Darkest Risings

by S. K. Yule

  “You would let us all die, hold all of us responsible for my mother’s actions?”

  “That’s not my call. Apparently, that is Fate’s call, or so you keep saying.”

  He smiled wryly. “I would never trap you, Lindsey. I, better than anyone, know how that feels.”

  He probably did. While she was okay with her sister being with Aldin, with being connected to Marilena through Wilhemina if it meant her sibling’s happiness, it was the closest she wanted to be to the family whose mother was responsible for her imprisonment.

  “I will always respect your freedom, Lindsey. No one understands the price of it better than I. But know that I will do everything in my power to make you love me.”

  “Ain’t gonna happen, buster.”

  “I like challenges.”

  “I’m tired of them myself.”

  She turned to leave, as she’d made herself clear where she stood with him and had nothing further to say. Before she’d taken two steps, his fingers wrapped around her wrist and halted her.

  “It would be better if you did not fight the inevitable.”

  “Better for who?” She snorted.

  “Better for all of us, including your sister. Think about that when you are so easily condemning me and my family to death.”

  She jerked her wrist from his hold and stormed out of the kitchen.

  * * * *

  Aldin wasn’t sure Wilhemina could ever come to terms with what his mother had done, and he wouldn’t blame her if she couldn’t.

  “I know my mother was wrong for what she did. I don’t condone anything she’s done where the whole prophecy is concerned—except for the part where she finally decided to set things right. And I will never be able to forgive her for hurting you. I also thought you should know that I am aware when you are upset or angry or have any other strong emotion. I can sense your feelings when they are intense. Right now, you are confused, upset, and hurt. I could read your mind if I wished, but I will never do so. I respect your privacy, and would never betray you in that way. I wanted you to know that up front before we continued.”

  “Ookayyy. Thank you for telling me. I guess.” She frowned.

  “Wilhemina? Where does all of this leave us? You and I?”

  She sighed, and went to sit on the black leather sofa in the corner of his room. When she didn’t say anything and stared at him, he walked over and sat beside her, careful to leave several inches between them. He lost all train of thought when he touched her, and now was not the time. His cock twitched in disagreement, but he quickly stifled the urge to say fuck it, pull her under him, and bury himself in her sweetness.

  “I don’t know where that leaves us, Aldin. Your mother robbed me of seven years with my sister, robbed my sister of seven years of her life. I know you had nothing to do with it, but she is your mother. I can’t pretend that doesn’t bother me. I also can’t pretend to believe that my dislike of your mother doesn’t carry the potential risk to cause problems between you and me later on. You will eventually forgive her. I don’t know if I ever can, and I don’t want to put you in a position where you might have to choose between her and me.”

  “You are right. I will always love Marilena, Wilhemina. No matter how angry she makes me, no matter how many idiotic things she does that I don’t approve of.” He took one of her hands in his. “But I swear to you that if it came to it, if there was ever a time where I was forced to choose between you and her, I would choose you. However, I don’t believe that will ever happen because I don’t think you or my mother would put me in that position.”

  “Aldin,” she said quietly. “I would never put you in that position, but sometimes in life things happen that we have no control over. I could not bear knowing that I could one day be the reason for a problem between you and Marilena. I have to try to think about this logically. My sister will never forgive her for what she’s done. Lindsey does not want to be around her, or your family for that matter. It will only remind her of what she went through. While she’s given me her blessing to be with you if I choose, I’m worried it will hurt my relationship with her once we are out of danger.”

  “I don’t believe anything can hurt your relationship with your sister. Not after being kept apart for such a long time.”

  “When we are out of danger, Lindsey will want to leave here. I plan to go with her. I cannot expect her to want to stay here.”

  “Nor do I. Then it is settled. When the danger has passed, I will go with you.”

  “You can’t be serious. I don’t have the money to keep you in a place even half as nice as this.”

  “Do you think I would expect you to pay my way? I have more than enough money. We can live anywhere you like. We can do anything you want, Wilhemina. I will even pay for your sister’s living arrangements if she chooses to have her own place. It’s the least I can do for her after what my mother has done.”

  He was going to lose her if he didn’t do something fast. While Wilhemina may not agree to let him take care of her, he was sure that she’d want the best for her sister. Besides, he could always work on Wilhemina later because he planned to treat her like a queen and spoil her rotten. Right now he had to find a way to keep her from walking out of his life for good.

  “I can’t allow you to pay my way either.”

  “Why?”

  “Honestly?”

  “I want nothing but honesty between us.”

  “I don’t know where I stand with you, Aldin.”

  He’d never told her he loved her. She’d opened her heart to him and he’d given her nothing in return. He had never been in love. The one time he’d thought he’d been had turned out to be a huge mistake. He hadn’t been sure before that he understood what being in love really felt like. Now he did.

  The knowledge that she was contemplating walking out of his life shattered him. The thought of her leaving him sent panic slithering through his veins like poison. He could go on without her if forced to, but he would never truly be alive again if that were to happen.

  His life would cease to have meaning if she left him. The mere thought of living without her instilled a deep seated fear inside him like he’d never known. That’s what love was.

  “Wilhemina, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before now, but I—”

  “Aldin, get to the study now.”

  He groaned out loud as Ashe’s voice cut through his brain.

  “Aldin?”

  He stood. The urgency in Ashe’s tone told him that whatever was going on was important. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” He got up from the couch.

  “Is something wrong?” She stood and placed her hand on his arm.

  “I don’t know. Ashe asked me to come to the study.”

  She frowned.

  “Other vampires can talk to me telepathically like you and I do.”

  “Oh.”

  He bent and kissed her softly on the lips, savoring her scent and taste. “We’ll finish this conversation later?”

  “Okay.”

  He hoped there would be a later to finish the conversation. Time was ticking away, counting down quickly to the upcoming encounter with Trinidad at the old warehouse. Things were about to get hectic and stay that way.

  “Do you want me to walk you back to you room?”

  “No. I can find my own way. Thank you.”

  He stared at her, taking in her lovely red hair and flawless skin before nodding and shimmering to the study.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ashe, Aiston, Uriah, Conrad, Dominic, and Malachi were in the study along with Grady who stood off to the side. Even Ragnor was in the room, but was standing in a far corner silently observing the scene.

  “What the fuck is he doing here?” Aldin gave a small jerk of his head in Grady’s direction.

  Grady had helped fight off the drifters at Drake’s. Hell, he’d probably saved Aiston’s and possibly his own life. That didn’t change the fact that he was a drifter, which made Aldin suspicious of
him and his motives.

  “I’ve been hiding out. Trinidad knows I’m alive, and he’s good at discovering where people are that he wants to find—me being high on that want to find list. I seriously underestimated him when I attended his little meeting. I didn’t think he had a clue I was there. Obviously, I was mistaken. I was coming to warn you about the impending attack at Drake’s last night when I was nabbed by a shitload of drifters. Took me awhile to get free. If Trinidad had gotten to me before I got loose, I wouldn’t be standing here.” Grady didn’t twitch or give any indication that he was being deceitful.

  “Tell me what you know about Trinidad.” Ragnor stepped forward.

  “Who the hell are you?” Grady asked.

  “Don’t worry about it. You will be told things on a need-to-know basis. Get used to it,” Ashe ground out between his teeth.

  Grady eyed the Aleksandrov men one by one before resting his gaze back on Ragnor. Anyone could see the resemblance, but none could deduce from that information that Ragnor was their father. Nor could anyone possibly know that he was the legendary Vampyre King. If Aldin and his brothers learned one thing over the years of fighting, it was that you never laid all of your cards on the table for everyone to see. When you had an Ace or two, you guarded them closely and waited for the right time to play them.

  “He says he’s an ancient.” Grady scratched at the stubble on his jaw.

  “Dude, you need a bath. I can smell you over here,” Malachi grumbled.

  “It’s hard to shower when half of the city is trying to kill your ass,” Grady growled back in response.

  “Yeah, well you smell like ass,” Aiston complained.

  “Enough! You can shower here once we are done.” Ragnor’s voice held an air of authority that was unmistakable. “Now tell me everything you know about Trinidad.”

  “Fine. But don’t expect much. He isn’t a warm, fuzzy, sharing type of guy.” Grady scratched at his scruff again before continuing. “He’s pissed.”

  “No shit,” Dominic said.

  Grady lifted a brow at Dominic. Aldin was beginning to like Grady. He was in a room of hunters who technically should be cutting his head off, but he chose to hold his own ground and not quiver like a sniveling coward.

  “He’s always talked about the legendary Vampyre King, and how the title rightfully belongs to him. He plans on wiping all of you out. He wants to put himself on the throne, so to speak. I can’t begin to tell you how bad that would be for humans if he manages it. You cannot imagine how sadistic Trinidad is. He’s not right in the noodle, yet he is cunning in a scary way. It’s like taking Freud, turning him evil and crazy without fucking with his genius, then setting him loose to do as he will.” Grady sat up.

  Malachi grunted.

  “But that is also his weakness. He doesn’t believe anyone is as intelligent as he is. He doesn’t believe anyone can get one up on him.”

  “Yet, we’ve foiled his plans at just about every step thus far,” Aiston said.

  “Yes, but he blames those failures on the shit brains he has working for him,” Grady answered.

  “Weren’t you one of those shit brains not long ago?” Aldin said.

  Conrad and Dominic snickered.

  “Nope. I did everything I was told. All of his plans were doable, were good. Most only got screwed up because of the idiots he relied on to carry out those plans. There are a few of us, including me, that are good at carrying out orders and following instructions. But trying to get the dumb shits under us to not fuck up is another thing. Trinidad has had his little army of drifters in training for awhile now, but only about a third of them have become adequate enough in combat to give you guys a run for your money.”

  “If you say so.” Malachi snorted.

  “Don’t be fooled. Up to this point, Trinidad has sent his lackeys in to carry out the ambushes. I don’t believe for a moment he thought any of the idiots would actually accomplish what they were supposed to. He was testing the waters. He was learning about all of you, your weaknesses, your strengths, and gathering information. When the first wave of the uprising begins, he will have a more skilled army there. If you don’t go in with a plan, you will be slaughtered. And don’t underestimate Trinidad’s power. He is stronger than anything I’ve ever come across. I’ve seen him work spells too.”

  Everyone including Ragnor stared at Grady in silence. They already knew about Trinidad’s spells after he’d used one along with a tranquilizer made from no drug they’d ever seen before to kidnap and hold Malachi. Luckily, the hunter had escaped unscathed.

  “Do you know how he makes the tranqs?”

  “Nope.” Grady answered. “Well?” He shrugged. “What’s your plan?”

  “To hold him off. To damage him and send him back in hiding. We have enough inside information”—Aldin glanced up at Ragnor—”to defeat Trinidad. At this time, however, the resources to do so are not available to us.”

  “And are you planning on throwing me back to the wolves?”

  “You’ve helped us on several occasions. I’m not overlooking that. But I can’t differentiate between how much of that is due to wanting to save your own ass and your desire to do the right thing.” Ashe leaned back in the chair behind the big desk in the middle of the study.

  Aldin was sure he knew where Ashe’s thoughts were going concerning Grady. They could not invite him into their home because none of them would be willing to expose Ebony, Marcus, Avril, Lindsey, Wilhemina, or Geri to a potential threat. And no matter how much Grady had helped, he was still a drifter—or something different in any case—and could not be thoroughly trusted.

  “I don’t see a problem with him staying in the apartment over the garage,” Aldin suggested. “We can keep an eye on him and he won’t be a potential threat inside the house.”

  “Anyone else have a problem with that?” Ashe asked.

  “Your house, man,” Dominic said.

  The other hunters nodded in agreement along with Aiston.

  “I guess that’s settled then.” Ashe looked at Grady. “You can stay in the apartment over the garage, but you are not allowed in this house at any time without escort. Are we clear on that?”

  “Crystal.” Grady scowled.

  “Very well. If we are done here, I’ll show him to the apartment,” Ashe said.

  When everyone nodded, Ashe got up, walked to the door, and motioned for Grady to follow him. Once they were gone, the tension kicked up a notch in the room.

  “I don’t fucking like it.” Malachi sneered.

  “None of us do, but Grady has given us more intel than we’ve been able to find out for months on our own. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s an asset that could prove very useful,” Aiston said.

  “I don’t know how useful he is now that Trinidad knows he’s alive. Before that? Maybe. Now?” Conrad shrugged.

  “He has skills. I agree he could prove useful.” Aldin hated to admit that, but it was the truth. “He also saved Aiston’s life. I’m not saying I trust him. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

  At this point in the game, they couldn’t afford to burn any bridges.

  “Shit’s going down soon. We need to form a rock solid plan. We can’t afford to lose anyone. We are seriously outnumbered, and if what Grady said about Trinidad holding back his more skilled fighters is true, we are seriously fucked.” The way Malachi said Trinidad’s name had the ability to raise the hair on the back of Satan’s neck.

  “I need to try for another vision,” Ragnor muttered.

  “Everyone take some time to relax, clear your minds, and come up with some ideas. We’ll meet again to devise a plan in twelve hours. After that, there won’t be much time for anything but scouting, and perfecting our strategy to take this bastard down once and for all.” That didn’t give Aldin long to make things right with Wilhemina, but he was determined to do his best.

  “I agree.” Aiston stood. “I know exactly how I will spend that time. With my woman.” He wiggled his e
yebrows up and down before exiting.

  “Ashe.”

  “Yeah.”

  “We meet again in twelve hours. Relax and spend some time with Ebony and Marcus.”

  “Take care of your business as well, brother.”

  Aldin didn’t miss the meaning behind Ashe’s words. Anyone going into this with their eyes open knew coming out alive was uncertain. What he really meant was get your shit in order because it may be your last opportunity to do so.

  “Since I have no woman willing to spend time with me, I guess I’m hitting the gym and spending some serious time with the PS3.” Uriah exited.

  Aldin waited until Malachi, Conrad, Dominic, and Ragnor left before following and flipping off the switch beside the door, casting the room in darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “What did you see?” Marilena asked Ragnor as he leaned heavily on the table in the corner of Marilena’s room.

  “It’s not good, Marilena.” His chest ached when he saw the tears glisten in her eyes.

  For more years than he could count, he’d longed for those eyes to look upon him with the passion they’d once held. He’d been a fool for letting her run away from him. He’d not be that fool again. She was his whether she liked it or not, and she would stay by his side from this moment on no matter how long or short that time might be.

  “Tell me. Don’t spare me. Not after everything I’ve done.”

  He wouldn’t spare her except for one tiny detail. The detail that included his death. “I am unable to see the outcome of the battle to take place at the warehouse. Who wins? I do not know. I’m only guessing, but I think the final outcome now lies in Uriah’s and Lindsey’s hands. Although I’m not sure of Wilhemina’s and Aldin’s future either. I cannot perform the virtus ritus until Lindsey and Wilhemina have accepted Uriah and Aldin as their life mates.”

  “You could, but won’t.”

  “If I perform the virtus ritus, and even one of them—Uriah or Aldin—is not tied to his viata amant, it will be as good as dealing a death sentence. Since I am also unable to see the outcome of the final battle, I will take that as meaning we still have a chance at victory. Even though we could conclude that it rests entirely upon our sons coming into their true blood powers, that may not be the case.”