The Devil's Masquerade: The Remedy (The Devil's Eyes) by Jennifer Loren Page A

erases any sign of shock from his face.
    “You don’t trust me?” I ask him.
    “I don’t trust anyone,” he says.
    “You never have trusted anyone?” I ask again, more determined. He glances my way.
    “Once, I loved someone, but she was taken away. Now, I …”
    “Now you seek revenge,” I say plainly.
    “No, not revenge. Justice. That is what we are for, justice, final justice. That is what my father taught me. That is what I have lived my life on. You cannot feel emotion and inflict proper justice; emotion always clouds your judgment.”
    “And she meant nothing to you I am sure. She is just a number that you are inflicting justice for,” I say with my chin tilted slightly up to his piercing eyes. “Lie all you want, but it is hard not to have an emotional response at some point.”
    “Savage never feels emotion. His own children die, and he never sheds a tear. Although, he does show anger, which I guess is technically an emotion. So I suppose you are right. Everyone shows emotion at some point,” Amery says with a sarcastic grin.
    “And why is that? Why is he so hardened?”
    “Greed. His greed has taken over his soul, leaving him heartless. I am not sure when it happened because he has been that way since I have known him. The only time I have seen him smile was when Nick came out of the water with my friend’s lifeless body in his hand. I know he didn’t smile at my friend’s death because I have seen him kill before; he smiled because he realized Nick was still alive. He treasures Nick. I doubt that he loves him, but he certainly would do all he can to protect him. He values him like no one else, even over Galena. He will never come for her; he would let her die rather than miss his lunch. He was forced to allow her to live. Her mother announced her birth to the High Council so he couldn’t touch her. He would have had to answer for any action made against her. What really bothers me is why he was so desperate to get Nick away from his home? At first, I thought maybe it was because of his brother or son, but then I met you. I felt your strength, and then I thought, perhaps, it doesn’t have anything to do with anyone other than you.”
    “Why me?” I ask.
    “History shows that Nick should have already become a killer, maybe not an unfeeling one, but one who would use his power to kill as he needed. However, from what I have learned, he has been using a gun. He used normal human reactions to things and kept himself from being who he is. He stayed calm in situations and even let the brother that tortured him most of his life live, in order to make good on a promise to an ordinary man, a cop even. Why did he do that? Does he like this man? Does he have a relationship with men, too?” I laugh, and he smiles. “Okay then. Why? Why would he keep his word to a man that, from what I can tell, means nothing to him? Is it because of his sister?”
    “No, they weren’t even seeing each other at the time. Nick has morals. He honors his word, even to a cop. Brady helped him save me, and in return, Nick helped him. Besides, Brady is a good friend of mine, and Nick knew I wouldn’t be happy with him if he …” Amery looks at me awkwardly. “What?”
    “He did it for you. No one else. It seems Nick did a lot of things for you; that is not natural for him. See, it is you. Savage is scared of you, scared you will mess up his treasure. I wonder how much. I wonder how worried he is that you have more power over Nick than he does.”
    “I doubt that he is that worried about me.”
    “Maybe we should try and find out?” he says, looking over at me, but his eyes refocus over my shoulder and widen. Turning, I see a car pull up, and then I see Nick get out heading towards the hangar. I gasp, moving forward only to have Amery hold me back. Nick breaks down the hangar’s barricaded door with ease. I look back at Amery, begging with my eyes to let me go. “If you go in there, he will either kill you or …