I glanced between the two. “Whatever, I’m going to go call Liz.” I stood, grabbed the coffee Oliver had made me, and went into the living room to call Liz.
She answered on the first ring. “What’s up, Abby?”
“So, Vlemeinheil is our guy. He just paid me a visit.” I sat my coffee down on the table. “He’s using magic to make the doppelgangers, but I need to know, the people who appeared differently, do they have a link at all?”
“I’ll take a look at the files. I’m guessing there is one somewhere.” She sighed. “How did you figure out that it was Vlemeinheil?”
“Well, I took a trip to the Cult library. Turns out he killed the family members of someone there. They had all the information except the name and location. A picture of a younger him. Everything lines up, except for the paralyzing and encasement of the victims.”
She hmmed for a moment. “Okay, we’ll bring him in for questioning if we can find him.”
“We’re going to have to draw him out.” I cringed. “Also, he can turn your own magic against you, so we have to be careful with that.”
“Abby…” There was a warning in her voice.
“I’m fine, I promise, Merick was here to help me out.”
“Okay, I’ll look into it. I’ll call you when I have something.” She disconnected, and I shoved my phone in my pocket.
The doorbell rang, and I froze as Merick answered it. “Ah Simon, with pizza, impeccable timing, as always.”
I didn’t remember inviting Simon over, but he wasn’t beyond surprising me. There was a small paranoid voice in my mind saying not to trust him.
Simon walked into the living room holding the box of pizza. “Rough night?”
“What makes you think that?”
He laughed and sat down next to me. “Your uncle and Merick are here, that typically means that something is going down.”
I rubbed my chest at the ache there. “Yeah, had a small magical throw down. Things are good though. What are you doing down here?”
“Well, I know things have been a bit…awkward since the full moon, and I wanted to just have a normal night.”
I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. “A normal night sounds just like what I need. Thank you.”
He kissed my head. “Well, at least I can provide that for a little bit.” He leaned forward and flipped open the pizza box. “Let’s chow down, I doubt you’ve eaten today.”
I thought back through my day. “I don’t think I have.” I laughed. “I’ve been busy trying to track down a killer.”
“I’m pretty sure that counts as a normal day for you. But seriously, Abby, you have to actually eat food.” He shook his head and handed me a piece of pizza. “I thought Merick was taking care of you.”
“When she lets me!” Merick’s voice came from the kitchen, and I rolled my eyes. “He tries. Honestly, it’s just been busy.”
My phone rang, and I sighed. I knew the ring tone. It was the one I set for Liz. “I have to answer that.”
He nodded. “I know.”
I could hear the disappointment in his voice. “Hey, Liz, what’s up?”
“You need to come into the office ASAP. There’s some sort of press conference happening, and we need to be at PIB for security reasons.”
I growled. “Really? I just sat down to eat dinner.”
“Abby, it has to do with the vampires.”
I drew in a sharp breath. “Well, shit, okay.” Levi hadn’t given me any heads up on a press conference, so I was going to be walking into this situation clueless.
I looked at Simon, and he shrugged and took a bite of his pizza. “Let’s go.”
“You want to come?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I only ever get to watch the press conferences on TV. This could be fun.” He grinned at me, and it made me wonder if he knew what was going on.
“Are you in on this?”
He shook his head. “Nope, if I were, I would have brought you something better than pizza.”
He had a good point. I sighed and stood. “Let’s go then.”
Merick and Oliver were still at the front door when Simon and I got up to leave. Merick looked up. “Where are you two love birds off to?”
Simon snorted. “PIB, because Abby doesn’t know how to take a night off.”
I would argue, but he wasn’t wrong. “Liz called, there’s a press conference with the vampires tonight, and PIB needs to be there for security.”
Oliver raised a brow. “Any idea what is going on?”
“Nope, so I’ll let you know what it is as soon as I find out.”
Merick nodded. “We’ll watch here and be at your aid if you need it.”
“Why would I need it?” Something curled in the pit of my stomach.
“It’s the vampires Abby, what do you think Levi has to announce at this moment?”
Oh fuck. I didn’t say anything out loud, but I walked out the door with Simon on my heals.
“You don’t think he would announce that do you?”
“I don’t know, but I know there’s been a lot of changes in the vampire world lately. He doesn’t share this stuff with me.” But I had a feeling it was suddenly going to become a huge part of my life.
“Lovely.” Simon climbed into the Hummer. “How do you feel about this?”
“I’m trying not to panic because I don’t want to be blindsided.”
“Yeah, I imagine there’s a lot of issues with being blindsided here.”
I started the car and headed toward PIB. My brain swirled with thoughts of what Levi could be announcing, and I was really hoping that it wasn’t that he was King, because that was just going to complicate everything.
Simon and I arrived at PIB to an already gathering crowd. I found Liz by the entryway to PIB. She gave me a tired smile. “The press is ready to go. Levi is inside with Mario and another vampire I don’t know.”
Chances where that I did. “Awesome, where am I stationed?”
“Head inside, the vampires are running the show. They’ll give you orders. They didn’t let me know where you were going to be.” She shrugged. “This situation is pretty tense, so I don’t know what is going on.”
I sighed. “Where are you stationed?”
She pressed her lips together. “By your side.”
Well fuck. Chances were that meant Levi was worried something was going to happen to me tonight. “Well, let’s go see where we’re going to be hanging out then. I thought we were doing security detail.”
“Yeah, me too. I guess things changed.” She shook her head, and we walked inside. Simon remained silent at my back, and it made me wonder what he thought about the situation.
Levi, Mario, and Catalina were standing together, talking in hushed voices. All three of them looked at us at the same time, almost like they had practiced the motion. “Abigail.” Levi stepped away from the other two vampires.
“I need to know what’s going on.”
“Not at this moment, you don’t.” This came from Catalina and caught me off guard. She hadn’t said much to me at all since I stepped into the scene of Levi’s kinghood.
I stared at her. “Excuse me? I’m a PIB special agent and was called in under the idea that I’d be working security detail for a press conference for the territory leader. Which you are not.”
“Abigail,” Levi’s voice warned. “You are here to work, but you and Liz will be stationed in the security center, watching the tapes.”
“We’re not going to be much good in there if someone tries to fry you with magic.” I pointed out.
He nodded, but again it was Catalina that answered. “We have our own forces in the audience to help with that. Our concern is keeping you away from the press.”
I wanted to ask Levi what he was going to announce, but I didn’t want to hint to Liz that I knew Levi was King. I stared down Catalina, and I swore I saw her flinch. “I’ll be in the security room.” I marched past them with Liz and Simon on my heels.
“Simon,” Levi called, “a word please?”
Simon stopped behind me. “I’ll catch up.”
“You can’t come in the security room.” Liz looked over her shoulder. “Best stay in the audience.”
I didn’t really like that idea, but I was going to let it go. I continued to the security room and found it empty. I turned and looked at Liz. “Just us.”
My paranoia kicked into overdrive until two of the security guys walked in. I let out a sigh of relief, and we all took seats. I sat toward the back where I could partially see the screens. Hanging in the left corner was a television that was playing one of the news stations.
I held my breath as Levi, Mario, Catalina, and Simon all walked out on to the front steps at a podium that had been placed there. I was going to be sick. This was it. He was going to reveal who he was, and everything was going to change. Life was going to be a series of watching my back for assassins, explaining that I wasn’t the Princess of Vampires, and trying to just be Abigail Collins, PIB agent, and witch.
I held my breath as the crowd went quiet, the security cameras had no sound, but someone had turned up the volume on the television.
Catalina walked up to the microphone. “Good evening, and thank you for joining us at this last-minute press conference. Because of recent events with the increased hybrid creatures, the rise and fall of Ira Diaz, and rumors surrounding it, we the Vampire Council, the King’s Guard, and the King of Vampires have decided it was time to make this announcement.”
Catalina looked over the crowd almost as if reading everyone there, gauging their reactions. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce Leviticus Felcos, the King of Vampires.”
Everyone in the room turned to look at me. Oh shit, this was going to go bad. I couldn’t hear what Levi was saying on the television because I was so focused on the disbelieving looks staring at me. Liz was the first to speak.
“You knew.”
That was such a loaded statement. “About?”
“Levi.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t bring myself to voice it, especially in front of others. I could explain it to her later, but for now, it was best the others didn’t know that I knew.
She looked back to the television, where the press was now asking questions. A familiar face appeared in the crowd. Stephanie. Could this situation get any worse?
“Excuse me, Your Majesty? Where does this place Abigail Collins? She is, for all intents and purposes, your daughter. Does that make her next in line for the throne?”
I waited for the answer, because this wasn’t something that was ever really discussed with me.
“No comment,” was what Levi stated, and part of me relaxed.
“I bet the next headline reads, ’Abigail Collins, Princess of Vampires.’” One of the security guys snickered, and I barely resisted shooting him.
Liz looked at me. “Abby?”
“I think I need to take the night off.” I stood and went to leave the security room and found the door locked. I put my head against it and sighed. “They locked us in here.”
I turned back to the security people. “Which one of you assholes works for Levi?”
The second one raised his hand. I walked over to him and met him eye to eye. “Let. Me. Out.”
“I have my orders, Pri—”
“Don’t you fucking say it,” I growled. “Let me out of this room.”
“I can’t until the press conference is over and King Levi comes to collect you.”
This was going to take a lot of getting used to. I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breathes. I wasn’t going to lose my shit in front of other PIB agents. I’d never live it down. I turned back to the press conference in time to see Levi and Mario step back inside the building, leaving Catalina to field any further questions.
I looked at Liz, and she stood. I shrugged one shoulder, trying to give her a sign that I wasn’t going to stay contained. She walked up next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Not without me.”
The next moment, we were both standing outside the door, and I nudged her. “I knew you’d get me out of there.”
I turned to see Levi and Mario walking down the hall.
“Princess Abig—”
“I will shoot you,” I cut him off and turned to Levi. “And I’m really thinking about shooting you for not giving me a heads up.”
Liz drew a breath in. “I’m pretty sure you aren’t supposed to threaten him.”
Levi waved a hand. “I’m used to her attitude. I couldn’t give you a proper heads up. But I would like you to return to the mansion tonight so we can properly discuss what this means for your future.”
I looked at Liz. “Can you deal without me for the night?”
“Yeah, I’m just going to work on a location that’s all.”
“Okay, I’ll have my cell phone with me.” I looked at Levi. “What did you do with Simon?”
“He’ll be joining us as well. There are things that have to be discussed with him about what this means for the wolf pack.”
I hadn’t thought about that. “Okay, I’ll meet you up at the mansion then.”
Levi laughed. “Oh no, you can’t go out there right now. Catalina is still trying to deal with the press.”
Mario held his hand out. “Come along, Princess.”
I was going to kill him. I rolled my eyes and put my hand in his, and the PIB station disappeared.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
We reappeared in the mansion. “How am I going to get my Hummer?”
“Simon will drive it up here. That way, we have plenty of time to talk before he gets here.” Levi sighed. “Please, let’s sit in the study.”
The study was always where we talked when I was in trouble. I didn’t think I was in trouble this time, but I had the same feeling. I followed him through the halls and into the study. We sat in the wingback chairs and stared at each other for a moment. Mario stood by the door as if he was expecting me to bolt. That raised my paranoia even more.
“Why didn’t you warn me about tonight?” I kept my voice even.
Levi folded his hands and crossed one leg over the other as he sighed. “I couldn’t give you a heads up. The council decided against it because it would be better cover for you not knowing who I am. Now that it’s out though, there will be changes.”
He was using the voice he used when I was a teenager, the one where he set the rules down.
“What kind of changes?” I met his gaze. “You know I won’t give up my PIB position, that I don’t want to be the princess of vampires.” I tried to keep my panic down.
He nodded. “I know, but there are changes that have to happen. You will be assigned a bodyguard for daylight and nighttime hours. You’re already good about avoiding the press and not giving information out, but I must tell you that you cannot reveal anything about what I handle to the press.”
I locked my jaw. “I can handle myself during the day, I have my own help when things get rough.”
“Like when you were almost killed by Hannah in the interrogation room?”
I tried not to get angry. “That was the Agent’s fault, a short sight on his part.”
“We have arranged for someone who will be inconspicuous, especially at work.”
I locked my jaw. “Liz.”
Levi nodded. “Yes, I’ve been talking to her about it for some time now, not as King, but as territory leader.”
“My co-worker can’t be my bodyguard. If she’s around all the time, then we’re going to get tired of each other and not make the awesome team that we make now.” Of course, there was some potential for downtime with her knowing about Merick. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.
“This isn’t negotiable.” Levi crossed his arms. “We have opened a can of worms.”
“Then why do it?” I shot back. “Why ruin years of secrets and lies in one press conference?”
Levi sighed. “We had no choice.” He looked at Mario. “You’re d
ismissed.”
It was rare that I heard him talk to Mario in such a formal tone. Mario didn’t argue, he simply disappeared.
“What happened?” I leaned back in my chair. “You aren’t typically rash. You wouldn’t have made this choice without time to think about it.”
He sighed. “Samuel didn’t give me time to think about it.”
Oh shit. “What do you mean? I don’t think Samuel knew you were King.”
“At our meeting, Samuel was threatening you.” He wouldn’t meet my gaze. “The only way to protect you was to make sure that Samuel knew that I had power.”
Oh goody, this was my fault. “I can protect myself.”
“No, not from him, you can’t. Hannah is working for him, and she’s already shown how she can attack you from afar. Now, about your nighttime guard.”
I tried not to cringe. I was already assuming that Mario would be it, but with Hannah as the current ally of Samuel, Mario was compromised.
“I’m trusting you that whoever you have at the house can protect you, but I want to meet them. Oliver told me what happened at the house and how it was both of them that saved you. Simon may also be used as a bodyguard.”
That really wasn’t what I was expecting him to say. “And if the person at the house refuses to meet you?”
“Then I station Catalina with you.”
I made a face. “Last council member I dealt with, I shot.”
He snorted. “Catalina is trustworthy. She’s been with me since the beginning.”
“That’s good to know.” I rubbed my eyes. “I’ll talk to him about it tonight. I need to go home and process all of this.”
Levi nodded. “I’m sorry that he forced my hand in this.”
“I’m sorry that tomorrow’s headline for Stephanie is going to paint me as Princes of Vampires.” I smirked as he rolled his eyes.
“I specifically told security she wasn’t allowed in there.” He shook his head. “Imagine my surprise when she was in the crowd.”
It made me wonder how she weaseled her way through security without any of them noticing. Glamour? Magic? Shifting? What was the woman anyways? Was it possible that she was just a crafty human?
A Handful of Skulls (Here Witchy Witchy Book 9) Page 23