by J. J. McAvoy
“Taelon said he would take care of it. He left one of his people to retrieve it tonight. Did you not hear us talking about it?”
I shook my head. “I was lost in thought.”
“I noticed.” He spoke. “Druella, I never meant for this…”
I reached over and took his hands, noticing that his right arm was finally healing. Not as fast as when Simone had pretended to work on it. “I’m not blaming you. I don’t think I can. I’m a bit sad, that’s all.”
“That is one of the problems with republics,” he muttered, looking down at my hands. “You are forced to make peace on other people’s terms.”
“You do remember that Greece was the pinnacle democracy that influenced the world,” I spoke up, watching his thumb rub circles on my hand.
“And remind me, what is the current state of humanities in Greece?” he questioned, a single eyebrow risen.
“I believe they are very happy people.”
“Greece used to be the influencer of the world, the center of math, knowledge, sciences, poetry, and arts. Now all that can be said of my homeland is that it has happy people,” he muttered, sighing unnecessarily and kind of dramatically, which made me giggle. He was cute when he sulked.
“I don’t know how you make me laugh so often. I rarely did before you.”
“At least that is one positive.” He smirked, though it didn’t seem to reach his eyes. He was feeling worse for my sake. Meanwhile, he’d endured snake bites, fires, witches, and Simone for me.
I glanced to his hands, glad to see it was healing quickly. “I told you before, I do not know about vampire society. Now that I’m being forced out of the human society, I’ve always known, you do realize I’m going to hammer you with questions? Like why didn’t you tell me you were a prince? Or that there are apparently two presidents of America, one for humans and vampires?”
“Easy, young one.” He laughed. “You cannot gain centuries worth of knowledge in two days.” He was right.
“Then you have to teach me.”
His eyebrow rose, and I knew he understood what I meant. I hoped he’d let it go, but he just couldn’t help but tease me.
“You are aware that you will have to spend centuries next to me, so I can impart such knowledge.”
“Yes.” I raised my chin in defiance. “And I will make a great student, professor Thorbørn.”
“Professor?” He mused over the word. “Has this become a term of endearment over the last century? Seems an odd thing to call a mate.”
“The meaning is still as you remember because you’re not my mate and need no terms of endearment,” I reminded him, though, at this point, I wasn’t certain why I was acting as if I didn’t want to be near him.
“I am closer to my goal than I was yesterday. At the rate we are going, I shall have you by the end of the weekend,” he said, staring at my wrist where he drank from me, to remind me all that was left of the mating ritual was for me to drink from him and for us to sleep together.
“Don’t you feel bad tricking me to get this far?”
“Do you not mean, are you not glad I am allowing you to believe you were tricked into coming this far?”
“Excuse me?”
“You still think and act as if you are mortal, Druella.” He frowned a bit at that, and so did I. “To you, our ways are strange as mortals rarely, if ever, bind themselves to one another after only knowing each other for a day. You feel warmth with me. Despite what your mind says, your body reacts as mates would. Instead of simply following your instinct, you wish to play this game with me, bicker, and you pretend like you have no other choice in the moment. Very well, I enjoy games and shall play with you. I will look for any reason that forces us to be together, for I have not had so much fun with another in centuries.”
He kissed the back of my hand; I didn’t say anything, so I just looked away from him. “Have I won this battle?”
I tried to pull away my hand as my answer, but he held me closer and yanked harder, pulling me over to him to lay on his lap.
Glaring up at his chin, I squeezed his hand. “You’re pushing your luck, Mr. Thorbørn.”
“How am I supposed to know how far my luck stretches if I do not push it?” he questioned, letting go of me as I sat up, and I realized why I was letting him hold my hand, why I kept holding his hand.
It was warm. Right now, my hands, in his, were warm. “Feeling warmth,” I said slowly, trying to find something interesting in the city as it passed through the window. “That’s a sign of finding a mate?”
“That is a sign of being with your mate.”
“Mrs. Lucy said we’d feel almost mortal again.”
“I do not know, for I’ve never had a mate before. Some say it is as if the sun is beating on their face; others say it as if the world is spinning; some claim they became human again in their moments of intimacy and can sleep. Indications are different for every mated pair. I feel warmth with you, true warmth, a feeling I had long thought was impossible.”
I nodded, watching as we drove past the invisible line that divided rich Washington and the ghetto, heading into northern Virginia, toward Fairfax.
“Where are they taking us exactly?”
“The airport.”
At that, I turned my head to him. “The airport?”
“The capital of the American Republic is in Montréal.”
“Montréal, Canada?” When they had said America, I was thinking the United States, not the whole continent. “One family rules all of the Americas?”
“They came to power in 1901. They are new to me. Though I have heard of the family before,” he said.
“Can we trust him?”
“When your device rang this evening, it was the woman, Lucy Ming, who was on the other line. She recognized my voice instinctively, and said, I thought you were not going to return until next year.”
“They know you…personally?” I whispered and drifted off, not saying more aloud.
He nodded, and I realized that could be the first clue to figuring out what happened to him. What could have possibly happened that made him lose his memory?
“I believe so.”
“Is it all right that I don’t have a passport?”
He looked at me like it was a ridiculous question. “Neither do I, Druella, but I doubt the President’s family or his guest travel alongside the mortals.”
Okay, it was a stupid question.
Of course, they would have their own private jet or something.
Chapter 11
They did not have their own private jet.
They had their own private airport, and it was hidden, of course, cloaked in the thick trees and forest of Northern Virginia. Right above the Loca Waterfalls, a large slick black private jet sat on a tarmac. On the tail of it was a golden pair of twin swans, their necks locked together and their heads bowed, almost as if they were hugging.
There was a knock on the dividing glass between the front and the back. Theseus glanced around the back seat, looking for how to open it. He searched to see the switch on the vents in front, and holding it, the glass slid down with it.
“We’re here, sir.”
“Leave us,” Theseus commanded the driver. The vampire just bowed his head slightly before getting out, closing the door gently. When he was gone, Theseus cupped my cheek and brought me closer to him.
“Theseus.”
He was getting very comfortable touching me. And I was letting it slide more.
“Though they might not hear us on the outside, they still may be listening, I need you closer. His voice was so low it could barely even be called a whisper as he spoke directly into my ear. Despite the gentleness of his tone, there was none of his usual lightness in it.
“We have been talking this whole time you were worried,” I replied.
&nb
sp; “Nothing I said was what they did not already know.” he shot back.
“Fine, what is it?” I leaned in closer.
“I wish for you to question him about me, how they know me, when he last saw me, the more you get from him, the more likely I will at least be able to act as though nothing is amiss.”
I was nearly in his lap and hugging him as I whispered back into his ear. “So, you don’t trust Taelon? I understand. But Lucy seems to, and she isn’t one to share or trust easily. I’ve known Lucy for a year, but I’ve never seen her as the young her, now that I think about it, I barely know anything about her. But she has been kind to me.”
“Yes, because she’s been watching you.” He took the chance to wrap his arms around me. “Though she seemed genuinely surprised to hear it was I that was with you. Nevertheless, I told you do not believe in coincidences. How is it that Taelon Swan’s mate would be the one that was closer to you?”
“Wait, they are mates?”
He nodded, tapping my nose. Feeling his skin against mine felt…nice. “Use your nose, young one; he has clearly claimed her. But as you saw, she is a Lesser blood. It is obvious, she has not been given the right to the Swan name. The only one that can prevent her from that is Taelon’s father. They may be mated, but he cannot acknowledge and treat her as his mate until the head of his family does.”
“I don’t understand.” I couldn’t imagine how hurt Lucy would feel by that. “Just because she’s a Lesser blood, his family won’t allow them to be together?”
Theseus simply nodded. “You are entering the heart of vampire politics. There is so much you do not know or understand. I will teach you in time. But for now, know this, all of the ruling vampire families tolerate and respect each other, but just like the kings and queens of human history, everyone wants more. The way to protect what they have and possibly get more, the easiest way to do any of that, is by marriage through mates. Because you are adding another line of power or connections to your family.”
I turned to look at him. “So vampire society is pretty much like early absolute monarchies?”
“Exactly, and no matter how much Taelon may claim otherwise, their republic is still the same as everywhere else. No one voted the Swan family into power. They took it and merely allow the vampires who dwell here to believe it is different from the rest of society; that is false. Never trust those who are not your family so easily, Druella. There is no expiration on our lives; we live and keep living, and as so, we keep changing. A friend today could be your enemy in a century. The only thing that is forever is family.” He brushed his hands through my curls before lifting my head. “Now, if I kissed you, would I be, as you say, pushing my luck because I can give you a very good excuse as to why it is necessary.”
It took me a second to adjust to how quickly he switched topics. Sighing, I shook my head at him. “You just admitted it was an excuse, Theseus.”
“Yes, but a good one.” He leered.
“And that is?”
He brushed his thumb over my lips. “My scent is not on you enough, at least not enough to excuse why we are in here for so long while they wait patiently.”
My eyes narrowed on him. “And why exactly would I want your scent on me even more than it is now?”
“Because as you may have noticed—” His eyes were on every other part of my body but my eyes—“I have a temper and am not prone to forgiveness.”
“Yea, I’ve gotten that vibe. You do know that is something you should work on and not so quickly admit.”
“Yes, I am a flawed man bear with me until I grow more benevolent.” He chuckled at the mere word and inhaled my scent. “What do you think I shall do if anyone else’s scent masks mine or they approach you?”
I rolled my eyes. “Now all of a sudden men will approach me? That rarely happened before.”
“You have been hiding among humans and witches. I doubt you showed your beauty to anyone other than your work. Now you will be surrounded by others, and your beauty will be a temptation like no other.”
Damn him for making me smile like an idiot. “You just wanted an excuse to call me beautiful.”
“I don’t need an excuse for that. You’re trying my patience in ways I have never thought was conceivable before now.” His eyes shifted to my lips. “Allow me one kiss, so I do not go mad.”
Knock. Knock.
Theseus growled lowly, his head turning to the side of the door beside us.
“Forgive me, Lord Thorbørn, truly; however, a storm is coming in. We must be going.” Taelon’s voice entered from the other side of the door.
“Seems like the gods are not on your side,” I teased, broke out of his arms and reached over, opening the door. The heavy smell of rain came with the breeze; the air was as cold as earlier, and I wondered if it was going to snow again. Taelon held open the door more for me, allowing me to step outside. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” He nodded to me before his dark gaze shifted to Theseus, I couldn’t help but wonder what face Theseus had made for Taelon to chuckle softly, but I didn’t look back.
As we walked toward the plane, a familiar feeling of uneasiness crept over me. I only knew where we were going, but what would happen once I got there? I had no clue what I was supposed to do, furthermore, just leaving now felt incomplete. I should have at least put my affairs in order. My apartment, my car, my clothes, and things—my father’s things. I just left everything behind.
“Taelon,” Theseus spoke beside me. “I want her things sent to Ankeiros, if that is alright with you, Druella?”
I glanced up at him, unsure how the hell he’d figured out what I was thinking. When I did not speak, he went on.
“Those things are important to you, are they not? And if we are to leave them, I am sure that witches will go through it all. No one will disturb them in Ankeiros.”
I nodded first, giving my mind a moment to speak. “Yes, thank you, do you need my keys?”
“Unnecessary, we will take care of it,” Taelon said as we got to the bottom of the plane, looking to one of the men lined up in front of the stairs, flanking us on both sides.
They bowed their heads before turning to leave, walking back to the car. Two pilots and a steward waited outside the plane. Both of them waited for me to walk forward and up the stairs first, and when I did, Theseus followed. The inside of the jet was like every luxury magazine I’d ever seen of the rich and famous. It even had a long couch and two flat-screen televisions on either side of the aisle. I moved, taking a seat in the tan leather chair by the back window. The golden swan crest didn’t escape my notice on the head of the chair and in different discreet locations. When Theseus sat down across from me, Taelon sat down on the aisle to my left. It was only when we were seated that the pilots and the stewards came inside.
“May I offer any either you anything to eat?” Taelon asked, nodding to the steward who already came forward with bottled blood like wine.
I felt Theseus waiting on me, and so I nodded. The second stewardess came forward with crystal glasses, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This was a lot of indulgence. But not wanting to be rude, I took it.
“Thank you,” I said.
She didn’t reply as if she hadn’t heard me, going on to give Theseus a glass.
“You are very polite.” Taelon said as he was given his glass. “Do not mind the stewards. They follow etiquette and know when to listen and when not too. I hope your politeness rubs off on my old friend here.”
“You know him?” I asked, and Theseus just drank as if he could not care less about the conversation, but I knew that wasn’t true.
“He didn’t tell you?” Taelon sounded hurt and then leaned over as if he were gossiping. “I was the first one to greet the Prince of Night when he arrived on this continent a century ago in search of his mate, of course, he did not make that clear initial
ly. The Thorbørn are very secretive. He said he was here searching for someone who had offended their family, but I won his trust soon enough.”
“Soon?” Theseus’s eyebrow rose as if he doubted that.
Taelon rolled his eyes. “In our perspective, fifty years is soon, isn’t it?”
Theseus went back to his uncaring face.
“It took you fifty years to get him to talk to you? I’m surprised you didn’t give up.”
“When there is a Thorbørn in your lands, giving up is not an option. Rumor and gossip spread like wildfire, new stories of who could have possibly offended him came to our home on a daily basis. You’d think that a god had come the way every vampire was confessing their sins and the sins of others they knew.” He said. “Every time I received something that seemed like a plausible reason to bring him here, I’d go to tell him and ask if he wished for a trial. Finally, he grew so annoyed with me, he told me the truth. You should have seen my face. I stood, staring at the door he closed on me stupefied. Of all the reasons everyone in vampire society had guessed that one had never crossed any of our minds. I mean, who could guessed the Prince of Night was such a romantic?”
“No more than you,” Theseus threw back, slowly spinning the blood in his glass. “I do not recall. Where was it I slammed the door in your face?”
“Savannah, Georgia,” Taelon whispered, looking down into his glass. “And thus, began our friendship.”
“I do not have a need for friends,” Theseus said and met my eyes, and I felt like he was trying to see if that place rang a bell for me, but I shook my head. It was still many years before me.
“What was that?” Taelon questioned, looking between us, ignoring Theseus’s earlier comment.
The plane began to move down the runway, and I mentally wanted to kick myself for expressing anything.
“She seemed to want to bring up Lucy, and I was trying to warn her not to interfere,” Theseus lied with such a composed ease.
At her name, Taelon’s stiffened shoulders arched more. I glanced around the plane again and realized—or the first time noticing—she wasn’t here.