Chapter 23

(**Irina’s POV**)

I went up to Sebastion’s bedroom to take a shower. I had a towel wrapped around me as I walked into his room to get dressed, but stopped in my tracks when I saw who was waiting for me in his room. His mother sat on the bench seat in the window. Her eyes flicked to me when she noticed I stopped to stare at her. I expected to see the same hard look in her eyes that her daughter had, what I saw instead shocked me.

Acceptance.

This woman accepted me as her son’s mate. That had me floored. She didn’t even know me, yet here she sat with her quiet acceptance. Why?

“I can see the questions in your eyes, so I will keep this brief. I do not blame you for anything that is happening like Arianna does. Sebastion told his father what the situation is and your part in it. As a mother, my heart aches for you and your child. Sebastion is fiercely loyal to a fault once he commits with his heart. When he talks about you, I can hear it in his voice, even if he hasn’t said the words out loud. You are his mate and I accept you for that alone.”

“How can you do that when you don’t even know the things I have done to survive?” I asked her as she just stared at me.

“Vicktor Treadstone captured you, he uses your daughter against you, correct?”

“Zasha,” I whispered her name.

“Whatever you did was to keep yourself and your child safe. I will not hold that against you, nor should my daughter. Arianna is scared for her family and her brother, but her anger is misplaced. I hope her time away will help her see that.”

I am not sure why, but a sense of relief shot through me as she told me this.

“My name is Lenore, and I look forward to the day where we can get to know each other.” With that said, she gave me a smile, then left me to dress.

Lenore’s motherly nature made tears spring to my eyes as I remembered my mother. Lizabeta Belova was not the easiest woman to love, but she was fiercely protective of her children. I miss her when I think of home. The times where all the family gathered together for special occasions or pack meetings.

I wipe my eyes and push those memories away. Now was not the time to stroll down memory lane. It made no difference if I did, they were all long dead. Zasha and I were the only survivors because that is what Vicktor wanted. He killed everyone I had known just to get to me. It was all my fault. They were all dead because of the rare ability I was born with.

I shoved those thoughts aside to get dressed. As I was pulling my skirt up, the door to the bedroom opened. I knew who it was the minute his scent invaded my senses. I look up at him with a guarded look. I know he is going to try to convince me to not put distance between us. I have already made my decision, but I want to hear what he has to say.

**Give into him, Rina** Anya growled at me.

*Relax* I tell her as I watch Sebastion make his way across the room.

Sebastion stopped a few steps from me, his eyes locking on mine as he swallowed. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it tight, then walked to the window. He shoved his hands in the pocket of his shorts as he stared out at the courtyard below.

I think it is time to put the man out of his misery. I walk up behind him, slip my arms around his waist, and place my head on his back to hug him. Sebastion stiffened instantly, like I had struck him. I hurt him by what I said to him downstairs. I meant what I said then, but that was before I talked to Lenore.

I moved around until I was in front of him, making him look down at me as I did. That hurt look in his eyes made my heart constrict in pain. I let instinct take over by pulling his face down to mine. I pressed my lips against his softly, then with more pressure until he yielded to me. Passion flared between us as he kissed me back. I fisted my hands in his hair as his arms wrapped around me tightly.

Sebastion lifted me up, I wrapped my legs around his waist as he turned around to walk to the bed. He lowered us down onto the bed as his lips found my neck. I moaned as his hand cupped my breast. Then before we went any further, he pulled back and looked down at me. Confusion all over his face.

“I can’t keep doing the back and forth, Irina. I am all in or nothing at all. What is it you want from me? If it is just sex, my body is onboard, but I won’t play that game with you. To me, you are more than an object to be used for my own needs. You are worth fighting for,” he kissed my forehead then stood up off the bed.

I felt suddenly cold to the bone from his words. This felt like he was putting a wall between us, one that I foolishly asked for. Arianna’s hurtful words to him because of me, made me want to put distance between us so he could talk to her calmly. I can see how wrong I was to do this to him.

I sit up and scoot to the edge of the bed, smoothing my skirt down as I stand up. “I acted rashly after that confrontation with your sister. I lashed out in self-defense by asking for distance between us. I was wrong to do that.”

“Until my sister comes to her sense, I feel this will just keep happening. So, I will give you what you want for now. We will keep it professional at the office, and I will keep doing all I can to find Zasha. It is also probably best that you don’t come out here until again until we show Vicktor our relationship has progressed. When we get to that point, there is a guest bedroom down the hall that you can stay in while we keep the charade going.”

I tried to speak but found my throat suddenly clogging with emotions that swamped me. He was giving me everything I told him I wanted, but why does it hurt so much? Is this rejection without the formal words? I fought back the sudden tears as he turned and walked to the door. I hadn’t expected this when I asked him for some distance.

“We won’t be working today. I need to question Eric about Vicktor. I can have someone take you into the city as soon as you are ready to go,” he looked back at me with blank eyes that made me shiver.

I straightened my spine as I looked him in the eye, “I am going with you to question Eric.”

“No! That will not happen,” his eyes flashed from brown to onyx. Aries was at the surface. At least I know one of them is angry enough to yell at me.

“If this can give me answers to where my child is, I **NEED** to be there,” I growled at him.

“Fine, but you stay where I put you and let Flint and I do the questioning,” Sebastion opened the door and walked out, leaving me to trail after him again.

When we get everything we can out of Eric, Sebastion and I are going to have another talk. This time I will make him listen while I tell him how wrong I was.

(**Sebastion’s POV**)

I bottled my emotions, shoved them deep in a box in the back of my mind, then slammed the door closed. I hurry down the hall, down the stairs, then out the front door with Irina following behind me. I lead her to the pack house without saying a word. I don’t trust myself not to beg her to change her mind.

Part of me knows she has a point about taking a step back from each other with everything that is going on. The other part is pissed at Arianna for butting into my relationship with Irina. I have never once done that with her and Flynn, so what does she think it is ok for her to do it? The danger? We have been in danger as a pack before this, and she didn’t react this way.

As we approach the back of the pack house, Flint and Justin greet us. They are both surprised to see Irina, but wisely, neither of them says a word about it. I give Flint a small nod to open the door. He and Justin head down, leaving me alone with Irina for a moment.

“They searched him when they brought him here. A tracking device was found, but it was not active. He has said nothing since last night. The interrogation rooms are deep down under the basement of the house, so if you are claustrophobic, let me know now.” I turn to look at her to see if she shows any signs of hesitation.

“I will be fine. I want to help you,” Irina’s face set in a stubborn expression.

“It may get ugly if he doesn’t cooperate with up, can you handle that?” The look she gave me made me instantly close my mouth.

I motioned for her to go first, talking her through the maze of tunnels until we reach the steel door that opens into the interrogation cells. I just hope she doesn’t panic at the sight of the holding cells down there. We don’t use them often, but when we have to, things can get bloody. The door to the cells is open and I close it behind us once we are through.

Flint put Eric in the first of the six cells. He and Justin were leaning against the wall, just staring at Eric. They stood at attention when I closed the door, their gazes flickering to Irina the back to Eric. I can see their concern in their eyes. I will address this first.

“I know you two are worried and confused at the situation, so let me explain what is happening. Flint I only told you a little and for that I am sorry. Now I will tell you both everything.” I start with all that Rayne told me about The Collectors. I tell them about the day Irina showed up at my office. Then I tell them all she told me about Vicktor Treadstone.

They reacted just how I thought they would. Anger, outrage, sadness, and determination.

“You want to find her daughter and free all of those trapped in Treadstone’s collection here?” Flint asks me as he clenches his fists at his side.

“Yes. I have called Rayne Solas to see if there is a way to do a location spell to find Zasha. I haven’t received a call back yet. The vampires she sent to help us already told me they would help when needed. We won’t be going in there alone.”

“I am with you always, Sebastion,” Justin exclaims with conviction.

“I have followed you even when you were being an asshole, I will follow you in this. It is the right thing to do. We will set them all free an bring them home with us until Rayne can find safe places for them.” Flint nodded his head in determination.

“There are more than just werewolves in his collection,” Irina spoke up when the room when silent.

“What else is out there?” Justin asks. The curiosity on his face makes him look almost childlike.

“Everything that you have always thought to be fantasy is real. There are many were-animals out there. Wolves, panthers, tigers, bears, and more. If you can imagine it, it more than likely exists.” Eric speaks from his cell.

We all turn to him as he talks. I would offer this man sanctuary in my pack if I didn’t know what he was capable of. He enjoyed what Vicktor made him do, and he hated himself for it.

“Tell us everything you know about Treadstone and I will grant you your request,” I tell him calmly.

Two hours later we had a list of how many were in cells in the first half of Vicktor’s collection. We had a possible location. Unlike Irina, Eric remembered the location Vicktor held him in originally. Eric doesn’t think they are being held there, but said it was a good place to start. When there is no more to learn, I sent Flint and Justin away.

“I don’t want to kill you, Eric. Are you sure this is the only option you want?”

“I hate what he turned me into. I have killed, tracked, and trapped so many for him. I wasn’t always like this, but from the time my vampire side came alive, I changed. Not all of it was my vampire nature, but by then I was already so far gone that I enjoyed what I did. I no longer committed those acts for Vicktor, but for myself. I do not want to live in this world anymore knowing what I have become.”

“Eric, there are other ways. I can ask my allies about other hybrids of your kind,” I walked to the cell to look at him closer. His eyes were void of any emotion. His breathing relaxed and even.

“Do you know where he would keep Zasha when he isn’t with her?” Irina asks Eric one more time. We had already asked, but he never answered.

Eric sent her a look that made Aries growl in my head. It was predatory, like he wanted to eat her. I slammed my hands against the bars of the cage to bring his attention back to me. The look vanished as he sent me a sly smile. This sick fuck is a monster of Vicktor Treadstone’s making.

“He keeps her close at all times. She is always at the office with him for meetings. You take her away from him and he will go ballistic. When goes out of the country, he stashes her somewhere that I could never find. I can’t help you find your daughter.”

“Irina, can you find your way back to the surface?” I flick my gaze to her while I walk to a small cabinet in the room's corner.

“Yes, but I would like to stay here while you do what it is you need to do.”

“How do you want this to go, Eric? I have silver that can be injected into and it will kill you slowly, or you can choose a bullet to the brain.” I look around at him to see his expression.

“Bullet, then decapitation,” Eric whispered in a resigned voice.

This was the calmest I have ever seen anyone who is facing death. A shiver ran down my spine as I looked into his emotionless eyes. I press my thumb onto the pad of the safe where I keep the gun with its ammo. This is not a task I want to do, but one I know needs to be done.

I feel a darkness over my soul that I will need to make amends for. How do I make amends for taking a man’s life? A man who was an innocent victim once? I honestly don’t think I can.