24. Twenty-Four

Twenty-Four

Willow

"See, little wanderer, it wasn't that bad, was it?" Draken asks as soon as he finishes tilting his head back.

"Nope, not that bad at all," I squeak out.

Damn, I'm a shit liar.

He chuckles, shaking his head at me, then links his fingers with mine. "Well, it was one and done, so it's over."

Guilt splices me open as his warm eyes search mine, making sure I'm truly fine before his serious, ready for battle persona takes over and I avert my gaze so he doesn't see through me.

I meant what I told Tillman this morning. I'm confident about how this mission is going to go, but that's because of Tanith's instructions. I know what has to happen, what's hopefully going to happen, and as always, I feel like shit for not telling them what to expect.

There's so much I've learned and pieced together for this mission, though, and if I were to tell them, it'd influence every decision they'd make once we enter the forest.

"Team two, move out," Tillman orders and my heart rate picks up.

My guys and Oakly's Nexus surround the two of us in preparation for transport. Team two is going first, and if there's no sign of anyone outside the ward of the forest, they'll stay. If there is, they'll report right back, so they have a one-minute window before we follow right behind them.

The rhythmic thud in my ears becomes therapeutic and I use it to force my mind to zero in on the sound. Block out my thoughts, my emotions, the what-ifs. I put on a serious expression that matches those of my men and all the highly trained members who are bouncing on their toes in anticipation.

Twenty-five…twenty-four…twenty-three…

The guys' grips, while they're both loving and protective, tighten as the seconds dwindle down. They're holding on to me as if they think I'm going to be snatched out from underneath them the moment we get there. It's not a crazy fear, nor a highly unlikely one, given my track record.

"Stay between us at all times, princess," Corentin orders.

I don't say anything but rather send out tendrils of shadows that wrap around each of their wrists and tether us together. Caspian sends a matching one that intertwines with my bracelet that makes me feel grounded to them all. Wherever I am, they are.

Closing my eyes, I release a deep breath.

Three…two…one…

When my lids peel back open, an intimidating tree line stands about twenty feet in front of me. Although the sun's rising, cresting the forest, practically no light cuts through the canopies or thick fog hovering above the ground.

Casting my eyes beyond the barrier, it's like looking into a whole other world. A very unwelcoming one.

Instead of the stunning, numerous shades of green I've grown used to seeing spread across Elementra, the vegetation here is dark, lifeless. Some trees stand straight and tall, but most of the ones deeper behind this front line have a brittle, crumbling bark, and the thick trunks are gnarled and twisted from root to tip. The leaves that should be blooming gorgeous flowers that come in a spectrum of colors are soot black.

The distance between us and the ward, plus my uniform's long sleeves don't block the cold air blowing toward me. That depth of chill causes me to shiver, not just from its rigid temperature, but I know it also comes for the creatures who inhabit that forest that have no care or compassion for anyone.

"On me," Tillman murmurs in our minds, while signaling to the rest of the E.F. members.

Following the plan, we step through the ward and pause. My eyes take a moment to adjust, but my other senses are already stretching out, getting an idea of what's coming toward us.

The only sound to be heard in this haunting silence is our collective breathing and each exhale adds to the already hazy atmosphere. At this time of the year, there should be nowhere in Elementra where it's cold enough to see my own breath. That alone tells me I'm no longer in a blessed place, but one of desertion.

"Midday," Caspian murmurs and we turn our heads to the right.

Twenty-five feet, give or take, away from us stands the first creature to make himself known. This is probably the first vampire any of the people here with us have seen in person, aside from those who were there to witness Bryce, but they all keep themselves composed. There're no gasps or shouts, nothing. Everyone does as they should.

We don't make any sudden moves or noises. We don't engage in any way just as we've been training for. The first objective is to stand still to see how close he'll approach, then evaluate his reaction to us. It's obvious the moment he catches our scents because his curious, hungry eyes narrow and he shakes his head out, snarling at us like he's pissed we tricked him.

It doesn't deter him completely, though, because he takes a few steps toward us and inhales deeply. When his eyes start scanning the crowd, I move slightly to the right until I'm tucked fully behind Tillman, out of sight.

Well, shit.

"Let's move. He's not going to approach. Ry, eyes on him at all times until more begin to approach," Tillman orders.

It doesn't take but maybe a hundred or so feet in for more and more to begin surrounding us. They don't get any closer, just like the first who's still trailing us did, but they don't all act the same.

Some are animalistic, possibly a hair shy from being completely mindless. They're growling, snarling, and jumping at us like it's taking everything in them to hold back their attacks. Like they know the Bane swimming in our blood will make them sick, but it's a chance they could be willing to take. Others are stoic, observant, watching us walk deeper and deeper into their territory. I have a sickening feeling those are the ones who are feeding normally and still have plenty of wits about them.

I already know they can all talk and would understand us if we spoke, but they don't engage us, and we don't engage them. They clearly know we're here for something and they're obviously willing to wait it out to see what that is.

"Any sign of him, little warrior?"

"No, he isn't amongst any of them. I have a feeling he's at his house or at least around his perimeter."

You'd think with the number of vampires here and how much the Mastery trail through here, there'd be paths or walkways of some sort, but there aren't. The foliage is a mixture of dead leaves, dirt, and broken tree branches that scatter across everywhere. Even as I look down, Tillman, who's the biggest out of the entire bunch, isn't leaving footsteps behind. I can't help but wonder if it's just the effect this cursed place has or something else that keeps every move you make untraceable.

Suddenly, a shift in the atmosphere has all the vampires standing a little straighter and goose bumps break out across my whole body as my face begins to tingle like someone is staring daggers at me.

Scanning the many faces of the vampires, they don't give anything away, but I know, I can feel it. He's here. And he's watching me.

"Everyone, stay alert. Something's happening," Tillman says as he obviously feels the shift as well.

"Draken…" I say softly.

"What's wrong, little wanderer?"

"Nothing, everything's okay. I can't say why, so I just need you to trust me. Don't shift, not even a partial, okay? It's not safe to do that here."

"What's going on, Primary?" Caspian asks, not giving Draken the opportunity to even acknowledge me, but he sends me a bout of understanding down the bond. That's enough for me.

"I need you to slowly send your shadows out and block the vampires on my signal. Corentin, the same with your air. Put our people in a bubble. Tillman, bend the trees to block us off."

"Is he here, princess?" Corentin asks.

"He is, but he isn't going to approach unless he's provoked," I say gently.

"What the fuck does that mean, Primary?"

"Everything's going to be okay. I promise. And…I'm sorry," I murmur, this time not only to them but Oakly as well.

When her eyes whip to mine, I know she's about to interfere, so I push her into Aria using my air and latch the two of them together by vines. They're both going to be ready to kill me, but they have to be out of the crossfire, just in case. That's enough to draw everyone else's attention, so I use my element to move them all away from me. Not very far, but enough there's now a nice-sized circle leaving me exposed, and no one's behind me blocking my back.

My men all turn around, trying to get closer to me, but it's too late.

The forest takes a deep breath and it's like I've awoken all the sleeping beasts. My blood drips through my fingertips and from the end of my claw that I used to slice my palm open. The realization of what I've done is instantaneous because I let the truth flow freely through my mind that I never took the elixir, instead just a healing vial, and I know when Tillman relays the message.

Little warrior. Princess. Primary. Little wanderer. Willy. Fortune teller.

I hear my name, my nicknames, filtering through from my men, my family, but I can't give them any satisfaction right now. They'll just have to put their faith in me.

"Trust me. Now!"

Outstretching my arms, I brace for impact. My eyes may not be able to track him, but I can sense him, and he's passed the line of vampires, closing in on me faster than the blink of an eye.

The air in my lungs whooshes out of me as my feet leave the ground and in seconds my back is being slammed into a tree with the force of a fucking wrecking ball. I cough and sputter, but I never allow my eyes to leave the blood red set that's staring holes through me.

"Did he really believe that sending you here would change anything for me?"

Keeper's deep voice is still tinged in the sultry accent he naturally carries. It must be the dialect they have in Essemist Keep because although differently toned, Bryce sounded similar.

"The Summum-Master didn't send me. I came on my own," I say calmly.

"Don't. Everything's okay. He's not going to hurt me. Let us talk," I order gently, casting my eyes behind Keeper to my men and friends who are walking up slowly.

"Don't treat me as a fool, girl. Your blood may smell different than the last time a large supply was brought in, but there's no mistaking it. Your family has disrespected me long enough." He sneers, wrapping his hand around my throat.

Multiple growls sound from behind him, but he couldn't care less. I send as much calm and reassurance down the bond as I can because the last thing I need them to do is attack without knowing everything.

"He's not my family. He's my enemy, and I know you're not a fool. I know the Summum-Master has been lying to you for centuries and he'll continue to. He has no plans of setting you free or returning your treasure to you," I say quietly but as firmly as possible.

That does not get the reaction I thought it would.

Instead of loosening his grip around my throat, he squeezes it punishingly, completely cutting off my airways and baring his fangs at me. For a moment, I think for sure he's going to snap my damn neck or drink me dry.

The only thing that comes to mind to do is slam my palm to his forehead. It takes him by surprise, but before he has the chance to react, I put his mind in a death grip and let a few pieces of the conversation between me and Tanith flow between the two of us. His fingers continue to flex against my pulse as he has no choice but to watch what I'm showing him until the moment I leave her cave.

His body trembles slightly from his own emotions racing through him and the force of Tillman's earth element before he drops me on my ass and takes a few steps away from me, breathing heavily. I roll to all fours and pull air into my lungs, while holding my hand up to tell my men not to approach yet.

"I promise I'm okay. If you attack him now, he'll lose all faith. I had to show him we mean him no harm. He thought the Summum-Master sent me here."

"If he touches you one more time, princess, he'll be dead where he stands. That is your one and only warning," Corentin says sternly, and when I turn my head to them, they're all shaking, holding themselves back only because I asked them to.

Nodding, I push myself up and rub the lingering pain from my neck. When I'm fully standing, I pull my shoulders back and look at Keeper. His eyes and hair have shifted to his more controlled state, and I stare into those ruby orbs that are warring with believing me and killing me.

"You will tell me everything. How did you see her? Is she safe?" he asks demandingly, and I shake my head.

"I'm willing to be very open and honest with you about everything, but not under your demands." I release a deep breath and stare him down. "Make a vow with me."

"Fuck no," both Caspian and Draken argue, and I feel the other two's unease slither across my chest as well.

"This is how it must be."

I don't necessarily like it or agree with it, but I won't stoop to the Summum-Master's level and force him to comply with the information I hold. If a mutually benefitting vow will get him on our side, that's a risk I'm willing to take.

A slight twitch on his lips lets me know he believes he has the advantage here, and if I didn't know everything I do, he probably would, but that's not how this is going to be.

"Okay, girl. Tell me what it is you want to vow."

"We aren't going to play this game with one another, Keeper," I say harshly, and his eyes widen with the use of his name. I guess since there have only been two people in centuries to call him that, he wasn't expecting me to. "My name is Willow, and that's what you'll call me. Not girl or any other ill-tinged nickname. I swear to you, I'm not your enemy. I'm so much more to you than that, but if an asshole is how you want to act, a bitch is what I'll be."

He cocks his head to the side and crosses his arms as if he's trying to figure me out. I sort of prepped myself for his dickish attitude because well, who wouldn't be an asshole after hundreds of years being locked in a forest unjustly, but regardless, I'm not going to be treated like an idiot or disrespected.

"Willow then," he says, bowing his head slightly. "What do you have to vow for me?"

"I need you to break your alliance with the Summum-Master. When I get you out of here, I need you to help remove all the runes you've left and help us any other way to take the Summum-Master down. In return, I'll take you straight to Tanith. I'll help you free her, and I'll help take care of both of you until we can figure out how to get you back to your realm. You both will be safe."

I swear I heard Caspian sigh just now, and if this situation weren't as serious, I'd laugh. There's no doubt they're all thinking, "great, another girl to save," but little do they know…

There's a beat of silence before Keeper begins laughing, cutting off my thoughts. It's a humorless one. One that pisses me all the way off because he thinks this is a joke.

"You almost had me. Almost fooled me just as he did. No. I've grown tired of broken promises and empty words. The path to my freedom is known to both him and you, yet after hundreds of years, I'm still a slave to this forest and I won't make myself a slave to anyone else."

"You won't be a slave. I don't want to use your abilities beyond you fixing what you've been forced to do. There won't be any restraints on you other than the realm's feeding laws. Those you will abide by, no ifs, ands, or buts. Other than that, I swear to you, you'll be free. No collar beneath your skin or threat of beheading," I swear, pointing to his neck.

I know I have him when he reaches up unconsciously and rubs his invisible cord. How that thing must feel like a ton. Always there. Always reminding him of a death that could come at any time.

"You know?" he asks skeptically.

"I do and I know how to remove it. It's going to hurt, but it won't kill you," I whisper, lowering my voice enough only he hears me.

He stares at me for a long, uncomfortable, and tense moment. I'm almost to the point of shifting from side to side to release some of my unease when he finally speaks again.

"Is that all you wish of me, Willow? My allegiance to move from him to you? In exchange I'll be granted my freedom and Tanith's until we can go home?"

"Amongst one other thing. Before we move forward, though, I need to hear you tell me, word for word what you'll vow. I won't be happy with any surprise loopholes or trickery. I'm in this with the best intentions for you, Tanith, the realm, and my Nexus. I need you to be the same," I say sternly, but I plead with my eyes. I let him see my true intentions, motives, and beliefs.

"I'll vow to undo all runes I have bound. Any you bring forth to me, I will revert. I'll vow to help you take down the Summum-Master in any way I can, not only because of your request but for my own want. I'll vow to follow the feeding laws laid forth by the rulers of this realm. I will not feed from an unwilling source. I swear this to you if you hold your end of the vow. You'll vow that you in fact know how to free me and you will do so. You'll vow Tanith's protection and safety for the remainder of our entrapment here. You'll vow to not make me your slave nor kill me."

My heart hurts with the fact he had to add that last bit in there. Granted what I'm going to say in just a moment is going to prove he probably needed that vow. I know he doesn't know me yet and I know trust doesn't come easy, but I would've thought with the scent of my blood, he would've instantly realized I'm not a threat to him unless he harms the ones I love.

"What was the last term you wanted to add?" he asks after my silence stretches.

My gaze turns to my men, and I suck in a deep breath as my eyes begin to water. Locking my mind up tight, I step as close to Keeper as I think won't get him killed to keep this between us. For now.

"You'll vow to get to know your son. You'll vow not to hurt him in any form. Mentally, physically, or emotionally."

"You're mistaken. I have no heirs," he disagrees immediately.

"You do. He was conceived twenty-nine years ago when his mother was given to you."

His face turns a shade of white I'm not sure I've ever seen. It's almost translucent. He staggers away from me for a moment before inhaling deeply and stepping back into my personal space. I know what it is he's looking for, so I lift my healing hand for him to smell.

"Impossible," he mutters, wide-eyed.

"I share a soul with him. He is my soul. He means more to me than you could ever comprehend. I wanted to tell you before you smelled him and realized who he was because if your intentions aren't to have a relationship with him, you won't say a word to him, you won't go near him. I say this with no disrespect but full conviction. If we tell him, and you hurt him, I will not kill you, but I will burn your realm to the ground. I am not a monster, but I am a very protective predator, and I'll protect him, avenge him, kill for him, and love him with my last breath. So you'll tell me your intentions now."

"He…he doesn't know? Is he here?" he stutters, grabbing both of my hands. This is the most genuine, most subdued I've ever seen him, and deep in my heart, I hope that means he'll do the right thing.

"He doesn't know. And…yes, he's here."

His eyes begin scanning the large crowd of E.F. members and when they fall on Draken, his fingers flinch around mine. Standing here in person, there's no denying their similar features. Their eyes, although different colors, are the same shape and size. Their shades of red hair. Keeper's is brighter, where Draken's is darker, a perfect blend of his mother's and father's. Their heights and builds are almost exact. Draken, I think has about an inch on him, though.

"He's perfect. Magnifico. But I felt…" He closes his eyes and bows his head. "My beloved doesn't walk this realm anymore," he whispers as he turns his ruby eyes back to me.

"She doesn't. I'm so sorry, but that's not my story to tell. It'll be Draken's if he decides to."

"Draken…" he says slowly. "You may take my head yourself, Willow, if I hurt him. I vow this to you, and I'd like to meet him."

"We'll make our vow first," I agree with a watery whisper.

"We need no vow. Where my son and his beloved go, so shall I."

"No offense, so please don't take it that way, but I'd feel better with one."

"As you wish." He tilts his head down and offers me his hand easily.

After Trex tried to convince me to make a vow with him, I read up on what that means and what it entails. It'll be up to my magic to bound us because Keeper doesn't have any, but it'll hold all the same. The magic will weave around us, connecting us as if we had a bond, but not nearly as stringent.

If the vow is broken between either of us, we'll feel the connection snap as if it's been cut by a pair of scissors. The person who breaks the vow, depending on the terms, can suffer violently. That's not the case for Keeper, though, because he doesn't have Elementra-blessed gifts, and that's why the Summum-Master put the cord in his neck. He needed some way to uphold his punishment. What Keeper didn't pay any attention to when they made their original vow is he didn't put in any reinforcements for himself, so the Summum-Master can go forever with no punishment for breaking their vow over and over.

That's probably why, over the hundreds of years, Keeper's learned the art of loopholes and sly words. That won't be the case with us, though.

"Ready?"

"I've been ready for hundreds of years," he says with a small smile.

"I, Willow Vito, promise to uphold the intentions set forth between us. With vows pronounced, our paths align. Take this swear as our lives entwine."

My magic flows from my chest, circling and caressing our joined hands. Although he doesn't have any to flow with mine, I no less, feel his essence, part of his nature intermingling with my magic.

"I, Keeper, promise to uphold—"

"Dericko. You, Dericko Keeper," I interrupt and again, I seem to take him by surprise. He gapes at me with his mouth nearly on the ground. It's either shock, astonishment, or maybe anger, I don't know, but he was caught off guard.

Names have power.

"I, Dericko Keeper, promise to uphold the intentions set forth between us. With vows pronounced, our paths align. Take this swear as our lives entwine."

Power erupts from my palm, locking the two of us together, and air swirls around our bodies, closing in on the two of us until it wraps tightly around our hands, then dissolves beneath our skin.

"What did you do?" he asks with a tinge of accusation. To be fair, I understand, it was at this point the Summum-Master chained him.

"To be honest, I don't know. Weird and unexpected things happen to me all the time. Unfortunately, it's something you'll have to get used to."

"Little warrior," Tillman says as soon as I lower my block.

"Everything's fine. He's on our side."

Collectively, they all release their breaths, but when they start to take a step toward us, I shake my head at them and lock eyes with Draken. Instantly, mine fill with tears.

Please don't be upset with me.

"Just Draken for now. Please."

He's in front of me in seconds, scooping me up and kissing me, letting his worry, anger, and apprehension from the last few tense minutes bleed out. When we break apart, I tuck my face into his neck and let a tear slip free.

"What's wrong, little wanderer? What did you do?" He turns his glare on Keeper as he slides me down his body and tucks me protectively behind him.

"Draken, wait…" I say, pushing my way through his arms until I can face him fully.

"Did he hurt you? What did he say?" He growls.

"Naturally protective of his beloved. As he should," Keeper says low, but his words are colored in pride and Draken narrows his brows, looking over my head at him.

"I have something important to tell you. Life-changing important," I whisper.

"Life-changing…Is this the conversation you were alluding to in the pool?" he asks knowingly.

"Yeah."

"Then you already know how I feel, little wanderer. Tell me."

"Keeper is…Keeper is your father, Draken."

His eyes bounce to mine, then to Keeper's, then back, over and over before he staggers back. He tries to hold it together, but a burst of disbelief, sadness, confusion, and so many other emotions trample through my chest. Not only mine, but the guys as well and in seconds, they surround him.

"What did you say, Primary?"

I look at Draken for permission before answering Caspian, and at his nod, I swallow hard.

"Keeper is Draken's father."

The profound sense of disbelief rolls off them in turbulent waves. Each of them handles this incredibly differently. Draken is just a mess and my heart cracks open violently for causing him this unease. Tillman's trying his hardest to understand, but he's missing pieces of the story, so he's having a hard time justifying it. Corentin's analyzing every single feature of Keeper's. There's question upon question brewing in his mind and it's making him crazy. Surprisingly, it's Caspian who's not freaking out.

"That makes a lot of sense. Perfect sense, actually," he says, nodding.

"How does anything that's happening right now make sense?" Draken asks. The distance in his voice makes a lump form in my throat. I know what he's doing. I've done it so many times. He's trying his hardest to ignore the true extent of this.

"The first night I was kidnapped, I was brought here. Keeper went feral when he realized he'd have to mark a rune on me. He tried to fight, protect me, but there was only so much he could do. So when he did mark me, it wouldn't stick. I didn't know why until now," Caspian says.

"I recall that night…that was you?" Keeper asks, but Caspian completely ignores him, keeping his undivided attention on Draken.

I gasp, covering my mouth, looking between the three of them as what Caspian's trying to say clicks for me.

"You've never told me that. What does it have to do with this, though?" Draken asks softly.

"It was our dormant bond that was protecting me. Your love is a fierce beast, Draken. Keeper went feral because I was a kid, yes, but I think it was more so because he sensed you in me."

Caspian drags Draken into a hug, and I see it's about to break Draken's dam. He's holding on by a string. He wants to rage, cry, question. His heart is being pulled all over the place all while Caspian's seems to click fully in place. His love for Draken shines bright.

"I'm so sorry, my dragon. I wish I could've or would've told you under different circumstances."

Reaching out, he drags me between him and Caspian, sandwiching me between their polar opposite bodies. One cold, one burning up. It mixes perfectly, smothering me in the most glorious warmth.

"I assume there was a good reason not to tell me before now?"

"Yes. The explanations are long, and I'll explain everything I can. But the main reason was because I didn't know how you all would react to the situation before we got here. I had to face Keeper alone for other reasons that I can't tell you yet, but telling you anything could've altered many courses."

"Then you have nothing to apologize for. There's never really a good time to drop a bomb like this, but I'm glad it was you who told me and not him. I probably would've punched him if he had announced this and honestly, I don't know how I would've reacted if you'd told me before now. I'm…not sure how I feel, but I do know I needed to know this."

"We need to get ready to pull out. The vampires are being held back for now, but Will's still bleeding. She needs to be healed, and no communications are working in here. We're blocked off from knowing what's going on outside of this forest," Tillman says.

"Son—" Keeper says, but Draken holds up a hand.

"Too soon. Draken for now. I…I need some time to process this."

"I understand," he says, bowing his head slightly. "I will hold the vampires back while we leave. They'll be no issue for us nor will they come near your beloved."

"We?" Corentin asks.

"Yes, we. He's coming with us. I need to get the cord out of his neck." I say, then remember that was another part of this plan I didn't mention to them, so I wince. "I'm sorry."

I know I don't have to apologize for things like this, they've told me plenty, but that doesn't mean I don't feel guilty every single time for every single secret. It feels like an unintentional lie. It eats me alive.

"We'll talk about it later, princess. What can we know from here on out?"

"I need to get the cord out, and I know how. Then we leave straight from here to get Tanith."

"And who is this Tanith person?" Caspian asks.

"She is my—"

"She's his bond. I need Oakly too. She's got to track the location. I don't think I can transport there, much less send out an impression to everyone here. Jamie will need to heal Keeper when I'm done."

"Good luck with that, little wanderer. She's mad as shit. So are the others. You blew them away like they were a bunch of wishing flowers," Draken says teasingly, and I smirk when I sense the actual playfulness in his tone.

"I know you're mad as hell, but can the rest of the family join us now?"

"Oh, are we free now?"

Rolling my eyes, I watch as she stomps ahead of the others with her Nexus hot on her heels. She's seething. If she were a dragon, smoke would be blowing from her nostrils. Aria, Lyker, and the others are no different, but they keep it to themselves for now. Unlike Oakly.

"I could and should kill you," she says, crossing her arms when she stands in front of me. To which I lean forward and kiss her on her nose. She absolutely hates for shit to touch her nose and she starts swatting me like a pesky fly.

"I'm sorry, but I knew he was coming in hot. You were planning on intervening, and I needed everyone out of the way."

"Speaking of which." She turns her devilish glare on Keeper, not giving a single fuck that he's the strongest vampire in this forest. Quite possibly the strongest vampire in this realm and the next. "If you ever hurt my sister again, I'll cut your hands off and beat you to death with them."

"I apologize. No harm will come to my son's beloved. I swear to protect her with my life. You all as well. Family of my son is family of mine," Keeper says sincerely, leaning down to lay a kiss to Oakly's hand. She just stares in shock and confusion, but Ry's quick with it and snatches her away, causing me to chuckle.

"Son?"

Shaking my head, I tell her with my eyes now isn't the time, but she's a smart cookie and works it out quickly. He called me his son's beloved. The process of elimination in my Nexus on who's missing a dad is pretty simple.

"Shit." She whispers to me, but still, I ignore it.

"I need you to track Tanith for us. You'll have to use Keeper's blood. It'll be strong enough to pick her out. If not, I'll take you into my mind and show you where I was."

"Fine, but you owe me," she says with a wink, laying her palm out for Keeper. "If you could."

"Could what?" he asks, arching a brow.

"Deposit some of your blood in my palm so I can find this lady we're looking for." Oakly rolls her eyes like it wasn't obvious the first time and I shake my head at her.

Keeper stands there skeptical for a moment before I guess deciding to just listen. When he slices his hand open, I, well, probably all of us, hold in a gasp. My mind seems to just space out because I've never seen anything like this, nor do I even know what's going on.

His blood isn't red. It's cobalt blue.

"Is it supposed to look like that?" I croak out.

"The color? Yes, that's normal for my line. Is your blood not blue?" he asks Draken. After a small stare off, Draken warring about what to do, he finally causes his eyes to glow. He doesn't let them shift to slits, but he brings his gift forth enough to bring out the extent of his cobalt blues.

"My blood is red."

"That's quite all right," Keeper says, smiling, seemingly stunned by Draken's display. I'm pretty sure Draken could've said his blood was black and Keeper would've still smiled. He seems to just be fascinated by all things my dragon man and I let a seed of hope plant itself in my chest.

I want more than anything for Draken to have a good relationship with his dad. If that's what he wants, of course.

"That's plenty, thanks," Oakly says, and her head only tilts back a split second before her eyes are flying open, colliding with mine.

"Don't say anything about her. She told me I couldn't talk about her. I don't know why, but we need to do what she advised."

"Holy shit, Willow."

"I know."

"I've got her. We can move out whenever."

Nodding, I turn to Keeper, working up the nerve for what I have to do. I'll admit I have the ick thinking about stabbing him in the neck, but I'm trying to push it out of my mind and just focus on the fact this is saving his life.

"Can you kneel right here so I can reach you better? And I need you to place my finger directly on the cord. I don't want to accidentally miss and slice your neck open."

He gives me an uneasy look that I completely get. I probably shouldn't have mentioned slicing his neck, but he'll be fine.

Doing as I asked, he positions my finger and slowly glides it back and forth on the side of his neck. The cord rolling beneath my finger makes me sick to my stomach and I repress the need to gag. This is beyond cruel. I can't imagine the number of times over the past several hundred years he's grazed his hands across this thing, knowing it keeps him a prisoner.

"I have to puncture a hole in your neck until I feel the cord, then I can get it out."

"You don't think I've tried cutting it out myself?"

"I'm not cutting…I'm melting it."

His eyes enlarge comically, then he smooths his features once more. I guess the fear of continuing to be stuck like this is stronger than the fear of dying accidentally.

At his nod, I begin to pierce his skin. Like Tanith warned me, he doesn't even flinch as my fingernail digs into his neck, but I, on the other hand, feel nauseous as his blue blood begins to dripple onto my other fingers. The moment I feel my tip tap against something solid, I steady myself.

"This is the part that's going to hurt, but I need you to stay as still as possible. Please, for the love of Elementra, do not send my ass flying or pull away or anything crazy."

"I won't. I trust you with my life," he swears.

Fuck, that's a lot of pressure. He doesn't even know me.

Closing my eyes, I call forth my dragon and my flame. Just like when I was trying to break out of my cuffs, I focus my flame on slowly flowing down my arm and through my fingers, directly into the cord. By the small hiss leaving his lips, I know he feels it start heating up.

With my other hand, I call forth my earth element and lay it gently on the other side of his neck so I can get a feel of how solid it still is. I nearly faint when I realize it's still very much hard and it's going to take a lot more firepower than what I'm putting out.

"I'm so sorry. This is really going to hurt. Stick with me," I murmur and up the ante of my flames.

Keeper begins to bellow below me and I squeeze my eyes tighter, not relenting despite knowing the pain I'm causing him. He doesn't pull away or even flinch, but the wails and screams leaving his throat shakes me to the core. I can feel his entire body trembling through my hands, and I fight back tears.

"Almost there," I whisper as I feel the cord beneath my hand become more fluid.

This is the part I knew would be most tricky, so I take a deep, calming inhale, zeroing in on my inner Tillman. On my exhale, I command my earth to travel the same path my flame is on. It obeys, but so does my water.

I try not to panic at the elusive elements' surprise interference, but this isn't what I had planned out and now isn't the time to switch things up. As it enters the river of liquid mercury flowing around Keeper's neck, I command it and my earth to embed themselves into the material.

My flame heats the water as well, so rather than hardening the cord back like I was fearful of, it contains it in a thermal-like layer. His screaming dies down and his racing pulse starts to slow, so I know his pain is subsiding.

Risky, risky little trick there, water.

Blinking my eyes open, I slowly start pulling my claw out of his neck and simultaneously, I command my three elements to start pulling the cord through. There's a slight resistance just as everything attempts to come through the hole, but I power through, sending one more small blast of my flame through.

Beside me, Jamie steps up his hands stretched out toward Keeper's shoulder with a jar made of some sort of stone. I gawk, mesmerized as the flow of his blue blood turns to silver and I direct it into the jar, assuming Jamie wants it there.

The moment the last of the silver dripples out, Keeper sags to the ground and I stumble back, landing in the arms of my men. Their touch works wonders for me in seconds while Jamie leans down, laying his hand to Keeper's neck. I'm shaking from both adrenaline and fear as it takes him much longer than I expected for him to come to.

"Is he okay?" I ask Jamie.

"He's alive but quite tired. I think. I've never had to heal a vampire before."

"Not tired. Hungry. We should probably find something for that before he wakes up on his own," San says, observing Keeper keenly.

"Shit. I didn't even think about that," I say, staring at my men for direction.

"I did, princess. Cas," Corentin says and out of the shadows drifts a small box. When Corentin opens it up, it has at least ten blood bags.

"So do we just…feed it to him?" I ask.

"You do nothing, little wanderer. I got it. If he wakes up in some sort of frenzy, I don't think he'll attack me," Draken says as he grabs three of the bags from the box.

Well, that doesn't make me feel better at all.

I hold my breath as Draken kneels in front of Keeper and tears the blood bag open, then wafts it under his nose. When that doesn't work, I hear him mutter a low fuck it before he pinches Keeper's chin, opens his mouth, and begins pouring the blood in.

Just as I grow fearful that Keeper's going to choke because he's not swallowing, his eyes fly open and far faster than I saw coming, he's sitting up, holding the bag himself and chugging down the rest of its contents. The moment he's done with that one, Draken quickly hands over the next.

Not gonna lie, I feel incredibly relieved when Keeper both shakes his head no to the third bag and seems perfectly fine. The hole on his neck is already closed and I can tell that comes as a shock to him when he reaches his fingers up, feeling the closed spot.

"How do you feel?" I ask when his eyes meet mine.

"Free." He smiles and I can't help but return it.

"We need to move if you're ready. Is there anything you need to get before we go? Clothes and all other necessities will be provided to you, but if there's anything of sentimental value you'd like, you need to grab it now. And are there any hostages in the forest?" Tillman asks Keeper as he wraps his hand around my stomach.

"No. There're no others amongst the vampires right now. But yes, I do need to get something. One moment," he says before speeding off.

One moment was literally all it took and he comes back, halting gracefully as if he wasn't just running faster than time moves. In his hand is a small black book that he clutches tightly. It resembles the one that the Summum-Master stole of his, but I know it isn't the same because this one is far newer.

"This is all. I have all I need now," he says, sparing a small, quick glance at Draken before nodding at us.

"Everyone, move out. Through the ward and assemble in the clearing for the next directions. Prepare yourself for the barricades to come down," Tillman orders to all the E.F. members.

All my men start calling their elements and gifts back to them and snarling, yelling in a language I don't understand, creeps through the makeshift barrier the thinner it becomes. Far, far more vampires are now standing at the ready than when we blocked them off.

Keeper pulls his shoulders back, cracking his neck, smirking as he stands in front of us. With a wink shot my way, his eyes begin to scan the horde, and like a game of dominos, all the vampires begin to hit the ground, bowing to him.

Well, shit. Looks like that cord was doing a little more than keeping him trapped here.