What if the darkness becomes too heavy, and I can’t find the strength to lift it? The truth is, this woman is not the first to be on the receiving end of my wrath, and I know she will not be the last. This is my curse, my calling, my destiny. It was written long before I even understood it.
I stand, dressing quickly. “This must be done, Rav.”
He nods and stands with his hands across his broad chest. For as long as I can remember, he has been my right-hand man, and I trust him with my life. But this time, he cannot clean up my mess. This time I need to find the courage and face the consequences of my actions.
I step onto the upper deck of the yacht, into the sunshine that is no longer comforting but searing. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I don’t bother looking at it to know who it is. There is only one thing left to do.
2
The Dark One
Present Day
The woman suspendedfrom the ceiling by a thick rope has accepted her fate. She knows that her life is in my hands. She’s stopped begging for me to set her free. It doesn’t matter anymore. Her crying and screeching came to a halt the moment she locked eyes with me, understanding burning in her pretty green eyes. As green as freshly cut grass. Her chestnut hair sways like a curtain in the wind as the rope twists her body around. Every time she looks at me, she knows. It didn’t have to be this way, butshehas turned me into a whole other kind of monster. It isn’t this girl’s fault. I know that. It isherfault.
The terms were clear, or so I’d thought. She was supposed to leave and never return, forget what she saw in exchange for her life, forget everything, but she didn’t keep her end of the deal. She had to start poking her nose where it didn’t belong. Just like the last time.
The thing about facades is that when a crack is found, terrible things start to seep in.
“The woman you serve was given one task, one thing. To stay away, but she chose to ignore that. And even though you’re minutes away from death, you still refuse to tell me where she is?”
She says nothing, her chin jutted out in defiance.
“This is just going to hurt far worse if you don’t cooperate,” I say casually.
“They have to know what you are. He has to know the truth.” She spits. “I would rather die doing good than live with the knowledge that people like you exist. That darkness consumes the minds and souls of the innocent.”
I laugh. She’s so spirited. Beautiful and with a fire in her soul. Just likeher.
This girl’s eyes aren’t filled with fear. No matter how hard she’s been beaten, I have never been able to put fear there. “Be done with it.” she spits.
I rub my hands over my face and look across at the young man who stares at the woman sternly. Nobody was supposed to find out abouther, about that night.
When Salina put her faith in me, that was supposed to be the end of the line, but I made one mistake. I walked away. And instead of Salina’s life ending there on those docks. A woman managed to revive her, then deliver her to Avi. Salina’s son was born. The boy, Sai Shah, is a threat to all we are, now that I know there are people protecting him. People who can destroy everything.
She tries to focus on me, but she’s being swayed again. “There will always be light to fight the darkness that lives inside you.”
I laugh. “Yours is almost completely dimmed, darling.”
“You shouldn’t be afraid of them. You should be afraid of him, and what he’ll do to you when he finds out you killed his mother.”
The Society is the pulse of the city, and most of the world. The most influential of men, myself included, sit on its board. It is my responsibility to ensure that Sai Shah takes his place at the helm, but they have very little patience for one’s inability to clean up a mess. And this is exactly what this is. A mess. There is one thing for sure, nobody can know about what really happened, especially not Sai. I step forward, a vintage katana in my hands as she looks me in the eye.
She presses her lips together, sealing her fate. The thing about hope is that it is fleeting. Lean too heavily on it, and you’ll lose your footing.
With one clean swipe of the blade, her pretty head rolls to my Gucci loafers.
“A real fucking shame,” I say as I spin on my heel and walk away, the young man close behind me.
“Is it over?”
“Not by a long shot.”
3
Sai
Present Day
