Chapter 36

Chapter

Thirty-Six

Charles smiled to flash his fangs. "Can you be more specific?"

I ticked items off on my fingers. "In the first place, a freaking coup. Hooking up with Morgan Clark and her coven. Executing everyone loyal to Valas—even Ezekiel Monroe. Filing all these charges against Sean, me, and the Were Ruling Council when you know it's all lies. Turning your enforcers into an army of dhampirs against their will. Stacking the Court full of puppets who are loyal to you." Sending Matthias into our pack land as a spy to get information about me you have no right to have , I thought, but didn't say aloud. "Trying to get your hands on Matthias to execute him. Honestly, Charles, I don't know who you are anymore. I suppose I never really did if you could do these things. And I can't imagine why you'd think you could commit such atrocities and then waltz up to my door asking me for favors with that much blood on your hands."

"I'm surprised at you, Alice." He shook his head with feigned disappointment. "Repeating these rumors as if they were true, when as you yourself said it would be out of character for me to do such things."

I scowled. Games again. Games and more games. God forbid we ever had a single conversation that didn't consist almost entirely of bullshit on his part. We knew he was here to ask us for something, but apparently his strategy for that involved starting on the offensive.

Charles had to have seen and sensed my growing anger, but he kept going. "Is it possible you are gullible enough to believe such an obvious tissue of lies? Or are you still so ready to believe the worst of everyone you know?" He glanced at Sean. "After all, that has happened before."

Sean growled. "For someone who's come to us asking for favors, you're making poor choices by insulting us and dredging up our past conflicts."

"I don't think he can help himself." I sighed. "Charles, don't tell me it's all lies. We have information from multiple sources."

"I did not say it was all lies," he countered. "But the worst atrocities you accuse me of committing are simply misinformation. Allow me to prove it."

He took out his phone and hit a few buttons. After a pause, he said to the screen, "I am with Alice Worth. She wishes to see proof that you are still alive." He turned the phone so I could see who he'd spoken to via video chat.

"Hello, Alice," Ezekiel Monroe said.

Valas's longtime daytime representative and attorney looked exactly as he had the last time I'd seen him: long gray hair held back with a gold and ruby clasp at the nape of his neck, wearing a designer suit with the same signature crimson tie and pocket square Charles wore. His real age was rumored to be somewhere close to seventy-five, but he looked only about fifty thanks to years of drinking Valas's blood. He appeared to be in his spacious office, sitting at his desk, with shelves of legal texts and a small bar with glasses and bottles in the background.

Moses had told me Monroe had died very unpleasantly. Arkady had heard the same thing. And yet here he was, neither dead nor undead, and I was getting madder by the second .

"How do I know you're not held prisoner and forced to speak to me?" I demanded.

Monroe raised his perfectly trimmed eyebrows. "I don't have any way to prove that other than my word, which of course you won't take. But the rumors of my terrible death are all exaggerated, I assure you—much like the other rumors you've heard. Charles will explain."

"Yes, he damn well will," Sean said, his voice cold.

"Thank you for your time, Ezekiel." Charles ended the call and placed his phone neatly on the table in front of himself. "Satisfied?"

Despite five years of dealing with him—and a lifetime of interacting with vampires—his audacity left me speechless for several beats.

I glared daggers at him. "Of course I'm not satisfied! Why on earth would I be? You had better start telling us the truth right the hell now or I will pull the plug on this parley and use my wards to eighty-six you out of here so fast your fangs will spin."

He chuckled. "A vampire ejection ward? In all my years, I have never experienced one. The novelty would almost be worth forcing your hand into using it."

While Sean had on his hard alpha mask, Arkady appeared very much in favor of activating that particular ward. She'd gone ice cold in what I assumed was rage at Charles's revelation that he'd spread misinformation about goings-on at Northbourne. She prided herself on gathering accurate intel. Very possibly, sources she'd previously considered trustworthy had given her the bad information.

And speaking of sources…how would Moses react to finding out his supposed intel was mostly or all lies and that he'd unknowingly passed those lies on to me? No doubt some heads would roll over that. My grandfather did not react well to losing face. Looking foolish or easily duped was not something a man in his position could afford.

"So which rumors are true and which aren't?" I asked finally. "And I want the truth, Charles. So help me, if you lie to me now, you can take every request you want to make of me, fold them until they're all pointy corners, and?—"

"No need to utter the remainder of that threat. I comprehend." He toasted my words solemnly with his beer, took a drink from the bottle, and returned it to the precise center of its coaster. "I deposed Valas in a coup—that is true. But I did not execute Ezekiel Monroe. I have turned only those enforcers who willingly agreed to become dhampirs. Bryan can attest to that. I am seeking to fill three empty seats on the Court, but not with ‘puppets,' as you say. I seek vampires with a vision of leadership and rule that will ensure the stability of the Court now and well into the future. I learned many things from my predecessor, and among them was the necessity of hearing different perspectives, especially on matters of great importance."

Arms crossed, I leaned back in my chair and studied his face and body language. I expected my bullshit radar to ping, but instead he seemed to have morphed from his earlier cockiness to open and earnest— seemed being the key word.

"That all sounds good, theoretically," Sean said. "But I'll believe it when I see it."

"I expected skepticism." Charles raised one shoulder in an elegant half shrug. "I have spoken with Elizabeth of the Chicago Court and Lucien in New Orleans. We recognize that our Courts stand at a crossroads. We must decide what our role will be in these difficult and complex times. We cannot expect to live and rule as we have for centuries, or even as we did in the past few decades. Vampires are eternal, but the world changes at the blink of an eye. We cannot simply stand like rocks in a fast-moving river, or we will be dissolved and swept away."

Hoo boy. I tried to imagine Charles's conversations with his new peers, especially knowing what I did now about Elizabeth and Lucien's long, intimate history with Valas.

"What do they think about recent events?" I asked. "I can't imagine they're happy about what you've done. "

"Certainly not happy," he acknowledged smoothly. "But I believe they understand. Valas could no longer rule and her condition worsened by the hour. You saw her yourself and know that to be true. And so I made the choice that seemed best for all concerned."

I found that statement to be highly debatable, but we had bigger issues to address. "Well, you did what you did and it's done. And then for whatever reason, you let rumors spread that you were holed up at Northbourne committing atrocities while you filed baseless charges against Sean, me, our pack, and the Were Ruling Council. I want an explanation of both."

"It is a trick as old as time." Charles took another sip of his beer. "A magician's favorite. Draw the audience's attention to the left hand so they do not see what the right is doing."

"Which part is the trick?" I demanded. "The rumors or the indictments?"

"Both."

Judging by Sean's snarl and the way his magic seared my skin, I had the feeling only the parley rules kept him from leaping over the table and trying to separate Charles's head from his body.

I was entertaining the same fantasy myself. My chest ached. It hurt so much to be thought of as insignificant, and fury burned in my gut like I'd swallowed hot coals.

"What is your right hand doing, then?" My voice was quiet—but deceptively so. My eyes were warm, meaning they glowed with blood magic that seared the air.

Charles's gaze turned wary. He'd once lost half his throat to me and though the wound healed quickly, he'd likely never forget how close he'd come to losing his head and dying on the spot.

"I cannot tell you every secret," he said, and had the grace or good sense to at least act regretful. "But as an act of good faith, I will share what I know that pertains to you and your pack."

Maybe I didn't deserve to know Court secrets—hell, even members of the Court weren't privy to what the head of the Court knew—but whatever Charles knew that involved us, he should have already revealed. I deserved that much.

"Everyone else's lives are just a game for you, aren't they?" I demanded. "Every time I accidentally think something the least bit positive about you, I get reminded what kind of person you really are. Do you have any idea what you have put us through with these charges? Do you know how much danger we're in because of you? You're playing dice with our lives, Charles, and you just don't care. We're all just means to an end."

"You say I do not care as if it is a fact." He leaned forward, suddenly angry. "Do you think I made these decisions lightly? Because I did not. Has it occurred to you that I might have done it for your benefit as well as mine?"

"What?" I gaped at him. "Did it occur to me that the legal expenses we've incurred, the strain and stress we're going through, the threats made against us by Council members who've been waiting for a chance to turn against us, and every sleepless night were for our benefit? No, it did not. In fact, I find it absolutely unbelievable that you did this to help us in any way, shape, or form. But the fact you're making that claim on the night you've come here looking for favors makes all the sense in the world."

"How little you think of me." Charles held my angry gaze with his own. "Perhaps you will think differently when I tell you Moses Murphy demanded I file these indictments against you."

Shock left me speechless.

"He was quite persuasive," he continued. "I need not list the threats he made, but I am sure you can imagine. Despite my many misgivings, I thought it in both our best interests to acquiesce."

"But why?" I asked, my voice tight with rage.

"It seems he wishes to have you reliant upon him for protection against the wicked vampires and the mercurial Were Ruling Council."

I didn't want to believe him, but I did. My gut told me every word was true. How completely on-brand for Moses to strike up secret alliances to manipulate me. He'd done it before.

My heart sank as I thought of the Council's impending second vote Willa had requested "in light of new information" they'd received. Was that information coming from Moses?

Sean, however, clearly wasn't ready to buy Charles's explanation. "Prove what you say is true," he said.

"Our understanding was not written down. I have no contract to show you." Charles showed us his pale, empty hands. "But I believe you may have received a document today I provided as a sign of good faith that I would uphold my end of the bargain. He gives you the contract and emerges the hero of the day, yes?"

"Not at all." I drained the last of my coffee and set the mug on the table with a bang. "Murphy is no hero. I knew he had ulterior motives for giving me the contract. I just hadn't figured out what they were yet."

"What happens if Murphy finds out you've told us this?" Sean asked.

"I am certain he will attempt to have me killed." Charles flashed his fangs again. "So I must ask that you not reveal that we have spoken of this. Murphy plots and plans as ruthlessly a vampire. I would respect him for it if he were less odious, and if he did not target you, who I wish to…not harm."

I didn't comment on that last bit. "And the reports from Northbourne you claim are rumors?"

"There was no wholesale slaughter of Valas's supporters. The actual casualty count from the coup and its aftermath stands at less than twenty, not counting those who perished at the mansion in Colorado, for which I do not have accurate data. All died in battle—none on a scaffold. I would provide our own Court records if I thought you would find them persuasive."

"Even if that's true, why let these rumors spread?" I demanded. "They make you sound like a monster."

"I know, and I like the situation much less than you do. But as I said, the rumors are merely temporary misdirection. The truth will come to light soon, once the gates of Northbourne are open once more." He folded his hands on the table. "I have no desire to be thought of as a merciless and evil man, but I have little choice at the moment."

"Because Murphy wants you to seem that way?" I asked.

"Because Moses Murphy is only one of my many concerns." He regarded me. "As I am sure you have already surmised, I have taken a position of great power. Now I must establish myself as a leader worthy of loyalty and longevity. I choose not to do this by fear, as some might expect, but by offering a vision for the future that not only vampires endorse but also the Council and local, state, and federal authorities. I plan to set the tone for the American Vampire Courts in the twenty-first century."

"Oh, is that all?" I snorted. "That's a relief. I was worried you might have bitten off more than you could chew."

His smile was indulgent. "My coup might have seemed sudden and spontaneous to you, but I have been planning for a long time what I might do given a chance. And I am well aware that everything I do will be greeted with the utmost skepticism and even hostility, even from vampires who have a long view of things. There would be no use in suggesting changes to the ancient Courts elsewhere in the world, but the Courts of America are not as fully entrenched in the past. We look forward more often than back. Even Valas looked ahead, despite her many long centuries. My vision is not so different than hers—save a few key respects."

I had a lot more questions since he seemed to be in such a chatty mood, but our time was running short. Carly and Katy should be arriving in about fifteen minutes, and I very much wanted Charles gone before they walked in the door.

"Okay, so we've heard your explanations, and we'll think about whether we believe you," I said. "It's time to get to the point."

"If I may say one more thing before we move on." He studied me. "I understand your pack has granted Matthias asylum, thus ensuring neither my Court nor any other can reclaim him. I am glad to see you took my advice."

I gaped. " Your advice? You never said any such thing. You said—" I cut myself off and scowled as realization dawned. "You said he was a fugitive from justice and demanded we hand him over as such."

"Indeed, I did say that." Charles raised his eyebrows. "Which gave you the idea to use the Council's asylum laws to protect him, did it not? Had he no such protection, my Court would have to reclaim him or lose face, and another Court could step in and take him as a discarded asset. Now he is safe, as you have legally outmaneuvered me. No one needs to know I gave you the idea."

I didn't need to ask why he hadn't just made the suggestion outright. I would have assumed he had an ulterior motive, or that he knew it wouldn't work, because why would he try to give us a way to keep Matthias safe? One glance at Sean told me he'd come to the same conclusion.

I didn't want to thank Charles for anything, but if what he said was true—and damn it, it did ring true—then he'd done us a massive favor.

"Thank you," I said, and tried not to sound begrudging. "I assume you did it because you want something, though, so what is it you need from us so badly that you left the safety of Northbourne and snuck up to my house through the woods waving a white flag?"

Charles plainly didn't like that I'd phrased it that way, but I didn't like anything at all about the entire situation, so he could just deal with it.

"I wish to strike a bargain." He leaned back in his chair, his hands folded on his slim abdomen. Instead of the overly formal tone he usually adopted while negotiating a deal, he was clearly going for a more casual, just-between-us approach. Much like Moses's attempts to relate to me better by dressing down to have ostensibly easygoing chats, Charles's body language put me even more on alert.

"We're not striking any bargain that doesn't include dropping the charges against us," Sean said. "So let's start there. "

"Please hear me out. If we can stipulate for the moment that the charges are the result of Moses Murphy's desire to leave Alice no ally but himself, I propose we continue the process of navigating these legal waters, at least for now. If Murphy believes you are wholly dependent on him, he is less likely to try to harm you on other fronts. Privately, you and I have the understanding that the charges are baseless and unsubstantiated. If a tribunal is held at the Vampire Court, I will be pleased to fully exonerate you, your pack, and the Were Ruling Council due to the utter lack of evidence."

"There's more at stake here than the tribunal and you know it," I shot back. "The Council may be moments from turning its back on us if you're telling the truth about Moses. If we lose the Council's support altogether, I don't know if there's any chance to get back in their good graces regardless of the outcome of a tribunal. Two or three of its members might not be fans of us right now, but that's better than making enemies of the Council as a whole. Sean could lose his position on the Council too, and that could mean people's lives . Come on, Charles. You can't expect us to go along with this!"

"I hear your objections and I sympathize with your situation." He raised his hands. "May I finish outlining my proposal?"

I made a rolling gesture.

"I mentioned that my vision for the future of my Court is different from that of my predecessor in a few key respects. One of my goals is to make the Court a more visible and effective presence as a judiciary body that can balance the legal concerns and responsibilities of vampires, humans, shifters, and others alike."

"Why?" Sean asked. "And don't try to tell us it's for the good of humanity."

"Human jurisprudence is ill-equipped to handle cases involving nonhumans," Charles said. "You know as well as I even the Supernatural and Paranormal Entity Management Agency struggles to properly adjudicate nonhumans because federal laws, much like local and state laws, are rooted in deep human distrust of any evidence or testimony involving the non-mundane. "

"I knew this was really about you." I glared at him. "What better way to demonstrate this new interest in justice than by putting a mage and the strongest and largest werewolf pack in the area on trial for alleged crimes against the Court?"

"The subterfuge is for your benefit as well as mine," he argued. "Can you not see that? Murphy is appeased, you understand you are under no real threat of imprisonment, and the Council and everyone else will see you and your pack are truly as innocent of wrongdoing as you claim. There will be tension until then, yes, but?—"

" Tension? " Sean rose, his eyes golden with fury. "Vaughan, you self-centered son of a bitch."

Charles stood as well. "I do not pretend I am not self-centered. I most assuredly concocted this plan with my own needs in mind, but I weigh Alice's situation as well. You may not believe me, but whether she is at your side or mine, I do not wish her dead. Murphy knows this and he leveraged it to force me to file the charges. Alice's freedom and her life were at stake if I refused." He turned his attention to me. "He smiles to your face and lays traps all around you. I must appear to be the worst of those traps or he will make another."

Just once in my life I don't want to have to choose the lesser of two evils , I thought. Just once .

Maybe Charles sensed my bitterness, or maybe it showed on my face. "If only the world we inhabit offered us clear and easy moral choices," he said quietly. "But I have lived long enough, and you have experienced enough, to know better. We live in shadows. We find few bright lights of pure goodness where we dwell."

"Someday I'll be out of the shadows, but not yet." My voice sounded as hollow as I felt. "Sean and I will discuss your proposal. What else do you want?"

"I require the full and truthful account of the deaths of Valas and Vlad," he said. "In return, and by way of lessening the burden upon you caused by the indictments, I offer a boon you may use at any time, for any favor of me you require."

Well, that was a much more complicated request than it had been yesterday. Yikes. I kept my gaze locked on his and ensured I didn't look down toward the basement, where Valas's mirror was stored in my most heavily warded cabinet.

"I'll consider it," I said blandly. "Anything else?"

"I believe you are now aware that I know you recently discovered the ability to ease a shifter's Change and bypass the months of volatility that normally follow an infection."

Sean's fury scoured my arms. "How the hell do you know what we know?"

Charles glanced at the patio door as Matthias stepped through the broken opening. His cold and distant expression immediately caused me to stand up.

"Bryan has chosen to wait outside, where he cannot overhear what is said in here," he said tonelessly. "With your permission, I'll remain outside with him to ensure he keeps his distance."

My gut twisted in anger and fear at Matthias's defeated body language and and obvious pain. What the hell had Bryan said to him?

"Stay with Bryan," Sean said, his voice curt.

Matthias ducked back through the broken door. Once his footsteps crossed the deck and went down the steps, I turned on Charles. "What the hell did Bryan say to him?" I hissed. "I swear, Charles, if you told him to threaten Matthias?—"

"I did not," Charles cut in. "Whatever was said between them, I can only guess."

"Then take a damn guess. I want to know what's hurt him."

"Alice," Charles said gently. "Let him tell you himself. It is not my place to say."

Blast it. "Then tell us how you knew we found out about your little spy operation," I snapped.

"Matthias will explain the particulars, but I will say that the spell that binds him works in such a way that I know what he was forced to reveal to you." He glanced at Sean. "I did not think you had it in you to cause one of your pack wolves that much agony, but you continue to surprise me."

Sean didn't reveal that it had been Matthias's idea. Instead, he took a step toward Charles. "Alice's new ability is the most dangerous secret about her that exists," he ground out. "You know every shifter group in the world would kill us all to get her. Others would kill her because they'd see her as a threat, and they would slaughter everyone in their way. It would likely make her the target of an úlfheenar . Vaughan, you cannot speak a word about Alice's ability to anyone . No one can know. And you can't ask her to try to use that power for your benefit."

"I am not asking her to do so," Charles said, to my surprise. "I understand the danger as well as you do. I would as soon walk into the sun as make Alice a target for a shifter assassin. I simply ask that she use this ability only for wolves in your own pack, and only in a way that does not arouse the suspicions of the Council or anyone else."

I stared at him. "Why?"

"For the reasons Sean has just stated." He started to reach out, as if he wanted to touch my hand, but thought better of it and folded his hands behind his back once more. "And because you know as well as I do that Murphy would see your ability for what it is: the ultimate power. His ticket to gain control of anything and anyone he wanted. All your people would be dead and you would be his prisoner once again—this time, for good."

Charles had never come out and said he knew my real identity, but in my gut I'd known he knew because this wasn't the first time he'd made an oblique reference to my past.

"If he tried to use me in that way, he'd become the target of everything we just said," I said.

He studied me. "Do you think that fact would even give him pause?"

No, it wouldn't. Not even for a second. He'd send an army to kill everyone I knew and take me to his compound in chains. And then I'd have no choice but to end my own life using the spell I had carved on my right femur.

"I hate you for knowing this about me," I said.

He flinched. And it wasn't feigned. I'd landed an uppercut straight to his jaw, but I couldn't feel the slightest satisfaction about it.

"I want to kill you for hurting Alice," Sean added. "But that will be her privilege, not mine."

Charles sighed. "I will leave you to discuss who gets to wield the stake, then." He gave us a courtly half bow. "Please give my proposal due consideration. I believe we would make good allies against a man who has no loyalty for anyone but himself."

"Pot, meet kettle," I muttered.

He busied himself buttoning his suit jacket and ignored my dig.

Well, I'd give him something he couldn't ignore. I spooled power and grabbed my house wards. " Banish ," I said.

With a swirl of magic, a whoosh of air, and a shout of surprise, Charles flew backward out the broken patio door and disappeared. I heard what sounded like the deck railing breaking as his body went through it.

I winced. "Oops."

"It's okay." Sean kissed me on the top of my head. "Ben's been asking me for a project." He drew back to look into my face. "Are you all right?"

"No." I gave him a weary smile. "But tossing him out of the house felt good."

My phone rang. As Sean and Arkady went out to the deck, presumably to ensure Charles and Bryan were leaving, I checked the screen. It was a local number, but not one from my address book. Now what?

With a sigh, I hit the green button. "This is Alice."

For a moment, I heard nothing. Then I realized someone was crying. "Hello? Who's this?" I asked.

"Alice." Her voice sounded choked. "It's Gracie Hensley. "

Oh no. "What's going on?" I demanded. "Are you okay?"

"No." She sobbed. "Ollie tried to kill me and then he tried to kill himself. He's locked in the bathroom. Please help."

Oliver had worried at our initial meeting about the possibility of hurting his wife. She'd reassured him—and us—that he wasn't capable of hurting her or anyone else. And I'd agreed.

But now he'd attacked his wife, seemingly out of nowhere. Why?

My stomach sank. Could he be possessed again?

"Is he talking to you?" I asked, trying not to let on what I was thinking. "Did you have any conversation?"

"Yes." She sniffled. "I asked him why he was doing this and he said he didn't know. I asked him if he remembered what he'd just done and he said yes, and this time he'd done it on purpose. I think he's having some kind of breakdown."

Everything we'd heard about those who were possessed was that they acted like automatons, or "robotic," to use Diaz's term. The manual strangulation was a different M.O. too. So probably not another possession.

So if that wasn't what set him off, what was it? A breakdown, like Gracie thought?

The only reasonable explanation I could think of was the lingering effects and trauma of experiencing possession and Madison's murder had pushed Oliver over the edge. This attack was more blood on the necromancer's hands, as far as I was concerned.

I ran to the patio door and looked for Sean. "Call 911," I told her as I spotted him in the backyard with Matthias and Arkady. "You need to call the police and an ambulance."

"Please, no. I don't want him arrested. I need your help."

Sean caught sight of me in the doorway and left the others on watch to jog back to the deck. "Did you call Philippa?" I asked.

"No!" she wailed. "I don't trust anybody but you not to call the police. Please come. I'll pay you whatever you want. I need you to tell Oliver he's not a killer before he hurts himself again."

My wards tingled out front, signaling Carly and Katy had arrived. My phone said it was ten minutes until nine. The citywide curfew began at nine. And we had a life-or-death ritual to set up and get ready for before midnight. All those pressures made my skull feel like it would explode.

"Alice, please!" Gracie's voice cracked. "There's no one else who'll help us. No one else understands."

"Okay," I said, because what else could I do?

Shit, shit, shit . I had absolutely no idea how to get myself to their house without being stopped for violating the curfew that I'd hoped the chief of police would declare after Diaz took my advice and leaked the information I'd given him. Best laid plans and all that.

"I'll get there as soon as I can," I promised. "Just keep talking to him so he's not alone with his thoughts. Tell him I'm on my way and I can prove he's not a killer."

"Thank you." She started crying again, and then she ended the call.

"How are you going to get to their house?" Sean asked, his voice and expression grim.

"I have no idea yet," I said. "But it's only the second or third impossible thing I've done today, so I'll just have to figure it out."