“Shut up!” Anton growled at the dessert. He turned red eyes on me. “I am not your brother.”
I glanced up at him, letting my own eyes roll red. “No, you’re not. And you don’t want to be my friend.”
Anton was shaking. I was not sure if it was from rage or raging desire, but neither of us was going to do a thing about it here. If he made one move towards me, he and his would be set upon by my coven, if I hadn’t killed them first. He took a step back. “One night Natasha.”
“One night,” I promised.
“But not tonight. Come Ashley, Marcus.”
I watched them saunter away. Well, Anton sauntered, Marcus was dragging the dessert who seemed to be throwing a tantrum of some sort. I chose not to listen to whatever she was shrieking about; it was bound to be uninteresting. I turned my attention back towards the funeral rites.
Kain stepped closer. “Was that a threat or a promise of something I don’t want to know about?”
“Both, I think. Not now.”
“Of course.”
I bowed towards Rainor and then spoke, “Our family has suffered a great loss with Rainor’s passing. He was a touchstone of sanity during the hard times and was like a father to many of us. He was loved, respected and feared. What one of us could ever ask for more to be said of us at the end of our lives? To our glorious leader, may you find what brings you joy in the afterlife.”
I stepped back and the archers shot flaming arrows into the pyre. In silence we all stood and watched as Rainor’s body went up in flames. At the end all covened half-castes wound up like the vampires who made them: ashes.
Epilogue
When my phone rang at 2 a.m. the morning after we laid Rainor to rest, I knew who it would be. I slid out of bed and went out onto my balcony.
“Good evening,” I said to the caller.
“My condolences on your coven’s loss Natasha. It is your coven?”
“Yes. Patrick did not turn up, at least not yet.”
“Did you have to kill Rainor for it?”
“No. He was moments from death when he asked me where his son went. He died right after I told him.”
“But not at your hand?”
“I waited until it was unnecessary.”
“You regret his passing?”
“Of course I regret it! Don’t tell me that death of the man who was like a father to me shouldn’t bother me. And it’s not because I’m flooded with long suppressed feelings. And I’m not defensive.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
I sighed and redirected the conversation. “I never expected to be tired all the time or for the sugar cravings to be that bad, it’s a miracle I don’t weigh 300 pounds. I still don’t understand why transitioning from being a blood drinker to eating normal food means we spend weeks needing almost as much sleep as a human and only able to eat sweet things without retching. I almost gagged to death on a forkful of potato salad.”
“I said you should give yourself more time to let down before you returned.”
“Given the situation I could hardly wait, especially if I was going to use Rainor’s illness as my cover, he didn’t have much time left. The Elders were going to order you to send troops here to take everyone out. Things are still not good here by the way. What’s left of Gregory’s caste is being run by his former consort who wants my head on a silver platter; Anton’s too I would guess. They have been dealt with for now, but they won’t stop trying to get revenge and that could cause civil war amongst the vampires, which won’t be good for anyone.”
“This isn’t going to be a short visit is it?”
“No, it looks like I’m here for a while. If you think you can put a leash on Patrick he will have to take my place at your right hand for the time being Master Soong.”
“I suspect you will see him before I do.”
“I doubt that.”
“I don’t. Take care of this quickly Natasha. My plans for you do not include you wasting your talents as a bloodless coven Mistress or as that Hadi’s bedmate.”
“As you wish Master.”
I hung up and stared out at the darkness.
Welcome to Hades
Natasha Carmichael: Book Two
Coming Soon…
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Heir to the Coven Page 19