by J. L. Myers
Seeing the fear all over his face stabbed pins into my heart. “I’m so sorry. I…” How could I tell him the lightning had been gunning for me without sounding crazy? The answer? I couldn’t. Because it was crazy. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.” I wriggled free and pulled Ty up as Kendrick and Dorian reached us. My legs wobbled, but I managed to stay upright on my own.
Kendrick went to bring up the me being a lightning rod thing, when I gave him a hard look. “Well then, I think we should all take off,” he said, unable to hide his frown. “Before the weather goes psycho again.”
Fear and guilt grew like poison in my gut. I took Ty’s hand and began walking. “I’ve had enough bad weather and training for one day, anyway.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I bounded into the kitchen the following night, heading for the fridge. Mom would be off to her council meeting soon and we’d have the house to ourselves. Which was good, because Ty was on his way over, and he wasn’t the only one. Troy and Marika were heading over too. The time had come to bring new challenges to our training, and his pack mates were more than equipped. But Ty wanted to try to smooth the vampire/werewolf feud beforehand. Which I guess was rational. Still, I didn’t see it changing how much they despised us.
I took a glass bottle of blood from the stainless steel fridge and sucked it dry. Keeping my fangs retracted while being subjected to their potent wolf scent could only help the hopeless interaction.
As I placed the empty on the ivory limestone counter, going for another, the doorbell rang. My heart stopped. Shit, was Ty early?
“Will someone get that?” Mom called out from her bedroom down the hall. She sounded rushed, like she was hurrying to get ready.
Abandoning the full bottle, I shot through the archway into the foyer. Kendrick met me there, having raced down the stairs. “I thought they weren’t coming for another ten minutes.”
“They weren’t.” I peeked through the tall frosted window to the front steps. Outside it was dark, the marginal moonlight laced by thick, moving clouds. Though with the streaming porch light a car’s outline was visible in the driveway. “And my mom should have left already.”
Dorian strolled up behind us, mussing his hair rather than worrying about the situation. “So what if Mom finds out they’re here? She’s letting you see Ty. What’s a few more wolves?”
“More sets of canines that can kill with one bite.” The doorbell rang again and Mom called out. “Got it,” I replied, unlocking the door and swinging it wide open.
I stepped back at the unexpected woman standing over the threshold. She smiled, looking regal in a floor-length, silk indigo gown. Her complexion glowed under the porch light and her loose golden-brown hair glistened.
“Mother?” Kendrick brushed past me as she stepped inside to embrace him.
“Hello, my son.” Her voice was like wind chimes. She released him and stepped back. “You’ve grown.” Her smile shifted to Dorian and me. “So lovely to see you both again.”
We muffled surprised hellos, then Kendrick cut in. “What are you…” He shifted his weight, looking like he’d just dry-swallowed a pill.
Apart from when his mom dropped him over in the past, I’d never witnessed their dynamics. Although here and now the bond explained everything. Growing up, Serafina had always been too busy to make real time for her son. Without a father—as according to her he’d merely been a sperm donor—she was all he’d had. Still, The Council had always been her priority. The reason she’d had Kendrick was to continue her royal line. And since his stay here, their only communication had occurred when Kendrick could get hold of her on the phone.
“Why are you here, mother?”
Serafina swept her arms open. “I’m back from Russia and in town for the meeting. How could I be in town and not stop by to see you?”
Easily.
High heels clicking across the marble floor behind us interrupted Kendrick’s unvoiced words. “So glad you could make it, Serafina,” my mom said, bowing her head.
“We’re glad we could, too.”
“Who’s we?” I butted in before anyone else could talk. A strain of anxiety swam up my chest cavity, but I wasn’t sure why.
Serafina glanced back to the open doorway as a suited, dark figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the light. Caius.
My heart jumped into my throat, pounding like it wanted out. Fear drove a lick of dead blood into my mouth. Kendrick stiffened, stepping closer to me. Dorian remained still, his silver-sparking eyes tunneling anger at our enemy.
A devilish smile lit Caius’s face as he sauntered forward, his appearance youthful and bright. He embraced my mom, and I shuddered as his parted lips kissed her cheek. The same lips that had closed over my neck when he’d bitten down.
“Of course,” Serafina said, looking curious, “Caius could not miss seeing his niece and nephew.”
Caius’s smile was calculated, revealing his gleaming white teeth. He held out a perfect black calla lily to me. “For you, my dear Amelia.”
“Well don’t be rude,” my mom said, ushering me forward. “Welcome your uncle.”
I exchanged a mashed look of concern with Kendrick and Dorian. What the hell is he up to?
Kendrick replied through the bond, eyes refusing to shift from watching Caius. He won’t try anything here in front of everyone. Too many witnesses. And too many of us to compel at once.
I nodded and took a shaky step forward, burying the hate and fear I felt on the surface, at least. “How wonderful for you to grace us with your presence.” My ability to hold a level tone amazed me, given that my insides felt like tearing themselves from my body to race in the opposite direction. I snatched the flower, holding back a shiver. This was the flower Caius always gave me when he visited. It was also the same type he had laid across my chest after killing me.
Dorian moved in front of me, blocking my body from Caius. He extended a firm and level hand. “Caius,” is all he managed between gritted teeth.
Kendrick managed a nod, hand going around my waist. “Lord Bathory.” As he turned to his mother the vehemence drained from his face. “I am glad you could come. Will you be staying long?” The question was a double-edged sword meant to track Caius’s movements.
Serafina shook her head, somewhat apologetically. “We flew in for the meeting. Then I’m back to Russia, and Caius to the Armaya.”
Mom eyed the three of us, picking up on the tension strangling the air. Though in her elegant don’t create ripples way, she changed the subject. “Kendrick, did you tell your mom about your camping trip?”
Kendrick smiled and crooked his neck to face his mother. He began detailing all the fun we’d all apparently had while away, save for the part about being attacked by Caius’s henchman. And while I could hear everything he said and thought, my own thoughts were elsewhere. The sickening feeling in my stomach refused to shift while I watched Caius from the corner of my eye. He looked so freaking casual, pretending that this was like any other normal visit. He even made normal conversation, questioning Kendrick and Dorian on the trip. Like any close family friend or true uncle would. Each answer they gave him was clipped and to the point, never encouraging any further discussion. To me the tension was obvious, but my mom and Serafina both seemed too interested in the details.
As the subject wrapped up, Caius caught my watching eye. His head twisted to face me. “So,” he said, clearing his throat. “How did you enjoy your trip to the woods? Was it an eventful getaway?”
Caius’s piercing gray eyes made me want to punch him. It was a confession without words. We all knew he was behind our attacks. His unprompted question would seem harmless to anyone not in the know. But we knew better. He was toying with us.
I reined in my blooming anger that made me want to take him on here and now. “Well.” I fixed my steely gaze on him, wishing my hatred could melt him like a witch dipped in water. “If by eventful, you mean being able to relax in nature, hunt and kill…” I paused, r
eady to take my verbal punch. “Oh, and of course being able to spend my every waking minute with Ty. Then yes. It was eventful.”
Instead of Caius’s smile vanishing at the mention of Ty, it widened. “Yes, my dear. I know. And I am pleased you all enjoyed my Christmas present. Vacations can be so life altering.”
“So you admit it?” Dorian fists clenched, his forearms corded.
“Of course I do. Did you not know?” Caius stroked his chin. “Perhaps I forgot the personal note.” He chuckled, glancing at me. “It may also interest you to know, Amelia, that it was my advice that convinced your mother to let you go away with that boy.”
I stepped back like he’d slapped me. Everything suddenly made sense. The call. Mom’s sudden change of heart. Caius had compelled our mom over the phone to let us all go away. And he’d used the alchemist mark on her shoulder to do it.
“You—” Dorian’s face fumed like he was about to out Caius in front of our mothers.
Caius ignored him and nodded to the town car idling in the driveway. “We best be off. The Council will be waiting.”
Still oblivious to the tension, Mom retrieved her briefcase from the foyer table while Serafina hugged Kendrick goodbye.
Caius hovered behind as they got into the slick, black car. “Mind your tongue, boy.” He stepped closer to Dorian who didn’t even flinch. “Or the next ones will come for your mothers.”
~
I watched as the town car Caius and Kendrick’s mother had appeared in rolled from the driveway and out the front gates.
Relief swept through me as the car disappeared down Ocean Boulevard. A body-convulsing shiver followed that chilled me to the bone. Our mothers were in that car too, alone with Caius as they headed to tonight’s all-night council meeting. I loathed the thought of them near that monster, my mind ticking over all the lies he could be planting in their heads. Kendrick’s mom was a royal, so compelling her would be harder than if she were a turned vamp like my mom. But if Caius needed to pull something off, I didn’t doubt he would. And I wasn’t about to let anything happen to either of them.
As I was about to close the front door, a familiar drone of an exhaust rumbled down the road. Knowing who was coming, Kendrick pulled a reluctant Dorian into the kitchen to stock up on blood before the other wolves arrived. A slight irritation vibrated from Kendrick, but our unexpected encounter with Caius overrode his dislike of Ty. He was thinking up what to do to help our mothers too. Dorian on the other hand was still fuming and needed to cool down.
Headlights shone up onto the house as a bright blue WRX veered up the driveway. Ty parked at the front steps. As he emerged, an impressive smile brightened his face and his irises blazed, taking me in. Without hesitation I ran and leapt into his strong, protective arms. My hold on him was so tight that if he were human I would have cracked a rib or two.
Straight away Ty tensed. His capturing, possessive arms released and he inhaled a deep breath through his nose. He untangled me from his body and pushed me behind him. Power poured off him as his eyes darted. “Where is he?”
His body began to quake, threatening to change forms. I darted in front of him, clutching his bulging biceps while trying to ignore the movement of his transforming muscles beneath my hands.
Kendrick blew into the foyer with Dorian. Through the bond he knew what was about to happen. His face was hard as he and my brother shoved Ty into the living room. He flicked on the chandelier that threw crystal light prisms over the imperial sofa, ornate shelving, and mink-soft carpet. “Bloody impulsive wolves,” Kendrick mumbled, his eyes skewering me. “Calm him down.”
Knowing how dangerous it was for a vampire to be near an out of control werewolf on the verge of transforming, my words rushed. “He was here. But he’s not now. He left with my mom and Kendrick’s. There’s a full-on council meeting about the murders.”
The trembling in Ty’s body released, threatening cracks receding. Though his glowing irises remained, as did the taut strain of his muscles. At a moment’s notice he could snap back into action. He looked at me, furious and worried at the same time. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Kendrick folded his arms over his chest. “Because she had us to protect her.”
“Like that would have stopped him,” Ty snarled, taking a menacing step forward. “She’s almost died once when you were the only one around.”
“I saved her life!”
“Yeah.” Ty laughed mockingly. “After drugging her. What a hero.”
The death glare between both guys was acid-drenched. Dorian pulled out his phone and began texting. Of all the times for him to get distracted by a chick. What was he thinking?
Kendrick jabbed Ty in the chest. “At least I wasn’t here sulking over being dumped.”
Matched sounds of challenge came from both guys. I darted between them, a hand pressing on each guy’s chest. “Both of you stop it! This is not helping anything.” Right then we needed to plan a way to keep our mothers safe, not start another pissing contest. “If we’re constantly at each other’s throats we may as well give up now. And we can’t.” I pleaded with Kendrick. “C’mon. Our mothers are with that monster, and who knows what he’s doing to them.”
“What’d you have in mind?” Ty asked. His hand met my waist purposely, but his tension wavered.
I’d been brewing a plan in the back of my mind since our mothers had left. We needed to know what was happening. Waiting to find out wasn’t an option.
“No way!” Kendrick folded his arms over his chest.
I bit down on my lip. The plan had been to gently reveal my idea, knowing he would be against it. But with Ty’s reaction to picking up Caius’s scent, my walls blocking Kendrick had come crashing down.
Kendrick stalked over to the wooden corner shelves, stacked with books. His hands tensed as if he wanted to tear it all down to the ground. He spun instead, glaring. “It’s too bloody dangerous.”
“What is?” Dorian questioned, peering up from the phone’s screen.
Everyone was watching me. Ty and Dorian were waiting for me to explain. Kendrick just glared, spouting off reasons against my plan through the bond. But I didn’t reply silently to him. There was no point in keeping this discussion between the two of us when we were all involved. “We have to do something.”
“Not that. Not YOU!” Kendrick came forward and caught my hand, fingers squeezing.
Ty shoved Kendrick’s hand from my arm. “Don’t touch her.”
Another fight was about to break out, and I couldn’t have that. “Look.” I cracked my knuckles. “Mom and Serafina are at The Council with Caius, and I know none of us are okay with that.”
Dorian nodded while Kendrick remained stationary in front of me. His arms were like defiant bars over his broad chest. His glaring eyes remained zoned in on Ty who kept close to my side.
“So, I’m going to check in on their meeting,” I continued. “Spy to make sure our mothers are safe. See what’s up with the murders. And scope out what Caius is up to.”
Dorian and Kendrick both shook their heads and replied, “No.”
“We’ll go instead,” Dorian countered, nudging Kendrick.
I sent a silent message to Kendrick. You know he would expect that. And what if he sends someone here? Besides, I won’t be alone.
Kendrick gritted his teeth, slumping back onto the imperial sofa. “No. Of course not.” His acidic tone made Dorian and Ty look at him. “He,” Kendrick spat, pointing at Ty, “will be going with you.”
I planted my hands on my hips. “You know it’s for the best.”
“Well.” Kendrick blew air out his flared nostrils. “Why don’t you explain it to them.”
With a deep breath I set out my reasoning for Dorian and Ty to hear. Through the bond I knew that Kendrick wanted to be the one to go, the one to protect me. But that wasn’t safe or rational in this situation. A whole group going to spy was more likely to be spotted. Plus if one of Caius’s henchmen did show up, who knew what co
uld be tampered with. Besides, I didn’t plan on getting caught. And I needed Kendrick here with our link wide open so that he and Dorian would be able to communicate with us. No other combination would work.
A motorbike followed by a car veered up the driveway, their headlights streaming through the bay windows lining the wall.
“I don’t like this at all,” Dorian muttered, heading through the archway to the foyer.
“Don’t worry.” Ty took my hand. “We’ll keep her safe.”
We? I threw Ty a questioning look as Troy and Marika strode through the front door without knocking, passing Dorian and heading into the living room. Vanessa was right behind them, looking party perfect in a black skirt, red top, and seriously high heels. Marika looked sultry as usual in skintight shorts and a boob tube. And Troy wore all black and a hard stare. No surprise there.
“You’re all coming?” I asked. Troy and Marika had just arrived, but with their werewolf hearing and Troy’s eyebrows lifting, it was clear they’d caught onto the thread.
Troy shrugged, wolf eyes flashing. “Going into the leeches’ lair? Can’t think of a better way to spend my night.”
“And where my beau goes,” Marika said, smiling at Troy. “I go.”
“No,” Ty said with a snap of his jaw. “Marika, you’ll stay behind.”
Marika’s mouth dropped and Troy growled, but neither argued.
“You’re staying here aren’t you?” Dorian asked Vanessa who he’d moved to stand near. Hope transformed the uncertainty from his face.
“Sure am,” Vanessa said, smiling at my brother without seeking approval from Ty. She wasn’t a wolf, and as their alchemist was never given orders. “I’ll put up some protective marks.”
I bit my lip again, gaze sliding sideways to Troy who leaned against the archway. Having him along as well as Ty made my spy mission less dangerous. That is if Troy followed Ty’s orders and didn’t turn on me himself. He and Marika hated vampires as much as they hated the thought of Ty and me together. I squeezed Ty’s hand. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”