He curled her hand up, drawing her nearer, and tucked it under his arm.
“You kept her safe for Lassiter for thirty-one years,” Callum returned. “You vowed it, you did it. Your work is done.”
“He’s already claimed her,” Yuri announced hostilely. “I saw the chain.”
Gregor looked to his son and murmured a warning, “Yuri.”
Due to Gregor’s position amongst the vampires and Callum’s royal standing, Callum had known Gregor all his life. However, recently, linked by the Arlingtons, primarily Sonia, Callum had grown to know Gregor and Yuri very well.
Gregor was tall, black-haired and lean. His son was blond, like his mother, and had more bulk to his tall frame.
Gregor was also quite like Mac, without the warmth. Patient and thoughtful about his actions.
Yuri was quite like Callum, as much as Callum hated to admit it. Impatient, quick to anger and when he wanted something, he fucking well got it and he’d consider the consequences later.
Except, for Yuri, he wanted Sonia.
And he would never have her.
Not only because she had been Callum’s before she existed but most especially now but also because the vampire culture didn’t allow vampires to mate with mortals.
Yuri didn’t heed his father’s warning and his gaze narrowed on Callum. “Four days. You had her four days and you’ve already claimed her. Tell me, Cal, did you whisper your people’s secrets in her ear as you were thrusting inside her or did you simply boggle her mind with your legendary dick and she still doesn’t even fucking know?”
Callum heard Sonia’s indignant intake of breath, his triumphant elation evaporated and his temper rose.
“Do you want me to challenge you?” he asked Yuri and Yuri pushed away from the mantel stating he did indeed. Callum’s skin prickled, he so wanted to transform to take on the challenge. But he didn’t reckon Sonia, no matter how angry she was earlier and now, would like to watch her beloved “puppy” ripping her “brother” apart with his teeth.
Not to mention, he hadn’t yet told her that he was her puppy and that her puppy was a werewolf.
“Control your son,” Callum clipped to Gregor, not taking his eyes from Yuri.
Gregor sighed and noted, “You aren’t helping, Yuri.”
“No,” Sonia stated flatly, her eyes on Yuri and they were cold. “He isn’t.”
“Sonny –” Gregor started but Sonia cut him off.
“Callum took me to the cabin, Gregor.”
It surprised Callum to see Gregor flinch but he recovered quickly, stood, faced her and said again, “Sonny –”
“You told me it had burned down.”
“My dear.”
“You tore them away from me, not piece by piece but fast and painful, like ripping off a Band-Aid,” she snapped. “Is that what you thought? If you took it away quickly, it’d hurt less?” She didn’t give Gregor the chance to answer, she went on, “Well, I’d already lost them quickly once so it fucking well didn’t!”
“Sonny, give me one moment to explain,” Gregor said.
Sonia obviously didn’t feel in a magnanimous mood for she proclaimed, “Callum gave them back to me. He took me to the cabin and he introduced me to Regan. She even has pictures. Do you know who doesn’t have pictures of my mother and father? Me!”
“Lassiter and Cherise made me promise I’d erase your old life so you could live your new one,” Gregor returned quietly. “I didn’t like it but there were a great number of things Lassiter and I didn’t agree on. But he was your father. That’s what they wanted. I vowed to do as they asked and I did it.”
Callum stared at the vampire.
The different immortal beings on earth all had uneasy relationships with each other. The relationship between vampire and werewolf was the uneasiest. However, Callum had always respected the vampire vow.
Any vow a vampire took he or she would never break it. They’d die to keep it and vampires enjoyed their immortality and most held it sacred. Unlike werewolves, who often skirmished and felt losses, sometimes numerous, amongst their own, vampires had only warred once in all of history. They didn’t reproduce as easily as werewolves (who were quite prolific) and they had a variety of edicts that governed them which were pure lunacy but had been put in place to protect their species. Lastly, they couldn’t procreate with humans, which werewolves could and did, frequently, which was one reason why Yuri would never be allowed Sonia as his mortal mate. Vampire law forbid it.
Werewolves by their nature were lusty and unless there was an insurrection or rebellion against the monarchy, the laws were few and wolves were free to make their own lives amongst their brethren, humans or inhumans as they liked. If Callum or his father before him or his before him attempted to enforce abundant strictures on wolves, his brethren would rebel and their culture would descend into chaos. Free to live their lives, however, werewolves were naturally warm, sociable and practically consumed life, likely because, with their intermittent fighting, it could be shortened.
Vampires were colder, far more controlled and practically every move they made was governed.
The differences between the cultures were even evident in their clothes. Both Yuri and Gregor were wearing superbly tailored suits. Callum hadn’t even bothered to button the torn flannel shirt he wore over his jeans. He couldn’t even remember the last time he wore a suit and didn’t currently own one.
Because they were opposites, the two peoples did not get on well with each other and studiously avoided contact.
Callum had only met one vampire that he respected. His name was Lucien and Callum liked him because Lucien’s intensity reminded Callum of a wolf.
Not to mention, Lucien was an epic warrior.
Sonia broke into his thoughts with an astute one of her own.
Too astute.
“You talk like they knew they were going to die,” she accused and every male in the room, vampire and wolf, went still.
Callum watched with further surprise as Gregor’s face slightly softened at the same time he quickly covered.
“Parents, my dear, when they become parents tend to plan for such things. Death is an ugly fact of life and when someone loves another, they’ll want the one they love to be cared for if they’re not around. So, Sonny, they prepared for that time, they gave strict instructions and, when I agreed to be your guardian should that unfortunate event occur, I vowed I’d follow them and I did.”
It was a good cover because it was the truth, with only the fact not shared that Lassiter and Cherise Arlington prepared carefully for their deaths because what they were doing in their lives put them in mortal danger.
Callum gazed down at Sonia to see that Gregor’s words had affected her. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and it cut him to the quick seeing them. He dropped her hand but curled an arm around her shoulders, tucking her front into his side.
She rested her cheek against his pectoral and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her soft body molded to his and she took in a stuttering breath.
That cut him to the quick as well and his arm around her shoulders grew tighter.
Sonia wasn’t quite done, however.
“Why would they want you to erase them?” she asked Gregor, her voice no longer flat and accusatory, it was soft and sad.
“I’ve no idea, my dear,” Gregor answered. “Lassiter, nor Cherise, shared the reasons behind their wishes. They just shared their wishes.”
She paused a moment before she continued her quiet interrogation.
“Earlier, you said you’d been keeping me safe for Callum,” she stated and enquired, “Did you know about all of this?”
The air grew heavy, this mostly coming from Callum and Yuri, but Gregor kept his cool.
“Yes,” he answered simply.
Sonia’s voice was barely audible when she asked, “Did my parents?”
Gregor came closer, his eyes flicking to Callum as if to assess the threat, as he would do considering he w
as approaching a wolf’s mate.
Callum lifted his chin and Gregor crept closer.
Quietly, he replied, “Yes, Sonny, they knew about your destiny. They wanted it for you. Very much so. They were…” he hesitated and said the next word as if it cost him to do so, “honored that you were to be his queen.”
Sonia pulled in a soft breath and her body grew tight for a second before she seemed to come to some conclusion, closed her eyes briefly and, when she opened them, she relaxed further into Callum.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” she asked, her voice still hushed but there was an accusatory note threading through it.
“Many reasons, my dear,” Gregor replied, coming even closer. “Because you’re human. Because there was the possibility you weren’t safe. Because you needed to mature to a time when you could take all this in, understand it, not fear it and accept your destiny.”
Sonia gazed at Gregor a moment, letting this sink in.
Then she looked up at Callum and noted, “Your family knew too.”
“We did,” Callum told her truthfully.
She looked at Gregor then Yuri then back to Callum and tried to pull away but Callum held her firm.
She gave in to his hold and remarked, “If I was eventually to live amongst you, it would have made it a lot easier for me now if your family had taken me in. I would have understood your culture. I would have grown up in it.”
She was right. And she was far too shrewd.
Callum took in breath but it was Yuri who answered.
“You’d hardly have benefited from growing up with Callum and his family,” he clipped and when he went on, his tone was bitter. “Trust me, things would be different about now if you grew up thinking of Callum as a brother.”
Sonia, far too sweet for her own good, reacted to the bitterness, her face grew soft with understanding and sorrow and she whispered, “Yuri.”
“And Sonny,” Gregor added, “your parents wanted you to grow up amongst your own. Humans. It was also their wish.”
This was an outright lie, considering they were vampires.
However, for thirty-one years, Gregor and Yuri had taken great pains to live the charade of a human life.
For Sonia.
And to protect her destiny, not only as Callum’s mate, but also for the reason why fate chose her to be at his side during this time.
She tore her soft gaze from Yuri and looked to Gregor. She pulled in a deep breath and then released a heavy sigh.
Callum decided Sonia had had enough. It was time for this to be over and therefore he announced, “Sonia’s had a stressful few days. Share why you’re here so we can get on with our night.”
Gregor looked to Callum and replied, “Actually, I’m here to speak with you.”
“So speak,” Callum ordered.
Gregor took a step back, glanced over his shoulder at his son then back to Callum and invited, “Let’s walk.”
Callum’s eyes also went to Yuri, who was standing with arms crossed on his chest but his face was carefully blank.
Gregor had something he wanted to share privately, not for Sonia to hear.
He looked back to Gregor. “I’ll not leave Sonia. It’s unsafe.”
“Yuri will stay with her,” Gregor replied immediately.
Callum looked at Yuri to see he was now smiling.
“I don’t think so,” he told Gregor. “We’ll go into the kitchen.”
“We’ll walk,” Gregor replied firmly.
“We won’t,” Callum returned even more firmly.
“Worried?” Yuri taunted and Callum tensed.
“Why can’t you just talk here?” Sonia cut in.
“I need to have a private word with your mate,” Gregor answered and it was Sonia’s turn to go tense.
“More secrets?” she queried irately.
“Business, Sonia,” Gregor retorted, his tone surprising Callum by turning positively fatherly and surprising Callum further when Sonia’s expression turned visibly daughterly. Gregor continued, “Between his family and mine. It’s late, I’m tired, I want to get this done and it won’t take long,” he turned to Callum. “Let’s walk.”
Callum didn’t move a muscle.
“Callum,” Gregor said on a weary sigh. “No matter Yuri’s behavior tonight, Sonia’s safe with him. He’d never do anything to cause a rift between our families.”
“That’s surprising, considering some of the things that have come out of his mouth tonight,” Callum replied.
“Take a moment and stand in his shoes,” Gregor retorted sharply, uncharacteristically losing patience.
Callum didn’t want to do as Gregor suggested but he couldn’t stop the visions from invading. The very thought of wanting Sonia and walking in on her naked and connected to a vampire made his blood start to heat.
“We’ll walk,” he muttered but his eyes went to Yuri. “Sonia’s going directly to bed.”
“I thought she and I could share a nightcap,” Yuri returned acidly.
“She’s going to bed,” Callum repeated and, not waiting for further response, he turned and guided her up the stairs.
She was unresisting and she was silent.
Until they hit the room.
“Callum –”
“Get in bed, honey, I’ll be back before you know it.”
She stood by the bed and crossed her arms on her chest, declaring, “I don’t like this.”
Callum didn’t either but he clearly had no choice.
There was something pressing on Gregor’s mind and Callum’s instinct was to find out what it was so he could deal with it, as well as everything else, and move on.
He buttoned the buttons on his shirt saying, “The longer we discuss this, the longer it will take for me to get this done.”
Sonia didn’t seem to be worried how long it would take for she retorted, “I don’t know what part about ‘this’ I don’t like most. The fact that you and Gregor are taking a walk to talk about something you don’t want me to overhear. The fact that you stated I was going to bed when maybe I don’t want to go to bed. Or the fact that you led me out of the room without letting me say goodnight to the men who raised me.”
Callum studied his mate. He didn’t know her very well but he was beginning to recognize something about her. And that was, only Sonia could find three things about the vague concept of “this” to be pissed about.
“We’re not arguing now,” he stated decisively.
“Then we’ll argue later,” she returned.
With that, she climbed into bed, turned out the bedside lamp and settled in, commanding, “Leave the Christmas lights on when you go.”
Callum sighed. Then he tugged on his socks and boots. Then he walked down the stairs, stopped and looked at Yuri.
“She had a break-in the night I took her,” he informed the vampire and saw Yuri’s eyes flash before turning hard. “Kidnap attempt,” Callum went on. “The intruders were rough with her.”
Yuri’s voice was as hard as his eyes when he replied, “I hope you dealt with them.”
“I did,” Callum confirmed and he saw another flash, this one grimly satisfied for he knew what Callum did to the two wolves who touched Sonia.
And Callum found himself grimly satisfied learning from that brief exchange that Gregor was correct. No matter Yuri’s foul behavior that evening, he’d never let anything harm Sonia.
He jerked his head at Gregor, grabbed his coat and they walked.
Gregor was silent for a block and a half and Callum was losing patience when Gregor finally spoke.
“Something’s changed,” he proclaimed.
“And that would be?” Callum prompted when Gregor went no further.
“Lucien has found his lifemate,” Gregor shared and that news was definitely worth a proclamation.
Nearly every immortal race had lifemates.
Vampires didn’t believe in them. As they wouldn’t.
After they warred centuries ago, they wrote
the copious laws they lived under. Amongst them they outlawed mating with mortals (and anyone else for that matter) and, at that time, forced all vampires to denounce their mortal or non-vampire mates. They’d even hunted, tortured and executed vampires and mortals who refused. From that point, they’d only been allowed to mate with vampires which significantly lowered the chances of finding that one, single soul in billions who you were destined to spend eternity with.
Therefore, they’d turned their backs on the idea of lifemates.
Callum grinned to himself that it was Lucien who’d declared a lifemate. That vampire had balls.
“Is it Katrina?” Callum asked, hoping it was not.
Lucien was bound to another vampire who went by the name of Katrina. Callum had also met her, she was stunning to look at but she reminded him of Mona.
“No, he was granted severance from Katrina,” Gregor answered, Callum nodded his head and Gregor continued. “And then he had necessity…” Gregor paused, “to dispatch her.”
Callum felt his lips get tight.
Vampires officially bound themselves to other vampires but they had an out, called “severance”, which was like a mortal’s divorce.
Unlike the vampire vow, which clearly didn’t include their vows to their mates, Callum found the concept of vampire severance repulsive. Werewolves had nothing like it. A wolf would never sever from his or her mate.
Never.
However, if his mate was Katrina, Callum would consider it.
Nevertheless, “dispatching” her was beyond the pale, even for a vampire. This idea was even more repugnant to Callum. The only thing he knew, knowing Lucien, was that if the deed was done, there was a valid reason behind it.
“Who is she?” Callum asked.
“A mortal,” Gregor answered and Callum stopped short.
He turned and stared at the vampire. “You’re fucking joking.”
Gregor stopped too and regarded Callum. “I’m not.”
“Bloody hell,” Callum muttered, finding himself concerned for Lucien.
Vampires liked their laws, had lived under them for half a millennium and not mating with mortals was top on their list.
Lucien and his mate could be hunted, tortured and executed.
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