13. THIRTEEN

thirteen“Icouldn’t agree more, deartháir,” Thomas purred. The barrier used to hide his approach fell. His power flooded the room.

It was times like these, when his power threatened to flatten everything before him, that I remembered why he was the Master of the City and not someone else.

Dominick was either brave or a fool to challenge him.

Thomas’s magic blazed like the sun, searing in its intensity. You couldn’t help but want to look away for fear of going blind. Only you couldn’t. You were forced to stand still as the owner of that power padded closer. An enthralling, deadly monster that inspired both fear and fascination.

Natalia peered through the open door behind Thomas, letting me catch a glimpse of her.

A subtle tension invaded my body as I fought to keep my reaction off my face. What was Natalia thinking? It would be dangerous for her and the flock if one of Dominick’s people saw her.

Luckily, Helen and Arturas had their backs facing the door, and Dominick stood at an angle that prevented him from seeing outside.

Liam and the rest of our people were trained enough not to react to her presence, their expressions remaining placid.

She waited until I looked at her before mouthing, “Find me when you’re done here.”

Her message delivered, she faded into the night.

“When you asked for permission to enter my territory, I didn’t give it so you could threaten the life of my yearling or covet those whose blood belongs to me.” There was an avid light in Thomas’s eyes as he watched Dominick. A predatory cast to his features that made me go still in the hopes of not attracting his attention. “I would very much like to remove your head from your shoulders for this insult. Give me a reason not to.”

Rage showed on Dominick’s face before it was stamped out. The slimy bastard bowed his head in fake submission. “Forgive me, lord. I misunderstood the situation because of bad intel.” The sidelong look he gave to Kat made her stiffen. “It won’t happen again.”

“It had better not.” Thomas invaded Dominick’s personal space in a way that made the enforcer take a step back. “This won’t be like the last time you threatened one of mine. Step over the line and I won’t care how powerful your backer is. I will make your last moments excruciatingly painful.”

“Where is your eldest, by the way?” Dominick made a show of looking around the room. “From the reports I was given, isn’t he usually stuck to your youngest’s side like a leech?”

The snarl that came from Thomas was low and dangerous. A primal sound that made part of my brain gibber in fear.

His power withdrew a tiny bit. The sense of an avalanche on the horizon sent dread through my veins. I’d only ever seen one through video, but it left me in awe of nature’s power.

This felt like that.

First—the feeling that something massive was coming. The way the walls and wood of the bar creaked as if they too knew shit was about to get real.

Next—the crack as Thomas unleashed a flood of power. Glass breaking behind the bar. Bottles shattering.

And through it all was the instinct to cower.

Jenna sobbed, curling in on herself as Caroline wavered between snarling and whining.

My legs threatened to buckle and a small sound of distress escaped me. I kept my feet, but just barely.

Another few seconds and I wasn’t sure my willpower would endure.

“Thomas, that’s enough!” Liam barked.

Thomas’s face was still coldly furious, but he listened to Liam. His power receded, leaving devastation in its wake.

Jenna cried quietly to herself. Caroline was unable to offer any comfort as she struggled to bring her wolf under control.

Liam took me in his arms. “Are you alright?”

I let him hug me, needing the comfort at I leaned my cheek against his chest. “Dahlia’s going to be so upset when she sees this.”

I felt a little shell shocked as I took in the destruction. It looked like a bomb had gone off. The liquor bottles were shattered. Same for any glasses or beer bottles that had been on the tables. It looked like a spider had set up shop in the mirror, drawing intricate cracks over its surface.

Liam’s cheek briefly rested on my head and he gave one last squeeze before releasing me. “Thomas will make it right.”

He’d better. I didn’t have the money to repair the damage Thomas’s tantrum had done. The liquor alone was at least a thousand dollars.

To my surprise, there was no fear on Dominick’s face as he faced down Thomas. Rather, he seemed pleased he’d managed to provoke such an extreme reaction.

He signaled for Helen and Arturas to retreat. “Since you’re so insistent, I’ll leave this matter in your hands. At least until the vampire’s identity is confirmed.” Dominick took Kat’s arm. “But if it does turn out to be my vampire, I expect this matter to be turned over to me.” His gaze lingered on Jenna. “Along with any witnesses.”

With that ominous reminder, he and the rest swept from the room. Nathan and Anton shadowed them, making sure they’d left before rejoining us.

Jenna stomped toward me. “Aileen May Travers, what the hell is going on?”

It was never a good sign when Jenna used my full name. She rarely had the opportunity, being the younger sister, but the few occasions she broke it out were memorable.

Like the time I’d crashed her car in college after an ill-advised attempt to glide down an ice covered hill. Or the time I broke her boyfriend’s hand when he got a little too physical with her for my taste.

That last one I wasn’t sorry about. No one left bruises on my sister’s arms.

“I know you’re confused,” I started.

“Confused? No.” A raw laugh left her throat as Jenna shook her head. “Confused is when your big sister, the person you respect and admire more than anyone else, comes home only to shut herself in an apartment and reject any help offered. Confused is when that same sister starts to pull away for no reason that I can tell. Confused doesn’t cover your sister stabbing a man with a broken bottle or any of the other shit I just saw.”

By this point, Jenna was screaming.

She didn’t calm down any as she launched into an interrogation. “What is going on? Why is Caroline covered in fur?”

Caroline reached for Jenna’s arm. “This isn’t helping.”

Jenna slapped her hand away and pointed at her in warning. “Don’t you touch me. You’re going to tell me what is happening or I’m going to start breaking things.”

Nathan folded his arms over his chest, looking amused. “I can tell she’s your sister. Quite the fierce little thing, isn’t she?”

Jenna spun toward him. Her retort dying as she registered the charred corpse on the ceiling. A sound like that of a tea kettle’s whistle started.

It grew rapidly in volume. Anton retreated, putting as much space as he could between him and Jenna.

“Enough!” Thomas roared, sinking a wealth of power into the one word.

The screaming shut off like someone had flipped a switch.

Blessed relief.

“You will sleep,” Thomas ordered. “When you wake, you will remember none of this.”

Jenna’s eyes rolled back in her head. She folded to the ground in a boneless heap.

Caroline and I leapt for her at the same time.

My friend reached her first. “I’ve got her, Lena.”

“Get that corpse down,” Thomas ordered, taking control of the situation. “I want it and the other transported to the Gargoyle. Joseph will perform the autopsies.”

Trusting Caroline to take care of Jenna in my stead, I took one last look at my sister’s face before straightening. “There’s something you should know about the human.”

Thomas made a sharp gesture, cutting me off mid-sentence. “I appreciate your input, but we don’t know what ears may still be listening. For now, discretion is wise.”

His gaze held mine, warning me that despite appearances Dominick may not have entirely withdrawn.

I nodded to show my understanding.

In the end, my caution wasn’t needed as Anton dragged a table under the body and climbed on top. Nathan joined him, supporting the body’s weight as Anton yanked out the stakes.

When he got to the hunter’s right hand where the mark was, he slowed. His head turned in my direction. He sent me a reassuring nod, letting me know he was aware of the situation.

His movements rough, he closed his hand around the dead man’s. Already brittle from the heat of the fire, the skin tore, obscuring all trace of the mark.

His actions bought us time.

But probably not much. For Dominick to be so convinced the human was a hunter, he had to have known about the man beforehand. I didn’t trust he wouldn’t have some way of proving it.

As if he hadn’t just destroyed a critical piece of evidence, Anton went back to the task of gently lowering the body from the ceiling.

Thomas stalked toward the door. “Aileen, Liam, come with me. There are things we need to discuss.”

I didn’t move as he vanished outside. The need to take care of Jenna taking precedence. After tonight’s events, it wasn’t entirely safe to go home in the event Dominick and his people tracked her there.

She also needed to be monitored.

It was rare, but occasionally compulsions didn’t work on a human. Usually because of a hereditary resistance or when high stress situations were involved.

Considering her hysteria before Thomas’s compulsion, it was best to be cautious.

“Go,” Caroline said, seeing my hesitation. “I’ll keep watch over her tonight. If anything happens, I’ll call you.”

Reluctantly, I nodded. “I’m sorry to ask this of you.”

As much as I hated leaving Jenna in someone else’s hands, Caroline was the best option. She loved Jenna like a sister. I knew she’d protect her.

If I could, I’d stay behind to help. Thomas’s growing impatience and the fact I had no place to take her made that impossible. She’d never believe I could afford my house.

Great. Now Connor was rubbing off on me. “My” house. Next thing I’d be compiling Pinterest design boards to put my own mark on the place.

If I took her home, what was I supposed to do? Introduce her to my blood donor? My roommates? How would I explain any of it?

The answer was, I couldn’t.

Someone had to be responsible for this clusterfuck of a situation. Even with Anton’s sabotage, we were on a ticking clock. It wouldn’t be long before the dead vampire outside was matched to Dominick’s. From there, he’d make good on his promise to come after Jenna.

I didn’t think she’d survive that.

Caroline shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. I’m the one responsible. You’re right. It was too dangerous.” Her eyes were damp. “I just wanted some normalcy and thought Dahlia could keep us safe.”

That was the thing about life. Safety was a fairytale we told ourselves so we didn’t go mad from the truth. That harm could come for you in an instant. It didn’t matter how carefully you planned or how meticulously you prepared. Disorder and chaos were inescapable.

“Warn Brax,” I told Caroline.

The alpha of the werewolves should be prepared in the event the worst happened and Dominick took over the city.

Her nod was grim. “Consider it done.”

I started after Thomas and Liam.

“Do you need help getting home?” Nathan asked Caroline behind me.

Her snort made my lips lift in a halfhearted smile. “Not from you.”

I missed Nathan’s response as I reached the black Escalade. Thomas was already seated in the back, the dark windows hiding his presence.

I waved at his driver, another of Liam’s enforcers.

Eric was a quiet man who rarely spoke. He treated words like they were precious gemstones, doling them out sparingly.

He had a poet’s face, his feature’s refined and his eyes the color of amber. His wavy hair made him seem more boyish than I knew him to be. I suspected people had a habit of underestimating him because of it.

I stopped by the driver’s door. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How was your business with the council?”

Like Liam, he’d been gone for the last few weeks taking care of a mission from the council.

“Tedious,” Eric said, his gaze flicking over my shoulder as Liam’s presence hit me. With a respectful nod at the other enforcer, Eric rolled up his window.

One word. Not bad. At least he’d responded this time.

I twisted to face Liam. His gaze was trained on the roof line where the harpies had been earlier that night.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Liam asked, dropping his eyes to me.

I raised an eyebrow as I pulled open the door to the back seat. “That’s kind of how I operate.”

At any given time, I had nearly a dozen secrets floating around.

I was better than I’d been, having ended up in trouble too many times while trying to withhold things from him. Now, I mostly limited my secret keeping to matters pertaining to my business.

My clients had an expectation of privacy, and I was set on giving it to them.

“Don’t worry, lover,” I said with a flirtatious smile and wink. “I fully intend to bring you up to speed this time.

Liam’s gaze held amusement as he dipped his chin. “I await this breakthrough with baited breath.”

I paused at the seductive purr in his voice, tempted.

“Get in the car,” Thomas ordered, destroying the moment. “And stop flirting with my enforcer.”

Liam’s smile broadened as his hand landed on my back to nudge me toward the door. “Yes, A stór. We mustn’t keep the Master of the City.”

The rough edge in his voice made me hesitate. Too bad Thomas had a point. Bossy vampire that he was.

I slid inside the car, feeling no small amount of regret. Playing with Liam promised to be more pleasurable than any of the other things I had planned for my night.

“Maybe next time,” Liam murmured with a chuckle that sent tingles through my body.

He shut my door carefully before walking around to the front passenger seat.

Eric waited until he was inside before pulling onto High Street and heading south.

At this time of night, the streets were empty. The sensible humans in the city had long since returned home to their beds.

We hadn’t been driving long before Thomas interrupted the silence.

“Anton’s deception won’t fool Dominick for long,” Thomas said in a crisp voice. “We have the rest of the night. Maybe part of tomorrow if we’re lucky before Dominick makes his move.”

I pulled my gaze from the window. “What makes you think that?”

“It’s the tattoo,” Liam said from the front seat. “The ink goes below the surface of the skin. All the way down to the bone. Short of removing his hand, Dominick will discover the mark as soon as he looks for it.”

“Even that won’t solve the problem,” Thomas interrupted. “He’s hunter born.”

I looked between Thomas and the front seat, sensing the shift in air pressure. “Why is it important that he’s hunter born?”

Liam didn’t answer, looking over his shoulder at Thomas. “Are you sure?”

Thomas’s face wrinkled in a snarl. “You know I’m more sensitive to their kind than most. I could practically taste the stench.”

Liam faced forward with a frown. “This is a problem.”

Thomas made an angry sound. “I’m very much aware.”

“Maybe you two could clue me into why this is such a bad thing,” I snarked.

“The council has a treaty with the hunter born. They’re allowed to hunt our criminals and other species. In exchange, we don’t commit genocide,” Thomas spat.

Seeing my confusion, Liam gave me a half smile. “Ever heard of the witch trials in Europe? We, along with several other species of spooks, nearly wiped out their maternal lines as vengeance for various crimes against us. Among them—destroying an entire vampire clan.”

My lips parted as I stared at him in shock. I suppose I should have expected retaliation as brutal as that, given vampires were involved, but it was still a little hard to process.

Then again, vampires were the Old Testament type. That whole “eye for an eye” thing. Only in their case, they always exacted double the price for any pain they suffered.

“We’ve maintained a balance with them ever since,” Liam said.

Is that what they were calling it? Because to me it looked more like a hostage situation.

Still, it was hard to feel too much sympathy for hunters after my experiences with them. Maybe if they limited their prey to the true monsters of our society, those who took wanton pleasure in the death of humans, my views would be a little different.

They didn’t. They chose people like me. The low hanging fruit.

Not because of any calling, but because we didn’t have the power to fight back.

Or so they believed.

Thomas’s jaw tightened. “You know what this means.”

Liam’s nod was grave. “I do.”

“Share with the rest of the class,” I said grumpily.

“The council is preparing for a change of power.” Thomas slammed the side of his fist into the door next to him; the frame gave an ominous creek. “With this, we can see they’ve thrown their support behind Vitus Caecilius. We can’t expect any help from that quarter.”

The council and its rules were what Thomas and Liam were counting on to restrain Dominick’s behavior. Without them, it would be more difficult to defend ourselves.

Still, things weren’t at the worst-case scenario quite yet.

From the way he’d backed down in the Blue Pepper, he must be under orders not to be too blatant in his defiance of their laws. Otherwise, he would have challenged Thomas.

Then again, only an insane person would be that stupid.

He could be biding his time and waiting for the right opportunity. If so, I had a feeling his plans involved me in some way. Probably through my death.

Why else send the hunters after me?

“We know why they’re being so bold, too. Don’t we, deartháir?” A bitter laugh came from Thomas as he pinned Liam with a hard look that warned me my stalker issue was about to raise its impish little head. “When were you planning to inform me that you suspected Ahrun was following Aileen?”

Yup. There it was.

While Thomas glared, I did my best to pretend to be invisible. Unsuccessfully, I might add, as Liam arched an eyebrow at me. “You told him.”

My shrug was helpless. “Like I said, you weren’t answering your phone.”

What else was I supposed to do?

“You should have been the one to tell me,” Thomas interrupted. “I’m his son too. I deserved to know.”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t,” Liam shouted back. “We need you focused. With Dominick breathing down our necks, we are riding a very thin line. You going off on a wild goose chase wouldn’t help.”

The tension in the car was palpable as I held very still, waiting to see what happened next.

“Once I confirmed whether it was him or not, I planned to bring you into the loop,” Liam finished.

“No need for that anymore.”

Liam’s glanced at me in silent question.

I nodded. “It’s him. Connor confirmed.”

Liam closed his eyes and mouthed a silent curse as I gave a quick rundown of the evening. From the time the red-headed man burst into the bar screaming about a dead person, to Natalia’s missing harpies, to Connor’s reaction of finding my stalker feeding from the human’s neck.

“Could Connor have been mistaken?” Eric asked, speaking for the first time since I got in the car.

I’d almost forgotten he was present.

Liam shook his head. “Unlikely.”

“Liam’s right,” Thomas agreed with a nod. “Connor spent a lot of time with Ahrun in those early years. Even if his state was as you said—”

“Oh, it was.”

Thomas continued as if I hadn’t interrupted. “I find it difficult to believe Connor wouldn’t recognize him.”

“I guess we know why they’re making their move now,” Liam said with a sigh.

Thomas’s lips twisted. “We do. Destroying Ahrun would cement Caecilius’s rise to power. No one would dare question his control of the council after he kills the oldest known vampire. It would allow him to consolidate his authority among the factions. Moreover, this is a chance to deal with us all at once. He was always petty that way.”

“What are your orders?” Liam asked carefully.

Thomas was absorbed in the scenery outside the vehicle. Several seconds passed before he stirred. “You already have them.”

Liam acknowledged his words with a firm nod.

“Anton bought us time—but not much,” Thomas continued. “Investigate the slain vampire and this hunter. We need to prove a link exists. It’s the only way to tie the council’s hands and keep them from getting involved.”

Liam’s gaze moved to me. “I suspect my first lead has already fallen into my lap.”

Finding myself the center of attention, I schooled my features to neutrality.

“Don’t tease, A stór,” Liam teased. “You practically admitted it earlier.”

“Fine. Yes. I may have a lead.”

At the very least, I had a direction to pursue.

“Let her help,” Liam advised Thomas. “She’s proven resourceful in matters like this before.”

Thomas’s sigh seemed to be pulled deep from within him. “You have a point.”

“One condition—I want payment this time.” I rubbed my thumb and forefinger together in the universal sign that meant money.

“You don’t consider your sister’s life payment enough?” Thomas asked with a micro smile. “I assure you she’ll be the first one Dominick targets. If only to bring you pain.”

“Does that mean no money?”

Put like that, I was taking the job either way, and everyone in the car knew it.

“Let’s do this. If you succeed, you remain in the house, and I’ll pay you a generous retainer that will cover all future opportunities you have to work with me.”

“Why does everything have to be a manipulation with you?” I asked in frustration.

On paper, his offer was an attractive one. Except I’d be at his beck and call. I didn’t trust he wouldn’t yank my leash whenever the fancy took him.

With him basically paying for my way of life, I’d have no choice to accept his jobs.

“You see manipulation; I see a way for us both to be happy,” Thomas returned.

I folded my arms over my chest to glare at him.

“Private investigation companies use retainers for big companies all the time,” Thomas continued. “It’s no more a way to control than hiring the investigator piece meal. You can accept or reject any of the jobs you want. When the retainer is used up, we can reassess the relationship.”

I could feel my resistance crumbling. “But to get this, I have to remain in the house?”

If Thomas was pleased that I was actually considering to his offer, he didn’t show it. “It’s a small price to pay for financial security.”

“Fine,” I asked, pretending to be more upset than I actually was.

For once, I’d come out the winner in a negotiation with Thomas. If he was being honest in that I could reject potential jobs, I didn’t see a problem.

The best part was that he didn’t know that Connor had already worn down my resistance to staying. As a result, we got stable income. And a new house free of charge. A two-for-one deal.

“What’s the price for failure?” I asked because I wasn’t an idiot.

“Death.”

So, the most stringent of penalties. No pressure.

“You could still flee,” Thomas offered.

That didn’t deserve a response.

Thomas cracked a smile at my irritated look. “Liam and I have several safe houses scattered throughout the world. You could live for decades longer. Maybe centuries if you’re careful.”

But eventually, Dominick and this Vitus person would catch up to me.

That was the thing about vampires. They had all the time in the world.

Likely, I’d die a gruesome death when they found me. No, thank you.

There was a set to Thomas’s features that made me pause in my response. “Why do I get the feeling you hope I’ll run?”

Shouldn’t he want me to fight by his side as a show of loyalty?

“No parent wishes to see their child in danger.”

I glanced at the front seat, finding Liam and Eric pretending to be occupied with the road outside in an effort to give us a modicum of privacy.

“I’m not your child,” I finally said.

Thomas’s expression softened. “You may not believe this, but I see you the same way I do Connor. You are precious to me. I would not see you harmed. If I could force you and him somewhere safe out of the city, I would.”

He was being sincere, I realized.

It was a troubling discovery. I was used to Thomas being someone I could hate. If not hate, at least dislike.

This more human side of him muddled things. Made him almost redeemable.

“You want something from this,” I guessed, clinging stubbornly to my assumptions about him.

His laugh was filled with a surprising amount of humor, given the dire nature of our conversation. “So many things.”

I frowned as Thomas’s gaze turned inward. Life drained from him and his breathing slowed and then stopped. An eternity seemed to pass as we drove.

“The first time I laid eyes on Connor was the proudest moment in my life,” Thomas said out of nowhere. “I understood so many things I never had before. He was a blessing. Until him, all I’d known was having things ripped from me one by one.”

There was pure devotion in Thomas’s voice as he spoke of his son.

“You don’t know what it’s like—watching your reason for being fade.” There was a lost sound in Thomas’s voice. As if he still didn’t understand how he’d ended up where he was. “You’re not supposed to bury your children, Aileen. Even humans understand this.

“I pretended to understand when he told me he didn’t want to be like me.” Thomas’ laugh was rough. “Though I admit, I was never certain what was so wrong with me that the very idea of becoming a vampire was anathema. I accepted my child’s decision, though.”

His gaze found mine, the pain in his eyes stealing my breath. “Years went by. I watched him get older. Each sunrise and sunset putting him a little closer to death.” He looked away with a shrug. “In the end, I snapped. He’s never forgiven me for that.”

I licked my dry lips, not knowing what to say to that.

“Centuries later and I’m still paying,” he whispered.

I wasn’t sure I was meant to hear that last part.

Thomas’s regret vanished like smoke. His gaze steady as he regarded me. “So, yes, I prefer you choose the option that is less likely to lead to your death.” He inclined his head. “But I know you won’t. You’re nothing if not predictable when the safety of your loved ones is involved.”

And here I thought we were having a moment. Then he had to go and ruin it.

“Call Connor back before you and Liam take off,” Thomas ordered, changing the subject. “He won’t listen to me, but I know he will you.”

“Wouldn’t it be good for us if he tracked Ahrun down?”

It seemed like an opportunity to remove the ancient from the chess board. If Dominick and his sire couldn’t find Ahrun, they might think twice about pursuing this course.

Thomas shook his head. “That would be unwise. Connor and Ahrun’s relationship is a tad fraught.”

That was ironic coming from him.

Thomas made a face. “Connor believes my father is responsible for his enslavement by Niamh.”

“Is he?”

“It’s impossible to tell,” Thomas admitted with a calm that made me want to shake him. “Ahrun’s disappearance coming almost immediately after Connor’s does seem to support that theory.”

“And you’re not angry about that?” I asked.

Thomas’s eyes landed on me. My mouth dried up.

Oh.

“Leave my relationship with my sire to me. For now, all you need to know is that it’s unwise for those two to meet.”

The SUV rolled to a stop, saving me from having to think of a suitable response.

To my surprise, we were nowhere near the Gargoyle or my house. Eric had taken us to the northwest side of the city. Somewhere close to the Scioto River and Bridgepark.

Liam climbed out, heading for an identical looking vehicle not far away.

“What happens if Dominick finds Ahrun first?” I asked.

“Is that concern for your sire I sense?”

“Never mind.” I slammed the door shut.

Worry was a waste of time when it came to him.

The window of the door I’d slammed rolled down to reveal Thomas’s face. “You don’t need to worry, my youngest. I’ve been playing this game for a very long time. I am not the easy prey they assume.”