Seduced by Darkness (The Seduced Saga)(8)

I nodded. Toby had worked hard to learn how to be 'normal' and not a street rat struggling to survive. Some of the kids here came from sheltered middle-to upper-class lives, and Toby could be a bit of a culture shock.

Toby tugged my hand, and I stopped and looked at him. "What's up, kid?"

"Listen, and don't say nothing ‘til I'm done, k?"

I nodded solemnly.

"I been thinking lots about this, and I know it's the right thing. I want you to turn me, yo, like you been turned."

I bit off my first response and took a breath. "Toby, I know this may look cool from the outside, but even I don't know what it means to be Nephilim, and you wouldn't be the same kind of Nephilim as me. Beleth hasn't told me much, but he has told me there are two types of Nephilim. Those of the Court of Sunrise and those of the Court of Nightfall. You're Sunrise if you were born with Nephilim blood, and Nightfall if turned. I don't know what kind of beings Nightfall Nephilim become, but even if I did, you're young, too young to give up your life to turn into something neither of us understands. Nephilim are dangerous. You need to grow and live a normal life as a normal kid."

Toby smacked my arm away, his scowl deepening. "Man, that's a load of bullshit and you know it. I ain’t normal and I ain’t never gonna be normal, no matter how pretty you try to make my words. Even without para-powers, I'm still that kid on the street and I'm always gonna be. At least if you turn me I can be something, man. Something great."

"Oh Toby, you already are something great. I'm sorry, but I can't turn you."

Before I could explain more, he disappeared. I saw his footprints in the grass before they too vanished and I knew he'd left to sulk and lick his wounds.

I went back to the mansion with a heavy heart, wishing I could do more for the boy, wishing I could give him something to hold onto, something to give him hope about his own life. I'd hoped Elysium would give him that and, in a way, it had—he'd made some friends, learned some things—but he still seemed so alone, so desperate and sad. So out of place. I didn't know how to fix that, because he was right. He'd always have that street kid in him, nothing would change that. It was a part of him. He had to learn how to make that work for him instead of against him.

We all had our crosses to bear.

Hoping Father Patrick could give me some advice on how to handle Toby, I headed toward his room and paused outside the door to the sound of arguing.

"I will have no part in their plan. It is slaughter!" Alaric, who'd never sounded so impassioned, stormed out of the room nearly crashing into me.

Father Patrick, Hunter and Mr. White all crowded into the small room, standing and talking quietly with serious expressions on their faces.

I nodded to Hunter and ignored Mr. White. The big black man gave me bad vibes and I didn't trust him, but Hunter I trusted. He and Lucy had been dating awhile and he and his team at IPI—International Paranormal Investigations—had been instrumental in helping us bring down Rent-A-Kid and save a lot of kids. He'd always have my respect. "What's IPI doing here?" I asked.

Mr. White walked out, and Father Patrick excused himself. "I must speak with Alaric. Hunter can fill you in, but only our core members should know the details."

I turned to Hunter, now alone. He ran a hand through his black hair streaked with silver, his strange eyes nearly glowing green. "We're having a party at the mansion, to gather as many paranormals in one place as possible. IPI will be waiting in hiding."

"You're going to use our kids as bait to capture the Beast?"

"Basically. Yes. It's the only way. We control the scene, we control the outcome. No one will get hurt."

"You can't promise that."

"It's one against our entire team, I can promise that."

"And what if things go wrong? We have little kids here. Children too young to even run for help."

"None of the young kids will be here. They'll be in a safe place with Alaric. Just the older teens and adults who have some control of their power. I'm hoping we can count on you to fight, if it comes to it."

My mind flashed back to the fight with Ryder and I shook my head. If I couldn't defeat Ryder three to one, how could I defeat the Beast? "Sam and Ana will need me to protect them. I can't help you with this, I'm sorry."

Hunter sighed, but didn't argue. "If you change your mind, let me know. But I understand. Even without you, we've got this. There's no way this Beast can take us all on."





SIX





Of Peace And War





DRAKE





A moth of peace, and he go to the war,

— William Shakespeare, Othello




I HAD MY doubts about the party, but the weather accommodated. A bright warm day made the perfect outdoor party scene. The older kids set out tables as Greta brought food out with the assistance of her kitchen helpers. Tables with chairs flew through the air and landed in place as those with telekinesis made quick work of decorating. A fire starter lit lanterns around the perimeter and an ice maker created an elaborate life sized sculpture of a Greek god, in honor of Elysium. When the music started the kids and even some adults were down to party. Only those of us who knew what was really going on kept our guard, nervous but hopeful that this plan would work and the threat to our lives would end today.