by E. J. King
The Council agreed with my assessments and set about carrying out my orders. We only had a couple more hours before sunrise, at which time we would no longer be protected from the sun like we were in the Darkness. We would be vulnerable while we slept, even with Mirella’s enchantments.
“How did they find us?” Alexander asked me after the Council meeting. “We didn’t even have a warning.”
“It was only a matter of time,” I said, leading him away from the room where members of the Council were still gathered.
“That’s bull and you know it, Will. They had to have been following Drake. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he let them in and that’s why there wasn’t a warning.” Alexander slammed his hand against the wall, creating a large crack.
I punched his arm. “Please don’t destroy my home.”
“They came for the girl,” Alexander said, grabbing my arm. He stared me right in the eyes. “They won’t stop until they get her. You sacrificed our home for her. How much more are you willing to lose?”
“I will risk everything for Grace,” I said vehemently. “Everything. If you have a problem with that, you are free to leave. No one is forcing you to be here.”
Slowly, he grinned. “I’m not leaving, brother. I was just looking for confirmation that you aren’t going to give up. I’m ready to fight with you.”
“Good,” I said, glancing out the window. The sky was already growing lighter. “I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
GRACE
Kathryn led me to a large bedroom on the second floor of William’s home. The home was really a mansion, with at least a dozen bedrooms. I was afraid that if I left the room I would never find it again.
I knew that William wouldn’t be along until sunrise since he had Premier duties to carry out. Kathryn and Cole had already taken off and I was very much alone. I wasn’t at all tired, so I stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the garden. A few weres were prowling around in wolf form, forced into the transition under the full moon. I wondered if one of them was the one that had tried to attack me.
Life was going to be a lot harder for all of us outside the Darkness. I was going to have to be much more careful not to tempt the supernaturals. Without magic creating a safe haven for them, they would all start to return to their primal roots. The weres would wolf out at night and the vampires would sleep during the day. They may even start to ignore the rules that had been established in the Darkness.
“Grace?”
I whirled, startled to find that someone had joined me on the balcony. It took me a second to recognize Norah even though I had just seen her back at the mountain home. She looked so much older than the Norah I had scolded the night of the homecoming dance. Her gold eyes were also new.
“Norah.” I took a small step forward. I wanted to rush her and throw my arms around her, but I knew I couldn’t test her control that way. Especially not with my super-charged siren blood. “I’m so glad you are safe.”
“I can’t believe it’s really you,” she said, her smile huge. “How crazy is this?”
“Pretty crazy.” I was smiling, too. “How are you feeling?”
“You mean besides wanting to drink your blood right now?” She laughed. “I feel really good, actually.”
Of all the responses she could’ve given, that was the one I least expected. “William says you’ve been handling the transition very well.”
“William.” Norah giggled. “He’s very cute.”
“Yes, he is,” I agreed, wondering if William had told her about the two of us. “He has been keeping me updated on your progress.”
“He has been very kind to me,” Norah said. She looked into the distance with a weary expression on her face. “I was so lost right after the change. I had no idea what was happening to me and I was so scared. I killed that girl.”
“That wasn’t your fault,” I said instantly.
Norah’s gold eyes flashed to me. “Yes, it was. She died because of me. I didn’t want her to die, but that doesn’t matter. William told me that I have to accept what happened and learn how to be better. He said that ignoring our true nature only makes things harder.”
“If anyone would know, it would be William.” I took another tentative step in her direction. “He told me that you can control the cravings around humans.”
“I can.” She nodded emphatically. “They even tested me with a companion that was bleeding and I didn’t attack him. It’s hard, but I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“I’m really proud of you,” I said. “Would it be too much if I asked for a hug?”
She grinned. “I suppose that would be okay.”
All hesitation was gone as I threw my arms around her. Norah held herself tense for a few seconds and then leaned fully into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
“I’ve missed you,” I said, swallowing hard against the lump forming in my throat.
“Duh. I’m awesome.” She was the one to break away first. “Okay, care to tell me how we got pulled into this crazy supernatural world?”
“That’s a long story,” I said with a dry laugh.
“I’ve got an eternity,” she quipped.
I filled her in on all the details, telling her everything that had happened since the night of the homecoming dance, minus the scandalous details. None of it really seemed to surprise her, except for the part about Cole making a deal with Drake.
“Why would he do that?” she asked, befuddled.
“He was trying to find me. Cole knew the Guardianship wasn’t telling him the truth about why he had been assigned to watch me,” I explained.
“I think it’s more complicated than that, Grace.” Norah frowned. “I overheard Drake a lot when he had me locked up in his closet. It sounded like he was trying to make a deal with the Guardianship.”
“What kind of deal?” I asked.
“Drake knew your blood was special. I don’t think he knew about the siren thing, but he knew that the Guardianship wanted you because of your powers and the prophecy about you saving the world or whatever.” Norah waved a dismissive hand. “Drake wanted to overthrow William so he could be in charge and then make a deal with the Guardianship to keep them away.”
“What was the bargaining chip?” I said.
Norah’s eyes narrowed as she said, “You.”
“Me? Drake was planning to turn me over to the Guardianship?” I sucked in a sharp breath. Suddenly, everything made sense.
Drake had not only known about my prophecy, but he’d also known that my blood was special. He didn’t know what about it was special, so he had attacked me that night to find out. He had brought Norah to the Darkness as a way to blackmail me. Drake knew that if I believed my sister was being kept in the Darkness I wouldn’t leave.
He must have worked out a deal with the Guardianship and left with Norah to draw me away from the Darkness. When that deal fell through, Drake had turned her into a vampire, knowing that we would return to the Darkness. He needed to keep me hidden until he could work out a new deal with the Guardianship. When Cole had presented him with a new offer, Drake must have believed he could use Cole to bargain with the Guardianship. He hadn’t counted on them being the ones to act first.
“Drake didn’t count on the Guardianship being so difficult to negotiate with. He thought he would just dangle you in front of them and they would happily concede.” Norah rolled her eyes. “He’s such an idiot.”
“Agreed,” I muttered.
Norah glanced down over the edge of the balcony. The weres that had been prowling around outside were back in human form. “Are they…naked?”
“They are.” I laughed at her shocked expression. “You’re a supernatural being now. You better get used to it.”
“Like you got used to it with William?” she said with a grin.
“What? No,” I stammered.
“Did I hear my name?” William asked, stepping into the doorway. My
breath caught in my throat, both because I wasn’t expecting him but also because he looked even more brooding and dreamy than usual.
If I hadn’t already been blushing from Norah’s comment, the look William gave me when he caught me staring adoringly at him would’ve done the trick.
“I was just telling Grace how helpful you’ve been,” Norah said, covering like someone who was used to lying to vampire leaders.
“You should get inside,” William said, glancing at the horizon. “The sun will be up in a few minutes and you haven’t experienced daylight yet.”
Norah nodded eagerly. “Yeah, I’m not in the mood to test my boundaries.”
“Find me when you wake up?” I said.
“Of course.” Norah gave me another hug before disappearing inside.
“It can’t really be that easy, can it?” I asked William when she was gone.
He shrugged. “I have no idea. It certainly wasn’t that easy for me or my siblings, but Norah was determined not to hurt any more humans.”
“She’s always been stubborn,” I said with a smile.
“Must take after her sister,” William muttered, smirking.
“Cute.” I faked a glare. He grinned at me, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. William was worried. “How did everything go? Are we safe?”
His stoic Premier face returned. “Safe enough, for now. Mirella’s spells will protect us for a few days, not longer than a week. We’ve compelled the humans to forget everything and left them in the city, after stocking our blood supply. We have some time to plan our next move.”
“I think we have to consider giving the Guardianship what they want,” I said quietly. “You guys can’t be on the run forever.”
“They are not getting you, Grace. That’s never happening.” William took a big step forward, grabbing my arm. “You aren’t some bargaining chip, you are the woman I love. You are the Mulier Fortis. Nothing in this world is more important than you.”
“That’s not true,” I said firmly. “Too many people have already been hurt or killed because of me. Our home has been taken from us. We’re backed into a corner, William, and I could set all of you free.”
“We are not having this conversation.” He turned and went inside.
The sun was just starting to rise and it was the first sunrise I’d seen in weeks. I stared at the pink and yellow streaks for a long time, deciding on my next move. I would never be able to convince William, that was clear. He loved me too much and I couldn’t fault him for that. If the situation was reversed, I would never be willing to turn him over to the Guardianship. I also knew it was our best option.
I went inside and found William seated stiffly in a chair. His head was back, leaning against the wall and his eyes were closed. I studied him for a long time, memorizing every angle and curve of his face. Eventually, he said, “I’m sorry I snapped at you. It’s been a long night.”
“It’s okay,” I said, meaning it. “I know you’re under a lot of pressure.”
“It’s not just that.” He brought his head level and looked me in the eye. “I heard what Norah said to you about Drake.”
“Oh.” I had hoped he hadn’t found us on the balcony until after that part of the conversation. Lamely, I said, “At least now we know Drake’s end game.”
William gave me a weary look. “I know what you’re thinking. I can feel it.”
“It’s the smart thing to do,” I said. “Too many lives are at stake. How many have we already lost?”
“I will not lose you,” he said. “I can’t.” His voice broke in a way that made my heart ache. I could tell that he was afraid.
“You’re not going to lose me,” I said, moving over to him. I slid into his lap and he put his arms around me. Resting my head on his shoulder, I said, “I’m right here.”
He sighed heavily, relaxing just a little. “How did I ever live 500 years without you?”
“Must’ve been a pretty miserable life,” I said, my mouth pressed to his neck. His skin was cold as ice. “You need to rest, William. The sun is going to be strong today.”
“I’m fine, love.” William’s hand soothingly stroked my hair. Even as he spoke, I could feel his energy fading. “Just stay here with me.”
“Always,” I whispered. “I’m always with you.”
William had been completely still for an hour before I slipped away, kissing his cheek one last time. I felt terrible for the pain I was going to cause him, but I would do anything to keep him safe, even if that meant breaking his heart.
I had no idea where I was going, I just knew that I needed to find Cole and I doubted very much that he was sleeping. If Cole was anything like me, his adrenaline was still racing. Since Kathryn would be out of commission for the day, I figured Cole was probably roaming around the house.
Since I’d only ever been in the house for a few hours total, I had no clue where to begin looking. After trying almost every room on the first floor, I eventually found Cole in the library. It figured that William would have a giant room here filled with books just like he did in the Darkness.
“Your boyfriend is a nerd,” Cole said as I stepped into the room. He had been flipping through one of the books.
“But he’s a sexy nerd,” I replied, knowing it would annoy him.
He wrinkled his nose at me as he returned the book to a shelf. “I figured you’d be hidden away all day, snuggling your vampire.”
“Likewise,” I said pointedly.
“Kathryn’s not much of a snuggler,” Cole said, not at all embarrassed.
“You gave me such a hard time for being with William,” I reminded him. “Now, you are hooking up with your very own Blackwood vampire.”
Cole smirked. “Big difference between us, Wick. I’m only hooking up with Kathryn. You are in love with William.”
“I really, really am,” I admitted quietly, more certain than ever that I was making the right decision. “I need a favor, Cole.”
“This can’t be good,” he said with narrowed eyes.
“Come on. Let’s take a walk.” I left the room before he could ask any questions. I had no idea how I was going to convince Cole to agree to help me, but I knew it was too risky to have the discussion inside. The vampires might all be sleeping, but the weres weren’t affected by the sun. Some of them might be resting after such a hectic night and a forced transition, but others might be antsy like Cole and myself. I couldn’t risk us being overheard.
Cole caught up with me a few yards away from the house. “What’s so important that you can’t say it in the house?” he asked.
“I spoke with Norah earlier. She had some interesting information about Drake.” I headed toward the south portico. “Do you like fancy cars, Cole?”
“Do I what?” He gawked at me.
We rounded the corner and I gestured to the row of cars in front of us. “Fancy cars. Take your pick.”
“What the hell is going on, Grace?” he demanded.
“I need you to take me into the city. I can’t give you all the details here, but in exchange for you cooperating, you get to drive one of William’s ridiculously expensive cars. Okay?”
“Why do you need to go to the city?” He was still scanning each car, failing to hide his interest. “I highly doubt William has signed off on this excursion.”
“Now you only do something when William allows it?” I teased. “Look, the vamps are going to be asleep for hours and I’m starving. Unless you want to dig into their blood supply, we need to go on a supply run of our own.”
Cole sighed. “Yeah, okay. A man’s gotta eat.”
We ended up in the red sports car that probably cost more than most people’s homes. It was very convenient that William left the keys inside, relying on the magical wards as a form of security. Cole couldn’t stop grinning as he tested the limits of the car and my anxiety.
“Just because the car can go that fast doesn’t mean it has to,” I told him after he took a sharp curve at full speed.
“Relax, Wick. This baby handles like a dream.” He looked away from the road to wink at me and nearly didn’t turn back in time to catch our exit. As we flew around the curving ramp, I dug my fingers into the seat cushion and swore under my breath. He laughed and said, “I’m starting to think you aren’t enjoying this as much as I am.”
“Nothing gets past you,” I grumbled.
We had hit city traffic and Cole was forced to decelerate. “Where am I going, Wick? A general direction would be helpful.”
“Take us in the direction of the Guardianship headquarters,” I said.
Cole tapped the brakes a little too hard and my head snapped forward. “No way, Grace. If I had known that was your plan, I never would’ve gotten into this car. Breaking into headquarters is a terrible idea.”
“We’re not breaking in,” I said. “You’re turning me over to them.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
COLE
It was impossible to adequately express my anger while still attempting to navigate through traffic. I pulled over at the nearest rest stop and Grace and I argued for the next hour. Our argument was mostly me yelling at Grace that she was crazy and her saying that this was the only solution.
When it became clear that neither of us was going to change our minds, Grace suggested we take a break from our fighting to get some breakfast. I couldn’t deny that I was starving and a pot of coffee would recharge my batteries to resume our fight with extra gusto.
We didn’t talk a lot over breakfast. Neither of us had much to say when we weren’t yelling at each other. I concentrated on eating my food while Grace pushed her eggs around on her plate.
“Grace, you really can’t expect me to go along with this,” I said after nearly twenty minutes of silence.
She peered at me over the top of her coffee, drilling me with her hypnotizing baby blues while taking a slow sip of the beverage. When she was done, she slowly lowered the mug and said, “Cole, I not only expect you to go along with it, I want you to be ecstatic about it.”