Cruel Seduction - Kelli Callahan Page 0,86

is not it. Gabriella’s life is in danger, and the least he can do is acted like he cares. Instead, he is flashing a piece of ass around, a woman he probably doesn’t care shit about.

I love Gabriella, and that comes first over some chick he’s banging on the side.

“Right. You’re right. I’m sorry. I apologize. You know me. I get sidetracked. No harm.” Zeke carries on and on before he takes out the file that has Gabriella’s name on it. “Okay, this is what we know. Kendrick is an abuser.” Zeke lays out all of the pictures Officer Howard took the other day, and Quinn gasps, burying her face in Jaxon’s shoulder. “Yeah, it ain’t real easy to look at, is it, sunshine? I know. Poor girl.” Zeke continues to lay out photos until the pictures change from Gabriella to men I don’t recognize. Then he lays my brother’s pictures out, the one mugshot he from when he was sixteen.

Zeke stands and guzzles his beer. “Okay, this is what I’ve come to know. Your brother, he isn’t as indiscrete as you think. He just runs with a different crowd of people. People that no one takes seriously. These three men?” He points to the guys I don’t recognize. “The blond? He’s dead. Butcher knife to the chest. Officer Howard informed me they found the body on the side of the road, in pieces. Anyway, I hear your girl killed that guy. Good for her. I love a tough broad. Anyway, these other two? They have been in and out of mental health facilities since they were teenagers. Their parents said they practiced dark magic, witchcraft. These fuckers think they are wizards. This isn’t Harry fucking Potter, you know? This is the real world. Anyway…” Zeke waves his comment away since it doesn’t matter.

“Kendrick, here. I dug some dirt up on your brother. Whew, he is not a good guy. He owes money to the wrong people. He stopped kidnapping and killing women around the time he met Gabriella, hold the phone, not because he loved her, but because he truly believes she is … what’s the word?” He pats his head. “Some chosen one that will give him and his people inhuman strength and power. It’s some witchy thing. The blood of a virgin and something to do with heritage.”

“But she isn’t a virgin anymore,” I say, thinking back to the first night we had sex.

Zeke points at me then punches the air a few times. “Atta boy.”

“Zeke,” Jaxon and Grayson groan.

“Sorry. Okay, according to this ritual I found online—”

“Online?” I say, exasperated.

“You try searching for rituals that need blood of a virgin who are Mediterranean and see how hard it is, okay? This shit is crazy. Only insane people do this.

“For ritual it is said it takes seven years for the chosen one to be broken and truly enslaved to their master. Once they are, the…” Zeke clears his throat. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this.” He takes a deep breath. “The coven watches as the master takes his slave in front of everyone, making her bleed her virginity onto a bed. Once that happens, the coven takes their turn, and then they will slit her throat, bathing themselves in the purity of her blood they claim as their own, hoping it will give them unlimited power.”

No one says a word because we don’t believe it. It is too crazy. I knew my brother was insane, but I thought it was just about control, not some end goal.

“You’re serious?”

Zeke drinks his beer and turns to look at me. “I mean, it’s the best lead I have. A crazy, unheard of lead. This was lucky. When I asked for the tape from the department and ran facial recognition on the guy who dumped you, I started connecting the dots. If this isn’t it, then, Sebastian, I’m sorry; I don’t know why they want her.”

“Say this crazy shit is true,” Grayson says as he plays with the fur of his beard. “When does it happen?”

“It has to happen on a harvest moon. Harvest because, you know, they are ’harvesting’ her.”

“That’s so disturbing. I think… I think I’m going to be sick.” Quinn bolts up from the couch and runs down the hall to the bathroom.

“Was it something I said?” Zeke asks with his arms spread out.

“You’re sure about this? Even for my brother, this sounds insane. I don’t remember him believing in shit like this.”

“It isn’t real, Sebastian.