by Lauren Dane
She took his hand, linking fingers. “Thomas.”
“Invited us in. If he suspected that we knew anything he hid it well. He seemed surprised that we found out. Tried to deny at first. But...after a time he shared what he knew. I have the Blood Front meeting place here in London. He spent upwards of a million pounds on the spells for Lyr. He believed his work was to strengthen Vampires so they could take over the Nation. Lyr had convinced Thomas that he was getting strong enough to take on The First and defeat him.”
Rowan’s snort reflected Clive’s own feelings about that. Lyr had been powerful and old. But The First was something else entirely.
“Even a million pounds worth of stolen magic wasn’t going to make Lyr strong enough for that,” Rowan muttered.
“Indeed. My uncle was so xenophobic and racist that I doubt very much he had any notion that the power being siphoned was going to anything other than a Vampire. He was a true believer to the end. He trusted Lyr to take over the Vampire Nation and to position him very high, certainly higher than my father and me. He pretended that he wasn’t sure that meant we’d have been killed, but he also knew we didn’t believe that for a moment. He’d been working within the Blood Front for several decades and had risen after The First cleaned out most of their ranks.”
He’d been rather obsessive about Rowan, which had eased Clive’s feelings about having to kill his uncles and their entire line. Thomas had been an active threat not just to Vampires, but to Clive’s wife, and that had been the final thing that sealed his fate.
Clive forged ahead. “He was the one who gave your name and your information to the sorcerers in Vegas. He used Roderick to contact sorcerers who’d been working with Lyr. Thomas was the one who paid them. Though Lyr was the one who gave them the kill order, Thomas was responsible for having Carey murdered. And he used House Stewart money to do it.” That was the worst part.
Rowan sucked in a deep breath before she replied. “That was going to be my line. Though knowing it came from his own mouth and having it confirmed should give me comfort. Maybe someday.” At his confused look, she continued. “We found a lot of evidence at Thomas’s house. Including a dossier on me.”
“I want to see this dossier.”
“Of course you do. David is handling all that. I already gave a copy of everything to Susan earlier today. David’s been in touch with Alice so I’m totally sure she’s going to organize it all in whatever way you prefer because that’s how she is. Thomas had hiding spots everywhere. We left all the art and furnishings and that stuff. But I took every bit of evidence I could find and before you scowl at me I want to underline that that piece of garbage with fangs had my friends murdered.” Rowan pointed at him, daring him.
He wanted to argue but he couldn’t. But he would most definitely be seeing everything she removed. He gave her a very cross sniff. “There’s evidence relevant to the Vampire Nation, Rowan,” he said, more for form than anything else.
“I already said I’d share. Moving on. If it’s all right with you, I’m going to have the Dust Devils here clean both residences. I didn’t want to arrange it before we spoke.”
He nodded. “My father and I discussed it and we’re going to offer everything Arthur and Thomas owned up to Warren and the Nation. As restitution. We’ll get a higher price on the flats and furnishings if there aren’t piles of ash and blood spatters on the walls, I expect.”
“Theo will respond well to that, I think. Warren definitely will because this all happened here in his territory and he didn’t even see it. That’s dangerous for him, especially with Theo, who will want to know why Warren failed to notice revolution in his own city. So Warren will gratefully take that offer because he doesn’t want to risk his own people and his own life.”
Clive nodded, as ever, grateful that his woman was so very smart about Vampire politics. “I agree. I’m meeting my father and then we’re going to Warren’s office to make that offer. Once that is handled, we need to deal with your father.”
“We’ll go to the Keep for that.”
Clive couldn’t help but rear back a little. “Do you think that’s necessary?”
“If I didn’t, we wouldn’t be going there. If I may?” she asked his sufferance to explain and he nodded again. “If we frame this as something Hunter Corp. dug up and you acted on, it might go down easier for him. If you come at him and it looks like a Vampire Nation problem that went undetected until after millions were spent and we were both nearly killed more than once, he’s going to be unhappy. More unhappy than he’d be if it was a Hunter Corp. discovery that you then handled. I tore open the piñata and you dealt with the candy. Then he gets to see how smart you are. You found Roderick. We don’t need to go into detail about the dream I had with the symbol. You discovered the symbol on the token. You and your father, the leader of your house, went and dispatched Arthur and Thomas without mercy and without delay. He’ll respect that. Especially if you give him money for it. I’ll own Roderick’s kill. That was my job, I did it. Period. Plus fuck getting permission from Warren.”
He saw what she was trying to do. “You’re attempting to shield me from your father’s reaction.”
“I’m working with you so we can all stay alive and finally track down whoever and whatever is behind this whole thing. I know him better than any of you do. And when I tell him Thomas had a dossier on me that included all the information that allowed murderers into my penthouse to kill Carey and that they had detailed notes on my schedule, maps of my travels and all the codes to my security, he’ll be so pissed at them he won’t have the energy to take it out on House Stewart.”
“I don’t like this.” The last thing he wanted was Rowan to indebt herself to her father any further. Especially on his behalf. But she was right. She’d thought of the big picture and she did indeed know her father better than anyone else.
“It’s not about like or dislike. It’s about keeping you alive and in your position of Scion. It’s about keeping your crazy mother and your father, who’ve only been loyal to the Nation and to Theo, alive. It’s about the continuation of House Stewart as a power within the Nation they helped build. I’m going to try to say the same about Roderick’s family because I don’t think they knew any of his dodgy dealings either. I grew up the way I did. The supercharged blood I’ve had after nearly dying so many times has erased most of the scarring he left on my outside, but the scars on the inside remain. Let that be for something good and right. Trust me to know how to handle him on this.”
“I trust you with my whole heart,” he told her, kissing her fingertips. “But I hate that you’re being vulnerable to him on my behalf.”
She shrugged. “Let’s eat. Genevieve should be around. She’s staying here while we’re in town.”
As annoyed by the witch as he was from time to time, she’d certainly helped them out more than he could have expected. Staying in one of their guest suites was a small price to pay for that assistance.
They stood but he pulled her to him before they left the room. “I’m sorry.”
She looked up at him, cocking her head. “For what?”
He snorted a laugh. “There’s a list a kilometer long. For my uncle giving help to those trying to kill you. For his helping murder Thena and Carey. He had that access because of his relationship to me and House Stewart. He had all the money he did to support Lyr because of House Stewart coffers. Without all that, he wouldn’t have been able to be such a help to Lyr and the Blood Front.”
She rolled her eyes with a sigh. “You can’t be sorry for what Thomas and Arthur did. They did it and now they’re dead because of it. I mean, they were Vampires and you all have that in your blood, so to speak. You’re all sort of sketchy. I’m sorry you had to go through what you did last night. Even if you didn’t like them, it couldn’t have been easy to do.”
She had no idea. Because he didn’t feel bad about having to slaughter nearly fifteen
Vampires. He hadn’t felt bad about it the night before and he didn’t feel bad about it just then. Because they had threatened his wife. His life. His household and the world they all lived in. Thomas and Arthur would not draw another breath because of that and Clive felt nothing about that but relief.
He worried for his parents. He worried for his house. But he did not worry about killing what needed killing.
“We’re not sketchy,” he felt the need to say as they left her office.
“You’re all totally sketchy. Some of you manage to make that into something that launches you into a successful life. Some of you are assholes to the very end as you eat a sword. But Vampires are inherently sketchy.”
He frowned but she snickered. Things had eased back to a sort of normal state, he supposed.
Chapter Fourteen
Just three hours later they approached the front doors of the Keep where Cataline, the house manager, waited to pull Rowan into a hug and a kiss on the cheek once they’d reached her. Genevieve and David had decided to avoid the Keep and were happily ensconced on the plane until Rowan and Clive returned whenever this business was concluded.
Star had been with them until the bridge leading up to the first wall of the Keep where she’d yipped a few times and then scampered off. Rowan knew enough to understand her dog would be wherever Rowan needed her when she needed to be.
“Come in. Your father is waiting for you up in his rooms,” Cataline told Rowan. “You first. Attend him for some tea. Then Scion Stewart may join you.”
“Is he all right?” Rowan asked. The question was simple. Just four words. But within it were a hundred words and feelings. If Theo wanted her alone first and then Clive, he’d probably heard something of the situation.
She just needed to know what exactly Theo had learned in advance so she could tailor her own telling accordingly.
“Nadir spoke with him upon his waking to let him know you were coming and that there’d been trouble you’d addressed in London.”
If Nadir, her father’s chief lieutenant, had spoken with him, what he’d been told was generic and meant to assuage any harsh feelings at not knowing until Rowan showed up. That was fine. She could handle that part.
“I’m aware you won’t be staying the day but if you’d like to work or rest while Ms. Rowan is with her father, your suite of rooms has been readied,” Cataline told Clive. Underlining that it was Rowan who would be attending The First before anyone else.
“He ordered your things be kept in your childhood rooms,” Cataline told Rowan. “But your adult things have been moved to the Scion’s personal suite.”
Rowan left Clive and Cataline headed up the north stairs toward Theo’s rooms.
Recht, one of The Five, The First’s personal lieutenants and boogeymen and women, stood at the double doors at attention. When Rowan caught his gaze, he smiled slightly and relaxed a little.
Which made Rowan relax a little as well. If things were bad with Theo, Recht would not look so mellow and the household would also be far more tense.
Though he never spoke in public, or even in the presence of all but a very few people, he’d been the one to train Rowan as she grew up. He’d protected her when possible and given her the skills to defend herself from most threats.
“Little goddess, you’re here. What an unexpected treat. Your father is pleased that you made your way to see him.”
Okay, so Theo was in a good mood. Excellent.
She hugged Recht and then headed into the antechamber and up the steps to Theo’s salon.
He waited for her there. His long, silvery hair caught in a queue at the back of his neck. He wore jeans, slippers and a cashmere sweater. Summer or not, it was cool inside the big, stone castle keep and Theo quite often wore sweaters to stay warm.
He looked like one of those silver fox ads in GQ magazine but she knew better. Knew that underneath his good looks and modern clothing he was a king, used to utter obedience, accustomed to getting everything he wanted exactly when he wanted it.
And after thousands of years of existence, he wasn’t entirely sane. If he’d ever been. Sometimes he got very close to an edge that would spell damnation for pretty much the entire planet. Sometimes being just recently, in addition to a few times as she was growing up.
And it had been Rowan’s responsibility from a very early age to keep Theo on an even keel to protect those around him who weren’t nearly as able to deal with his mercurial and violent nature.
Her love for him was complicated and full of conflicting emotions and experiences. But it was there.
“Petal, I hear there’s been trouble. Come have tea with me and tell me everything.” He stood and waited for her to come to him. Rowan turned her wrist out, showing him the mark of service she bore, and then went to one knee.
His pleasure at the sight was palpable. He helped her up and kissed her cheeks before he indicated she sit.
“Vater, I’m glad to see you, though I have a heavy heart.”
His attention had been on the tea she’d poured out while she spoke but then it landed on her like a physical thing. She dug down deep to find the courage to continue her work on his tea without shaking.
“Tell me.”
“You know there were those who killed my Protected, Carey, back in Las Vegas while I was here for my nuptial announcement.”
“Yes. Terrible thing, Petal.” Darkness passed over his features.
“The investigation back in the United States led us to Lyr.” She’d already briefed him via Nadir about Lyr’s involvement and death at Clive’s hands so she glossed over most of it, not wanting to agitate him any more than she had to. “And then it led us to London and the magical black market. Being run by a Vampire. Roderick Haigh.”
Recognition lit his gaze so she continued.
“I do not believe his parents had any idea of what he was up to. I believe them to still be loyal to you,” Rowan added quickly. The Haighs had been nothing but supportive of The First and she wanted him to understand that and spare them.
“What happened to this Roderick?” he asked, the sharp edge to his words nearly brought tears to her eyes.
“I executed him for Treaty violations. I also executed his manservant, who was aware of his activities and never reported them. His house has been cleaned and will be forfeited to you, along with its contents.” Minus the shit she’d broken or ruined and the spells and magical objects but he didn’t need those details.
“You killed one of my Vampires?” he demanded. Here was tricky, dangerous ground and she needed to be strong and very careful. If he scented any weakness he’d use it against her but if he felt she was being disrespectful Clive might have to pay for that.
Rowan went by instinct and switched to the old Vampire language, wanting to remind him who she was and what she endured to get her to where she was at that point.
“I killed two of your Vampires. As is my right and responsibility as a Hunter. There will be more by the end of this, as you know.”
“You are also my daughter and the wife of one of my Scions. Both much more important than your being a Hunter.”
“Both are why I’m here reporting to you in person rather than via written communication with your Five.” She wasn’t going to argue semantics with him.
“You executed several Vampires in the United States recently as well.”
She nodded. “I did.”
“That is a great deal of lax discipline.”
It totally was, but as the person responsible for that discipline was her husband, she wanted Theo’s attention off that and where she needed it.
“The Blood Front is still in operation and it has been footing the bill for unusual and powerful spells. The ones Lyr had been using all over the United States. He was gathering power. And part of a conspiracy to kidnap and drain witches and other Vampires, as well as
several humans. That power is going somewhere, Vater.”
He nodded, thinking about that as she’d hoped he would.
“I believed this Blood Front business to be over when I eradicated so many traitors after Enyo attempted to kill you. It seems I was wrong. How powerful is this new iteration of the Blood Front?”
“Enough that they’d been working with the sorcerers who were behind the murder of my Protected and another one of my dear friends. Enough that they had a dossier on me with all the details that enabled them to get into my old penthouse. Enough that they had my bank information and all the security codes to my office and my apartment. They are behind the leaks within the Vampire Nation.” There. She’d established just why Hunter Corp. was acting rather than her just turning shit over to Clive to let the Vampire Nation handle things.
This was an attack on her personally. On her and Hunter Corp. Once she’d thought it was all about the Treaty and overriding it and the protections and laws that kept Vampires from harming humans and others. But now she knew it was partly about her as well. Weakening her was a step to their own end goals.
Power obviously, but to who?
“And just who provided all this information?” Theo’s voice had gone cold again. Full of razor sharp edges and bludgeon pauses.
“For this next part, I’d like Clive to be present.”
Theo looked her over carefully for long moments before he ordered Recht to bring Clive to them.
She’d gone over things with Clive several times. Enough that he’d been agitated by her, which had its own joys, but she knew he’d listened and she’d made her point. If they were to be free of any killing energy from Theo, Clive had to let her take the lead. Which was difficult for a powerful being like the Scion of North America.
But he was powerful because he was smart.
When he arrived, there was a version of what Rowan had done. Some obeisance and general butt kissing and stuff before they all settled. Rowan made sure Theo’s cup was full before she served Clive his tea.