He could pop in and pop out, but if he got caught needing to investigate, it could get complicated. For being king, he didn’t have a lot of choices. He reached for the phone only for his office door to swing open.
Mario walked in. His eyes sunken into his face and his skin looked sickly and pale, almost pulling against the man’s bones. His eye flashed red.
Levi rushed to his side. “Sit, I have a donor on the way.” Of course he was planning on feeding, not Mario showing up, but it didn’t matter now.
“Hannah…Hannah sends her regards,” he muttered.
Levi looked him over. There were no noticeable wounds this time, but not all injuries were physical. “I just bet she does. She hates when her time with you is up. Now you’re back though, and once you’re fed and back in shape, you can help me out.”
Mario snorted. “Always thinking about work.”
“You welcome the distraction.” He clapped Mario on the shoulder. “You’ll be back to yourself in no time. Her power will slip from you.”
Mario closed his eyes. “Just get me a good meal.”
“It’ll be here soon.” He went back to the desk and let Mario lie where he was. Hannah was becoming more vicious. As far as she knew, Mario was working as a King’s guard, and she’d negotiated with the King for it. She could still call on Mario until his twenty-third year of service with the king.
It had been an odd number, but Levi agreed, in exchange that Mario’s duty as King’s guard came first. There hadn’t been much interfering, but the vampire always came back with a long recovery period attached.
“She’s crazy you know,” Mario muttered. “Crazier than any other vampire I know.”
“Go to sleep, Mario.” Levi shook his head. “I know she’s crazy. You just have a few more years left, and she’ll release you.”
“And what’s to stop her from killing me that last year?”
Levi shook his head. “Killing a King’s guard is punishable by death. She knows that.”
Mario grunted, and Levi assumed the vampire didn’t agree with the logic. His security system went off, and he saw Tara standing in front of the door. “Your meal is here.”
Mario’s eyes shot open. “I hope it’s a shifter or a witch.”
Levi glared at him. “Witches are off the menu here.”
“I just need the extra boost.”
“Tara’s a shifter, remember her?”
Mario nodded. “She helps out as a donor and occasionally a scout.”
“She’ll have to do.” Levi went to go let her in.
Tara stood there with her arms crossed. “You called?”
“I did, but change of plans. Mario is in need of a good meal. I need you to feed him, no questions asked. Understood?”
“I never ask questions about your feeding habits or anyone in your area.” She motioned to the hallway. “Lead the way.”
Levi nodded and brought her back to the office. Mario’s eyes were pinched shut for the moment. “I’ll let you two be. I’ll go find another donor for tonight.” He needed Mario to be back in fighting shape because if Ira were close, he’d need his guard to help.
His phone beeped, and he pulled it out to see a text from Yorkingson.
Drug dealer back in action.
Levi sighed and checked the time. He’d have time to call Abby for a quick check in and see if she could deal with the drug dealer before people showed up to help decorate the ballroom for the party. He dialed her number and waited.
She answered almost instantly. “Hey, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to see how the meeting with the coven went.” It wasn’t often he called to check in with her, but maybe she wouldn’t catch on that he needed something.
“It went fine. I’m clean, was scolded about activating spells, met someone named Michele who said that she did research with my father. Know her?”
He knew exactly who the woman was. He hadn’t expected to hear her name again. “Yes, I do. I wasn’t aware that she was still alive. Your father talked like she had been killed.”
“And my mother?”
Would have probably killed the woman on sight. “Had never met her before. I’d be wary of her.” He warned Elizabeth that anyone who worked with Tobias could be iffy on the trust factor.
She sighed. “I hate when my parents’ past comes up to bite me in the ass. I thought you were supposed to bury the past.”
“In your case, we should probably burn it,” he mumbled. “Clarissa staying or did she go back since you were cleansed?”
“She went back. You know her. She loves the gatherings. Tonight is the full moon. I’m sure they are working all kinds of spells. Don’t worry about me though. I’m at Simon’s watching stupid reality shows and drinking wine.”
He chuckled, occasionally she would relax, but knowing her, there was something else going on while she was watching television. “You’re taking the night off, but I know you.”
“Research, but that’s it, I swear. I’m waiting on Detective Mason to call me back. So unless you have anything for me, I’m free for the night.”
She brought it up, so he went ahead and launched into what he needed. “Actually, there’s a vampire in the territory that’s selling Thrills downtown. I need you to locate him and put a stop to his antics.” Levi broke out his serious voice, the one devoid of any humor.
She was quiet for a moment. “Stop him how?”
He knew she wouldn’t choose to kill him right off the bat, but really that’s what needed to be done. “Put the fear of God into him, and if that doesn’t work, kill him.”
“I’ll get on it.”
“Thank you. Not tonight, you can start tomorrow.” She needed a night off with everything going on. He disconnected the call before she could argue and right as the front bell rang. It was most likely the people he hired to help decorate the ballroom.
Mario stood with Levi as an employee hung massive drapes over the windows in the ballroom. The room was rarely used, maybe once a year. It had its own entrance and exit, so he didn’t have to worry about the guests going through the house to get to it.
The red and black curtains swelled enough that they covered most of the windows, but allowed a peek at the outside night.
“It’s good to be back.” Mario stood with his hands folded behind his back. “Doesn’t seem like I missed much though.”
Levi shrugged a shoulder. “A hex on Abigail, a sighting of Ira, and a drug dealer. There’s not too much going on, nothing I can’t handle alone.”
“Guess I should just go back to Hannah’s then.”
Levi heard the joke in his voice. “I hear the food here is better.”
Mario snorted. “Much.”
The employee came down from the ladder and gathered their stuff. Levi watched him move in and out of the ballroom. Finally, he turned to Mario. “I hate this.”
Mario nodded. “Every year, Levi, you give me the same speech about the party and Elizabeth, how Abby should be part of this, but she can’t. Please, spare me the speech this year.”
Levi locked his jaw and turned back to the drapes. He looked up as he heard Abigail’s voice at the front door.
Mario nodded and disappeared. Abigail wasn’t trusting of new vampires or new people. She’d yet to actually meet Mario, and he wasn’t planning on introducing them any time soon.
“Back here, Abigail.” What on earth was she doing here tonight?
He waited for her to come in and turned around, surprised to find Simon with her. Her eyes went over the drapes before meeting his gaze.
“Is there a party that I missed on the schedule?” She always asked, but rarely were the parties something he had her here for. She usually offered to work security, but he always shut her down.
“No, this isn’t something I need you for. I have some wolves that will be playing security for me. You, on the other hand, will not be in the mansion tomorrow night.” He stared at her for a moment, and she held her hands up. Sometimes
he felt bad about keeping her so far away from the vampire politics. God knew that it would be easier if he could have her by his side and teach her everything that she could potentially inherit one day. But that put everyone in danger and would draw too much unwanted attention.
“Not a problem, I have a lot to work on anyways. I need to talk to you about a few things if you have time?”
He looked between her and Simon, wondering what on earth she would drive all the way out there to talk to him about.
She let out a sigh as if reading his mind. “It’s official-ish, I just have a couple photographs and a name to pass by you.”
“Let’s go sit down and take a look.” Levi nodded towards the door that led to one of the back rooms he normally reserved for meetings.
Abigail and Simon followed him, and Levi wondered why the wolf was tagging along. If the hex was gone, then the wolf didn’t have to watch her anymore. Nerves ate at him at what Abigail might have found out and why she was asking him about.
Levi unlocked the room and motioned for them to enter. There was a round table with rolling chairs in the room, with a view of the mountains. This far out the stars were visible. Abigail took one of the rolling chairs and watched him carefully.
“What did you need to ask me?” Levi sat down near her. He studied the way she looked out the window and wondered what was distracting her. Normally she was right down to business and clear-headed.
“You seem pretty distracted tonight, Abigail, that’s not like you.”
She shook her head, pulled out a photo and handed it to him. “Do you know the man in the background?”
Levi took the photo from her. He looked down at it. It was a picture of Tobias and Elizabeth, but there was a third man in the background. One he hadn’t seen in a long time. “Where did you get this?”
“I found it in my father’s notes, but when I first picked it up that man wasn’t there. He only appeared after I touched it.”
He set it down and tapped his fingers on the table. The man had screwed up some of Tobias’ research and caused a whole host of problems. It was attached to a much darker story for Tobias than Levi had ever told Abigail. But all secrets had to come out, eventually.
“Christof Averin. He’s the man that betrayed your parents.”
She raised a brow. “He was one of the witch hunters?”
That wasn’t exactly it, and Christof had paid for his betrayal before the death of Elizabeth and Tobias. “Kind of. Your father was doing some research for me, research that I had demanded that he keet secret.” He tapped the table again a few times with his hand. “He was your father’s research partner. I had hired Christof because of his skills with darker magic than your father was willing to perform. He knew your dad’s limits, but he continuously pushed him and urged him to give up his morals.” It was something that Elizabeth, Levi, and Tobias wanted to be sure Abigail learned. Don’t let others influence your morals, keep them safe.
Abigail licked her lips, a nervous habit she’d gained from somewhere. “So how did he betray him?”
“When the research was done, he forced your father’s hand. He threatened to sell everything to the highest bidder if your father didn’t help him with killing someone.” He shook his head. “Abigail, you were never meant to hear this story.”
“No secrets Levi, it was something you promised me as I got older.”
He hated that he made that deal and was breaking it on a constant basis. “He forced your father’s hand in a ritual killing to summon a demon.”
He watched the panic play over her face, the doubt and the need to jump and defend a man she didn’t know. “My father would never do that.”
“Christof managed to convince him. I don’t know if it was more than the research or not.”
She paused for a moment. “What happened to Christof?”
“I killed him for betraying your father and me.” Levi shrugged and handed the photo back. “This had to have been taken not long after the project started.”
“What kind of research was my father doing for you?”
“It was a linguist thing. I found an old tablet and needed it translated. It turned out to be nothing, but I couldn’t trust it to just anyone.” He left the details out. She didn’t need to know that it was dark magic.
“So you trusted it to a man who practiced dark magic and tainted my father’s soul. Great judgment there, Levi.”
He didn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice. “Abby, his part wasn’t the tablet, it was what the tablet was rumored to do.” He sighed. “You know, even vampires make mistakes.”
She nodded. “And that was years ago, so there’s nothing I can really say. Except that I’m glad he’s dead.”
“Really?” This time he raised a brow, and the worry disappeared from his face.
She gave a dark laugh. “One less thing for me to worry about. I thought he might have been the one that sent the Cult of Ra after me. Though now I’m wondering if it didn’t have something to do with my dad summoning a demon.”
“They aren’t assassins. Besides, your father was cleared by the coven as long as he didn’t do it again. They understood circumstances were out of his control.” He shrugged. “But your father never forgave Christof.”
She sighed.
“What does this have to do with anything?” Levi met her gaze. “No secrets Abby,” he reminded her.
“The name came from my father’s notes as well, but I’m really trying to figure out if this is at all tied to the murders I’ve been dealing with.” Her voice was calm, even, not giving a hint of what she was dealing with. “I never understood why my parents were murdered. Now someone tried to kill me, and there is someone dismantling people in our city.”
“And other than the runes, why do you think it’s connected?” There was a little bit of hope in his heart. Maybe there were just pieces they were missing, and Abigail could bring more light to the murder.
“Because this last crime scene had a hand holding this picture.” She pulled up another photo on her phone. One of Tobias and a woman he knew as Michele. “That’s my father and Michele.”
He nodded. “I told you that they researched together, but I don’t know why your newest victim would have had it.”
“I don’t know if the hand belonged to this particular victim or another.” She shook my head. “I have to call Clarissa and find a way to explain that one of her coven members might have died an extremely painful death.”
“Where you found the hand,” Levi added.
“No, Detective Mason found the hand. Luckily for me, they are letting me stay on the case and not taking me off.”
“It’s because you are the best they have.” Levi looked at Simon. “And what is he doing here? I thought you didn’t need company now that the hex was off you.”
Abigail glanced at Simon and shrugged. “We went out for a drink and then I decided that I needed to come here. I drove for the night, which meant that he had to come or get left at the bar.”
“This was a far more amusing choice,” Simon said without missing a beat.
A smile crossed Levi’s face, and he wondered what the two would be doing tonight. They were growing closer, and with any luck, Simon and Abigail would be dating officially soon, and he wouldn’t have to worry about her.
“And on that note, I’m off to find the vampire who is selling Thrills.” She rolled her eyes as she stood.
“Don’t forget Abby. You can’t be here tomorrow night.” Levi remained in the chair looking at the photo she left on the table.
“Don’t worry, like I said, plenty to keep me busy.” She and Simon walked out, and Levi picked up the picture on the table. Tobias and Michele had been closer than just research partners. They had dated for a brief time before Tobias and Elizabeth started becoming close friends. Levi closed his eyes against the memories trying to come back to him. Now was not the time to dwell on Abigail and Elizabeth.
He needed to finish the preparations for the
party tomorrow night and trust that Abigail would stay away. He rubbed his eyes and picked up the picture. Whatever case Abigail was on was going to lead her down a path that he didn’t want her on. Anything attached to her parents could unwind all his hard work to keep her protected.
Levi put the picture in his office drawer and looked up when Mario walked in. “How are the rest of the preparations?”
“Donors have been lined up, security with the wolves is confirmed, and I’ve talked to them about extra guards.”
Levi nodded. “Thank you.”
“Have you fed yet?”
“No, but I’ll be fine. I’ll make sure to feed before the party.”
Mario sat in the chair in front of the desk. “You’ve been distracted, my friend. Dwelling on your daughter?”
Levi’s gaze shot up. “Adopted daughter.” He insisted on it to remind people that he wasn’t actually related to her, another layer of protection.”
“Adopted.” Mario bowed his head. “She has your thoughts tonight?”
“She and Elizabeth. Seems that someone is trying to dredge up the past with Abigail’s current case.”
“Are you going to intervene?”
He thought about it. If he dealt with it at this point, she’d become suspicious because she’d just mentioned it to him. “No, I’ll let it go a little longer. If more comes up, then I’ll get Yorkingson to deal with it.”
“Good. I’d hate for all your hard work to be wasted.” He didn’t miss the sarcasm in Mario’s voice.
“Still think that we should tell her?”
Mario nodded and straightened the sleeve of his shirt. “I do. I think it would make things easier, and it would make her easier to protect.”
“You mean shut her away and keep guards on her.” Levi shook his head. “Have you see how independent she is? That won’t work. But we have other things to worry about.”
Mario damn near rolled his eyes at Levi. “Right, you have a drug-dealing vampire, the party, and an Ira spotting. Anything else?”
The King's Gambit Page 7