21. Twenty One

twenty-one

I lingered in the shower for over an hour, savoring the feel of cool water on my body to wash away the memory of the desert and everything that had happened there.

When I’d finished, there was a set of clothes that smelled like Caroline waiting for me on one of the dressers. I put them on and left my room with the intention of tracking down Liam. In a pinch, I’d settle for Thomas or Ahrun. Anyone who could tell me what the hell was going on.

Where oh where would I be if I was a big, important vampire who’d just been driven out of my mansion.

The answer—the penthouse.

Always.

The problem was that penthouses generally require a key card to access. At least in movies and TV shows. I had no idea if that held true in real life, never having stayed in one. With nothing to lose, I followed the signs for the elevator.

Sondra’s two wolves were waiting in front of it when I got there.

“Heading up to find your people?” the brown haired one asked.

I stopped far enough away that I’d be able to react if either tried anything, eyeing them cautiously. Sondra might have claimed the pack owed me a blood debt, but I’d had enough experience with their kind to never take something for granted.

Seeing my wariness, the brown haired one snickered and shook his head. “Relax, vampire. We know the stakes. Hank and I won’t hurt you.”

If the shorter one was Hank, that must mean he was Emmett.

“That’d be a first,” I muttered, crossing the last few feet to wait beside them.

At Emmett’s nod, Hank summoned the elevator with a key card he had secured in his back pocket.

See—the movies were right. You really did need a special card to get up there.

“What’s that mean?” Emmett asked.

“Just that I’ve learned not to take werewolves for granted.”

You never knew what the future would bring, and Brax’s wolves had a history of taking chunks out of my person. My own best friend had gone for my throat on more than one occasion. Sondra too. Brax was just the latest in a surprisingly long list.

“Your fight with the alpha was impressive,” Emmett admitted grudgingly as the elevator arrived. “Only Clay and Sondra can last that long against him. You’re lucky he woke up when he did.”

I waited for Hank to scan the keycard and hit the button for the penthouse before stepping onto the lift. “That’s me. Possessor of good luck.”

It seemed my conversation with Brin had left me worried for nothing. There were very few who would realize I’d let that fight drag out on purpose. Even fewer who would realize that I was the reason Brax came back to himself when he did.

Good. Exactly what I’d intended.

“Sondra was right about you though,” Emmett said. “Anywhere you go, trouble is sure to follow.”

The doors slid closed a second later.

“How rude.”

I was hardly a harbinger of doom. What were these wolves teaching each other?

The ascent was a quick one. A few seconds before the doors were opening to a room that made me freeze at the sight of it. Only the elevator closing got me moving again.

I stuck out a hand, stopping the doors and stepped off.

“Now this is what I picture when I think of vampires.”

Gold and black dominated, with small pops of red to prevent everything from becoming too monochromatic. The room was massive but broken into smaller areas of interest. To my left was a seating area, complete with large couches and lounge chairs. On the opposite side was an immense dining area. A kitchen beyond it.

It was the view that stole the show though. The massive balcony offered unobstructed access to the Vegas skyline.

Until now, I hadn’t realized hotels like this had balconies.

The rumble of voices distracted me from my perusal. Recognizing one of them as Liam’s, I headed toward the patio.

It was never my intention to eavesdrop—per se. But if I managed to hear a few interesting tidbits before they discovered my presence, I wouldn’t be disappointed.

A baby vampire had to do what she could to protect herself. Sometimes the only way was to fight a little dirty.

“You’ve known about this for months and didn’t tell me? What were you thinking?”

“I thought you would have ‘seen’ this,” Liam said with a sarcasm and anger that I found surprising.

“There’s blank spots in my vision when it comes to her.”

“So you’ve said.”

Power leaked from the balcony as Ahrun lost patience. “I’ve only ever had this family’s best interests at heart. You know that.”

“Tell that to Connor.”

I backed away. This wasn’t something I should be listening to.

“Liam? Liam!” Ahrun called, frustration coloring his tone as footsteps approached from the other side of the balcony door.

A second later Liam strode into view, his attention directed over his shoulder. “I’m warning you, sire. Aileen is my Lilith. When it comes to sides, hers is the only one I’ll pick. Every time.”

I froze, the magnitude of that declaration rendering me immobile.

What had Liam just done?

Ahrun was an autocrat. A dictator who expected control in all things. His family especially. He hid it well, pretending to be genial and well meaning, but that’s what he was.

And Liam had just challenged that. For me.

I was still trying to figure out what had just happened when Liam pulled me to him with a fierce grip, a kiss landing on my lips a second later.

I was lost to the feel of his mouth moving over mine, my fears and worries scattering as he consumed me. Devoured me until nothing was left but need and want.

When Liam lifted his head, it was to stare down at me with a ferocity that took my breath away.

“We need to talk,” I managed to stutter.

What I really wanted was to take him to the bedroom and explore this heat between us.

“I know.”

Just like that, some of the heat in my veins subsided.

“You went looking for Brin,” I said, searching his features.

His surprise changed quickly to realization. “That’s who took you from the barrow.” Liam closed his eyes in relief. “Then I take it he told you.”

“I would have preferred to hear it from you. How did you know something was wrong?”

Liam’s chest brushed mine as he closed in, snagging the back of my neck and tilting my face up toward his. One thumb caressed the vein in the side of my neck. “Blood reveals all of our secrets, mo chuisle . After you did what you did for Ahrun, you tasted different. Darker. I was worried.”

I pulled back from his touch. “Something you neglected to share with me.”

A fact I was still a little mad about.

Liam looked away from me. “I wanted answers first.”

“And did you get them? Answers, I mean.”

Regret was in Liam’s eyes as he met my gaze. “Not the ones I wanted.”

I stood there, feeling like an icy bucket of water had been dumped over my head. The heat and passion from earlier nothing but ash in my veins.

“He convinced you that I needed to stay in Noctessa until this was done,” I guessed.

The knowledge was written on his face.

“Did he also tell you it could take centuries? There are things here—” I broke off, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I just got my family back, Liam. I can’t lose them.”

I didn’t fight as Liam took me in his arms, needing his comfort despite still being a little mad.

He rocked me back and forth, making comforting sounds in the back of his throat. “We’ll figure something out. I promise you.”

“You can’t turn them into vampires,” I said, lifting my head to look at him. “Unless it’s their decision,” I added as an afterthought.

I didn’t think my mom or dad would go that route. A hunter becoming the very thing he hunted? Madness. And my mom was unlikely to take that step without him.

Jenna, though. She was a wild card. As was my niece.

I knew how it felt to have the choice made for you, and I didn’t want that for them.

“And you can’t pressure them either,” I added, knowing Liam. He was absolutely capable of crossing boundaries if he thought it would save me heartbreak.

Liam tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, a trace of amusement in his face. “Such faith in me. I’m humbled.”

While we were on the subject…

“You remember when the hunters were in town?”

Liam watched me quietly, his expression unreadable.

I couldn’t hold his eyes for long, fixing my gaze on a spot over his shoulder. This was something that I probably should have shared immediately after it happened.

Feeling a little guilty, I kept going, the words tumbling out of me now that I’d started. “Two of those hunters were waiting to ambush me at my parents’ house.”

“Your family knows, don’t they?”

My gaze flicked to his and then away. I dipped my chin in a hesitant nod.

“All of them?”

“My parents and sister. I’m not sure whether my niece was told or not.”

I was thinking not, but couldn’t say for sure.

Liam tipped his face to the ceiling, inhaling once and seeming to count to four in his head. “You’re just now getting around to telling me this?”

I lifted a shoulder. “You’ve been gone a lot over the past few months. This seemed like the sort of thing that should be discussed in person rather than through voicemail or text.”

“Is Connor aware?”

My flinch was slight. “I had to call him in to compel the police that showed up afterward.”

A note of anger broke through Liam’s rigid control. “You went to him because he’s less likely to defy you. You were afraid I’d compel them to forget.”

I might not have realized it in the moment, but that’s exactly what I’d been thinking.

“There’s one last thing,” I admitted.

Might as well get this all over with now while we were here.

“My father—”

Liam cut me off. “If this is about him being hunter-born, I’m aware.”

I stopped and stared, my lips parting in shock.

“I’m in charge of the territory’s security. I had a background check run on you and everyone close to you after I found out you were of Thomas’s line.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” I burst out.

“I guess that makes us even. Now we’ve both kept something from each other.”

I pressed my lips together so I didn’t say something I would later regret.

“This is a pretty big thing to have kept in your back pocket. What if he’d been dangerous?” I grumbled.

“I considered that possibility. If you’d followed the rules though, he never would have known.”

“Except he did,” I pointed out. “Apparently when your daughter suddenly becomes nocturnal and has pale skin, it’s a bit of a giveaway.”

“He may have had his suspicions, but he wouldn’t have acted without confirmation,” Liam corrected. “Given your attachment to your old life, I was willing to give him a chance. It helped that he’d been out of the game since meeting your mother. Also, his line is known for their integrity. They rarely hunt any but the worst of our kind. I judged the risk level acceptable.”

“Then Drake—” I trailed off.

Liam’s gaze sharpened. “What’s this?”

So, he didn’t know.

“He’s my cousin on my dad’s side.”

Which also made him a hunter.

“He said he’s here under council orders,” I added as the silence lengthened.

Liam looked at me. “Does Connor know what he is?”

I nodded. “He picked up his trace that night. I think he got close to him for answers.”

That seemed to satisfy Liam. “Then there’s nothing to worry about. Connor will keep an eye on him.”

I had to wonder if Liam was aware of the romantic undercurrents between those two. If not, I didn’t plan to be the one to tell him.

“Liam, what if I become a monster after all this?”

It was my biggest fear given voice.

“You won’t,” Liam said fiercely. “But if you do, I’ll love you in all your terrible glory. No matter what incarnation you take, you’re mine. I’ll take you however you come.”

The smile I gave him was a little watery.

“In a way, your family knowing is the best thing that could happen,” Liam admitted reluctantly. “Even if they refuse to relinquish the day for the night, we have options that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

That brought a chuckle to my lips. “You’re saying it’s a good thing that I broke the rules.”

“Never.” The fierce look on Liam’s face softened. “But now that it’s happened, we can think of ways to protect you if it gets out.”

I wiped away the tears that had leaked out and reached for his hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”

This would be a lot harder without his support.

He tugged me into his side and pressed his lips against my hair. “There’s no place I’d rather be. We will get through this.”

The huskiness in his voice from repressed emotion brought more tears to my eyes. Unable to speak, I settled for a small nod and a “hmmm” of agreement.

Yes, we would. One way or the other.

A door opened.

Nathan paused at the sight of us. “Glad you no longer look like a corpse, A. You had us all worried.”

“Next time don’t use a body bag for transport. Maybe then no one will think the worst.”

Nathan smirked at Liam. “Told you she’d be upset about that.”

Liam gave me one last squeeze before his arms fell away. “What do you need?”

“There’s a situation that requires your attention.”

Liam acknowledged Nathan’s response with a jerk of his chin. “Got it.”

“Don’t take too long finishing up here,” Nathan advised. “Thomas is in a mood and I can’t guarantee there won’t be blood by the end of it.”

“Did Thomas really challenge Vitus?” I asked, remembering part of the conversation I’d only been half-conscious for.

“Oh yeah.” Nathan took another step into the room, chuckling. “You should have seen it. The Roman’s face was quite the sight.”

I sent Liam a confused look. “What happened to careful and methodical?”

A day ago, Thomas had been against challenging Vitus, preferring to manipulate the situation to get the outcome he wanted.

“You did,” Liam drawled wryly. “He was most displeased when we arrived to find you missing and several dead assassins in your place.”

“Ah.”

Liam’s faint smile didn’t touch his eyes. “If he hadn’t acted, I would have taken matters into my own hands.”

I got the feeling it wouldn’t have been pretty if that had happened. Can anyone say rampage?

“When is the duel?” I asked.

“Tomorrow night.”

“Not if you don’t get in there and talk sense into him.” Nathan lifted a shoulder when Liam shot him a sharp look. “He saw her condition when you brought her in. No one can make him believe that Vitus didn’t have a hand in it. I can’t really blame him. That asshole’s fall has been a long time coming.”

Seeing Liam’s indecisiveness, I gave him a nudge. “Go.” At his stubborn frown, I rolled my eyes. “We can pick this up later. Thomas takes priority right now.”

Words I never thought I’d say.

“If you’re sure,” Liam said.

“I am.” I glanced at the balcony. “Besides, I think Ahrun and I need to have a little chat.”

Conflict appeared on Liam’s face before he nodded. “Be careful.”

“Why? You think he’ll hurt me?”

The question was more playful than serious.

“Maybe not physically, but he can be difficult when he’s upset.”

“I understand,” I said.

Liam’s gaze searched mine. Finding only calm assurance, he nodded once. “I’ll leave it to you then.”

Nathan didn’t move from his position on the wall as Liam entered the room he’d just exited. “Give him your unique brand of hell, A.”

I moved toward the patio doors. “I always planned to.”

The cool night air embraced me as I stepped outside. I spotted Ahrun standing beside the balcony, looking out, his back to me.

“You’ve ruined him,” he said as I joined him.

“That’s harsh, don’t you think? Especially since we both know it’s not true.”

From up here, the Vegas skyline was breathtaking. Its iconic sights a glittering extravaganza that was unmarred by teeming throngs of tourists.

“What’s this really about?” I asked.

“You give me a lot of credit, dear one.” Ahrun’s features relaxed, the anger that had greeted my arrival smoothing away like it had never existed.

“I may be a little wary of you, Ahrun, but there’s one thing I’ve never questioned—how you feel about your sons.”

He might not always show it in the best way, but it was clear how deep his feelings for them ran. If he’d only stop treating them and the people around them like chess pieces in a game.

“Easier said than done,” Ahrun sighed.

“If you don’t figure it out, you’re going to drive them away.”

I didn’t want to see that. Mostly because I had a feeling the fall out wouldn’t be pleasant. Vampires weren’t accustomed to disappointment and heartache as a general rule. Ancients even less so. I doubted Ahrun would take it well if Liam and Thomas withdrew from him.

“You have quite the opinion of me,” Ahrun drawled.

“I call it like I see it.”

It felt strange to be giving someone like Ahrun relationship advice. I guess age didn’t always make you better at these things. If anything, it seemed to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. The outdated lenses through which you viewed the world leading you to make the same mistakes over and over again.

“Our relationship isn’t what it was.”

There was a lonely ache in Ahrun’s voice as he admitted that.

“Of course not.” I examined his features carefully, trying to decide whether this was a ruse to manipulate me into feeling sympathy for him. “It’s never going to be. Liam and Thomas have grown in the time since you took your long nap. Any relationship you foster will be different now.”

We could never go back. It was a truth humans and spooks shared. Time always flowed forward.

That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although their relationship might not be the same, it didn’t mean the new one they created couldn’t be just as beautiful and deep.

That was the nature of connections. They were always evolving. Though, not always into something you wanted.

As long as Ahrun continued to cling to the past, they wouldn’t be able to move forward.

“Even with Connor?” Ahrun asked, slanting me a look.

“That’s entirely different. You’ll have to figure out how to get through to him on your own.”

Gaining forgiveness was a long road. Ahrun had to make his own amends; Connor had to decide whether to accept them.

Ahrun grunted, silence settling between us as we watched the twinkling lights of the city. Minutes passed, each of us lost in our own thoughts as the cooler night air swirled around us.

“A member of the council is preparing to betray us,” Ahrun announced, interrupting the peace I’d just managed to achieve.

“You mean besides Vitus?”

“I’ve ‘seen’ it.”

I gave him a thoughtful look. “Is that why you engineered last night?”

The emotion dropped from Ahrun’s face, leaving a blank impenetrable mask.

If I’d had any doubt of Ahrun’s knowledge of the events that had led me to the pit, they were gone now.

“You seem less angry than my sons thought you would be,” Ahrun observed.

“Maybe that’s because I already had a feeling you knew more than you were telling.” Seeing his probing look, I gave him a grim smirk. “I’m an adult, Ahrun. I knew what you were doing and decided to go along with it because it suited my own agenda.”

I couldn’t really complain when the ultimate choice had been left in my hands. I could have remained in my seat. I’d chosen to get up and wander.

Ahrun studied me with a strange look in his eyes. “Not many people surprise me, dear one.”

“Should I feel flattered?”

Ahrun’s lips pursed as a faint smile tugged at the corners of his eyes. “Others would.”

I grunted. “This challenge. Thomas has a chance, right?”

Ahrun sent me a startled look. “Of course. There’s no contest. That boy is worth a hundred of Vitus. Liam too.”

“Then why have they let the threat exist for so long?”

Ahrun settled against the balcony. “Partly for my sake. As disappointing as that man has become, he was once my son. A parent doesn’t stop loving their child just because of what they grow into. His death will hurt me. They know that.” Ahrun stared at the city skyline with a distant look in his eyes. “You should have seen him when I found him. He was half feral. Vicious and hungry for power. He belonged to one of the gangs that ruled the area he lived in. Despite the beating he was taking from some of the older members of his gang, there was a fire in his eyes that attracted me. I thought, ‘Ah. Finally, someone as hungry for life as me.’”

I waited as Ahrun fell silent, lost in his thoughts. “What happened?”

The question jogged Ahrun out of his introspection. He stirred, his attention swinging back to me as he gave a wistful smile.

“Vitus didn’t want life. He wanted power. No amount could ever satisfy him. It started small. Him using my affection to bully the other members of my House. Before long, he’d graduated to more sadistic pursuits. He liked to target those who were vulnerable. By then, I’d realized I could never allow him to join my line. Vampirism tends to magnify the traits that are already in us. For someone like Liam who has lived their entire life protecting their people, this means an over-inflated sense of duty. It’s why he became an enforcer. To put those instincts and skills to use in service to our people. Vitus was already a monster. I couldn’t play a part in helping him become more of one.”

“From what I heard, he found someone else to do that.”

Ahrun’s scoff was harsh. “I’m sure he came to regret that. Alexandros was everything Vitus was and more.”

“What’s the other reason? You said it was mostly for your sake. That means there is more.”

“Thomas had to gather a base of power. For all Vitus’s faults, he’s good at uncovering talent and then coercing and binding them to his side. Then there’s the council.”

“I’m guessing they protect their own.”

“Not in the way you think. Challenges are quite common. Though you have to have cause and meet a few criteria. The bigger issue is Thomas’s desire to rule. Or lack thereof. He’s never desired a seat on the council. He’s more than content ruling over his small kingdom.”

“That hardly sounds like the Thomas I know.”

He was as controlling as the ancient beside me. He could never be satisfied as long as others had the authority to impose their will on his domain.

“Sometimes it’s easier to see the truth when standing on the outside looking in,” Ahrun shared with a crooked smile that invited me to smile with him. “Thomas was always going to come to this point. He almost did already. The moment the council tried to infringe on what he considered his territory this exact situation became inevitable. He was just a little slow arriving at the appropriate conclusion.”

I wondered if Thomas would agree with Ahrun’s assessment.

“He’s not the only one who is a bit hard headed.”

I looked up to find Ahrun’s enigmatic gaze on me. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You should have remained in Noctessa as Brin instructed.”

My guard slammed up. “What do you know about that?”

“More than you.” Ahrun shook his head with a sigh. “Brin is right. You’re being reckless. Then again, your line always has to learn things the hard way.”

I gave him an impressed look. “And here I was thinking you’d try to talk me into returning to Noctessa.”

There was little emotion in Ahrun’s eyes as he studied me. “Not this time. I’ll let fate decide. As you said, your choices are your own.”

It couldn’t be that easy.

Maybe that was why I didn’t bother to hide my distrust as Ahrun nodded at me and glided toward the open doors of the penthouse suite. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. For him to say ‘psyche’ and try to force my hand.

“Oh Aileen—there’s one thing you may have overlooked.” Ahrun paused on the threshold to look over his shoulder at me. “Your companion. She was in the mansion when Vitus’s people attacked. Liam’s enforcers tell me she didn’t make it out. They’re uncertain whether she lives or not.”

My fingernails cracked and split from how hard I dug them into the railing.

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked in a carefully controlled voice.

“Fate. I don’t want you to miss it.”

Ahrun offered me one last insincere smile before disappearing into the suite and leaving me standing alone on the balcony.

“Breathe, Aileen. Just breathe,” I whispered to myself.

I couldn’t.

An enraged sound burst from me. It acted like a release valve, calming the edges of the maelstrom that threatened to sweep me into madness.

It wasn’t enough.

I slammed a hand down on the rail. Hard enough for my bones to creak and the skin to split and bleed.

The pain brought clarity.

From what Ahrun had said, it didn’t sound like Deborah was dead. If Vitus had planned to dispose of her, he would have left her body where it fell. Not relocate her to a separate location. That meant she was only missing.

Dwelling on thoughts of what a vampire could do to a human in the course of one day and half a night wouldn’t help.

Neither would going off half-cocked. I needed to think. And plan.