by Renea Mason
The vampire was beautiful. Chin length strands of golden hair. Chiseled features. With the trauma of that night, I hadn’t registered how attractive my assailant had been.
Under his breath, Baron mumbled, “It’s been quite some time old friend. But we finally did it. It’s time to wake up.”
Baron must have registered the puzzled look on my face. “What?”
“If it’s that easy for you to move the lid, why didn’t he move it himself?”
“They have been starving him since his incident with you. He’s weak.”
We both stood staring at Allister’s unmoving form.
Baron’s anxiety flooded through me. “It shouldn’t take long now.”
With a gasp, Allister tried to sit up but his chest impacted the sarcophagus lid.
Baron bent at the waist and took Allister’s face in his hands. “We don’t have much time, my friend. We need to get you out of here. You need to listen carefully. But first, I need to understand why you did it. Tell me why. I know we agreed you’d be the one to turn her and take her as your mate, but not like that. Why, Allister? Help me understand.”
“The witches…the premonition. That night I called you...” Allister’s oddly accented voice rasped. “I was going to die. I went to her so she could save me. She’s a mate. But then the council arrested me for attempting to illegally turn the girl. I realized then, the Vampire Council didn’t send the bounty hunter, the witches did. They knew and wanted me dead.”
Baron searched his eyes for answers. “I don’t understand. What did they know?”
Allister attempted to clear his throat. “I’m sorry, Baron.”
An overwhelming anxiety filled me. Feeling both of their emotions at once, along with my own, was too much to handle. There was fear and confusion swirling around me.
Baron gripped Allister tighter. “Answer me. The witches know about Lillie. They knew that’s what Colin was for. What could they have possibly held against you?”
Allister blinked. “Something that hadn’t happened yet. A divination. They said I’d betray you.”
The muscles in Baron’s neck tightened. “Did you? Did you betray me?”
“I haven’t betrayed my oath…” He coughed.
“I still don’t understand. Why would they not tell me? Did you only claim her to save yourself? Allister…seven hundred years we’ve known each other. What are you not telling me?” The pain coursing through Baron knotted my gut. Or was it Allister’s pain?
Allister wrenched his face from Baron’s grip and turned toward me. “Lillie, love, step closer, I want to look at you.”
Baron’s eyes connected with mine. I knew what he wanted to say. Be careful. I made sure the stake was hidden behind my back as I approached.
Allister’s unnerving gaze was one I recognized. He was trying to compel me. “Baron here doesn’t understand that you were designed for us. His love of freewill makes him a fool. When I tell him I never broke my oath, it’s true, but it was never to him. I never abandoned our mission. You can’t be allowed to bring down vampire society. With you tied to me, they won’t kill me. Together we’ll return vampires to their rightful place as rulers over humans and the other worlds. My capture here was a small price to pay to have you as my mate. Baron, don’t you see? We can rule them all.”
Baron’s anguish from betrayal caused a stabbing ache in my chest. Through gritted teeth, Baron growled him, “No, not for that price. I won’t sacrifice her.”
Our plan wasn’t going to work, so I forged one of my own. Focusing on mimicking his feelings, I reveled in the smug satisfaction that he didn’t know who he was dealing with.
“Baron, don’t be a fool. Embrace our destiny.” Allister must have registered my new mood because he turned his focus to me. “That’s it, love, you want to help, don’t you? You know Baron can’t kill me, and I know he won’t kill you, so why don’t you go ahead and put that stake behind your back to good use. Kill him.” His command was issued with all the vampire power he could muster.
Playing along was the key to ending this. I raised the stake into the air and started around the coffin toward Baron. I allowed him to catch my arm before it impacted his chest. I struggled in his grasp to add a level of realism.
“One flaw in your plan, my friend.” Baron shot me an all-knowing grin.
I continued to struggle against Baron.
Allister’s confused look was most satisfying. “I did everything you told me. We got interrupted, but the bond was started.”
“Yes, well, I haven’t survived as the Lord of the Underworld by giving away all my secrets. She’s not a typical vampire mate as you know, she’s the Vessel. Because the Vessel can mate with any creature, the process is different. She’s different. I didn’t share everything with you because we had agreed it would be her choice and when the time came, I would have given her the information, not you, so it would always be her choice.”
Allister laughed. “But I started to turn her, she’s a mate. It’s why I didn’t die long ago.”
“Yes, you started the process, but the Vessel is no typical mate. She must choose you as the final step. It takes more than turning her to fully bond you to her. Your foolishness has placed us in a bit of a predicament. If she’s not fully turned soon, she will die, and so will you. I brought her here to complete the ritual with you, but that was before you revealed yourself.”
Allister called to me. “Lillie, love, give me the stake. I’m stronger than you. Let me take care of Baron.”
I mimicked the starry-eyed gaze of an enthralled human and turned toward the blonde vampire.
The smirk on his face said everything I needed to fuel my rage.
“That’s it, be a good girl and give it to me. I’ll finish him for us.” He shot a wicked glance toward Baron.
Baron’s words echoed through my head. “Only you can destroy him.”
Baron crossed his arms over his chest. “Now is probably a good time to let you know she can’t be compelled.”
His eyes went wide. “What?”
With both hands, I slammed the stake straight into Allister’s heart. The vampire screamed. His skin shriveled into gray wrinkles and powdery dust settled in his tomb.
My hands trembled as I dropped the stake and slowly turned to face Baron.
He closed his eyes, tears leaking from the corners. “Lillie, I’m so sorry.”
“For what? Saving me from him? For caring for me? For making him give me Colin? For loving me? For saving me from all of them? What exactly are you sorry for, Baron?”
“I put blood on your hands. I never thought in a million years Allister would betray us. Now things are much more complicated.”
I laughed. “I’m a goddamn vampire. Blood is kinda my thing now, isn’t it? That asshole took that choice away from me, not you. So the human you wanted me to bite in the alleyway was fine, but him…”
“Lillie, you don’t understand. Because of the way the bond was started, the only two people who could finish your transformation was Allister or…me. I’ve told you about my life. You’ve seen what I’m capable of. In trying to give you choices, I’ve only ended up taking them all away.”
I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around him. “I know you’re not perfect. Some of the things you do are reprehensible, but that seems to be a theme with vampires. But what was it you said about intention? Your intention where I’m concerned has always been noble.”
He rested his forehead against mine. “You deserve so much more.”
I ignored his assessment and stared at the dust that once was Allister. “There’s nothing left to do here, let’s go get Colin and get the hell out of here.”
12
Claim
Baron called to have the limo brought around as Jessica led us back up the stairs.
Colin stood when he saw us approach.
With a quick nod to the female vampire, Baron said, “You’ll need to excuse us, we must be on our way, please give Your Excel
lency our regards.”
Victor walked into the room, surrounded by guards on all sides. “Baron, Baron, Baron. I thought you were bluffing when you said you were going to kill Allister.”
Baron clutched my elbow with his hand. “We had a deal, Victor. Argentina for Allister’s death. None of this should be a surprise.”
Victor laughed. “Except that it should be impossible. He had started the mating process. Only his mate should have been able to truly kill him. You didn’t think we knew, did you?”
Baron’s spine straightened. His hand snaked around my waist and he pulled me against him, protectively. “Honestly, Victor, I am surprised. Observation hasn’t exactly been your strong suit.”
Victor’s low, sinister chuckle sent shivers down my spine. “Do you have any idea how rare it is for a vampire mate to kill their own mate? Especially one that’s not fully mated and still mortal? It’s so rare, that in all my experience there is only one possible explanation.” His cold eyes fixed on me. “You’ve had what I’ve wanted right here all along. Your audacity is astounding. You bring her here, right under my nose. If it weren’t so foolish, I’d be impressed. But arrogance has always been your weakness, hasn’t it, Baron.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His hold on me strengthened.
“Come now, Baron. A vampire mate is prized because of the invulnerability they provide. Binding your life forces, so that they are in two places at once, making one nearly impossible to destroy. The magic that binds the two makes it impossible for mates to betray one another.”
Baron shifted his weight from one foot to another. “I’m fully educated on vampire lore. If you’ll remember, I ran the academy for many years. Your lesson is simply wasting our time.”
Victor took two steps forward. “Oh, I remember. Right before you decided to betray us all. The rules, however, don’t apply here. Can’t you see why the Vessel must be contained? She’s not even fully transformed, and she’s already killed her first mate. You should watch yourself, Baron. You might be next if you’re foolish enough to connect yourself to her. Give me the girl, before someone decides to try to claim her again.”
Awareness washed over me. Baron had already connected himself to me that night he saved me from what Allister had started. If simply starting to turn me linked me to Allister, then the same had to be true about Baron. When I died, so would he.
“You’re a fool, Victor.” Baron took a step backward toward the door, pulling me with him.
Victor’s eyes narrowed on Baron. “If you claim her, there will be war. The power you have in your little underground kingdom isn’t your own. You think you’re clever, but you only exist because we allow it. But claim her, and my days of looking the other way while you play mob boss to the underworld are over.”
Another step backward. “And what, leave her with you? Do you think I’m crazy? The second I stepped out that door, you would force yourself on her and try to claim her as your own. My mission has always been the same, and it isn’t going to change now. She did not choose her destiny, and I will not be part of forcing her to do our bidding. It never was about containing her, Victor. Allister let us in on your plan. It’s about using her to keep the Vampire Council in power over all the others. She gets to decide. Not you.”
“Give her to me now, or I will kill her.”
Baron chuckled. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
Victor’s eyes grew wide. “You’ve started to bond with her. I thought you said it was her choice.”
“It is. I didn’t take it away from her, Allister did. I simply tried to rectify his mistake.”
Victor shook his head. “But I don’t understand. You haven’t finished the process. Why leave her mortal? How could you have started to turn her and not finished? It must be excruciating.”
“How this ends is her choice.”
“Your convictions have made you a fool. You’ll never be able to take another mate now. You’ll never be able to walk away. She will destroy you.”
Baron scoffed. “Perhaps, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay. So what’s it going to be, Victor? Are you going to let me leave with her or are you stupid enough to bring the wrath of my allegiances down upon your head?”
“You can go, but you’re not taking her with you.” Victor raised his hand in the air.
“Like hell...” Baron turned to face Colin. “Now. Do it now.”
Colin pulled what looked like a handful of crystal sand from his pocket and tossed it in front of us. Unfamiliar syllables left his lips and a strange energy surrounded us.
I looked at him. “What did you do? And how?”
He grinned, clearly quite pleased with himself. “Baron said I should start embracing who I am. He taught me a few tricks, but we have to hurry because the spell won’t last long.”
“Baron, look at me.” I grasped his jacket sleeve.
His wide, anxiety-ridden eyes gazed down at me. “If I’m mated to someone else, if that’s even possible now, I’m of no use to them. But you, with Allister gone...”
He interrupted me. “No. I told you already it’s too much of a risk. Not me. But someone who won’t exploit your power. We’ll figure out a way.”
I tried to push past the feel of rejection. “So that’s it. You’re worried you’d be using me.”
Baron ignored my statement at first. “Colin, as soon as you see the barrier shimmer yell and run for the limo.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and reluctantly addressed me. “Having someone like you as a mate would have vast political advantages. You’d always be a bargaining chip, even when I didn’t want you to be. I’d be using you. You deserve love, devotion, and happiness, like other mates. Being the one to provide those things for you would be beyond anything I could imagine, but my world is dark and dangerous. You’d never truly be safe. I can’t selfishly accept you knowing I put you in danger, so I’ll protect you until we find someone suitable.”
Colin yelled, “Get ready to run.” Pressed against the far side of the energy bubble, we stumbled as the magic gave way.
Baron, with outstretched hands, stopped the volley of projectiles launched toward us as the magic gave way, much like he’d done that night in the alley.
Fine crystals scattered again across the marble. We were able to reach the limo before the bubble formed and trapped the door guards, Victor, and his men inside.
Our backs slammed against the seats as Baron’s driver peeled away from the mansion.
I inhaled a deep breath and wrapped my arms around Colin. “Thank you. You saved us. That was pretty badass.”
He smiled. “I’m so glad to be out of there. Those bloodsuckers make me nervous. Present company not included, of course.” He kissed me softly at the edge of my lips.
Patting Colin’s knee, I turned to Baron. “Do you not want me?”
Baron’s shocked expression was almost comical.
Colin snickered. “Oh, I know that tone. Prepare yourself, brother, you’re in for a battle.”
Baron sat up straight and angled his body toward mine. “Want has nothing to do with it. What I want doesn’t matter.”
I straightened my spine. “Answer the question. If you tell me right now that you don’t want me, I’ll save my breath and spare you everything else I want to say. So, can you honestly say you don’t want me?” He couldn’t lie to me. I could feel him and he knew it. His desire for me ran deep.
He sighed. “I should say it.”
“But you can’t, can you?”
“I’m afraid it would be a lie. I do want you, Lillie. I have ever since you became a woman, but I can’t be sure that it’s for the right reasons.”
“What if I promise to be the same stubborn woman that I am now? Do you honestly think I couldn’t refuse you or disagree or make demands of my own?”
He smiled. “What you propose is a splendidly tempting challenge.” He reveled in the idea of my disobedience. Baron was a man who molded chaos. A mate that bent to his
will would be too easy. My free will in his world would be an ever-present source of turmoil. It made sense that he would be drawn to me as an epicenter. “But you deserve so much more.”
“Did you lie to me when you said you did everything you could to make sure I had free will? Even to the point that you would have let me die, or allowed me to choose to let both of us die if I had rejected becoming a vampire?”
His fingers covered mine. “Of course. There is no other way in my eyes.”
“You also said the unique thing about the Vessel is they get to choose their mates and can take more than one and aren’t limited to vampires.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, yes, but your first option is limited now, thanks to Allister. Otherwise, I would have suggested you and Colin here would make a splendid couple.”
I placed my hand on his thigh. “I’ve already chosen Colin. Maybe not in the same way I will need to choose a vampire in order to live. I don’t want to live without Colin. But what if… What if I choose…”
Colin’s hand squeezed mine, giving me the strength I needed to push on.
Baron’s features were stoic, his emotions apprehensive. “What if what, Lillie?”
I steeled my gaze and fixed him with my stare. “What if I choose you? What if I asked you to mate with me, to fully turn me? To make you mine? All of my own free will.”
“Lillie…” He warned. “Colin, some help please…”
Colin glanced at Baron. “She has a point. Being unmated makes her a bigger target than being your mate, doesn’t it? The vampirism is already taking its toll. You know how much I love her. If she hadn’t just asked you to do it, I was going to. It’s the best way to protect her now that the council knows who she is. You are better positioned than anyone to help her.”
Baron took a deep breath. “Not exactly the approach I was hoping for, Colin.”
I climbed onto Baron’s lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t feel your longing. If I hadn’t noticed how you seek my touch. That when you found me, you put what was best for me first. You gave me my best friend. You’ve been my protector. Now, I’m asking you to be my partner. Maybe all those things were to make way for this.”