Page 17 of The Fate of Black Hearts

Efrem hovered behind Roman, perfect in every aspect of his formal dress and styled blond hair. He skewered Willem with a glare full of loathing. Efrem had been with her well before she was forced to mate Willem. She’d found him on the streets of London as a discarded adolescent when she’d been about fifty. Her mother hated that she’d brought in another mouth to feed, but Efrem had proved useful. He could do anything from laundering impossible stains to killing a threatening human to acquiring the forbidden magical items her mother desired. Through it all, he remained loyal to Evie. He’d encouraged her to take the kids and leave last year before she became pregnant again. Willem had despised him at first, but Efrem had become indispensable to him as a procurer to enable his addictions.

She signaled to Efrem to stay out of harm’s way.He mouthed:No.

She scowled back at him.

“What are you going to do about the newborn?” she asked Willem. The silent—but living—child lay naked and untended next to his dead mother. How scared and cold he must be.

“I’ll do what needs to be done,” Willem snarled.

A chill slid across her shoulders. “No.”

She gave Willem a wide berth as she marched around him and into the bedroom. The infant lay in the blood of his mother. He attempted to open his eyes, but screwed them shut as if the light was too much. With one of the least-bloodied linens, she wiped him down and wrapped him.

The baby stared at her, but didn’t make a sound. He fisted the fabric of her dress. Although a simple reflex at this young age, the act melted her.I’ll protect you as my own.

“Give the thing to me,” Willem ordered. He wiggled his fingers and glared down his nose at the child.

“I will raise him as my son.” She rolled the baby tight to her chest.

“No. Give him to me. I’ll destroy it.”

One of the lycan domestics ran into the room. He bowed over and over. “Many pardons. We must secure the house. There are werewolf hunters are upon us.”

Willem reached toward her to take the child. She whirled away from his grip, but he caught her by her arm. “We’ll give it to the hunters.”

“This is a child with a soul. If you want to teach Roman priorities, show him there’s nothing moreimportant than family.Nothing.” She met Roman’s gaze beyond Willem.

Willem’s grip on her arm tightened to the point she feared he’d snap the bone. He dragged her to the front door. “That’s no son of mine.”

The domestic behind them warned over and over of the hunters outside.

“Let her go.” Roman reached to free her of Willem’s grip. “You’re hurting her.”

Willem elbowed him in the face. “This isn’t your concern.”

Efrem moved forward. He looked intent on killing Willem. With the drugs pumping through Willem’s system, Efrem probably couldn’t stop him. She ordered Efrem, “Protect Roman.Please.”

Efrem pulled Roman into him. He whispered something to Roman that made him settle.

At the door, Willem pulled her so close he rained spittle in her face when he hissed, “Throw the child outside or I’ll toss you both.”

“You will not hurt this child.”

“You’re a pain in the ass. You’ll do as I command.” He shook her so hard her teeth rattled. “I run this household.” His fingers dug into her arm, bruising.

“When you’re in town and not high, perhaps,” she muttered.

“What the…” He shook her. “I own you. You’ll do what I decide. I’m the one who has to be out there saving our kind from things that would kill us.”

“Not from werewolf hunters. You’re out there glorying it up fighting low-level witches and who knows what else that’s easy to kill. You do it becauseyou get paid and the gratitude helps you seduce females. It’s not this infant’s fault you slept with his mother. He’s a member of my family now.”

“No. He’s not.Iam this family.” He leaned close to her face. “Choose to be a part of this family and dispose of the child or I’ll kick you both out.”

“May you rot in hell.” She pulled the baby tight to her chest.

“Father, no!” Roman slipped free of Efrem. he punched at Willem’s arms to free her. Willem elbowed him hard enough to pitch him into the next room.

“No!” Efrem yelled and charged.