A Shade of Vampire 84 A Memory of Time - Bella Forrest Page 0,48

“You’re—”

“Gorgeous,” I filled in the blank, unable to look away.

Soul had likely expected some laughter at least, but he was left looking foolish, still holding Widow’s gimp mask. Ridan and Trev stifled some chuckles, but everybody was in genuine awe of the Widow Maker’s true appearance.

His hair was short. Buzzcut short and dark. His face met the golden rule of symmetry, his features almost artful in their design. With his high cheekbones and a straight nose, plus slightly fuller lips and flawless skin, the Widow Maker was an absolutely stunning man. He was pale, but with a delicate, pearlescent sheen that reminded me of Death herself. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he looked around, obviously horrified.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Widow said, his voice low with barely contained emotion.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad he did,” Esme replied. “Nethi’s right. You’re as hot as mid-July. Why do you keep yourself hidden like that?”

“Because it’s how I want to exist. Unseen. Unknown. With no connection to anyone or anything. The suit protects me,” Widow said.

“Nonsense. The suit is just death energy compressed into fabric,” Soul shot back. “Take a chill pill, brother. I’ve always wanted to see what you looked like, anyway.”

“Satisfied?” Widow retorted.

Soul shrugged. “Meh. I can’t say I’m knocked off my feet.”

“I am,” Kelara joked.

Widow shook his head slowly as Soul glared at Kelara. Their dynamic provided at least half of the very little comic relief we had around here, and I was grateful for every second of it. Taking advantage of Soul’s temporary dismay, Widow snatched his gimp mask back and covered himself. At least now I knew what he looked like underneath that thing. I wouldn’t forget.

“You’ve all ogled me enough,” he said. “Now back to business. Ridan, Amane, and Trev. Sounds good. Soul and Kelara will join you. Ghouls won’t be enough if you’re hunting Whips, trust me. I’ve seen what the bastards are capable of.”

“Fine by me,” Kelara replied.

“Meanwhile, I will take Hunter, Widow, Dream, and Nightmare for another hunting party,” Kailani said. “The more of us that go after the Whips, the faster we’ll get things done. Time is not on our side.”

“Well…” The Time Master tried hard not to smile.

“I didn’t mean literally.” Kailani rolled her eyes—though she was holding back at least a chuckle, judging by the redness in her round cheeks.

“Then Derek and I will hold steady in Roano,” Sofia said. “We’ll coordinate accordingly. There are many things to consider.”

Mira nodded. “The rest of us will remain here. The hunting parties going after the Whips should be small and efficient. I feel we’re of better use here, protecting the Visentis and Nasani children, along with the Orvisians.”

“We can look after ourselves, you know,” Kalla interjected. “But your assistance will be much appreciated. Let us hope it won’t be needed.”

“I’ve gathered considerable intel on the Whips,” Trev reminded us. “During my clandestine trips over the past week or so, I’ve uncovered some names of possible associates and potential locations. So at least we’ll have somewhere to start our searches from. Visio is big, and we don’t want to waste our time searching all the wrong places.”

“Agreed,” Kailani said. “Right, then it’s settled. We leave at dawn, and we’ll spend the rest of the night preparing our weapons and supplies. Hopefully, we’ll get some shuteye, too.”

Looking at Thayen, I could see fear swirling around in his azure eyes. He’d seen too much for his age, and he’d suffered tremendously at the hands of his own mother. But seeing Derek and Sofia by his side, I took comfort in knowing they’d do anything to keep him safe. Kailani was right: time wasn’t on our side, and Danika moved remarkably fast. It was imperative for us to get to the Whips before she did.

At least it felt like we had a better sense of direction. We knew where this was going, and we still had the energy to push through and fight. While Valaine worked to remember herself as the Unending, the rest of us would retaliate against the Darklings in a way that could make an actual impact.

With Petra on the loose, I would also have to mentally prepare myself for a future encounter. She was coming for Kalon. My time in her captivity had taught me a lot, but it didn’t stop the chills from running down my spiritual spine whenever her name popped up. She was a true adversary, an enemy to be reckoned with, and we would all