Free Ironic Sacrifice by Brooklyn Ann Page B

resulted in panic that he’d leave her once Silas had finished her training. But if she succeeded where all others had failed, if she actually found Radu, then surely Razvan would not give her up.
    She imagined his cold, cynical visage softening into joy. She imagined two brothers embracing for the first time in centuries.
    I will do it, she decided. Her mind raced as she pondered the risks and possibilities of using her powers intentionally for the first time.

Chapter Eight
    After an hour of futility in their practice sessions, Silas could tell that Jayden was preoccupied. “What is the matter, lass?” he asked carefully.
    She sighed before beginning. “Silas?”
    “Yes, Jayden?” Silas hid a smile of amusement at the woman’s hesitant tone.
    “When Razvan um, requested your help in finding Radu, how exactly did you go about it?” She looked down at her toes.
    “Ah, so he’s enlisting your aid now, is he?” He raised a brow. “I thought he’d given up.”
    “He hasn’t asked me,” she said quickly, blushing strawberries and cream. “I just wanted to…that is, I thought I could…”
    “Help him?” the vampire prodded gently. It was obvious the poor lass was infatuated with his maker. A wave of pity engulfed him. Though she was taller than his wife, Jayden was a timid little mouse compared to Akasha. He was not at all certain if she would be able to stand up to Razvan’s bouts of cruelty or withstand his mind games.
    Jayden nodded. Her green eyes flicked up to his and darted away. She toyed with the ashtray on the table spinning it with a trembling finger. The cat padded up to her and as if sensing her agitation, rubbed against her legs. Jayden reached out with her other hand and petted Isuzu absently, still spinning the ashtray.
    Silas took a deep breath before presenting her with an unpleasant truth. “When I tried to find Radu, I came close a few times, but every time I ran up against a block. The block was so powerful, there was no way it was not put there on purpose.”
    When Jayden gave no sign of kenning his meaning, he sighed and continued. “I believe that Razvan’s twin does not want to be found.”
    Her eyes widened. “Did you tell Razvan?” The ashtray was a spinning blur on the table.
    Silas suppressed a bitter chuckle at her accusing tone. “Indeed I did, lass. And he nearly tore me from navel to nose for it. He can have quite the temper when things don’t go his way.” He shook his head. “That probably comes from being spoilt as a lad.”
    “Razvan told me he and Radu fought before he disappeared,” Jayden said. “Do think that—”
    The doorbell chimed. The ashtray flew off the table and shattered on the cherry wood floor. Silas was glad that he had the foresight to empty it earlier. Otherwise there would be ashes and cigarette butts all over the place.
    She tried to apologize but Silas waved his hand dismissively and went to answer the door.
    ***
    Jayden wondered if it was one of Silas’s subordinates or if Akasha had ordered a pizza in advance as she sometimes did when she and Max were on their way home from the bar.
    She turned to look and frowned as she saw that no one was there. Silas was bending over to pick something up from the front stoop.
    “What is—” she began, getting up from her chair.
    “Stay back!” Silas ordered. His eyes glowed neon green and his fangs were bared as he scanned the area for whoever left the missive. He turned back to her and she bit back a gasp at his feral expression.
    “Lock the door behind me,” he hissed before walking out in the darkness.
    Jayden scrambled across the room to obey. Her heart pounded in her throat as she flipped the deadbolt into place. She’d never seen Akasha’s husband act this way before. Something had to be very wrong. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes as a multitude of horrible possibilities assaulted her imagination. What if something happened to Akasha? Or Max? Or, oh God, it didn’t