“Listen to me, boring you with all this business talk.” Dante laughed and reached up as if to run his hand through his hair, remembering at the last moment that it was slicked into place with gel—part of his professional persona for the outside world.
“I don’t mind,” I said, setting my mug down on the table in front of me. “Though, I would like to know why we’re picking up this replacement donor personally. You didn’t do that with the others.”
“And you see how well that turned out.” Dante sighed and looked out his window. “It is difficult not to feel responsible for the deaths of those I previously chose.”
“The first one might still be alive,” I said, reaching across the aisle to take his hand this time.
“No.” He turned and gave me a sad smile, rolling his thumb over my knuckles. “I do not wish to cause Ursula or Audrey any more distress, so please, keep this to yourself. Ingrid’s body was found late last week.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” I blinked at him, not sure what else to say.
He nodded, accepting the condolences. “All of the donors in my harem were made aware of the risk that comes with working for a member of the royal family—and the potential scions were even more informed. But this aggressive assault, that I have no doubt Kassandra is behind, has left me feeling raw. Vulnerable.”
“What does she have to gain from this?” I wondered aloud.
I already had a pretty good idea of why she’d tried to have the queen assassinated. Lili was over four hundred years old, and she’d been ruling for over two hundred of those years. Like Lilith, her sire before her, she’d grown tired. Rumors that she would be taking her forever rest—a voluntary death of sorts for vampires that I equated to assisted suicide—had been circulating for some time.
When Lilith had taken her forever rest, she’d taken Adam, her firstborn scion and lover, with her. I didn’t know the specifics, and I wasn’t sure whom to even ask. Dante hadn’t been alive at the time, and Ursula would have been a young, human girl in Vienna, under Mozart’s spell.
I supposed Alexander, the prince, would have been there on the day Lilith and Adam said goodbye and Lili took the throne. Maybe it was his version of the big day that had motivated Kassandra to such extremes.
Dante had shared his suspicions with me before Ursula’s trial. Namely, how he thought Kassandra feared that Lili would take Alexander with her to the grave. If the queen were eliminated before she had the chance, the crown would pass to the prince, and then Kassandra could rule by his side. It made sense, but without evidence, throwing around accusations would only tip her off that we were on to her. It would just make the job of outing her that much more difficult.
“Do you suppose the prince suspects anything of Kassandra?” I slipped my hand out of Dante’s to cradle my mug of blood, not sure I wanted to be touching him while I voiced my reservations about his sire. How could Alexander not know the devil he was living and sleeping with?
Dante pressed his lips together and folded his hands over the table in front of him. “I do not wish to think unkindly of my blood father, but I do know that he is still in love with this world and would very much like to remain in it. However, I also know that he is fiercely loyal to Lili. He would do anything she requested of him. Anything.”
“Were they lovers at one time?”
“Briefly.” Shame tinted Dante’s face, and I saw how much it bothered him to be gossiping about his sire. “He spent thirty years in her harem, half-sired, before she turned him. A few years after that...the queen lost interest. She has always been fonder of her human companions than her vampiric lovers.”
I thought of Roman and swallowed. “Did they share a lifeblood bond?”
“I don’t know.” Dante shook his head. “Alexander did not like to speak of the past. It was too painful for him.”
“If the queen doesn’t want him anymore...then why would Kassandra think she’d take him to her forever rest?”
“Lili no longer beds him, but she still considers him her closest adviser and confidant.” Dante gave me a meaningful look. “And it is customary, especially among royal families, to create two scions for the specific purpose of taking one as a companion into the eternal darkness and leaving one behind to rule over this darkness.” He threw a glance over his shoulder at the night sky beyond his window.
Well, that certainly hadn’t been in any of the books I’d read recently.
THE FLIGHT TO CHICAGO took all of an hour, which seemed crazy considering the drive was over four and a half. I remembered going up to check out the planetarium with Collins for spring break our senior year of high school. Laura had gone to Party Cove at Lake of the Ozarks with a slew of her faux friends and then talked me into buying a box of pregnancy tests for her after we came home.
There was a car waiting for Dante and me when we landed. One of the guards opened the door to the back seat, and Dante ushered me in ahead of him. I’d worn a skirt and heels, determined not to be underdressed for the occasion, so scooching across the seat was awkward, especially while clasping the lapels of my blazer with one hand so it wouldn’t gape and reveal the TDs I was packing. Guards or no guards, I would be holding my own if the need arose.
After my preview of Bathory House and my exposure to the finished product of Darkly Hall, I didn’t think Renfield Academy could offer any surprises. I should have known better.
We headed east, away from the clamor and radiance of the city. Twenty minutes later, we stopped at a gated entrance surrounded by fenced pastures. I heard the muffled voice of the guard in the driver’s seat announce us to someone speaking through an intercom. Then a buzz sounded. The gate opened, and we rolled past it, heading down a long drive that dipped and curled around hills and clusters of trees.
Buildings soon came into view, a barn and two larger, two-story structures that reminded me of the barracks at the bat cave, stark lighting and all. A group of men wearing sweats jogged around the buildings in formation, an older man leading the way with a whistle pinched between his lips.
“Is this an all-male school?” I asked Dante as the car turned off into a small lot beside the barn.
“They receive an occasional female applicant, but for the most part, yes.”
“Interesting,” I mused, leaning against the window to get a better look at the grounds. A pair of horses galloped through an adjoining pasture and up to the barn, a streak of black on their heels. The creature paused, and golden wolf eyes turned toward the car. “Do they receive many werewolf applicants?”
“Renfield Academy is one of very few schools who accept them,” Dante said. “They will not do for a scion, but as donors, they are quite desirable. And many of the human alumni who are not fully turned are half-sired and contracted through Blood Vice like—” He paused and sucked in a cautious breath as I turned back to him.
“Like Agent Knight.” I offered him a small, forgiving smile before changing the subject. “This doesn’t look like the kind of place where they teach etiquette and fine arts. But you were willing to select a scion from here?”
“Blood Vice is one of Renfield’s most generous patrons. What better way to nurture that relationship than by choosing one of their own to sire?”
I twisted in my seat and frowned at him. “So, what? You went down the list of places you wanted to improve business relations with? That’s how you decided where to find your future scion?”
His eyes widened. “What is wrong with that method?”
“What isn’t wrong with it?” I huffed. “You should have visited loads of schools and met with dozens of potential candidates. You’re going to be stuck with this scion for a very long time—and they’re going to be stuck with you.”
Dante gave me an annoyed scowl. “I am following the queen’s orders, and I have been nothing but gracious and adoring toward Audrey.”
Well. I could agree with that much. When I didn’t say anything, Dante went on, his voice growing increasingly defensive.
“
I do not have time to sort through endless candidates—the queen expects me to present her with my chosen at the ball. Next Imbolc, I will turn Audrey. The royal family has been compromised, and there is no time for lengthier formalities. Our enemies will not wait for us to recover. Certainly not the enemy within our own house.”
“And you’re returning here and not to the other two schools because...?” I asked, changing the subject again. Arguing with Dante was even less fun than it had been before I decided I wanted him. He sighed and gave me a look that suggested he felt the same.
“Bathory House was disappointed that I chose my second candidate from a different school, but after their pupils’ brutalized remains were found, they are now seemingly out of service. Same for Darkly Hall after Ms. Tillman spoke with them.” His shoulders sagged, and the hurt in his expression tore at my heart.
“What happened to them is not your fault,” I said, reaching for his hand where it lay on the seat, but he pulled away before I touched him.
“I am not surprised, nor do I blame them.” The serene mask he wore for the outside world slipped over his features once again. He straightened his vest as one of the guards exited the car and opened the back door.
“Your Grace,” a bald man in dark fatigues greeted Dante. The man’s confidence and massive build reminded me of Kai Natani, but his smile lacked the BATC instructor’s self-satisfied humor. I bit my tongue, inflicting just enough discomfort to trigger my blood vision.
Human. No, half-sired, I decided after his pale eyes turned on me. I climbed out of the car behind Dante, wobbling on my heels in the gravel.
“Dr. Marquis, dean of Renfield Academy.” The man held out his hand, taking mine in a firm shake. “You must be the future baroness—”
“This is the princess’s new scion, the duchess tempus, Jenna Skye,” Dante explained. “She’s assisting me today.”
Dr. Marquis’ eyebrows rose, but he didn’t say anything more on the matter. Instead, he dipped his head in a polite nod before turning to lead us across the lot and into the nearest building. We bypassed an empty front desk and then wove through several hallways until we reached a conference room. A grouping of files was laid out on the long table.
“I have five candidates who meet your requested qualifications,” Dr. Marquis said. “Take your time. I’ll be in my office across the hall if you have any questions.”
After he’d left us, closing the door behind him, I turned to Dante. “Friendly fella, ain’t he?”
“I am lucky he has not turned me away like the others.” Dante sighed and gave me a tightlipped smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “The trainees here undergo a pre-boot camp of sorts, anticipating a career in Blood Vice. The school’s reputation will suffer when news of their late student spreads. This is an opportunity for them to show that they are not discouraged by the royal family’s enemies. Of course,” —he eyed the files on the table— “there are fewer volunteers this time.”
“What were your requested qualifications?” I asked.
“The usual.” He flipped open a folder and removed a photo paperclipped to the inside flap. “No disciplinary issues, exceptional physical condition, loyalty under duress, no human family to complicate our already complicated household.”
“And only five students qualified?” I asked, accepting the photo from him.
“They are made aware of the house soliciting them and are free to submit or omit their name,” Dante said. “Before one of their classmates died, there were dozens of files to choose from.”
The photo of the first new candidate rubbed me wrong. He looked smug, his smile almost a dare for someone to cross him. House Lilith didn’t need any help in that department.
I glanced over Dante’s shoulder as he thumbed through the boy’s file—the results of his most recent physical exam and psych evaluation, a birth certificate, FBI background check. He met the duke’s requirements, but only just.
I discarded the photograph on the table and reached for another file, skimming through it and then a third before Dante had finished with the first. It was the fourth one that finally sparked my interest. His expression held more respect—an easy smile and warm, caramel-colored eyes—but it was the two extra letters of recommendation from instructors that really caught my attention.
“Try him,” I said, dropping the kid’s folder on top of the one Dante was reviewing.
“Levi Bishop—a wolf?” Dante gave me a hesitant look.
“They’re harder to kill and more satisfying, donor-wise. It’s been a while for you, but I know just how unbearable vampling thirst can be. Until Audrey gets comfortable with the process, every drop counts. If you don’t want another diva around the manor, I suggest you feed her like you mean it.”
“Hmm.” He picked up the file and thoughtfully ran a hand over his chin. “This is your final choice?”
“That’s just my two cents,” I said, shrugging. “It’s not my choice to make.”
“But it is.” Dante looked up from the file. “That is why you are here. Until Ursula is more...stable, it is my responsibility to integrate you into this family. That is why the queen put you under my roof. I want you to feel a part of the household. I want you to choose and welcome the next member.”
I imagined this was some sort of warped apology for not realizing how much Audrey’s presence would affect me. Or maybe it was Dante’s way of distracting me from my desire to get out of the manor and work with Blood Vice.
I knew how tied his hands were. The queen would skin him alive if anything happened to me—or Ursula—and he was already risking the princess’s wrath by sneaking me out of the manor for this short business trip. But somewhere in the last few months, the scales had tipped, and he was showing more interest in my happiness. If only I could get him to dial down his concern for my safety.
Dante’s hand ran across my lower back. It was a casual gesture, but it rallied the butterflies in my stomach, sending them aflutter.
“I am leaving this choice to you, Jenna,” he said, mistaking my silence for confusion.
“In that case...” I said, picking up the fifth file. “Better safe than sorry.” I gave him a sheepish grin and opened the last folder.
Chapter Sixteen
LEVI BISHOP, THE ONLY wolf who had been in the running to be Audrey’s new donor-in-waiting and my final choice, was a sweet kid from Tennessee. His parents had died in a car crash when he was ten. He spent a year in foster care until a playdate with a werewolf pup got a little out of hand.
The other kid’s mom reported the incident, and then Levi was shipped off to Renfield Academy before he even hit puberty and had his first shift. From his psych eval, it didn’t seem as though he held either accident against anyone. He had a very shit-happens attitude about life, and he seemed content to at least have a general idea of where his future was headed.
I’d grilled him on all kinds of random things on the flight back to St. Louis. Partly to get a better handle on his personality, but mostly to hear him talk. Seven years in Chicago at Renfield hadn’t killed his Tennessee accent. It was thicker than Audrey’s Texas drawl, but I had a feeling she wouldn’t mind.
The few questions Dante asked were more invasive than mine.
Have you ever been bitten by a vampire? What factors solidify your loyalty? Do you aspire to join Blood Vice? Are you a virgin?
I wondered if he’d asked the same of Audrey and the other girls from Darkly Hall and Bathory House. I assumed he’d at least skipped the Blood Vice question. And the virginity one was probably a little too pearl-clutching to risk. Maybe I’d drop that one on him later and see what kind of reaction it earned.
When we arrived back at the manor, Dante headed straight for his office. “Belinda should have your room ready upstairs,” he said, pausing at the double doors. “After the duchess gives you the tour, please, make yourself at home.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Levi said in his slow drawl and tugged the straps of his duffel bag higher u
p on his shoulder. “I appreciate the warm welcome,” he added, almost under his breath as he took in the stone-faced guards standing to either side of the office doors.
“Hey, let’s start with the gym,” I suggested, nudging him toward the north wing. When he yawned, I added, “We’ll save the library for tomorrow, let you get some rest first.”
It was doubtful that Ursula had made it that far from her room tonight, but I was more than happy not to risk a run-in.
“What do the wolf folk around here do for the full moon?” Levi asked after we’d passed a second pair of humorless guards watching the north stairwell.
“Shit. That’s tomorrow, isn’t it?”
“Yep.” Levi nodded.
I’d been paying better attention to the lunar cycles lately since Mandy planned her camping trips around the full moons. But none of the wolves were going camping this week. Not with the harem needing so much supervision during the day while the vamps were out of commission. They’d likely shift out back and prowl around the lake and trees on Dante’s property, but then they’d have to call it quits earlier than usual so they wouldn’t be too tired for their daytime shifts.
Even if Yoshiko’s death were an accident, Dante would not have an easy time convincing Murphy. But, at some point soon, he would have to let up on the excessive guard presence. Either that, or hire more security—and maybe more donors if any of the current harem members decided they wanted to leave. If Murphy would let them leave without a full-blown apocalypse.
“I’ll introduce you to Mandy tomorrow,” I told Levi. “She’ll be able to fill you in on the camping schedule for the local Cadaver Dogs she likes to hit the state parks with. I imagine Belinda, the duke’s assistant, will have a household duty or two for you, but not for a few days. Our harem manager...had an accident, and things have been a little off around here lately.”
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