by Julia Laque
He nodded. “Not at first. It took a while to figure out what you were after I’d tasted you. The night of the summit confirmed my suspicion when I saw how fast you’d healed. I knew the night we met, though…”
“That I was dying?” she said a matter fact, her voice a mere whisper so Jason wouldn’t overhear.
“Yes.” He leaned closer to her. “I sensed it the night I first saw you at the fundraiser, but I couldn’t be sure. Then, you came to dinner and I heard the odd beat of your heart and I knew something was very wrong.” He paused then and a look of anguish washed over his features.
She knew he was thinking of the night he’d fed from her, making her pass out.
I’m so sorry, my love, Cyrus spoke in her head.
She shook her head at him, her eyes becoming heavier by the minute. “You shouldn’t call me my love.”
“I will call you whatever I want,” Cyrus snapped.
Evangeline laughed weakly. “I knew you’d say that.”
The king stared longingly at her, his shoulders and arms tense.
“Thank you for calling Jason.”
He said nothing.
Fiddling with the ties of her robe, she said, “I got your message.” Looking up at him through her lashes she asked, “What did it mean?”
His eyes were sad and his lips were stiff as he spoke. “I made a huge mistake letting you go. I knew you were dying and I just let you walk away with—” His face contorted as he broke off.
Shivering, she remembered how angry he was. Evangeline felt strangely guilty. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“You were mine.” Cyrus wasn’t about to spare her feelings. He knew she was feeling guilty and he wanted her to bask in it.
It was odd, but she no longer felt the hatred for him she’d clung to for so long. The night he’d let her go had somehow changed her feelings. She sensed there was a tender side to Cyrus, although she’d never say it aloud. “I can’t help…” she started.
He sat up straight, rolling his eyes. “Spare me the speech about how in love you are with the mutt. I did not come here to listen to that shit.”
“Why are you here?”
Ignoring her question, he asked, “Where is he anyway?” He looked around, his fingers drumming on the armrest. “I’m surprised I don’t see the pups padding about too.” He added, looking down at the floor then.
She gave him a warning look. “Adam is with the boys at my parent’s house.”
Cyrus gave her a curious look. “I understand sending the litter away, but why the hell would he…” Understanding dawned and he looked at her astonished. “He doesn’t know, does he?”
Before she could answer, Cyrus stiffened, his head whipping to one side and she knew he’d heard something she did not.
Adam appeared a moment later in the doorframe as quiet as a ghost. He paused there, stock-still, his face completely devoid of emotion as he stared at the back of Cyrus’ head.
Evangeline tried to say something immediately to set things straight, let him know Cyrus was only here out of concern and nothing else, but the look on Adam’s face chilled her to the core.
Adam tilted his head back slightly as if he were pondering how to toss Cyrus out of his house and sauntered into the room in slow, calculating strides, his fists clenched tight. He only glanced at her for a second, noting the robe she wore. Clearly he was pissed at her for letting a vampire into a werewolf’s home, and then he turned his full attention on Cyrus.
Too late, she thought warily that it would have been decent to put on some clothes when Cyrus arrived, but she was too weak to go up and down the stairs. They must paint quite a picture sitting casually in Adam’s living room with her in a robe. The only thing missing were cups of coffee, but then she remembered the house smelled of the fresh pot she’d just put on.
What was wrong with her? How could she invite the Vampire King of North America into an alpha’s house? She must be losing it, because she was too tired to dwell on the issue.
Evangeline did not have the strength to watch these two go at it. She found her voice, as weak as it was, “Babe, it’s okay,” she began as she stood up wearily, swaying as she did so, but Adam’s eyes were locked on Cyrus. He put out a hand to stop her from explaining.
Adam’s voice was like ice. “The only reason you’re still alive right now is because you tipped off my beta about Evangeline.” She had a view of his broad back and every muscle looked taut with tension. “You have ten seconds to tell me what the fuck you’re doing here and get out.”
Cyrus stood up and slipped his hands in his pockets, glaring mutely at Adam. Evangeline couldn’t help but notice Adam and Cyrus were almost the same height. Adam was just an inch or two taller and much wider than Cyrus’ leonine frame.
“Really? You’re just gonna stand there?” Adam turned to Evangeline now and her expression must have given her distress away. Adam’s brow softened and he became instantly alarmed. “What is it?” He glanced accusingly at Cyrus. “What’s wrong? What did he do?”
Evangeline felt her throat constrict. Staring into Adam’s concerned face now made her mind go blank. What was she supposed to say? She knew she had to tell him the truth, but not right now, not in front of Cyrus. This was private.
“Tell him, Evangeline.” Cyrus’ voice cut into her brain and she flinched.
Adam growled at him. “What the fuck is going on?”
Evangeline’s head was whirling. She couldn’t find her voice. Adam stared intently and she could only imagine what was going through his head. She was panicking with guilt for not telling him the truth, but evidently, Adam’s acute sense was only picking up on the guilt part.
God, she needed time to think, time to find the words.
“Tell him, or I will,” Cyrus snapped.
Evangeline saw Adam’s eyes widen with betrayal. His jaws were pronounced as he bit down hard. His chest began to pump hard. He was jumping to the wrong conclusion, she thought. Say something, stupid! She couldn’t let him think something was going on between her and Cyrus.
“Fine!” Taking his hands out of his pockets, Cyrus stepped closer to Evangeline and Adam. “With all your keen senses dog, you failed to notice the one most important thing about our lovely Evangeline.”
Evangeline felt like a bright light just went on in the room. Shaking her head, she spoke up, “Cyrus, don’t, I…” She tried to cling to the light, but it began to fade in and out.
“I was a fool to think she would be safe with you. Now look at her.”
Evangeline’s voice rose. “Cyrus, shut up!” The room was closing in on her. Everything around her was becoming hot and dark.
Cyrus ignored her, glaring at Adam who looked like he was about to pop several blood vessels in his head.
“She’s dying, you fuck, and only I can save her.”
Chapter Twenty
“I’m so sorry, Adam,” Dr. Moros said.
Adam stood in the doorway of their master bedroom. His arms were folded tight in front of him, locking the pain within himself, trying not to let the angry beast free. It would not do Evangeline any good to phase right now. “I noticed she had an odd heartbeat, but she seemed fine. Christ!” His voice did not sound like his own. The second the bloodsucker had uttered those words his heart had burst into a million pieces. There was a non-stop deafening ringing in his ears.
“Her condition has always been peculiar, but I’m afraid healing others and,”—the doctor shifted uncomfortably—“childbirth were just too much for her body.” Adam saw Dr. Moros take off his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. “I truly wish there was something I could do, Adam, but it’s out of my hands.”
Adam felt the icy pain sear through his chest. His head throbbed with the finality of the doctor’s words. Becoming dizzy, he wished the world would just swallow him up whole. He did not want to exist anymore. His agony far outweighed the suffering he just barely sensed from the two werewolves downstairs, and scarcely heard the anguish howls fro
m the rest of his pack outside. No one could imagine the pain he was going through. Bond or no bond, they couldn’t possibly feel the way he did right now.
“Adam?”
Dr. Moros’ voice was starting to irritate him and he didn’t answer. Adam stared at Evangeline’s pale face as she slept. Her cheekbones were more pronounced now, her eyes deeper in their sockets. He had caught her when she’d passed out in front of him and carried her to their bed. What had he done to her? This was his fault. He should have never taken her from her home. If she had never met him, she wouldn’t be dying right now at the age twenty-two.
Adam shivered at the thought of never knowing her. Even in this little town they had managed to never cross paths. He was a recluse for starters and back and forth to Chicago. She’d been away at college for four years before she moved back home. They didn’t exactly mix in the same circles, but it would only have been a matter of time before they’d met. They would have run into each other eventually. He just sped up the process by kidnapping her. As sorry as he was for scaring her, he would not change anything. He’d saved her from marrying the king and given them two beautiful children.
“Adam, I know her family well. She doesn’t have much time. Let me break the news to them and bring them here. They’ll want to say—”
“No.”
The doctor took a deep, frustrated breath.
“Adam, I don’t want to argue with you, but the longer we wait—”
“I’m not ready,” Adam said.
“With all due respect, it’s not up to you.”
“How long—” Adam cleared his throat, but could not manage to get rid of the lump and didn’t finish the question.
The doctor nodded sympathetically. “It’s hard to tell. It could be a couple days or in the next hour or so.”
A loud and wretched noise made them both jump slightly and Adam realized it had come from him. The half man, half wolf yelp had been uncontrollable. Looking at the doctor, he could only imagine what Moros saw because the man’s face was frozen. Adam was squeezing his arms to himself, leaning heavily on the doorframe. He felt the beads of sweat begin to pour and the nausea in the pit of his stomach. “In…an…hour?”
The doctor could not respond, his face stunned as he stared back at Adam.
He vaguely sensed the vampire king step up behind him, forgetting Cyrus was there. Funny, how his hatred for his enemy did not surface at all. He couldn’t remember how he felt about the guy just then. There was only a slight recognition he was a vampire and he wasn’t supposed to be here. Weren’t they enemies? Adam couldn’t remember. It felt like a lifetime ago.
“We need to talk, Perez.”
Moros spoke up. “Your Grace, I don’t mean to be rude, but this is not the time.”
“It’s important.” The king ignored the doctor.
“Adam, you don’t need to stress yourself any further. Go and sit with Evangeline. Your Grace, can we speak downstairs?”
Cyrus sighed. “George, you can stay while Perez and I talk if you shut up.”
There was a pause and then Adam heard Cyrus call him by his name.
“Adam.”
His given name on the vampire’s lips sounded strange. He turned to look at him.
What he saw in the king’s eyes made him curse his creator, for there could be no other person responsible for the injustice of this life. Cyrus’ expression spoke volumes and Adam instantly understood what the man wanted to discuss. He should have known this was the reason why the king was here. There had to be another way.
Adam turned to face Cyrus fully, leaning his back against the doorframe, though, for support. “I can’t…”
Cyrus spoke fast. “But you will.”
Adam narrowed his eyes at him. “Will it work?”
“What’s going on here?” Dr. Moros cut in.
Adam saw Jason and Ramo step up to the second floor landing and stop behind the king. They had been listening in as well.
Cyrus’ voice sounded almost genuine now. “He won’t let her die, George, and neither will I. The only way to save Evangeline is to change her.”
Adam nearly keeled over in front of all the men. He heard Ramo curse and the doctor’s intake of breath. Jason’s hands came up over himself to squeeze the back of his head. Regret and shame oozed out of his beta, but it would have to wait.
Adam repeated his question. “Will it work?” As outrageous as the thought was, he couldn’t help but cling to the possibility Evangeline would live.
Cyrus’ features strained as he stared at Adam. “It has to.”
Standing in the hallway, Adam was overcome with grief and bafflement. There they were…three werewolves and two vampires. Contemplating changing the reason for his existence into an immortal enemy.
Enemy?
There was no way he would consider Evangeline his enemy. She would still be Evangeline, wouldn’t she? She’d just have subtle differences.
“Think on it, but don’t ponder too long,” Cyrus said seriously. “She’ll still be Evangeline.” Adam jerked slightly. He felt like Cyrus was in his head. “Don’t focus on the negatives. As a vampire she’ll live longer, till eternity, in fact. I bet that kept you up at night, knowing you would one day outlive her.”
Adam shivered. He had wondered about it, but he didn’t expect to really deliberate on the fact this early on as Evangeline was so young. Even so, he knew what he would do when the time came. The solution was clear. He’d end his life with her. He just didn’t expect it would happen so soon.
Cyrus continued on. “She’ll never grow old, she’ll be stronger, invincible. What’s more, she will be my ward. Therefore, the vampires on this continent wouldn’t dare hurt her or her children.”
Daniel and David. The mention of his boys brought him round his stupor. It didn’t matter what he wanted. Their boys needed Evangeline. They needed their mother. To take her away from the boys so early in their life when he could do something about it was downright cruel.
Adam looked at his cousin and best friend. They were focused on him. He read the weariness they felt, but also a small sense of hope, the same hope keeping him standing right now. Jason gave him a look, that seemed to say, You won’t be able to live without her. There is no other choice.
Ramo looked like a ten-year-old boy who’d just flunked a math test. “Hey,” he muttered miserably. “It might be kinda hot.”
Adam turned back to Cyrus. “The choice is hers. If she agrees.” He looked away from the king, abhorring to leave Evangeline’s fate to Cyrus Stewart.
****
The muffled sounds near the door is what kept her in an odd state of alertness. The dreamlike sensation made her jump whenever the voices grew higher.
Damn her weak body!
Evangeline wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. It wasn’t fair. She couldn’t move. Her body had been reduced to a useless lump on their bed. She couldn’t even roll over onto her stomach, the way she liked to sleep, and the thought of it brought a tear down her cheek. Feeling sorry for herself, she forced her eyes open to stare dejectedly at the ceiling. How long would she be like this before the selfish bastard upstairs took her?
That’s right. I’m talking to you, the Almighty who has nothing better to do than rip mortals from the world before their lives can actually begin. Just wait till I get up there. I have quite a few bones to pick with you.
Evangeline’s rant at the big guy upstairs was interrupted by footsteps coming toward her.
Her eyes instantly found the blue of Adam’s and she cursed inwardly. She would give anything right now to get up off the bed and jump into his arms. Again, pitiful tears ran down her face.
“Baby, don’t cry.” Adam sat on the bed and carefully laid his head on her chest. “Please don’t.” His voice was strained.
This was killing him and she knew it. Forcing herself to stop, she opened her eyes wide enough to dry them out.
She struggled to speak to him. Every word she uttered made her
dizzy with weakness. “The…babies…”
Adam lifted his head to stare raptly at her. His eyes were red-rimmed, his brow tight with tension. “They’re fine, honey. You’re parents are spoiling the crap out of them.” He laughed with little amusement. “Lydia is getting annoyed.”
Her weak smile only made his face tighter.
Evangeline stared into blue eyes that melted her very soul, and felt a flare of hope spread through her. Adam’s strong and beautiful face held more for her than he would ever imagine. She saw her best friend, confidante, lover, and if she miraculously lived through this wretched ordeal, hopefully one day she would make love to him again as his wife.
A look of anguish twisted his features as he shivered over her. He bent his head to compose himself, gripping the bed sheets on either side of her. There was something he had to tell her…no…ask her, but he was struggling.
Evangeline tried to lift her hand to console him, but it was way too heavy. She lifted her index finger instead and nudged the inside of his wrist.
Adam looked up. He was under some control now. A steady resolve surrounded him. “I understand why you kept this from me, but all the same, I wish you would have told me sooner.”
“I…I…” Evangeline started in an aching whisper, but he held up his hand to stop her, and smoothed her hair back from her forehead.
“Don’t, baby. It’s fine. We can argue about this later.” He let out a rough cough and glanced away.
She stared.
Adam took a deep breath and continued. “The doctor can’t do anything and we’re out of options…medically speaking.” He was shaking now, jerking the bed beneath her. “I don’t want to pressure you by declaring all the things you need to live for…the decision is yours…I can’t be the one…”
She nudged his wrist again to urge him on, hating her body for growing weaker and weaker by the second.
“Cyrus has offered to turn you.”
A leap so fierce and potent jolted her dying heart. Had she heard him correctly? Somehow she found the strength to utter the word he was fighting with. “Vampire?”