As far as luxury went when comparing the many different havens, the one Zachary led them to was on the pathetic end of the spectrum. In Gabriel’s mind, he refused to even see the place as a haven. It was more like a large nest. He detested the word “nest”; a term used frequently by SEVEN. On his first glance of the large, old house, he knew it was going to be a long day. No elder and no rules. But they were left with no other option. The house had to serve its purpose, at least for one day.
     The sun was already up when they arrived, though the surrounding mountains and trees prevented to direct rays from reaching them. An hour later and the sun would be upon the house and land.
     Zachary took them to a room on the second floor. Inside, the windows were blackened out and a few large pieces of furniture placed before them, used as extra protection in case anyone from outside attempted to smash the windows out of boredom. But the possibility of any passersby was next to none. The house was concealed by acres and acres of woods. Though it did look suspicious to see a half dozen cars outside the abandoned house, the concern would only come from the neighbors, all of which lived at least a mile away.
     The inhabitants of the pathetic haven consisted of young vampires, most not even a decade old, perhaps only a handful of years into their new life. Gabriel was beginning to see the weakening mentioned to him by Saros. These children were nothing more than parasites, surviving just to exist. He had no pity form them. If the situation were different, he would call up SEVEN to rat out the place just for the fun of it. Perhaps later, he mused.
     The children looked at the final three vampires to arrive with curious eyes. The oldest of the three was covered in dried blood, while second eldest shown signs of a close encounter with a stake. The youngest, but far older than any already within the house, was one they had seen before.
     As Zachary closed the door, Keelan and Gabriel took in the room. It was a place to stay—that was all the dump had going for it. A twin sized mattress and old sofa served as the only places to sleep. Gabriel, however, was perfectly fine with sleeping on the floor.
     Keelan sat on the sofa and was the first to speak. “How did they know we would be there?”
     “They followed me to the house,” Zachary lied. “I thought I had lost them. That was when you headed north the other night. When I arrived, I sensed them approaching, so I tried to divert them away. I thought it worked.”
     Gabriel crossed the room to check the covering on the windows. “So you led them to us.”
     Zachary crossed his arms. “It was by accident. I didn’t want this to happen.”
     “We have to get her back,” Keelan said.
     “Alex has ordered no one without authorization to come anywhere near Eden,” informed Zachary. “All others are to be ‘dealt with’ accordingly.”
     “If he wanted us dead,” Gabriel said, “then why didn’t he order our deaths back there? Why were you so conveniently placed there to save us from the sun?”
     “I wasn’t conveniently placed there. I believed that he was hoping that the sun would finish you both off.”
     “Or he could’ve easily taken us back to a SEVEN headquarters or even Eden,” Keelan pointed out.
     Zachary shrugged. “His mistake, I’m sure.”
     “So how do we get her back?” asked Keelan.
     “Maybe we should leave her there.”
     “I’m not turning my back on here,” he snapped back. “Not after all I went through to get her out.”
     “My father maybe ignorant to some things, but he does offer more security for her.”
     Keelan stood up and approached Zachary, his anger rising. There was something that didn’t feel right about this. “It was your fault she was taken. And now all you can say is that she’s better for it?”
     “For now, yes. She is my sister first and foremost. If you wish to speak about her well-being, then remember that I care about her too.”
     “I’m beginning to think you sent them to us on purpose. You knew they were after her, and decided to use this to get back in your father’s good graces.”
     “Believe what you will. But we can’t storm back into Eden so soon.”
     Gabriel spoke up. “Keelan as a point. Too many coincidences.”
     Zachary glanced at him. “Take comfort in the fact that she is safe.”
     Realizing the truth, Keelan pushed Zachary into the wall. “You had no right to interfere!”
     Gabriel pulled them apart. “What’s done is done. We will lie low for a while and let the tension in and around Eden fade before we make our move. And Zachary… ” He threw his fist into Zachary’s gut, then pinned him against the wall, cracking the degraded surface. “Cross me again,” he dared, leaving the rest for interpretation. He released him.
     “I’m sorry,” whispered Zachary. “I was only doing what I thought was best.”
     Gabriel removed his tattered coat and investigated its damage. There was no saving the coat this time. He threw it on the sofa and sat down, choosing the old furniture over the floor.
     “There’s something else,” added Zachary. “The Brotherhood of Osiris has its eyes set on Eden as well as SEVEN. My father’s trusted assistant was planted there by The Brotherhood.”
     “The Brotherhood… ” Keelan recalled. “They were the ones who drugged me.” He looked at Gabriel. “I’m not certain it was them, but all of the pieces seem to fit.”
     “What do you know about them?” Gabriel asked Zachary.
     “Not much. But they are far older than Eden or the Houses of Kenrick and Mallin. The organization was rumored to once be a society of necromancers. But they have now turned their interests to the medical manipulations of vampires and werewolves. That is all I know.”
     “What is their main reason to go up against Eden?” Keelan asked.
     “I’m not certain, but I believe they see Eden and SEVEN as a threat. If they use vampires and werewolves as their weapons, then their only means of a destruction is the strength behind my father’s forces.”
     “And you believe Evonne is safer there?” Keelan wanted to laugh. He sat down on the worn mattress.
     Zachary stared at him, trying to read beyond his words. “What are your intentions with my sister?”
     “As they have been from the beginning. I wish to see her away from that place and away from her father.”
     “I’m not sure that is all.”
     A surge of anger rose within Keelan as he caught on to his accusation. “That is all.”
     Zachary’s eyes turned cold. “My fate will not be hers.”
     “Her fate isn’t yours to decide,” Gabriel said.
     Glancing at his sire, Keelan read more into the statement than Zachary. His eyes went back to Evonne’s brother. “Will you help us?”
     He thought for a moment, weighing all the pros and cons regarding his possible involvement. “I will do all I can.”
     Keelan wasn’t too sure. “But can we trust you?”
     “What power do I have over you?” He fumed. “Inform my father of your plans? He already believes you’ll try to come after her. He’s probably counting on it. Aside from what happened tonight, I have no other dealings with him.”
     “Then we’ll have to trust you,” said Gabriel, reclining back on the sofa.
     Zachary sat down by the wall and chose not to continue the conversation. Any further speaking may have resulted in a real fight, and he knew he was no match against them, even in their weakened state. He had to be truthful to them. Yet there was something they were hiding. He knew in the long run Evonne wasn’t safe at Eden. But with them, Keelan and Gabriel, he feared the worse possible scenario for her. Though it was their main plan to rescue Evonne, Zachary’s own plan sought to take her from Keelan. He refused to stand aside as his fate had a real chance of becoming her own.