21. TWENTY ONE
twenty-one“Oh shit!” I breathed, staring at the spot where Dominick had just been. Death had come swiftly and silently. One second, he was there. The next gone. Dead. Kaput.
I shook my head wordlessly, feeling a faint sense of revulsion.
Connor was as close to dumbstruck as I’d ever seen. The sound of crunching came as Alches finished devouring every bit of Dominick. Down to his very bones.
Alches’s form had lost definition, morphing into something that was closer to a dense shadowy blob. No amount of straining on my end enabled me to peer through those shadows. Even my other sight couldn’t penetrate the darkness. Not that I tried too hard.
Some things weren’t meant to be seen. I had a feeling this was one of them.
A second later the shadows reformed into the familiar figure of my dog. Alches licked his jowls and whined in satisfaction.
I wasn’t sure what to say as he trotted toward me. The situation had changed too fast for my brain to keep up. I was still processing the fact we were safe when moments before I’d been pretty sure we were about to be dead.
Alches tried to lick my face, which broke me out of my stupor.
I batted him away. “Stop that.”
Alches’s followed me with his wet nose as I tried to duck out of reach. Mostly unsuccessfully.
“No licking—especially after you just ate someone.”
A girl had to have standards. Right now, mine were not getting up close and personal with the mouth that had just gobbled someone down like they were a happy meal.
It was a sad comment on what my life had come to.
It was only when he’d finished his inspection that Alches sat down with another whine. He thumped his tail on the ground and gave me puppy dog eyes.
My heart softened. “We are in so much trouble.”
I scratched behind his ears as I considered our situation. I was pretty sure Liam and Thomas were planning on using Dominick as a hostage against Vitus. At the very least, they could have used him as leverage.
That couldn’t happen now.
Whether Dominick was guilty of conspiring with the hunters or not, Alches had killed a representative of the council who was owed due process before his execution.
We were so far up the creek that I wasn’t sure there was a way back.
“Yes, you are,” Thomas agreed from a few feet away.
There was a pop of air as Liam joined the group, his relief at finding me alive and whole making me forget the severity of the current situation.
I smiled at him. “Eric and Daniel?”
“Injured but alive,” he informed me. “Daniel got the worst of it. He took four bullets to protect me. Joseph is with him now.”
That was a relief. I was worried when I’d seen him go down.
“Tell me that’s not a realm guardian,” Thomas said in a neutral tone of voice.
I made big eyes at Liam.
His lips twitched but he made no move to intervene on my behalf. Instead, he knelt beside me. He lifted his wrist to his mouth, sinking his teeth into it before holding it up to my lips.
I took his wrist, licking the trail of blood that had escaped before closing my mouth around the wound he’d made. Fire lanced my veins, forcing me to bite back my moan of pleasure.
Liam folded me into his embrace, holding me closer as he stroked my hair in a soothing gesture.
The sound of someone’s approach made his hand slow.
“Free Connor,” he ordered.
I was too busy feeding to see who had come, but I heard their footsteps and then the clink of metal as they helped Connor unwrap the chains.
I rolled my eyes in their direction, finding Anton carefully lifting the silver over Connor’s head as my brother slipped under them. Everywhere the chains had touched left blistered and bright red skin.
The careful way Connor moved showed how much pain he was in as he sat on the ground, massaging his limbs with a grimace.
Anton held out his hand to help him up. Connor took it with a grateful nod.
Thomas was still focused on his earlier question. He pointed at Alches. “Were you aware of this?”
Liam’s deadpan look was his answer.
Thomas put his hands on his hips, his face upset. “This is going to be a problem.”
I swiped my tongue over the wound on Liam’s wrist to close it up. “Can’t we claim not to have seen where Dominick went after he ran away?”
After all, there was no body. Nor would anyone ever find one. As humans would say—no body; no crime.
Thomas sent me a repressive glare. “There’s no hiding this. His sire would have felt his death.”
“Technically, you didn’t see what happened. You could plead ignorance,” I pointed out.
Thomas did a very good impression of a man channeling patience as he pinched the bridge of his nose, looking like he was counting backwards from ten.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Thomas. If Alches hadn’t eaten him, he would have killed Connor and me.”
I was really glad that hadn’t happened so I didn’t regret his death. It was a pity it might cause problems for us, but that was it.
I lifted my gaze to meet his. “I don’t see what the issue is. You would have killed him in the challenge anyway.”
Thomas frowned. “I wasn’t going to kill him though.”
I stopped to raise my eyebrows at him. He wasn’t?
“I planned to torture him a little before taking him captive. He would have been leverage against his sire.”
“That would only have worked if Vitus held any attachment to his progeny. We both know he doesn’t,” Liam said, glancing over as Eric arrived. The only sign the enforcer had been in a battle was a tear in his shirt and the slightly messy state of his hair.
Thomas acknowledged Eric with a nod, still focused on our conversation. “Maybe, but he wouldn’t have been able to weaponize Dominick’s death to force the council to move against us.”
“That is a problem. Your problem.”
Thomas gave Liam a dirty look. “You always leave the mess for me to clean up.”
Liam suppressed a smile. “You wanted to rule. This is the price.”
Thomas scoffed. “That’s rich coming from the former clan chieftain who taught me everything he knew about ruling.”
Liam inclined his head. “Unlike you, I learned early how overrated it is being in charge. Nothing but one massive headache.”
Thomas made a disgusted sound as he pinned me with a look. “What about Ahrun?”
I shook my head. “I was unconscious when he left me here. Connor said he took off without a word.”
“It’s good he didn’t kill you,” Thomas said.
I shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t like the taste of my blood.”
Thomas’s gaze was speculative as if he realized there was more to the story than I was telling. I tried to look as innocent as possible. I was a little confused as to everything that happened and what I had done. Until I knew more, I was keeping silent.
Thomas didn’t pry any further, walking away as Liam lifted his chin at Eric in a silent order to report.
Eric didn’t move for several seconds. “You have six direct subordinates. Triple that if you count those who report to your directs. You don’t find your statement to Thomas about leading at all ironic?”
“That’s pleasure. It’s totally different,” Liam answered.
Eric made a hmm sound before giving his report. “All of Dominick’s vampires are dead. A few hunters were seen escaping in a vehicle. Our people are hunting them down now. Joseph is overseeing the transport of our injured.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “You mean Daniel.”
Eric and Liam were here. So was I. Daniel was the only one left unaccounted for.
Eric inclined his head.
I snickered. “Has he started complaining yet about the rust on the rebar that skewered him.”
“There may have been mention of it.”
I laughed.
Liam caught me as I tried to roll to my feet, scooping me into his arms to follow in Thomas’s wake.
“I can walk, you know,” I informed him.
“It’s just as easy for me to carry you.”
I relented. “Alright—but only because I know it’ll make you feel better after the night we had.”
And not because I was exhausted and weak from blood loss. Or that I was pretty sure I would fall flat on my face if I tried to stand on my own.
“Of course. I’d never think it was for any other reason,” Liam assured me with the tiniest quiver to his lips that told me he saw through my ruse.
I ignored him, moving my head so I could look at Connor, who was following beside us. “You okay?”
“It’s not the worst few days I’ve experienced.”
I grimaced. “I hate to tell you this, but that’s not as reassuring as you think it is.”
Surprise registered on his face. “Oh?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Not even a little bit. We’ll work on it though.”
Connor bowed his head slightly. “I appreciate that.”
Thomas’s abrupt halt ended our conversation.
An irritated growl left Thomas’s throat. “They’re here.”
Alches went on point. The shadows on the ground partially swallowed him in the same trick he’d performed in the Blue Pepper, making him both there and not there at the same time.
Connor moved protectively in front of me as Liam and Anton stepped up to Thomas’s back. Eric was a calm presence to our side as the pressure in the air popped.
Suddenly, there were three vampires dressed entirely in black and wearing enough hardware to tell me that this wasn’t a house call.
Their stances were vigilant as the one in the center addressed Thomas. “You’ve been summoned by the council to defend your deeds this night.”
Thomas acknowledged the order with a short nod.
The vampire inclined his head. He and the one on his left vanished the same way they’d come. The last vampire lifted two fingers in lazy salute at Liam before following.
“They never told us where you were supposed to go,” I said softly.
“They don’t need to.” Thomas and Liam shared a long look that ended with my sire’s tired nod.
“Let’s go,” Liam instructed as Thomas started moving again. “The council isn’t to be kept waiting.”
The drive to the Gargoyle was tense, with very little conversation. Thomas was lost in his thoughts. No doubt considering his tactics for the upcoming confrontation.
I hesitated to use the word battle because I was really hoping it wouldn’t come to that.
We were already tired from one fight. The potential of a second one so soon after the first was disadvantageous for our side. We hadn’t even had time to lick our wounds before being thrust into the fast pace that came with war.
I leaned against Liam, trying to recoup a little of my strength before I might have to fight again. Liam’s blood had helped, but I still felt about as strong as a wet noodle.
“I forgot Deborah,” I said, wanting to kick myself.
“She’s fine. She returned with Joseph and Daniel to the Gargoyle.”
“What’s going to happen to her?”
Liam’s hesitation had me lifting my head in question.
“She didn’t knowingly betray you.” Liam eased me back into my reclining position. “And since Chadwick is now dead, she no longer presents a security threat.”
I released the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. I’d been more worried about her fate than I wanted to let on.
“So, she’s safe,” I said, wanting confirmation.
“As long as someone is willing to claim her as a permanent companion. Not a temporary one who can be given back at any time,” Thomas said from the front seat.
I frowned at him.
Thomas’s silvery eyes met mine. “No other vampire in my court will touch her after this. Either someone claims her or she’s black listed.”
“That’s not fair,” I protested.
Thomas faced front. “That’s how life is sometimes.”
Liam touched my face, forcing me to look up at him. “He’s not doing this to be cruel. Deborah has already rejected one vampire’s protection, and the fact she was used to compromise your safety means no other vampire will risk taking her in.”
“You’re telling me it’s me or no one.” My frown was fierce as I removed Liam’s hand from my face. “Funny how that works. I’m forced to take a companion I don’t really want.”
“You could allow her to return to the human world,” Thomas offered.
“You know I can’t do that.”
It would be practically a death sentence even if she didn’t have a relapse. Other supernaturals would be able to detect the small traces of vampire blood still flowing through her veins. They’d see her as an easy target.
I knew what it was to be considered free game. I couldn’t do that to her.
“Then your path is clear.”
“Every time I think we’re making progress, you kick us right back to the beginning,” I snarled.
He’d won. I’d take a companion. Just like he wanted.
“One day you’ll see that not everything I do is designed to force your compliance,” Thomas sighed.
I pushed off Liam’s lap, sitting straight in the seat next to him. “What are you even doing here anyway? I thought you had a challenge to meet?”
“You can thank your harpy for that,” Thomas informed me. “When she saw hunters closing in on the part of the city where you were heading, she sent someone to warn me. I appointed a proxy to fight for me.”
“Bold move,” I said, a little impressed.
“The same one Dominick made.” Thomas glanced at Liam. “Nathan acquitted himself well from what I hear.”
Liam nodded as we turned onto the street of the mansion. The gate was already open. Someone had ripped it off its hinges and flung one side into the topiary garden and the other into the driveway.
“I guess that answers the question of if they came in peace,” I muttered.
“The council is rarely peaceful.” Thomas shoved out of the car as the rest of the convoy moved into the driveway. He stalked up the steps of the mansion.
“No rest for the wicked,” Liam said, offering me his hand to help me out.
I took it, forcing strength into my legs as he led me up the steps behind Thomas. Connor caught up to us as we reached the door. I didn’t need to ask to know what was expected of me. A united front. That’s what we needed to show the council.
I released a shaky breath as we reached the ballroom. Liam dropped my hand with a reassuring gaze before taking the step that would place him beside Thomas.
“Don’t let them know you’re scared,” Connor whispered in a voice so low I could barely pick up the words.
Got it. Treat the council members like feral dogs that might attack at the slightest trace of fear. Sounded easy enough.
My sire swept into the ballroom. The rest of us followed after him in a show of force that I’m sure looked impressive. Eric and Anton were right behind Connor and me. The vampires Thomas had brought with him as reinforcements were last in line, bringing up the rear.
Nathan was waiting for us at the end of the room. A bloody mound of clothing lay at his feet. It took a moment to understand that the “mound” was actually a vampire that wasn’t moving.
“I take it you won,” Liam said.
“Did you ever think I wouldn’t?” Nathan saluted Thomas and Liam.
The Patriarch of Clan Glaise and the Matriarch of Clan Davinish stood at his back in support. Those vampires loyal to them were arranged behind them.
An invisible divide lay between them and the group I suspected were the traitors Makoto and Thomas had identified. There were more of them than I’d thought. About two fifths of the vampires in the city. All from clans that had assisted Dominick’s side.
I wondered how they’d felt when his proxy arrived to fight in his stead. Fear? Or when they saw Nathan step up in Thomas’s place, were they overjoyed?
“I see my guests have already arrived,” Thomas said, looking to the small cluster of vampires standing separate from the other two groups.
Power wafted off them. Unmistakable even from this far away.
I recognized a few of them as those who’d presided over Thomas’s ascent to Master of the City.
Jabari was a tall man with piercing amber eyes and skin the color of deepest night. Scars marred the line of his jaw, making him look sinister. The woman next to him, Sophia, was the shortest in their group. She’d been turned as a teenager, her breasts underdeveloped and her face heartbreakingly young.
Two women with the same name in one room. This wasn’t going to get confusing or anything, I thought, looking from the council member to Clan Davinish’s Matriarch who was also named Sofia. Just with a different spelling.
The last member that was familiar to me was a man by the name of Tse. He was my height, with sharp cheekbones that made his features attractive. He had a suave sophistication that only Thomas came close to matching.
The other two were new to me. A woman with long, glossy black hair and delicate makeup. She looked to be from India or somewhere in the vicinity. Her expression held a remoteness similar to what I’d seen in Ahrun’s when he was watching the battle. As if we were nothing more than insects in front of her.
The last man had blond hair that was as long as the woman’s. His square jaw and harsh features gave his face a masculine edge. His aquiline nose reminded me of some of the Roman busts I’d seen in a museum once.
Vitus, I presumed. He gave off the kind of arrogant overconfidence I’d expect in Dominick’s master. He stood a little in front of the other four, reinforcing the impression that he was in charge.
The three vampires who’d “invited” Thomas home stood at the council’s back, along with a handful of others dressed in the same fashion. Enforcers, like Liam and his group, I was guessing.
Their expressions gave nothing away as we approached.
“They arrived a few seconds before you did,” Nathan said, casting an irritated glance at the group. “They’ve been most rude.”
“I see.” Thomas came to a stop in front of the council, sweeping a gaze over them. “The council must be less busy than I thought to have taken such an interest in the internal strife of a territory as unimportant as this one. Going so far as to grace us with their presence, even.”
Vitus’s expression didn’t shift at the mocking sneer in Thomas’s words, his gaze briefly landing on Liam and the other enforcers before roaming the room to find Connor and me. Satisfaction showed on face before he arranged his features in faux sympathetic lines.
Belatedly, I realized that if Vitus’s goal was to wipe out Ahrun’s entire line along with anyone who held a tie to us, we’d made things very easy for him by placing all of his targets in one location. Easy pickings for an attack.
Thomas’s gaze moved to Jabari. “I expected better from you.”
Jabari’s gaze was impassive as he watched Thomas, giving nothing away.
Vitus prowled forward in a predatory movement. “It is the council’s duty to bring criminals to justice. Even if those criminals are a Master of the City, and a former trusted enforcer of ours.”
Liam didn’t react as Vitus’s pointed gaze landed on him. A tiny smile played on Liam’s lips as if he was watching a fool.
“It’s funny you mention criminals,” Thomas drawled. “Perhaps you want to explain why your yearling conspired with hunters to destabilize my city in an effort to challenge me.”
Vitus’s features tightened at the accusation. He held himself very still, fury burning in his eyes as he glared at Thomas. “You must be very careful when accusing a representative of the council of a crime.”
“We have proof,” Thomas hissed, anger momentarily getting the best of him.
Vitus shifted forward, his muscles bunching as he hovered on the cusp of attack. Our side went on alert, Liam and the enforcers closing ranks to protect Thomas.
“What proof?” Jabari asked into the silence.
I glanced at his calm expression, reading something there that I hadn’t before. It seemed Thomas wasn’t without allies on the council. With that question, Jabari had offered Thomas a way out and showed that their silence had its limits.
Thomas recovered his equilibrium. “Aileen.”
I started, suddenly finding myself the center of attention. The worst place to be for someone with as many secrets as I did.
“Lay out everything you’ve found,” Thomas ordered.
I stared at him like he was crazy. What the hell was he thinking?
Reluctantly, I looked at the council. “Last night a vampire and a hunter were killed after placing a bomb under my car.”
“Why is a yearling speaking in front of the council?” Vitus asked with a curl of his lip as he waved at one of the enforcers to shut me up.
I braced as the enforcer started forward, palming my silver knife in case I had to defend myself.
It wasn’t necessary, as Connor put an arm in front of me, holding the enforcer’s gaze as he made it clear that the vampire would have to go through him to get to me.
“Let her speak.” Sophia’s clear, youthful voice rang in the air. “I want to hear what she has to say.”
The enforcer nodded, stepping back to rejoin his companions.
Connor didn’t relax, maintaining his stance as he watched the other side with a vigilant expression.
I cleared my throat. “Witnesses said the two were working together.”
Vitus scoffed. “Why are we listening to this? The bomb didn’t go off. I don’t see how it’s relevant to Thomas’s crime of murdering a representative of this council.”
“It’s important because the vampire in question belonged to Dominick,” Joseph announced, entering the room. He looked at Thomas. “I finished my examination earlier tonight but didn’t have the chance to inform you before the challenge. And all the rest of what happened.”
Thomas nodded, dismissing the apology.
Vitus’s expression had darkened at Joseph’s arrival. He glared at the healer like the vampire had murdered his wife. “You chose the wrong side, old friend.”
“That remains to be seen,” Joseph said calmly.
Vitus clenched his jaw, the muscles flexing as he ground his teeth. “This proves nothing of my yearling’s guilt. The vampire was working alone.”
“Later that same night, Liam and I were ambushed by over twenty hunters. We took three of them into custody for questioning.” I pretended not to see the way the council’s enforcers flicked a look at Liam before examining me more carefully. I thought I detected faint approval on their faces before it was gone. “One of them was quite forthcoming. They were promised a council member’s blood so they could be inducted into the ranks of the hunter born.”
That caused a reaction in a few of the council members. Tze and Sophia, the council member not the matriarch, flashed their fangs as anger lit their expressions.
“Nonsense—no member of this council would do something like that,” Vitus dismissed.
Tse and Sophia looked at the council member whose name I didn’t know. The dark-haired woman inclined her head. They relaxed, losing some of their anger.
Thomas’s intelligent gaze saw all of it. “Maybe this person wouldn’t go that far, but I’m certain they’re not above promising things they have no intention of delivering.”
The observation brought a thoughtful look to the faces of several of the council members. Jabari and the strange woman were the only two whose expressions remained closed off.
Vitus seemed to realize he was losing them so he went on the offensive. “This changes nothing. Whether Dominick did or did not conspire with hunters, he was a representative of this council. His death was ours to decide. Not yours.”
“Do you have proof of his death?” I asked, pushing Connor’s arm out of the way and stepping forward.
Thomas closed his mouth in the process of rebutting Vitus’s statement, sending me a thoughtful look but not interrupting as I reached his side.
I took that to mean he trusted I knew what I was doing.
Here’s hoping.
“I felt his passing,” Vitus snarled, doing a good imitation of a person who’d just lost someone close to him. “I experienced his pain and terror as he was murdered.”
“All we have is your word of that. And from what I heard, you have a vendetta against our line.” I glanced at the rest of the council to see how they were taking my words. All I needed to do was create a tiny seed of doubt. Enough for Thomas to do his thing.
Vitus glared at the last council member in silent demand.
Several seconds passed before she stirred. “He speaks the truth of his childe’s death.”
I kept my pulse under control, trying not to show my excitement. I was right. She could detect any lies or truths we were telling. Even if the person speaking was an ancient vampire.
Good. That would make this next part easier.
“Alright but that doesn’t mean any of us killed him,” I said, meeting the woman’s enigmatic gaze. “We did not participate in Dominick’s death. Nor did we order a human or spook to kill the council’s enforcer. In fact, whoever killed him isn’t one of Thomas’s line.”
I’d chosen my words very carefully. Technically, I hadn’t asked Alches to eat Dominick. And Thomas definitely didn’t. You could say Alches did that entirely on his own. The realm guardian also wasn’t one of Thomas’s people—because he was mine.
The corner of the woman’s lips lifted a tiny bit, the only sign of emotion I’d seen on her face so far. “She speaks the truth.”
Vitus’s eyes widened. “Impossible.”
Thomas looked like the Cheshire cat as he smirked.
“If the Master of this City is not responsible for your childe’s death, there is no reason for him to be removed from power,” Jabari intoned.
Vitus got a stranglehold on his anger, an eerie calm replacing it. “There’s still the matter of Thomas’s sire. Ahrun is a clear threat to the covenant. His children have provided safe harbor to him before and cannot be trusted not to aide him again. I move his entire line be placed in the council’s custody until the ancient can be dealt with.”
There was silence as the council members considered Vitus’s argument.
“Ahrun derives power from his progeny. For the good of all, they must be stamped out if we’re to have any chance of ending his threat,” Vitus preached.
I didn’t like the look Sophia and Tse shared. As if they didn’t necessarily relish the proposed plan but might agree with it being the lesser evil. The small victory I’d gained vanished as the balance of opinion shifted back in Vitus’s direction.
See—this was why you couldn’t trust politicians. In what world did something like this make sense?
“I’m hurt that the council I built has been reduced to such a state that they’d target another member’s progeny.”
A man’s honeyed tone echoed through the room, bringing a brief halt to the proceedings. The council members who’d been contemplating our deaths a moment ago went as still as rabbits caught under the gaze of a much larger predator as a man walked into the ballroom.
The stranger effortlessly attracted the notice of those present. His every movement containing a level of charisma I’d only ever seen equaled in Thomas.
There was something familiar about his features that I couldn’t quite place. Like I’d seen him before. But his wasn’t a face I’d forget.
His hair was a deep brown and styled to reveal a broad forehead and a strong bone structure. His skin was a light brown and his eyes a memorable hazel. He looked like he was from a different region of the world. The middle east maybe?
“Wait—are those your clothes?” I asked Connor, recognizing the shirt and pants the man was wearing.
“Yes.” The word sounded like it had been dragged from Connor as he glared at the stranger with a heat that made me realize the man’s identity.
“How?” I asked, not really expecting an answer.
The distance between the cement factory and my house wasn’t that far for an ancient of Ahrun’s age. He could have gone back to a familiar place. In this case, my house. Showered. Changed. And then returned to the Gargoyle.
His wet hair seemed to prove my theory.
What I found more surprising was how much he’d recovered in the short hour since he’d left me beside Connor. His features and body had filled out until he no longer looked like a bag of skin that had been stretched over a skeleton.
“Boys, I’ve missed you,” Ahrun said, placing a hand on Liam and Thomas’s shoulders to give them a warm once over. He pulled them both into a hug, not seeming bothered at the two’s stiff responses.
I don’t think anyone knew what to say as Ahrun released them, acting like he’d been gone a year rather than a few centuries. The confusion on Liam’s face matched my own as Ahrun focused on the council with a predatory expression that raised the hair on the back of my neck.
“I go to sleep for a few centuries and this is what I wake to?” Ahrun purred, observing Sophia and Vitus from beneath lowered eyelashes. “There are a few new faces since I’ve been gone. Perhaps that’s why my council has forgotten their ruler.”
Jabari and Tse’s expressions remained neutral as Ahrun looked away, his gaze landing on the council member standing slightly apart from the rest.
“Navya,” Ahrun breathed in pure delight.
The woman barely reacted as he stopped in front of her, reaching up to circle the fragile column of her neck with his hand.
“I would have thought you, at least, would be the voice of reason,” he crooned.
She lifted her chin to give him better access in a bold move that showed her lack of fear. “Much has changed since you’ve been away.”
Jabari and Tse’s faces were blank, as if they weren’t watching a member of their council being threatened. Sophia looked uncertain for the first time since I’d known her, taking her cues from the rest.
Ahrun’s smile was chilling as he shot a glance at Vitus. “It would seem so, if you’ve let one my cast offs into your ranks.”
“He won his seat through the proper channels,” Navya told him in an unemotional voice.
That was code for “he killed the person who possessed the seat before him.”
Ahrun released Navya’s neck with a cryptic smile. They fear me so they seek to destroy me.
I blinked, keeping the reaction to his voice in my head off my face as much as I could. I’d really hoped his reading my mind had been limited to when I was invading his internal world.
“Why did you threaten my sons and their children?” Ahrun asked, his gaze still on Navya’s but his question meant for Vitus.
“Your madness is a threat to us all,” Vitus started.
Ahrun arched an eyebrow at the woman in front of him. “Do I seem mad to you, my old friend?”
Her forehead furrowed, something like surprise briefly flitting across her face. “No, you don’t.” Her frown deepened as Vitus gave a startled jerk. “I’d really like to know how you did that when I know better than anyone how far your devolution had progressed.”
He lifted a finger to his lips in a playful manner that reminded me of Liam. “A happy accident one could say.”
Navya held his gaze a second longer before turning and walking toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Vitus demanded.
She didn’t slow as she made her steady way out of the room. “There is no need for my presence here any longer.”
Outrage settled on Vitus’s features as Jabari and Tse followed in her wake. “You can’t do this.”
Ahrun studied his fingernails. “It looks to me like it’s already done.” He looked up sharply. “Unless, of course, you wish to challenge me.”
For a second, I thought Vitus would do exactly that. The impulse practically screaming from his body. To my surprise, he backed down, stalking out of the ballroom in a silent fury.
The enforcers were the last to go. The same one from the field offering Liam a respectful nod as he passed. His gaze lingered on me for a second, his lips tilting up before he was gone.
Thomas released a harsh breath. “That was close.”
“It always is,” Ahrun agreed. He stopped in front of me, lifting my hand to his lips. “It’s lovely to see you again, my dear. I was quite impressed with the way you shifted responsibility for Dominick’s death. Thomas chose wisely with you. You’re an excellent addition to our line.”
Connor snatched my hand out of Ahrun’s grasp, sending him an unfriendly look.
“Little sparrow, do you still carry a grudge from all those years ago?” Ahrun asked with an amused chuckle.
Thomas rubbed his forehead. “Father, please stop provoking my children. They’re not the only ones with reason to be upset with you.”
Connor wrapped an arm around my shoulder, still glaring as he guided me away from the ancient. I shot a questioning look at Liam, asking if he needed my help. He waved me away in dismissal as Ahrun faced Thomas.
Nathan stepped over the vampire he’d reduced to a lump of meat, moseying toward us. “What did I tell you about having fun without me?”
“It looks to me like you had plenty of fun on your own.” I shot the body a significant look.
Nathan blew a raspberry. “Child’s play. Nothing more.”
I shot a glance at Liam and Thomas’s serious expressions. “Have you met Ahrun before?”
“He was a force to be reckoned with before his devolution.”
I sent him a curious look, catching both admiration and caution in those words.
Nathan met my gaze with a serious one of his own. “His return means a shift in the balance of power in our world. A lot of things are going to change from here on out.”
Why did I feel like I was the one to blame for that?