Mr. Tiernan looked to Veronica.
“No, I never was,” she answered. “I was raised around it, and my father is now the President of the Midwest Region.”
Nathan sat upright, uncrossing his legs. A slight hint of a smile appeared on his face. “You remind me of your mother. She was a determined woman, always searching for the truth.” He leaned back in his chair and continued. “She was also really protective of her family, more than your father.” He grabbed the mug from the table and stood up from his chair. “Along with your mother, I openly questioned what your father was doing at that time, Veronica. Things were hectic and the environment unsafe. Many researchers lost their lives and the Chapter was on the brink of collapse. It was Lucius who kept things in order. He managed to control the Deamhan as long as we agreed to not interfere. Afterward there was a calm period and no issues arose between us and the Deamhan. We were there to watch, to gather information, to understand them from a distance like our ancestors did. However, your father had his own agenda and priorities.” Nathan slowly paced over to his fireplace and leaned on the mantle, his eyes drifting over the files for a moment. “And things turned for the worse.”
“What did my father do?”
“That’s the problem. I never found out. No one in the Chapter knew until it was too late,” Nathan answered. “By then your mother had disappeared and we were forced to disband the Chapter and leave the city in fear of our lives.”
“But you didn’t leave the city. Why?”
“No, I didn’t.” He sipped from his coffee mug. “Your father had me ejected from The Brotherhood and my parents, who had dedicated their lives to the organization, were cast out as well.” He placed his coffee mug on the mantel of the fireplace. “But I can’t say that I didn’t see it coming.”
“If you didn’t know what was happening, why would my father cast you out of the organization?”
“History,” Nathan answered. “Your family and my family have squabbled for power in The Brotherhood for generations. We are the only two families who never got along.” He closed his eyes in thought. “The Dearhorn family stood on the side of the Austin family and the Pavel family stood on my family’s side.”
Veronica stared into the fire, caught in its hypnotic flare. It was the first time she’d heard of the conflicts between the families in The Brotherhood. There were so many questions and so many thoughts about what Nathan could reveal. She didn’t know where to start.
“Hey,” Sean whispered to her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She nodded, snapping herself from her vertigo daze. “Yeah, I’m—I’m fine.” She looked at Nathan. “My father never told me anything about this but that’s not a surprise.”
“I’m sorry that you have to hear it from me,” Nathan replied. “After I was ejected from The Brotherhood I decided to stay in Minneapolis and further research the Deamhan on my own.”
“Did you happen to find out what happened to Lucius?”
Nathan closed his eyes for a moment. “Lucius Valerius Pulcher. That was his birth name.”
Veronica quickly glanced at Sean, who looked back with a confused stare. “His real name?”
“Yes,” Nathan answered. “He’s an old Deamhan; an Ancient is what they call them—Deamhan who are over a thousand years old. He was an avid follower of their Dictum and he believed in coexistence between humans, Deamhans, and vampires. It wasn’t a popular stance among his own kind.”
“Lambert told me that the Chapter was involved in his disappearance,” Veronica asked. “Is that true?”
He nodded. “Yes, and that Lucius was possibly killed by his offspring, Kei. No one knows what happened to him but after he disappeared Kei placed himself as leader in the city. Since then, the Deamhan have been out of control, killing one another, and burning sanctuaries.” He walked toward the middle of the room and stood in front of them. “I’ve been watching and documenting the Deamhan from my own home here. Those in support of Lucius are fighting against those in support of Kei.”
“And where do you stand?” Sean asked.
Nathan paused before replying. “My stance is not important.”
“But you live with Deamhan here.”
He nodded. “And their stance is not of my concern. However, Lambert seems to be more vocal when it comes to Kei.”
The smell of hazelnut coffee drifted past Veronica’s nose. “I could tell. When we spoke, I had the feeling that he didn’t like Kei and he didn’t like The Brotherhood.”
“And he never will,” Nathan answered. “Lambert has lived in Minneapolis for a long time. He is like the head vampire in the city. Most vampires shy away from the Deamhan but he has somehow found a way to incorporate them and tolerate them.”
“And you want to go back to Dark Sepulcher?” Sean whispered to Veronica.
Ignoring his comment, she continued to question. “Do you know where I could find Kei?”
“I don’t.” Again Nathan’s response was quick.
She glanced at Sean. Their eyes met. He probably had the same questions flopping through his brain. “Do you know anyone who might know where he is?” She slowly turned back to Nathan. Who folded his arms and exhaled. His body language suggested that he wasn’t thrilled about Kei, like Lambert.
“You don’t want to look for him.” Nathan stepped in front of the glow from his fireplace. “You don’t want to find him.”
It was the same reply Lambert had given her at Dark Sepulcher. Instead of scaring her, it fueled her curiosity.
“Kei isn’t known for his hospitality,” Nathan added. “He is and has always been dangerous.” He clasped his hands together. His body language immediately changed from being open and inclined to being uncomfortable and unsettled. He stared past them, his eyes glassy and nervous. “He will kill you or anyone he thinks is a threat to him. He’s killed humans, researchers, and Deamhan.”
“He’s the only one that knows what happened to Lucius and my mother was researching him around that time, then maybe he knows what happened to her as well?”
Sean reached over to her. “It’s not a good idea, Veronica.” He lowered his voice. “You heard the man; he’s dangerous.”
“Eh.” She snarled at him. “How ironic.”
He pulled his hand back.
“It’s not like I can find Lucius without him,” she raised her voice.
“Kei isn’t hard to find.” Nathan’s eyes slowly followed a mosaic pattern of the Roman Goddess, Ceres, surrounded by pieces of fruit, on the floor of his study. “It’s just that no one bothers to seek him out, especially a human. If a Deamhan like Kei can easily rid himself of his own sire, someone as old as Lucius—” He didn’t finish his statement. Instead, he returned to Veronica. “Imagine what he could do to someone like you.”
“If I could find Lucius without Kei, I would, but I need to find out about my mother and what happened to her.”
Nathan rubbed his chin. “Lambert was right. You’re very determined.”
“Damn right.” She held her head high. “Deamhan don’t scare me.” She spoke against what she felt. The Deamhan did scare her but her desire for the truth weighed more on her apperception. A glimpse of her father resonated in Nathan. He had the same attributes that most researchers learned from the organization, including Sean. He didn’t take flak from anyone. He paid attention to her detailed statements. Many researchers from his time had to be. With Veronica’s father sitting in an influential position, she understood his signs of caution.
“If it helps, I can look through some of my research I’ve accumulated over the years.” Nathan’s eyes drifted to the marble ceiling. “I might find something that can help you.”
“Yes, that would help me a lot.”
He blinked and refocused his attention back toward them. “If you would like, we could meet tomorrow again to discuss these things.”
“So you’ll help her?” Sean asked.
“I can try.”
“Tomorrow?”
Veronica’s ebullient feeling halted when the words “Dark Sepulcher” exited his mouth. “I can’t go back there,” she said in a panic.
“I’ll talk to Lambert.” He smiled. “I’ll ease his worries about you.”
“You have pull like that?”
“I wouldn’t call it pull, Miss Austin. More like a favor.” He reached out his hand, a gesture to end their conversation. “Tomorrow. A little after sunset.”
Sean stood up without questioning and shook his hand. “Thank you for your time.”
Veronica also stood up, surprised at Sean’s quick submission to end the conversation. Nathan led them out from his study and to the front door.
“I will do all that I can.” He opened the door, letting the brisk cold air into the foyer.
“Thank you again, Nathan,” Sean spoke up. At that moment, Veronica felt a sudden glance from above. She looked up. A woman with medium black hair and strong brown eyes glared down at them from the balcony. Her stern and organized gaze made Veronica pause for a brief moment, causing Sean to look up as well.
She knew the woman was a Deamhan but her origins turned into a question for another day. She sensed that the woman didn’t want them there at Blind Bluff Manor. Her eyes, now pinpointed directly at her, scowled at them. The woman placed her hands on the balcony as if preparing to jump and squash them both under her feet. Nathan looked up at her, then back to them.
“Stay safe out there.” He looked back at them.
“Yes.” She agreed again to their future meeting. She glanced up one more time at the balcony, but the woman had vanished. They walked out into the cold and approached the taxi.
“Veronica, you seriously aren’t thinking about going back to Dark Sepulcher,” Sean said, pleading to no avail.
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.” She opened the taxi door. “I’m going. End of story.”
“Do you really believe him?”
“I don’t know, Sean. What I do know is that he’s shown me that I can trust him. Something that you, my friend, haven’t done.” She looked back at the mansion one last time.
“Well I’m going with you, then.”
“You can’t. They’ll read your thoughts before you even enter. Besides, I don’t think my father would want you to.”
“Don’t.” Sean sternly objected.
“No, I will. I don’t know anymore, Sean. I don’t know what side you’re on.”
“I’m on yours.”
“Sure.” She huffed.
Nathan closed the door, and the silence of his sanctuary returned. He watched the taxi drive off his property and disappear down the road.
He remembered the day Caroline Austin disappeared. It happened to be on the same day Veronica’s father ejected him from The Brotherhood. By that time, the stability of the Chapter edged toward breakdown. Lucius made it clear about how he felt when it came to The Brotherhood being in the city. He didn’t like it at all but that threat didn’t make Veronica’s father budge. He insisted that if The Brotherhood ran from every threat, there would be no Brotherhood.
Lucius went out of his way to avoid violence. For a Deamhan his age, he’d somehow relearned the human trait of negotiation. Under his reign, researchers remained protected as long as they remained out of Deamhan affairs.
But it didn’t last long.
In line to become the President of the Midwest Region at that time, Mr. Austin ignored Lucius’ simple demands and his wife suddenly became the outspoken figure of her husband’s undoing. She followed and researched on Lucius against his wishes, and when she finally came face to face with this dangerous Deamhan and survived, Samuel Austin had seen enough.
Nathan heard her footsteps behind him, and he didn’t take notice. If the Deamhan he allowed to stay at Blind Bluff Manor wanted to creep up on him, they could easily do so.
“Lambert explained her situation.” He chose not to face the female Deamhan. The figure stood behind him. He felt her stare on the back of his neck and he assumed her quietness was due to her attempt to listen to his heartbeat.
“Even if she is protected, it won’t stop Kei or anyone who cares less, for that matter.” The female Ramanga stood next to him. She stared into his face and spoke within his mind.
Your blood is racing.
“I’m concerned for her safety, Anastasia. That’s all.”
The male’s scent was nauseating.
“You know I prefer speaking than telepathy.”
Anastasia nodded. “The male can’t be trusted. He’s a researcher.”
“I know.” Nathan referred to Sean. He looked at her, the old and sometimes calmed Anastasia. Her gloomy and bewitching presence still made him agitated but her awe-inspiring beauty made up for it. He trusted her, even if her nature called for her to turn on him without warning. He never forgot his status among the Deamhan who stayed with him in his home; her, Remy, and Hallie. But he trusted her judgment—if he could call it that.
“He is spying on her,” she stated. “I tried to read his thoughts but he blocked them from me. But her thoughts were opened to me. She isn’t a researcher. What she says about looking for her mother is true.”
Nathan licked his lips and blinked his eyes slowly. “Did you pick up anything about The Brotherhood coming back to Minneapolis?”
“Yes, they’re making their way back to the city.”
“Well, let the games begin.”
“I can kill him, the researcher.”
“No.” Nathan folded his arms across his chest. He always contemplated what would happen if The Brotherhood came back. How would the Deamhan react? What would the vampires do?
“They’ll interfere again.” She read his thoughts.
“Killing Sean won’t stop them from coming back. Plus you know how I feel about killing. I don’t tolerate that in my home.”
“I wouldn’t kill him in your home.”
“You know what I mean.”
Anastasia scrunched her lower lip. “Even if the female is protected and not to be touched by the Deamhan and the vampires, Kei will still try to kill her if she searches for him. We…I can do something about that.”
“I know, Anastasia.” He walked toward his study room. “I know you can.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Sean and Veronica remained quiet on the drive back to Minneapolis, their eyes concentrated on the scenery rather than talking about what she planned to do. During the drive she glanced over at him wiping the condensation from the windows.
They thanked the taxi driver for dropping them off in front of the apartment building.
Only when they stood in the foyer at Palm Oaks did Sean make his first comment. “I don’t think you can trust him.”
“Coming from someone who I thought I could trust? Really, Sean?” She walked up the stairs and he followed. They reached the front door of her apartment.
“Veronica, I don’t know how many times I have to say sorry.”
“As many times as it takes.” She fumbled with her keys.
“I’m sorry then.” His shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He dropped to his knees. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Get up.” She watched him stand to his feet. She couldn’t stay angry off at him forever, even though she didn’t mind the feeling.
She knew eventually she’d have to get over it. Sean risked his position in the organization just by telling her and going with her to Blind Bluff Manor.
“I mean it. I’m sorry.”
“I know. But you have to understand where I’m coming from.”
“I do.”
“So you know why I have to go to Dark Sepulcher alone.”
He looked at her uncertainly. Veronica didn’t know either, but she wasn’t ready to give up, just yet. She anxiously wanted to meet with Nathan again to find out what more information he knew. They heard Murphy’s door slowly open.
“Hey.” Murphy
’s eyes moved to Sean.
“Hey, Murphy.” Veronica managed to find the right key, gently placing it into the lock.
“Are you still up for tonight?” He opened his door further. Veronica had forgotten again.
She caught herself, careful not to trip over any words she was about to exert. He stood in his doorway, revealing his new look. He had cut his black hair short into a buzz cut. He straightened his silver silk shirt and swiped the lint off his ironed blue jeans. His dark dress shoes gleamed in the dim light of the hallway. He looked like a corporate hedgehog than anything.
She turned the key, unlocking the door and watching Sean, who wasn’t worried about her predicament, walk into the living room. “Yeah, I’m still up for tonight. Um, what time did we agree on?”
“We didn’t really agree on a time. Maybe seven or eight, or whenever you’re ready?” Murphy smiled back. “It’s only about a quarter to five, but I like to get ready early, anyway.”
“All right.” She stepped into the apartment. “I’ll be over at seven.”
“Cool, see ya then.”
She slowly closed the door and turned back to Sean. He sat on her couch with his hands nestled behind his head.
“That guy likes you.” His snippy comment followed his quick giggle. “Do you like him?”
“I can’t believe I almost forgot again.” She walked over to the couch.
“Well I can.” He moved over, making room for her to sit. “We just came from Nathan’s. The last thing on your mind would be some date with a college weirdo.”
“He’s not weird.” She defended him. “Well, not really. He’s kinda cute.”
“No, he’s weird,” he repeated. “Oh come on, the guy seems to always know when you come home. Every time you take out your keys to get into your apartment, he’s right there, opening his door, trying to make conversation. That’s a weirdo.” Sean smiled. “Or a stalker.”
“That’s not funny.” She jokingly slapped him on his arm.
“I’m not trying to be funny. I’m just stating the obvious facts.” He placed his arm around her and carefully kissed her forehead. “Are you gonna go?”
Deamhan Chronicles, Books 1-5: Deamhan, Kei. Family Matters, Dark Curse, Maris. The Brotherhood Files, Ayden. Deamhan Minion Page 14