"Thirty seconds. That's all you have to stop the bullshit, or your son is dead."
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Six years ago, Chelsea Doherty lost everything when her husband disappeared without a trace and left her to clean up his past. Now living in Ireland, she has piec...
This chapter is dedicated to WinterSleep85 who ventured into the world of vampires this year. So far, Lost in Shadows is mega intriguing with amazing world building and a shift from your usual vampire trope. A great narrator voice, and interesting cast, and a promise of an exciting plot. An ONC entry not to be missed!
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Nicosia, Cyprus
February 2024
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Icarus is out on the terrace, enjoying his breakfast next to an open laptop. I drop in the second chair at the table and cross my arms; Anton stands at a distance by the pool. It will be up to Icarus how much of our conversation will be privy to Anton's ears.
Icarus takes a bite of the Halloumi cheese and chews. The silence between us raises goosebumps on my arms; his eyes are thoughtful without much emotion, which is worse than an open display of anger. Even though Konstantin took after his mom and had different features than his father, he had the same eyes as Icarus. The same golden-hazel color, the same fading shade toward the rim, the same flecks of green. Eyes that still haunt me in my nightmares. They are the monsters of my dreams.
Icarus sets down the fork. "Why are you not on your way to New York?"
"I had to see Vitaly." I raise my chin in challenge. "And the next time, I'd appreciate a phone call from you if he's in the hospital."
"So much entitlement." Scorn and mocking fill his gaze.
"I'm his father."
"And I have been making sure he realizes that." Icarus dabs his lips with a napkin. "How did you find out he is in the hospital?"
A question I expected and an answer I rehearsed during the thirty-minute limo ride from the hospital to his home, with the main objective to protect Lydia as my source. "One of the nurses called me because I'm listed as his emergency contact in their system."
Those thoughtful eyes drill into me until I twitch.
"I have to admit, I'm very disappointed, Bastian. This is a major slip-up." Icarus's words carry a dangerous edge. "It's crucial to find Marcel Pierce and make him pay for what he did to our family. Konstantin is only dead because of him."
"I know, theíos."
"Then I'm asking you again: Why are you here?"
"Vitaly—" I choke on the rest of the words. This isn't working and it's time to stop beating around the bush. "It's not good for him to live with you anymore. After the summer, I want him to attend boarding school, preferably in the States, but I would consider settling for Switzerland or the UK."
Icarus's laugh is soft. "That's not going to happen. Vitaly is fine right here with me. You might be his biological father, but make no mistake, Konstantin was the one who raised him. He has a lot of Konstantin in him."
