by Lexi C. Foss
I loved my family, but they could be a lot to take. I’d never been quite as…energetic as the rest of them. I’d always been content to sit quietly and whittle, which turned into peaceful solitude while I carved and crafted in my shop.
I thought I’d found the perfect mate once. She hadn’t been my true mate, but we’d seemed to fit perfectly together. She was sweet and shy, a submissive wolf, and less than a foot shorter than me—which was hard to find when you’re six feet, five inches tall. She seemed happy with my vision for the future—quiet, steady, and simple. Even my wolf had been pleased with hers, though not overly excited about the match. Then things went very wrong, and I had to wonder about my choice. If I could be so wrong about Camilla, would I even recognize my true mate on the off chance we ever happened to meet?
The easiest solution was to keep things casual and avoid the mess.
Unfortunately for me, my mother had made it her mission in life to find me a companion. Make no mistake, my mother wanted me to be happy, but the reality was that she wanted grandchildren and out of her three boys, she figured I was the one most likely to fulfill that dream. She might have been right once upon a time.
Before Camilla.
Now, I was simply content in my solitude and doing what I loved.
Returning to my previous seat inside the workshop, I slipped the sheet off of the memory chest my mom had asked me to make for my sister’s sixteenth birthday. It was a beautiful, dark mahogany wood with black hinges and front lock. The entirety of the chest was intricately carved with vines and clematis flowers, but on each panel, including the lid, they circled a spot where I’d carved scenes representing who she is and what she was as an individual, as a family member, and as a part of our pack.
I picked up the chisel I’d been using earlier and went back to working. My wolf circled for a moment, then lay down. He was often as content as I was when working with my hands.
Eventually I thought to stop and check the time, surprised to see that it was past two in the morning. After throwing the covering back over the chest, I cleaned up and put my tools away, then locked up and jogged the short distance to my house.
A gobbled sandwich and quick shower later, I fell into bed and groaned at the plush softness that surrounded me. I wasn’t much of a night owl, so whenever I worked late, I practically passed out when my head hit the pillow. But for some reason, tonight I lay awake for a while.
I had a weird feeling, an anticipation that was more than looking forward to a trip to the city and a night out with Nathan and Asher. My wolf was anxious too, and his energy made it difficult to relax.
Eventually, we both shook it off and fell asleep.
4
Rowan
I stepped into a diner a few blocks from my apartment and glanced around. This greasy spoon had Violet written all over it. Not that I was opposed to her choice; they usually had the best burgers. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten today and it was nearly dinner time. I would have to grab one of those burgers after I spent some time with Violet.
She’d texted me this morning to let me know she was in New York and wanted to meet up, which wasn’t all that unusual even though she technically lived in Chicago. We both worked for E.V.I.E., so Vi had a place in the city to crash in whenever Jude needed her. It meant we were able to get together from time to time—schedules permitting. Unlike our other friend, Emerald, who’d moved to Ohio to open up a tattoo parlor and never looked back. Not that she didn’t keep in touch, but she’d left this life behind and didn’t want any reminders. Emerald had even taken off the amulet I’d made for her and destroyed it. Now, she slowly aged like the rest of the human world. I tried not to think about what that would mean in another sixty or seventy years. Over a century later, and I was still mourning the loss of my family. I doubted I’d get over losing Emerald or Vi any faster.
My fingers drifted over the amulet hidden beneath my sweater and my magic did a little twirl…until it realized I wasn’t letting it out to play. I felt a little shock on my skin where the amulet rested and my mouth thinned with displeasure.
Now, that wasn’t very nice.
I was met with silence and gave a mental shrug. My magic and I had tussled over its hibernation for almost a century; I was used to its brooding.
My eyes scanned the right side of the restaurant until I spied bright purple hair and strode toward it, deftly navigating through a few tables until I reached my destination.
“Vi,” I greeted my bestie as I dropped heavily into a chair on the opposite side of the table.
She looked me over with a shrewd gaze and scrunched her pert nose as she observed me in silence. After a minute, she raised an eyebrow and lifted a mug cradled between her hands to her lips.
Obviously, I couldn’t hide anything from Violet. Plus, the dark shadows under my eyes also gave away the fact that I’d had one too many sleepless nights lately. A feeling that I was missing something right in front of my face had been plaguing me for a while, and it intensified my insomnia, exhausting me mentally as much as it did physically.
After taking a drink, she held the mug out to me and smirked. “I think you need this more than I do.”
The strong, pungent smell of coffee wafted over the rim, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “Ewww.”
Vi narrowed her startling violet eyes (yes. They matched her hair…which was kind of my fault, but at least we both pulled off our shades of purple with flair. She flipped her sleek tresses back over her shoulder. “Watch it, bestie. That’s the love of my life you’re referring to.”
“I’m glad you’ve managed to replace that govnyuk with something you feel just as strongly about.”
Violet scowled at me as she once again brought the mug to her mouth and took a deep swallow. Then she set it gently on the table and griped, “You’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’, Ro.”
If it were anyone else making that joke, they’d probably have a stake through their heart, vampire or not. But only Vi could get away with it because she was like a sister to me and…I was the only one who knew about her secret love affair anyway.
“You might want to think about curbing that habit of swearing in Russian,” she added, before taking a sip of her coffee. I just shrugged. It was a never-ending battle.
“So, what’s up?” I asked as I glanced around in search of a waitress. A tall, thin woman with graying brown hair twisted tightly on the back of her neck, and way too much makeup, noticed my attention and lifted her chin in acknowledgment. “I assume you're in New York for a job. What does Jude have you doing?”
The waitress sidled up to our table, and Violet waited until I’d ordered some herbal tea—earning me a fake gag—before she spoke. “That can wait a minute. Tell me why you look like the walking dead.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Out with it, Ro. I don’t have a lot of time to be worrying about you when I’ve got shit to do and vampires to kill.” Her tone was brisk, but her eyes held a teasing sparkle.
“You’re as bloodthirsty as a vampire sometimes, you know that, Vi?”
She laughed and her shoulders bounced in a casual shrug. “So?”
I leaned back in my seat and sighed. “I’ve been chasing this assignment for two weeks and—“
Vi coughed hard as she choked on the sip she’d just taken of her coffee. “Two weeks?” she rasped.
Anger simmered beneath the surface as I thought about the punk-ass who’d been slipping through my fingers. I’d never spent more than a couple of days on a hunt before now. “I know. There’s something about this asshole, Vi. Something is different with him, and I can’t figure it out. Every time I think I have him, he manages to slither right out of my grasp.”
Vi looked at me with concern, but I held up my hand and stopped her before she could say anything. “You don’t have time for this shit, Vi. You know I can handle whatever gets thrown my way. So, distract me. Tell me about your new assignment, assuming you have permission.”
She looked like she might argue until she glanced at her watch and sighed. “Yeah, all right. I'm on a deadline for an appointment at a location I haven't even looked up yet. But we're not done with the previous conversation, Ro.”
“Anywaaaay,” I prompted, changing the subject. “Your assignment?”
“Right, so he’s sending me to this gala—"
She broke off when I snorted a laugh and held her hands out, her expression one of disbelief. “I know, right?”
Vi wasn’t the type for sparkles, fancy gowns, and small talk. She’d rather be in jeans and a sweater, out hunting bad guys and kicking ass.
“Anyway, that’s why I don’t have a lot of time. I have to go learn how to walk in heels and pour myself into a glittery dress before the gala.” Her mocking tone made me chuckle. “The assignment is to learn more about the guy hosting the fundraiser. Rumor has it he's an ancient vamp the locals are calling King Kaos. Jude thinks he might have something to do with a string of dead bodies. You heard about Valerie Crimson?”
"The heiress?" I knew a little about her, but not much. "She's related?"
"Her death is," Violet clarified.
"Ah, okay." I hadn't seen that announcement.
"So, yeah, Jude's given it high priority. He has Ric working on some surveillance stuff, and I'm playing spy at the fundraiser. I guess no one has seen this King Kaos guy in person, so Jude wants me to check him out. You know how he feels about new vamps in"—she used air quotes as she mocked Jude—“‘my city.’"
I rolled my eyes and she nodded in agreement. “Apparently, no one has seen his face and he’s supposedly attending tonight. Jude wants me to find out more about him and why he’s chosen his city.”
I was familiar with Jude’s arrogance and his attitude that New York was basically his dominion. But he ran a tight ship and E.V.I.E. flourished under his leadership. I both hated him and respected him, depending on the mood I was in when asked about him.
“I’m actually kind of intrigued,” she admitted as she set an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. Her expression turned thoughtful. “There’s a rumor that he’s a descendant of the Romanov line or some type of Russian royalty.”
That information had me sitting ramrod straight in my chair, but we were interrupted when the waitress returned with my tea. After she was out of earshot, I leaned in and hissed, “We were in Russia, Vi. The Romanovs were humans in this reality. The Royal Dynasty didn’t even exist.”
Violet waved her hand dismissively. “I know, I know. But I found it pretty interesting that Jude felt I needed to know that detail. Almost as though he hung it out for me as bait."
My head canted to the side and I studied her as I took a sip of my tea. “Ouch!” I yelped as my head reared back. I hadn’t been paying attention and the hot liquid scalded my mouth. “Yolki-palki!” I cursed when the jerking movement caused the tea to spill over the side and into my lap. “Fuck, that hurt,” I mumbled as I grasped the napkins Vi shoved my way and tried to dry my pants as best as I could while ignoring the searing pain from burns that would most likely be blisters tomorrow. Unless I wanted to heal them, which wasn’t going to happen, so I’d just have to deal.
Vi snickered and grinned at me like she used to when we were kids and I did stupid shit. “Still haven’t outgrown the awkward stage, Roskana?”
I glared at her as I finally mopped up as much of my drink from my lap as I could. “How can you call yourself my friend and laugh at my pain?” I asked, my voice filled with fake outrage.
“Because I love you,” she quipped with a wink.
“You’re a pain in my ass, Kseniya,” I grumbled with a half-smile. She used the same glare on me when I used her real name as I had when she’d used mine. We rarely waded into the muck of our past life, but from time to time, it was a nice reminder that not everyone we loved was lost to us.
“Heads up,” I murmured, suddenly sensing a presence approaching.
“Rowan.” The voice came from my right, and I twisted to see who had approached.
A tall, svelte blonde, with sly blue eyes and an aura of authority glided to a stop between Vi and me. She was gorgeous, intelligent, and a former badass slayer. I imagined she intimidated most people, but I was simply annoyed that she managed to appear without warning.
“Miranda,” I greeted Jude’s assistant evenly. I was proud of myself for keeping my irritation from bleeding into my voice, but when Miranda’s steady gaze held my own for a few awkward moments, I wondered if I’d really succeeded.
“Jude would like to speak with you,” she informed me in her naturally sultry tone.
“Right now?” I didn’t bother to hide my impatience this time. I hated when Jude “summoned” me.
Miranda smiled and shook her head, causing her long curls to flutter around her. “Of course not. This evening will be just fine.” Her head swiveled to the other side, landing on Vi. “Don’t you have somewhere to be, rather than sitting here gossiping?”
Violet’s eyes narrowed and she turned up her nose before retorting, “Nope.”
An impatient sigh escaped Miranda’s lips and she swung her gaze back to me. “Tonight,” she stated firmly, then gracefully pivoted and glided away as silently as she appeared.
“Sometimes I wonder if she’s really a vampire,” I mused.
Violet leaned forward and mock-whispered, “Since we’re gossiping,”—I smirked—“do you think there’s any truth to the rumor that she keeps a vampire ex-lover locked in her basement?”
We both dissolved into laughter for a couple of minutes, then Vi checked her watch. "Ugh, I have like an hour and still need to eat." She flagged the waitress to order from the all-day breakfast menu while I requested a burger. As soon as the female left, Violet said, "So, Jude.”
“Right.” Miranda had distracted us from our conversation about Jude, and a small part of me wondered if it hadn’t actually been on purpose.
“There was something in the way he handed me this assignment, Ro. Then casually mentioning a rumor that is so closely tied to our history? Our real history?” She leaned back into her chair and ran a hand through her hair. “I think Jude knows more about us than he’s let on.”
My eyes widened and I sucked in a breath, then held it in my lungs as I counted to ten, trying to slow my racing heart. Years of training in combat and martial arts had taught me the skills to keep control over my emotions. Unfortunately, it didn’t always stick…but I still tried. At this moment, I managed to succeed in calming myself down before freaking the fuck out.
“How much do you think he knows?” I asked softly.
“I wish I knew more, but that’s it. I just wanted to warn you to watch your back.”
“Done,” I agreed with a sharp bob of my head. “You do the same.”
Violet slid her hand across the table and took mine, each of us giving a gentle squeeze. “Let’s touch base again soon. I have a feeling I'll be in town longer than usual this time. I left Luci at Jude's office with Hades."
My eyes widened. "The last time you did that, she nearly burned it down." Luci wasn't just a pet, but a hellhound. And she had a penchant for bursting into flames.
My bestie shrugged. "Her house-training has gotten better."
I just shook my head, amused at this game she'd clearly engaged in with Jude. I was about to remark more when our food arrived. Both of us were clearly starved because we dug in without a word.
It wasn't until we were nearly done that I finally said, "Good luck tonight."
A thought popped into my head and I was only half-joking when I inquired, “You aren’t planning on wearing heels, are you?” Violet’s brow furrowed as she grimaced. “Damn, Vi. I think I’m more worried about you tripping over your shoes and killing yourself than the ‘king’ vampire you’re hunting.”
Violet released a self-deprecating laugh as she let go of my hand. She shoveled a final bite of egg into her mouth, tossed some cash on to the table, and stood. “Call me
if you need me.” Her stern tone warned me that she wouldn’t be happy if she found out I hadn’t come to her for help when I needed it.
We both knew I wouldn’t. Dorian was my job and I’d always gone at it alone. I wasn’t very good at collaboration. After I sent a few slayers running back to Jude with the fear of God instilled in them, he stopped asking me to work with others. Some people could be such babies about risking their lives in the pursuit of our mark.
“Of course,” I agreed. I wasn’t so sure she believed me.
I threw cash on the table for my meal and as I walked home, Violet’s warning ringing in my head. It bounced around as my brain tried to unravel the mystery that was Jude and what he might know about us.
5
Rowan
Where we came from, the Romanov Dynasty was a bloodline of extremely powerful slayers, and the Royal Dynasty was the ruling power over all vampires in Eastern Europe. We’d lived in St. Petersburg in the Romanov palace because my mother had been very close with Empress Alexandra. I’d played with their five children and had developed a deep friendship with their youngest daughter, Anastasia. Kseniya—now called Violet, Emerald, Anastasia, and I were thick as thieves and my mother often simply referred to us as “trouble.”
In those days, the Romanovs had a fragile alliance with the Royal Dynasty. Dimitri Ivanov, their king, had declared his desire for a meaningful coexistence between our houses. Being at war for so long, everyone was exhausted and beaten down. The pause caused a period of peace and a calm that had hung among the Romanovs and the families of those who supported our cause. We were eager to negotiate a new way forward. So while we’d remained wary, we’d allowed ourselves to hope.
The king had lied.
When the vampires rose up and overthrew the Romanovs, they’d attempted to hunt down and kill anyone of that bloodline, and those who stood with them—like my mother and father. I’d gone in search of my friends and eventually found Kseniya and Emerald. By the time we found each other in the palace, we weren’t able to locate Anastasia.