Page 74 of Tainted Souls
He lifts the cord back over his head, holding it out to me. “You’re the one who needs protection right now, Seraph. These vampires are hunting you, not me.”
“Max—”
“Please,” he insists, pressing the pendant into my palm. “If it really does have protective properties, I want you to have it.”
I hesitate, then slip it around my neck and lean in to kiss his cheek. His skin is cooler than I remember, but the contact still sends a familiar flutter through me. “Take care of yourself, Max.”
“You too. And Seraph? Thank you for not giving up on me.”
His words follow me on my way out of the center, a counterpoint to the weight of the pendant against my skin. Despite the uncertainty of our future, there’s still something between us worth fighting for.
Something that neither Cain nor the Ravens can take away.
When I step outside, the late afternoon sun hits my face, consoling. For a brief moment, I allow myself to hope that maybe, just maybe, we can find our way through this darkness together. My fingers find the pendant once more, drawing comfort from its solid presence as I head home to prepare for the meeting with Lexa’s task force tomorrow.
With the sun beginning its descent, Penn City transforms as human workers head home, and vampire citizens emerge for their nocturnal routines. Mixed groups chat animatedly over coffee and blodas, a small but significant testament to what this city represents.
CHAPTER 15
WHATEVER CALMI’d found last night has vanished with the sun. The city feels sharper now, like it’s holding its breath. As I pull on a pair of black tactical jeans, a brown leather bodice with silver buckles, and lace up my combat boots, I catch my reflection in the mirror. Dark circles shadow my eyes, and there’s a tension in my jaw that wasn’t there before.
I look like someone bracing for impact.
Pondering this, I decide to pull my hair back into a loose ponytail, leaving out enough strands to frame my face. After grabbing my usual arsenal and strapping everything into place, I glimpse the pendant lying on the nightstand where I left it last night. After a moment’s hesitation, I slip it over my head, tucking it beneath my top.
Its weight settles against my sternum, oddly comforting.
Outside, Penn City is already fully awake, the streets crowded with morning commuters.
The transport system runs with its usual efficiency, whisking me the short ride to Antaross—the capital of Northcross, where Redmoore’s headquarters dominates the skyline.
The massive structure rises from the landscape like a fortress, all gleaming steel and reinforced glass. It’s surrounded by various facilities, each equipped with state-of-the-art security systems and high walls that stretch along the country’s entire border with Mythcrest, acting as the barrier between civilians and barbarians.
When I approach the main gate, memories flood back. The years of training, missions, camaraderie, and ultimately, loss. I haven’t set foot here since the day I resigned, unable to face the ghosts that haunt these halls.
The guards at the security checkpoint seem to recognize me, their postures stiffening as they check my credentials against their database.
They know who I am, what I’ve done, and what was done to me and my family. Everyone in Redmoore knows. One speaks quietly into his comm unit, then nods to his partner. The massive gates slide open, granting me entry.
Inside, the facility is exactly as I remember. Recruits in training uniforms jog past in formation, while researchers in white lab coats hurry between buildings. Everyone moves with clear purpose, the well-oiled machine of humanity’s defense against the ceaseless vampire threat.
“Fifth floor,” the receptionist, a young woman with keen eyes that miss nothing, tells me. “Captain Ventura is expecting you.”
I nod my thanks and step through the security barrier, feeling the subtle tingle of the scanner analyzing my genetic makeup. The elevator whisks me upward, its glass walls offering a panoramic view of the city. From this height, Penn City looks peaceful, orderly, nothing like the chaotic place I know it to be.
On the fifth floor, the doors slide open to a busy command center. Officers move between workstations, their conversations a constant murmur beneath the electronic hum of equipment. Lexa stands at the center of it all, her back to me as she gestures at a holographic display. Her hair is pulled back in its customary braid, not a strand out of place, and she wears the sleek black uniform of a Redmoore captain. Even from behind, her authority is evident in the set of her shoulders and the way others defer to her commands.
She turns as I approach, as if sensing my presence.
“Seraph,” she greets me, her professional tone belying the personal moment we shared on the rooftop. “Thank you for coming. Right this way.”
I follow closely behind her as we head toward a conference room. My heart is pounding, and my breaths feel heavy. I tell myself that it’s been almost a decade now. That it doesn’t have to affect me so much anymore. But my body won’t listen. The walls become more narrow as we walk, even though the room’s dimensions remain constant. My eyes are locked onto the heels of Lexa’s pointed flats, which add an elegance to the sharpness of everything else. I use that thought to ground myself until she suddenly stops in her tracks, and I haven’t noticed until I’ve already bumped into her shoulder.
“Seraph? Are you okay?”
A familiar tightness creeps into my chest. “I just—” I take a deep breath. “It’s been a while since I’ve been back here.”
Understanding flashes across her face. She places a hand on my arm, her touch firm but gentle. “Focus on something tangible.”
