Pyromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 1)

“You look like your mother.” His lip curled. “She was such a pretty thing, but she put up a very disappointing fight.”

Her voice scraped. Her throat felt raw. “Why?”

“You have to be more specific with your questions. I’m a firestarter, not a mind reader. I believe that’s Cain’s level of expertise.”

The question tore from her chest. “Why did you rape her? Why destroy her and everyone she loved?” Even as her lips formed the words, the reason became painfully clear. “Was it because you needed a new firestarter whose power you could steal? There weren’t enough on Earth, so you decided to create one?”

“You catch on fast. Your mother’s art was powerful, enough to enhance mine beyond compare, but I saw another opportunity. If I could plant my seed in her womb, combine our genes, and create someone with a gift stronger than hers and mine together, I could come back when that gift was mature and harvest it.”

She swallowed bile. “You made her pregnant so you could come back and kill me?”

He smiled. “Exactly.”

She looked around, panic making her feel sick. “Where’s Erwan?”

He cracked his neck. “Are you concerned about an old fisherman who isn’t even related to you?”

“Should I have been concerned about you?” she asked with venom.

He studied her. “You’re very emotional, just like your mother. You have to admit, my plan was ingenious. I had it all worked out to the last detail, even to the date of your mother’s ovulation. I could smell the bitch in heat from a mile.”

She balled her hands. “Her name was Katik.”

He shrugged. “Whatever.”

“She died giving birth to me. You killed her.”

“Of course she did.” He arched an eyebrow. “Didn’t you know? All mothers of gifted babies die during birth.” He flashed his teeth, too white and straight to be natural. “That’s why they’re called forbidden babies.”

She dug her nails into the wood. Grief lashed at her. It left a deep, aching scar on her heart.

Lupien’s pupils danced with cruel excitement. Instead of allowing him to see how the revelation had shattered her, she forced her mind to go elsewhere.

“Where’s Erwan?” she asked again.

He lifted his arm to indicate the room he’d excited. “After you.”

She stared at the frame. Out here, with the open front door downstairs, she had a better chance than being trapped inside a room with him.

“If Erwan is really in there,” she said, battling to keep her voice steady, “bring him out here.”

He flashed more teeth. “Getting brave, daddy’s little girl? I like it. Dare suits you better than the sickly submissiveness I sniffed on you the first time we met.”

Turning abruptly, he entered the room. The movement made her jump. She needed to breathe and focus.

When Lupien returned, all hope of getting her nerves under control vanished. He carried a chair on which Erwan sat, tied up and gagged, as if it weighed nothing, and flopped it down in front of her.

Oh, thank God. He’s alive.

“Here’s your precious Erwan,” Lupien said, plucking the tape that held a rag in place from Erwan’s mouth.

Erwan flinched, but didn’t utter a sound. Rolling his jaw, he regarded Lupien with hatred.

“He was an easy fish to catch,” Lupien said, rounding Erwan’s chair. “The old man thought he could hide from me by island hopping. The minute I showed my face in town, he came running out of his hiding hole all but waving a sword and shouting vengeance.” He bent over Erwan. “Still angry that I—how shall I put it?” He flicked his hand in the air. “Deflowered your daughter?”

Erwan’s lips pulled back over his teeth, but he held his tongue.

Lupien spun on his heel to face Clelia, making her jump again. “You were a tougher cookie to crumble. The way you disappeared almost made me proud. I could’ve gone running after you, but I knew your beloved Joss would do the work for me. All I had to do was sit back and wait for him to hunt you down. Has he fucked you yet?” The corner of his mouth lifted when she flinched. “Yes. Good. That’ll make it more devasting for him when I kill you.”

“Leave him out of this,” she said.

Lupien’s mouth fell open in a theatrical gesture. “Leave Joss out of this? Oh, but he’s part of the subplot, don’t you see? When I’m done taking what belongs to me, the blood-sucking Joss will be easy to defeat. With Joss gone, Cain will be crushed like a fat tick bursting under my shoe.”

“What do you assume belongs to you?” she asked, stalling for time.

“Why, you, of course. I only gave you life to use you as breeding ground.”

“Let her go,” Erwan said.

Lupien threw back his head and laughed. “Or else?”

“You’ve got me now,” Clelia said, “so let him go.”

Lupien’s grin turned into a sneer. He looked from Clelia to Erwan. “The two of you make me sick.” In a movement too fast to be human, Lupien withdrew a revolver from the back of his waistband and pressed it against Erwan’s temple.