by Claire Marta
If there was really a way to find them I know Kylie wouldn’t stop until she did. After my mother’s brutal death she had become my everything. My friend, confident, surrogate mother, teacher, and bodyguard.
If you haven’t been able to find them since then I don’t think we will find them now. Unhappiness laces my words. They might not even want me if they know who I am.
Bullshit! Your mother said her blood looks after their own. She was adamant you would be welcomed into their fold with open arms, and that Jonathan Carr would regret the day he snatched her.
The thought of my father groveling for mercy bolsters my need to see him fall. To spit in his face as he watches me take everything he’s worked so hard for and make it my own.
If we agree to whatever Damien wants you have to watch your back. He might not want to destroy you, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the Rochester fuckers agree.
I know she’s right. Damien might want my help and my body, but I’m nothing to the rest of them.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Damien
“DO YOU THINK SHE’LL HELP US?” PHILLIP ASKS.
“I don’t know. I’m sure the prospect of getting rid of Jonathan Carr is appealing.”
“Yes, but what of his coven? She’s not equipped. She’s too soft to take over a coven.”
“That isn’t our issue. But you’re correct. We can’t let that coven fall into the wrong hands.”
“Brother,” he warns.
“Think about it, Phillip. We get rid of the Carr bastard, clean up that coven, and put someone we know and trust in power.”
“Well, that will take care of the which of us gets to be in power question.”
We sit for a few beats. I can see this plan working. Actually working.
“And what of the princess?”
“What about her?”
“She’s technically the heir. Do you think she’d willingly let us take control of her coven? Do you plan on mating her? It wouldn’t be such a bad union. It will take back our state so it’s just under the Rochester rule. It will also give us numbers and power.”
“I don’t plan on mating with anyone. You know that. As for the princess...we’ll keep her in the dark for now. We need her to help us, not hinder us.”
“And just how, brother, do you plan on getting her to do that?”
“By giving her a taste of what she could have if she joins us. Have your wife meet me in the princess’s room. And get everyone else to meet us here.”
Upstairs I change into a fresh suit, down a bag of blood from the mini fridge—I need to call down to the blood donors later. Blood always tastes better straight from the source.
I’m sheathing my knife in my wrist holster when there’s a knock on the door. “Enter,” I call out.
My mother glides in the room and I consider shooting her with the gun that’s right in front of me. It only lasts a second, but I imagine a world without the woman who gave birth me. The thought is quite pleasant.
“What can I help you with, Abigail?” I ask, holstering the gun so I don’t have any temptations.
“I can’t check in on my son?”
“You never have before.” I say, stiffly.
“You don’t need to be an asshole, Damien.” She perches at the end of my bed, even though there’s a perfectly good sitting area across the room. I make a note to burn those sheets.
“I have a meeting. I’ll ask again, what do you want?”
She sighs. “Lucius is getting impatient. You need to impress him, otherwise I won’t be able to stop him.”
“Since when have you ever?”
“You’d be dead already if it weren’t for me and Helen.” She snaps.
“Yes well, I never asked you for your protection. I know you rather see me gone.” She has the decency not to deny it.
“Do not make this harder than it needs to be, Damien. Things were just fine.”
“No, Mother, they were not. Lucius has always wanted to get rid of me. He couldn’t. Now that I’m ready to take over he’s scared.”
“You’re young. Too young to deal with all that comes with running a coven. Then there’s the business.”
“Oh yes, the drugs and the guns, and the blood trafficking. Something I’ve already run for the past fifteen years!” I shout.
Nothing can get me to lose my tightly wound control than the woman now standing in front of me.
“And what of all the families that count on us to keep them safe? You expect us to believe you’re prepared for that? Lucius was sixty-years-old when he took over. He had a wife and a child. He was prepared to do whatever it took to run this coven.
The civil war he fought almost destroyed him.”
“And don’t you think seventy-seven years is long enough?”
“You think forty-five years is old enough?” She counters.
“I guess we’ll see. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to.” I escort my mother out of my room and away from my wing of the house.
Once she’s gone I double back and enter the princess’s room. Sheila has her sitting up with her bound hands in front of her.
“What the fuck do you want with me?” She whines.
“Has she drunk anything?” I ask.
“Oscar had Nikki up here about an hour ago. She should be fine.”
“Good. Lets go.”
Sheila attaches a piece of silver wire to Ava’s bound hands like a leash and pulls until she falls off the bed onto the hardwood floor. “I’ll drag your bitch ass all the way down the stairs if you want to be difficult.” She says.
Ava glares but slowly gets up without a word.
You ready? I ask Michael.
Yep. Just waiting for you, brother.
When I was changing I instructed him to bring an incentive for Ava to my office.
We walk down the stairs in single file, I can hear Ava stumbling along as Sheila leads her around like a dog. I think my sister is enjoying it more than she should be.
I open the door and allow Sheila to lead Ava in first.
Ava’s gasp causes a cruel smile to cross my lips. She tries to rush forward to where Kylie is sat, bound to a chair.
Sheila tugs on her leash and Ava falls on her ass. My brothers laugh and I allow a chuckle to escape.
“Don’t be so eager, pet. It’s bad form.” Oscar says.
“Fuck you.” Ava snaps. She moves to get up but Sheila keeps her down with a hand on her shoulder.
“No, no, pet.” She coos. “You’re fine right there.”
“Kylie…” Ava sobs. “Oh God, you’re okay.”
“Stop it.” Kylie snaps. “I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re going to get out of here.” That causes another round of laughter from Michael and Oscar.
The way they stare at each other tells me that they’re having a silent conversation. Phillip must notice as well. “No, you’re not going to escape. No, you can’t trust us not to kill you, Kylie. My brother has specific instructions, the princess is off limits, he hasn’t made the same promise towards you. However, we are on your side. Even if you don’t believe it.”
“Get the fuck out of my head,” Kylie growls.
“Don’t try anything around us then. Now that we broke down your defenses we can slip in easily whenever we want. It pays to have the power we do.”
“What the fuck do you want?”
“Compliance.” I say, rounding my desk and taking a seat. “You see, while we could get things done without you, we would rather have you two on our side. It comes with privileges. Such as being able to see each other, not being tied up. And not having to worry about Lucius and his men.”
“We’re not the only ones who have to worry about Lucius.” Ava says from her place on the floor.
“My brothers and I can handle ourselves. But thank you so much for looking out for us, princess. That conversation you overheard with our father and our mothers—yes those women were our mothers—was very useful.
We
would like for you to do it again.”
“You want to use me for my abilities?”
“Yes.” No sense in lying to the girl.
“No.” Kylie snaps.
“I’m not asking. My generosity only goes so far. I’m willing to let you live, but I have conditions.”
“You can forget it.”
“You really want to put her life on the line like that?” Phillip asks. “We can assure you both that Jonathan Carr will be dealt with. The civil war we are dealing with won’t be an issue. We have powerful allies.” Only a small lie. We haven’t met with anyone yet. “If you help us we can be in power of one of the biggest covens in the states.”
“You want the Carr coven.” Kylie says.
“Smart girl.” Phillip answers.
“We can also help look for her mother’s family. We only need the family name.”
“Impossible. I’ve been looking for nineteen years.”
“Funny, we didn’t see any of that when we cracked you.”
“Yes, why is that? You’re turned, aren’t you? You shouldn’t be able to hide from us. Nothing extraordinary about you, really.” Oscar muses. “Just a paid guard.”
“I’ve spent years hiding the truth, even from myself.” She admits.
“Give us the name, we can help. We have the resources. Something you don’t.”
Kylie stares at us for a beat.
“Do it,” Ava whispers. She sounds defeated.
I almost feel bad. Almost.
“Chevalier.” She finally whispers.
“No,” Sheila gasps. “It’s impossible.”
“Familiar with them, sister?” I ask.
Sheila trembles. She stumbles back until she sits in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.
Michael picks up Ava’s leash and Phillip rushes to Sheila’s side.
“What?” I ask. “What do you know.”
“They were wiped out years before. Over sixty to be exact. I-I don’t believe you.”
I’ve never seen Sheila like this before.
“What do you know, darling?” Phillip asks.
“They were powerful. But they were small. They stayed in Florida mostly. But moved north after the wars died down.
There was a civil war among their ranks when the eldest son came into power. He was... he was seeing someone from a rival coven. Wasn’t anyone important. But her family came from the enemy. Not something good to have after coming out of a decades long war. It caused infighting. His brother eventually killed him.
The second oldest took over. The last I heard the war was so great in their own ranks they destroyed themselves.
I don’t...I can’t believe her.”
“How do you know that? I heard similar stories from Ava’s mother, Rachel. She claimed to be the last of her kind. Said they were underground.”
“No, you have to be wrong.” Sheila looks like she’s going to cry. Or scream. Or kill something. Maybe all three.
Her icy blue eyes glisten.
“Would it be so bad if I were right?”
“Yes! Because if you’re correct I can’t be apart of this.”
“Why? Why do you know all of this, and why can’t you help us? If you know the family then you’re our only hope.” Phillip clutches her hands.
“Because the brother that was killed was my lover!” And with that she’s pushing Phillip away and rushing out of the room.
Ava
A stunned silence follows Shelia’s departure.
With my wrists aching from the silver still binding them I absorb everything I have just learnt. There could be a way to reach my mother’s family. The prospect of finding them and having them as allies brings me hope.
Damien may try to take the Carr coven from me, but I am not about to just sit by and let it happen. No one would accept who he stuck in charge as they are not the intended heir. It would just mean more fighting. More death.
“I want to find my mother’s family.” I tell the group of men, as I raise my head higher. “And I agree to help you get rid of my father in exchange.”
“You’re not in a position to bargain.” Oscar points out, his lips curling slightly in a sneer.
I stare back at him unblinkingly. “By the sounds of it the Chevaliers are very powerful and very dangerous even in a small number. Their blood runs through my veins. If you want them as an ally, what better way than to give them back the daughter of the ruling family’s long lost member?”
I’m not the only one who knows that makes sense. Damien’s expression says it all.
“Also, if you want me to use my ability to spy on your father. I needed to be treated better. I’m still young. My mother told me as a child it would grow with my strength and age. That I would have to be careful using it. In a weakened state and parted from my body too long it can bring on seizures.”
Kylie tries to hid her approval.
“The princess is trying to give us orders.” Michael growls.
“No, she’s just lining up the facts.” Damien responds as he stares at me from over his desk. “But we need to be certain the Chevaliers do still exist and she’s not the last one. Phillip, you need to get more out of Sheila.”
“I’ll do my best, but if she doesn’t want to talk I am not risking my balls in upsetting her.” He mutters back.
“When can you give us more intel on my father?” Damien’s stare latches onto mine. He’s all business now.
“I’ll need more blood than you’re giving me now.”
“You get half a bag more than you’re already provided with now and something fresher.”
“That’s it?” I snap trying to keep a check on my temper. “I won’t be able to maintain being out of body for long like that.”
“That’s all you’re getting.” His expression is uncompromising.
“I should be there while she does it.” Kylie’s voice grabs both our attentions. “Having someone physically beside her will make her more aware of when her body weakens. They can also help if the seizures start.”
In response Damien’s cold smile is sardonic. “Nice try, but we’ll have someone else with her when she does it.”
Kylie’s disappointment is clear. But even I knew they would never allow us unsupervised time together.
“Michael, make sure the princess is given as much blood as I have instructed, and then when she’s ready she can make a start on finding out what Lucius is up to.”
Michael nods.
“Oscar, take Kylie back to her holding cell.” Damien continues briskly. “Phillip, see to your wife.”
“Come on, pet.”
Yanking the leash Michael forces me up onto my feet. The burn of the silver just fuels my desire to shove the end down his fucking throat. Pressing my lips together I limp after him with little choice but to comply.
Behind me I hear Kylie protesting for more time.
“Let’s hope you’re worth all this trouble.” Michael tells me as he gives my lead a little jerk. “I think Damien’s thinking with his dick too much where you’re concerned.”
Phillip
I’m almost terrified to enter our bedroom. That’s what happens when you marry an assassin.
I’m not an idiot. I knew Sheila had lovers before me. After all she’s forty years older than I am. But seeing and hearing her reaction to the princess’s family name is jarring.
It means she must have really cared for him.
I find my wife sitting at the end of our bed. Her hands are in her lap and her gaze is on the wall. I know her mind is a million miles away.
“You never forget your first.” She says. “You, my dear, never have to worry about it. As I’m not going anywhere. And I’ll kill the first person who even tries to separate us. But, God Phillip, I never want to feel that way again.
I was only twenty. I thought we were going to be married. I wanted to kill every single one of those Chevalier bastards when I discovered what had happened.
He sent me back to
New York that week. He knew it was coming. He didn’t want the same thing to happen to me.”
If Damien heard the thoughts running through my mind right now he’d never let me live it down. But then he’s a heartless bastard. He’s never had to care about someone else before.
“We need whatever information you can tell us about the Chevalier family.” I say softly. “Help us.”
“Help you find the bastards that took the only good thing away from me? You know the hell Lucius has put my family through over the years. Before and after we met. And you just want me to help you find people who I believe are on the same level as him?”
“Yes.” I say simply. “It’s for our family. I’m not saying you can’t get your revenge. Let us get an ally out of it first. We need that more than anything else.”
“Our family is the most important thing in the world.” She tells me. “You know that.
You know the day I met you I was scared.
You were barely eighteen. How could I love someone so young? How could I fall for the spawn of the man who used and abused my family?
But I learned a long time ago that love doesn’t make a person rational.
I’ll help. Of course I will. It’s the right thing to do for our family. But I make no promises.”
“I would never ask you to. Neither will our brothers.”
“He fancies her.”
“He does. Though they’ll probably end up killing each other.”
“They say the same thing about us.”
“So they do.” I muse. Leaning into my wife I kiss her generous mouth. “I don’t have time to do all the things I want with you.” I murmur.
“Only makes for a sweeter reunion later. Don’t you think?” She teases.
“If you can’t handle it, then you never have to meet them.”
“Oh no, I want to look in the eyes of that bastard and kill him. If the princess is truly from their line she’ll be somewhere in the succession. I’ll kill however many vampires I have to so she can have that coven if need be.”
“That would defeat the purpose of finding them.”
“Would it? Or would it give us more power?” My wife lets a devious smile curl her lips.
“You’re evil.”
“But isn’t that why you want me?”
“Go, we both have a job to do. I need to make sure the meeting place with the coven leaders is secure, and you need to, well I’m not sure what our brother has in store for you.” I stand and hold my hand out.