest, come.”

The creature turned and loped into the elevator like an obedient dog. Gabe really didn’t want to be that whipped for anyone.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” Sam asked Seiran.

“No. Keep your loud sex life at home. My kids don’t need that drama.”

Sam laughed, “Sure, Ronnie. You know it’s the only action you see in your house that isn’t the muscleman and his boy toy. And how gross is that? Your brother?”

“Jamie’s attractive,” Seiran said.

That statement brought a rise of jealous to Gabe’s gut, and a flash of darkness tugging on him. He sucked in a deep breath, feeling the air a cold bite filling his lungs clearly enough to shove the darkness back.

Seiran had apparently not missed it because his gaze was centered on Gabe. “Would you rather stay here with Max?” The question was phrased neutral enough, but the tone was tight.

Gabe thought he might actually prefer to stay, but only because he worried the darkness would rise again. He squared his shoulders and walked toward the door. “I am not myself,” he said, feeling that edge of darkness lingering. “Perhaps the other vampire should come?”

“He doesn’t need my help,” Sam said. “He doesn’t even have to break a sweat to put you back in the ground. He could probably even call it therapy.”

Gabe stepped into the elevator, finding a spot near the back corner to give them some room. Seiran let the door close, not bothering to say goodbye to either vampire, and pushed the button for the garage. The elevator began to descend.

“I want you to promise to do just that,” Gabe said after a moment of silence.

“What?” Seiran asked staring at his own reflection in the shiny chrome of the elevator door instead of at him.

“If I try to hurt anyone. Put me back in the ground.” Another minute of silence passed and the elevator stopped, opening to reveal an underground parking garage and a car waiting.

“That’s the plan,” Seiran said as he stalked to the vehicle.