The Midnight Within

Chapter 39

Black sat up from the couch his eyes taking in everything inside the little trailer. No one would ever have known that the dead man in the chair had once been a circus worker who had almost won the love of a beautiful woman. There was no trace of that young man except for the stuffed lion head and a box of moldering photos. The twins had been gone for a while and he thought he should go find them when the tiny TV popped on by itself. Jack's smug face came into blurry view like some kind of ghost from an old horror flick.

" I just wanted to thank you again for doing the dirty work. You have no idea how long I have wanted Chester taken care of. " TV Jack rocked back in his leather seat as Black snarled. Looking like he had won the Pulitzer he lit up a fresh cigar and continued to speak. " I trust you took care of the other matter as well? "

" I am not your dog, Jack. I told you I was done. " Black crossed his muscular arms over his chest, resisting the urge to put his fist through the screen.

" Oh I think you will when I tell you that your beloved is not as dead as you think she is. "

" Liar. "

Black growled, grabbed the TV and threw it against the wall. Glass and plastic flew in all directions and he could still hear Jack's barking laugh, which enraged him even more. He knew he should have killed Daniel but hurting the girl had been more fun and now he knew he should have just taken out Jack, but Jackson Carver was full of old dark magic. He could destroy them whenever he wanted to. Jade might have turned him into a vampire but it was something far darker and stronger that had turned Jackson into the monster he was now.

Jack could have easily done to him what he had done to Jade. There were very few things you could do to hurt a vampire, other than death that was. Putting them into torpor was one of the worst things you could do. Draining their body and leaving it to wither deep in the ground or locked away someplace safe was a sure way of driving a vampire insane. Aware of everything going on around you and yet unable to do anything about it. Jack was the only person on earth that Black feared, and he owed him for letting Black buy the twins and not holding him one hundred percent accountable for burning down his carnival. Growling deeply Black left the trailer to seek the twins. He didn't know what he was going to do about Jack but had to do something soon.

Jackson shut off the monitor in his office with a soft chuckle. He had all his pieces in place and even if Black failed him he would come out on top. Jack always won. Of course he had insurance in place as well, just in case. This was not the first time Black had tried to say no more and it probably wouldn't be the last. Of course things didn't always go the way Jack planned. He had a long list of enemies and very few allies. The last thing he needed was distention in the ranks. It didn't matter what Black did as long as he took out the gutter punk.

Reaching for his phone he called down to make sure the limo was waiting out front and clicked off the TV. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. Even demons had to sleep now and again and Halloween was always a long night for men like Jack, he just needed to make one more stop first.

Inside the elevator he hit the penthouse button, riding it up in silence. Only two people were allowed into the penthouse and one of them was Jack. He took a small black box from his pocket and began to whistle as the doors slid silently open and the lights came on. He didn't bother with the music since he was not going to be staying long, he just wanted to check on a few things.

He went straight for the library where she was standing like a statue looking down at the tiny cars below. She didn't turn when he entered and said nothing as he went to another desk cluttered with books and blue prints. He smiled as he set the black box down next to a few other untouched boxes. " What do you think about moving? " When she didn't anser him he continued. " I never did like the winters her and I feel like we should be someplace a little more dense. You could have your garden again, I know how much you loved the London gardens. "

" What have you done? "

Jack looked down at the cards laid out on a side table. He didn't know why he let her have them. She was spookily accurate during her readings. He scowled before going to the bar and pouring a glass of port. " I do what I want. " He loosened his tie, the smirk back on his face. " You should know that all too well. "

" I know that you are tempting fate. You're too comfortable and not covering your tracks. "

" Since when do you care about that? "

" What happens to you happens to me. I'd be a fool to think you would ever let me go."

Jack's eyes sparkled as he set the glass down and moved to stand behind her. His mouth found her bare shoulder, his fingers trailing over her arm. " You're right about one thing. I will never let you go. He's here you know, out there on the street, why don't you reach out to him. "

Katia turned her head to glare openly at Jack as pain etched itself across her smooth face. " Please, don't hurt anyone else, have you not done enough. "

" Oh Im just getting started. " His long fingers stroked the black leather collar at her throat, it was the only thing keeping her with him. If she tied to remove the collar she would be dead. He was actually surprised that she had not tried to take it off sooner. " Now be a good girl and do what you do best. "

Casting one last look to the street below Katia raised her arms so Jack could remove the black dress she wore. She knew better than to resist him and would not touch minds with Sebastian no matter what pain Jack inflicted upon her. Their lives depended on it.