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SEBASTIAN SOUGHT REFUGE from the rain in one of the many abandoned houses in the Vampire District. He’d been on a scouting mission near the City Square when he’d spied a werewolf about to attack a delicate, dark-haired beauty. Despite the fact that he’d been a monster for over a thousand years, a shred of chivalry still remained inside him. He’d swept the woman into his arms and had carried her to safety before she could be injured.
His fangs descended at the memory of how close the werewolf had come to shredding the helpless female apart. If they’d been anywhere other than in Nox, he would have crushed the beast’s skull with his bare hands. Since it was forbidden to kill uncursed beings, he’d had to leave the creature intact.
He’d only arrived in Nox eight nights ago and he was still getting used to the strange city. His anger drained away, leaving bleak emptiness behind. For a short while, he’d almost forgotten that he’d come here to hunt for Lord Kreaton. The man had once been his friend, but was now his bitter enemy. His momentary distraction was over and he could concentrate on his task again.
Sebastian avoided human cities and rarely watched the news, so he hadn’t heard about the spell that had been cast all across the United States almost five decades ago. It had transformed millions of Americans into the Halloween costumes they’d been wearing. He’d only learned about the curse a few weeks ago and he’d heard whispers that a fairy, a master vampire and an alpha werewolf were behind it. They’d turned the humans into monsters and had created a city to house them in. Only magic users and supernatural beings could see it. The moment he’d heard that Lord Kreaton was the master vampire who had become a member of this strange Immortal Triumvirate, Sebastian had begun preparations to head to the US.
When he’d first arrived in Nox just over a week ago, he’d been shocked when he’d heard someone whisper his name. That person had been Xiara Evora, the Guardian of Nox. Somehow, she’d known he was coming. She’d been waiting for him when he’d stepped through the invisible barrier that hid the city from the view of normal humans. None of the soldiers who were tasked with keeping people away had seen him. He’d been a mere shadow in the darkness.
Sebastian had glimpsed the strange woman with platinum blonde hair who had whispered his name sitting in a black carriage. He’d sprinted away out of instinct, suspecting he’d stepped into a trap. That hadn’t been the case and he’d run into the huntress again the following night. He’d heard gossip about Ms. Evora and her kind, but she hadn’t been as vapid and clueless as he’d expected a Night Cursed being to be. Instead, she’d warned him that the Immortal Triumvirate would try to kill him once they knew he was here. He’d already known Lord Kreaton would want his head on a platter. Sebastian knew what had really happened to his enemy’s kiss and his rival wouldn’t want the truth to come out. It would besmirch the image that he was a benevolent leader that he was trying so hard to portray.
Haunted by the memories of his past, Sebastian closed his eyes when the image of his slain kiss returned to him. He’d been out hunting for a meal when he’d felt that something was horribly wrong. By the time he’d returned home, his mansion had been ablaze. No one had survived the fire. He’d felt his kiss dying and he hadn’t been able to save them.
Lord Kreaton and his allies had surrounded the house and had set it alight. Sebastian had caught the familiar scent of Lord Kreaton and others that he recognized after he’d examined the ruins. Some had been members of the Vampire Council. He’d intended to seek revenge on them all, but his rival had beaten him to it. His title had been stripped from him, which was why he’d supposedly slain half of his colleagues on the Council.
A bitter laugh escaped from him before he could stop it. It seemed ironic that he’d been hunted by assassins for deeds he hadn’t even committed. The reason Lord Kreaton had trumped up for Sebastian turning on him was utterly ridiculous. He’d claimed Sebastian had been obsessed with one of his human servants. In reality, the girl had been forced on him when he’d spent a weekend at the lord’s country manner. He’d sampled her blood, but he hadn’t bedded the wench. She’d been too timid and afraid for him to fully enjoy her company.
Even after a century and a half, Sebastian’s blood still boiled at his old friend’s betrayal. He’d been used as a scapegoat and he’d lost everyone he’d held dear. His home had been destroyed and he’d been hunted like a common criminal. He’d killed every assassin that had been sent after him. They all underestimated him despite the fact that he was an ancient master vampire.
Now that his quarry was within his grasp, Sebastian was trying to come up with a plan to take Lord Kreaton down. It had quickly become obvious that it wasn’t going to be easy. Lord Dallinar had cast strong magical shields around his allies and himself that were apparently impenetrable. The trio were also far stronger than any fairy, vampire or werewolf had ever been before. The spell that had bound them together had been just the beginning. Sebastian suspected they’d created Nox and the Night Cursed for the sole purpose of eventually draining their energy to make themselves as powerful as possible.
Even as he plotted his revenge, his thoughts kept returning to the gorgeous woman he’d rescued. He assumed she was a fairy, since she didn’t have the pointed ears of an elf. Some of the more powerful fae could call on their wings at will. A lot of the fairies who were low on their hierarchy had lost their wings from the annual drain of the Energy Tax. He wasn’t sure what she was, but she seemed fae. She had to be, because no human witch was that beautiful. While she was slender, her body was perfectly formed. Her allure still called to him even though she was miles away in the Fae District. Her aroma clung to him like an invisible mist, making him feel as if he was slightly intoxicated. Now that he knew her scent, he could identify her out of a crowd of thousands.
Shaking his head, Sebastian wondered if she’d put a spell on him. He’d never been this distracted by a female before. He couldn’t afford to become entangled with anyone right now. His focus had to remain on finding a way to breach Lord Kreaton’s shield so he could finally exact vengeance on him.
