mother—” Josselyn began.
“My mother died when I was born.” How dare this woman speak of her mother?
“Before she married Jack…” Josselyn didn’t move as she hesitated. “She was my mother.”
A half-sister? Violette snorted in disbelief. “Is that what this is? Mommy left you and so you sought revenge on the man who won her heart?”
Josselyn didn’t rise to the bait. Violette wished she would. She wanted any excuse to justify pulling her gun to scare the woman. Sacre ! She’d even take a good old-fashioned fistfight.
So, was that why her father felt guilty? He fell in love with another man’s wife? So what? Marriages ended every day.
Josselyn reached into the black bag and pulled out a holo-box. “You are my sister and I don’t wish you any harm. Long ago, when your father was a young man, he knew me and was protected by my father, Lord Craven. We grew up together in my castle home on Florencia’s Fifth Moon. Jack betrayed us and was part of the invasion that took our homes, our lives and imprisoned me in stone. I’m sure your father was a changed man, but he knew he had to pay for his past sins. Because of him, thousands of our people died, your mother’s people.”
“My father was a humanitarian. Because of him millions lived,” Violette said. “My mother was a lady, a fine lady he’d saved. I did not interfere before because I promised him I wouldn’t, but that promise is fulfilled, and I will not stop until you pay for what you have done.”
“I didn’t expect you to believe me, but before you ruin your life chasing revenge and trying to get to me, watch this.” Josselyn tossed the holo-box at her. “Perhaps your father’s words will convince you to find a better path.”
Violette caught the holo-box but didn’t look at it as Josselyn backed away from her. Evan’s hand glided onto the woman’s arm, and he escorted her into the crowd. Violette slipped behind a group of women to disappear from sight while keeping an eye on her. Josselyn glanced back but didn’t see her.
“We’ll follow her,” Isaac said, joining her side. “We’ll kill them both away from the security cameras and be done with this. Afterward, I’ll buy you a drink.”
“No,” Violette answered, gripping the holo-box tight. She didn’t want to admit that she’d hesitated. Josselyn had spoken, and Violette had been unable to pull her gun on her. “We’re leaving.”
“What?” Isaac stiffened. “Have you lost your nerve? Did the two humans make friends?”
“Stow it,” she ordered. Violette kept her tone hard to hide the doubt she was feeling. “You were right. She doesn’t deserve a quick death. I’ll hunt her instead.”
Isaac nodded in approval. “Ah, that’s the right spirit.” He directed his stare after Josselyn and Evan. “We’ll take everything she loves first and then you will have your final revenge. This is the better plan.”
Violette couldn’t answer. She knew what duty called her to do, and yet she wasn’t a killer. When Isaac wouldn’t stop studying her expression, she nodded. “Let’s find the others.”
Chapter 7
D ev didn’t like this . Not at all.
The Glamour District welcomed all kinds of species, but he didn’t feel comfortable traveling within the rich crowd. His crewmen were trying to blend and all his appearance tended to do was the opposite. It always amazed him how many intelligent, educated people still believed demons and devils looked like Bevlons. In Dev’s experiences, demons were much more ordinary and deceptively normal.
No, that was just an excuse he told the captain. He was lying to himself. The real reason he stayed on the ship was because he was afraid of seeing Violette again. She was inside his head. When he closed his eyes, he saw her face. The idea of her was all he could think about—those emotion-filled eyes, those parted lips, that proud stance. He didn’t want to face her in a fight. He didn’t want to have
“My mother died when I was born.” How dare this woman speak of her mother?
“Before she married Jack…” Josselyn didn’t move as she hesitated. “She was my mother.”
A half-sister? Violette snorted in disbelief. “Is that what this is? Mommy left you and so you sought revenge on the man who won her heart?”
Josselyn didn’t rise to the bait. Violette wished she would. She wanted any excuse to justify pulling her gun to scare the woman. Sacre ! She’d even take a good old-fashioned fistfight.
So, was that why her father felt guilty? He fell in love with another man’s wife? So what? Marriages ended every day.
Josselyn reached into the black bag and pulled out a holo-box. “You are my sister and I don’t wish you any harm. Long ago, when your father was a young man, he knew me and was protected by my father, Lord Craven. We grew up together in my castle home on Florencia’s Fifth Moon. Jack betrayed us and was part of the invasion that took our homes, our lives and imprisoned me in stone. I’m sure your father was a changed man, but he knew he had to pay for his past sins. Because of him, thousands of our people died, your mother’s people.”
“My father was a humanitarian. Because of him millions lived,” Violette said. “My mother was a lady, a fine lady he’d saved. I did not interfere before because I promised him I wouldn’t, but that promise is fulfilled, and I will not stop until you pay for what you have done.”
“I didn’t expect you to believe me, but before you ruin your life chasing revenge and trying to get to me, watch this.” Josselyn tossed the holo-box at her. “Perhaps your father’s words will convince you to find a better path.”
Violette caught the holo-box but didn’t look at it as Josselyn backed away from her. Evan’s hand glided onto the woman’s arm, and he escorted her into the crowd. Violette slipped behind a group of women to disappear from sight while keeping an eye on her. Josselyn glanced back but didn’t see her.
“We’ll follow her,” Isaac said, joining her side. “We’ll kill them both away from the security cameras and be done with this. Afterward, I’ll buy you a drink.”
“No,” Violette answered, gripping the holo-box tight. She didn’t want to admit that she’d hesitated. Josselyn had spoken, and Violette had been unable to pull her gun on her. “We’re leaving.”
“What?” Isaac stiffened. “Have you lost your nerve? Did the two humans make friends?”
“Stow it,” she ordered. Violette kept her tone hard to hide the doubt she was feeling. “You were right. She doesn’t deserve a quick death. I’ll hunt her instead.”
Isaac nodded in approval. “Ah, that’s the right spirit.” He directed his stare after Josselyn and Evan. “We’ll take everything she loves first and then you will have your final revenge. This is the better plan.”
Violette couldn’t answer. She knew what duty called her to do, and yet she wasn’t a killer. When Isaac wouldn’t stop studying her expression, she nodded. “Let’s find the others.”
Chapter 7
D ev didn’t like this . Not at all.
The Glamour District welcomed all kinds of species, but he didn’t feel comfortable traveling within the rich crowd. His crewmen were trying to blend and all his appearance tended to do was the opposite. It always amazed him how many intelligent, educated people still believed demons and devils looked like Bevlons. In Dev’s experiences, demons were much more ordinary and deceptively normal.
No, that was just an excuse he told the captain. He was lying to himself. The real reason he stayed on the ship was because he was afraid of seeing Violette again. She was inside his head. When he closed his eyes, he saw her face. The idea of her was all he could think about—those emotion-filled eyes, those parted lips, that proud stance. He didn’t want to face her in a fight. He didn’t want to have
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