6. SIX

sixGwyneth’s tires screeched as I slammed on the breaks. Nathan’s SUV surged into the turn lane and then around us. The rear lights disappeared around the next curve by the time we came to a stop.

Connor shifted in my direction. “What’s wrong?”

I mutely shook my head, my heart pounding with adrenaline as I searched the tree line and the river beyond for the shape I’d seen.

It had been humanoid, right?

It had only been a glimpse, but I thought the figure was tall. Almost skeletal, with scraps of what looked like hair on its skull. Not to mention those eyes. And that voice.

“Aileen, talk to me,” Connor ordered.

Like me, he was on edge. His focus was directed outside the vehicle as he scanned our surroundings.

“We’re being followed.” My fingers clenched the steering wheel before I forced them to relax. “That’s all I know.”

But that was enough.

In my experience, it was never a good thing when you picked up a tail. The last time that had happened I’d wound up kidnapped by Fae then almost murdered by a hunter.

I’d learned to take strange figures in the woods seriously since then.

It was why I found myself putting the car in park and turning off the engine even though this was a horrible place for a pit stop.

This section of the highway was dark except for the faint illumination from the nearby houses. There was a small curve in the road and a dip that limited visibility. Anyone flying through this stretch would be on us before they knew it.

As a vampire, I should survive a head on collision with a car, but I wasn’t in any hurry to test that theory.

Connor took my words seriously, following me out of the car to look around.

Moonlight glimmered off the surface of the river as the trees creaked in the faint breeze. If I concentrated, I could pick out the murmur of humans in the nearby houses.

Nothing sounded out of place. Insects sang to themselves. A bat’s wings flapped overhead to the symphony of slow-moving water. In the distance, an owl hooted.

There was no indication of another’s presence. Not so much as a snap of a twig or the crunch of dead leaves.

“I know what I saw,” I said defensively.

I wasn’t crazy. Something had been out here.

“I believe you,” Connor promised.

Relief filled me as concentration crossed Connor’s face. He listened to our surroundings. A second later, he shook his head in regret. “Whoever it was, I think they’re gone.”

That had been my conclusion too. I no longer sensed the weight of a gaze pressing down on us. Whoever the entity had been, they weren’t there anymore.

“Should we conduct a search anyways?” Connor asked.

It was tempting. I didn’t like the idea of someone following us to our new home. A daytime attack when I was dead to the world was always a concern. It was one of the reasons yearlings were so protected in our society. We were much more vulnerable than our century old counterparts.

“There’s no point,” I said with a shake of my head.

We’d missed our window to catch the entity. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

Teachers had lied to us all those years in school. Sometimes ignorance was better than knowing. Safer, anyway.

“Besides, if we stay any longer, Nathan and Anton are going to come looking for us.”

Connor and I shared a look. Neither of us was thrilled with that scenario. As powerful as the enforcers were, they were a representation of Thomas’s authority. Involving them carried risks neither of us wanted to undertake.

At least not until we had to.

I turned back to the car. Connor sent one last glance at the trees before following me.

“What did you see anyway?” Connor asked as I started Gwyneth.

We eased forward.

“I’m not sure. It barely looked human.”

At least not a living one.

“Can you describe it?”

I nodded, filling him in on the details as we reached a roundabout and took the first exit. We drove over a bridge to the opposite side of the river before threading our way through the secluded neighborhoods there.

“Do you recognize the creature?” I asked as my headlights swept over a driveway that my phone indicated was our destination.

I turned onto it. Gravel crunched as we climbed a slight incline toward a house that was set pretty far back on the property. Invisible from the road due to the large number of trees, it offered the privacy that I’d been looking for.

I could see why Thomas had chosen it. It was a beautiful piece of land. Not flat farm like so many others in the area. It was several acres of forested lot with a ravine running through the back and front.

I hadn’t even seen the house yet.

It was going to be perfect, though. I already knew it. Thomas wouldn’t stand for anything less. How else was he going to manipulate me into accepting a gift I didn’t want?

Connor shook his head. “Without seeing it for myself, I don’t have enough information. There are too many possibilities.”

“One last thing,” I said as Nathan’s SUV and the house came into view. “I heard a voice in my head right before I slammed on the breaks. It was the same one I heard in the diner last night.”

Connor’s features tightened as he turned to stare at me.

I nodded. “My reaction too.”

And why I was so freaked out right now.

First—it broke through my mental barriers like they were a piece of paper. Now, it was tailing us. What was next? An attack?

“Did you tell Thomas about what happened?” Connor asked.

I shook my head. “There wasn’t a chance.”

Truthfully, I’d forgotten all about it two seconds after our arrival. Dominick and the situation with Deborah hadn’t helped.

“Liam knows, though. Nathan told him.”

“If Liam knows, Thomas does too,” Connor said, the note of relief in his voice showing how freaked out he was by all this.

“You don’t think Nathan or Anton could be responsible for our shadow, do you?” I mused staring out my window at Nathan as he sauntered toward us.

I was grasping at straws, but it was a possibility. A slim one, granted.

Connor frowned. “I find it highly unlikely.”

“But not impossible.”

“It’s Nathan,” he said by way of explanation.

A tap on my window ended the conversation. “Are you two going to get out or just sit there?”

I pushed my door open, forcing Nathan to move or get hit. He chose the former.

“Anything you want to say to me?” I asked, climbing out.

“Thanks for throwing the race?” The confusion in his voice made his words more of a question than a statement.

I studied him. He seemed genuine. Then again, this was Nathan.

“I guess it’s a good thing I never took that bet.” This time it was my turn to smirk. “You’re going to have to find someone else to sucker.”

“There’s still time,” Nathan said. “Don’t you worry.”

“What happened anyways?” Anton asked from the porch. “Why did you stop? You might have won if you hadn’t.”

“No, she wouldn’t have.” Nathan folded his arms over his chest as he fixed me with a look. “But Anton has a point. Much as I hate to complain when a competitor self-destructs, it’s not like you.”

“Is this the house?” I asked, looking past him. “Looks interesting.”

It was more modern than I would have expected. With an emphasis on clean lines and strong geometric shapes. Floor to ceiling windows along the length of one wall were a dramatic addition to the design.

“Don’t try to change the subject, A,” Nathan ordered with a frown. “What happened?”

Nathan was like a dog with a bone when he sensed something was up.

“Okay, okay,” I said, giving in. “We thought we saw someone following us.”

Anton stepped off the porch. “Who?”

“They were gone before we could find out.”

“Vampire? Other?” Anton asked.

Connor shook his head. “I didn’t see them so I don’t know.”

The three looked at me in expectation.

I shrugged. “I don’t know either. I only got a brief glimpse and that was it.”

“She also heard a voice in her head,” Connor offered. “The same one as last night.”

A somber look settled on Nathan’s face. “That’s a little concerning.”

Anton excused himself from the conversation, taking his phone out of his pocket and dialing someone. Probably Liam. I watched him place the phone against his ear as he waited for the other side to answer.

“I don’t like that they got so close to your day time resting place,” Nathan said with a troubled glance at the house.

I knew the same worries that had occurred to me earlier were running through his mind.

“Maybe you should think about staying in the Gargoyle or with Liam,” Nathan suggested as Anton’s low rumble came from a few feet away.

Connor shook his head. “With Dominick in town, that’s not an option. He’s probably got people watching both places. It’s safer to keep our distance.”

Nathan eyed Connor with an assessing look. “What’s going on between you two, anyway? You looked like you were going to commit murder last night.”

Connor’s expression was remote. “Personal business.”

Nathan gave him a more thorough once over. “Only as long as it doesn’t affect Aileen or anyone else.”

Connor’s body tightened as he and Nathan squared off.

I stepped between the two of them before violence erupted. “I appreciate your concern, Nathan, but it’s unnecessary. I’m already aware of their history. It won’t be a problem. Will it, Connor?”

Connor relaxed a tiny bit. “No.”

Nathan’s aggression vanished, his charming side making a re-appearance as he flashed a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “That’s good. I’m glad you had that talk.”

That was it? That’s all he had to say after that display?

I gave him a dirty glare, making sure Connor couldn’t see as I mouthed “What is wrong with you?”.

Nathan shrug was dismissive as he pretended not to see my unhappiness.

“We’ve got to go,” Anton said, joining us. “There’s been a hunter attack.”

“They’re back?” I asked, unable to tell exactly what I was feeling at that news.

As dangerous as my world was, the closest I’d ever come to dying was at the hands of a human. A hunter who’d shot me with a bullet made from silver nitrate.

That wound still ached in the early morning hours when the rest of the world was quiet and my mind still.

Anton’s nod was solemn and all three men watched me carefully.

I put steel into my spine, pretending not to see. I didn’t need their pity. I’d survived; the human hadn’t. In my book, that counted as a win.

Even if sometimes I still had nightmares.

“Thomas said I didn’t have anything to worry about anymore,” I said, marshaling my thoughts as I pushed my fear into a box and buried it in the back of my mind.

I’d always known the woman was nothing but a weapon pointed in my direction. There’d been someone else behind her, hiding in the shadows and guiding her actions.

“He did,” Nathan admitted as he and Anton shared a look.

“He must not have done a very good job if they’re back,” I said.

“Hunters have a complicated internal structure.” Anton’s disgruntled frown made it clear he resented that fact. “They mostly operate in cells and small family groups. It makes it difficult to deal with them.”

“They’re not all bad,” Nathan added. At Anton’s look, he rolled his eyes. “They’re not. The council even keeps a few on retainer to hunt those who break our laws.”

Before Anton could respond with the retort I could see forming, the door to the house opened.

“My time is precious and I have a schedule to keep,” Sienna called. “Are you coming in or just going to stand there?”

“She’s coming,” Nathan said as Anton headed for their vehicle. To me— “We’ll keep you informed about the situation.”

I nodded before glancing around in puzzlement. “Where’s Deborah?”

Nathan pointed to the human as she stumbled out of the car, looking a little shell shocked.

“What did you do to her?” I asked.

She looked terrible.

“I don’t think she cared for the car ride,” Nathan said, tilting his head.

“That’s because you drive like a maniac,” Anton called as he pulled the suitcases from the back and set them to the side.

“Are you okay?” I asked Deborah.

Her nod was a little shaky. “I’ll be fine.”

“See.” Nathan punched me in the shoulder. “The human is fine.”

He strode toward the car. Anton shut the trunk and went around to the passenger side as Connor glided toward the house, disappearing inside with Sienna.

Nathan opened his door and stopped. “I know you think you’re indestructible, but try to keep your head down.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you have a distressing tendency to get kidnapped. Let’s try to avoid that, shall we?”

My mouth popped open in affront. “That’s not true!”

Nathan lifted his brows in reproach. I rolled my eyes, conceding his point. Okay. Maybe it was a little true.

He chuckled before sliding into the driver’s seat and closing the door. He started the car, pulling forward.

Anton’s window rolled down. “We’ll try to finish this business quickly so our youngest can return to her trouble making ways.”

“What’s with this ‘our’?” I snapped as Anton winked at me and rolled the window back up.

I didn’t do this shit on purpose. Trouble just seemed to find me. It wasn’t my fault things never seemed to work out how I planned.

Nathan pulled forward as Anton dipped his chin at me.

I turned toward the house to find Deborah waiting for me by the front porch.

“There’s only one rule, Deborah,” I said as I started toward her. “Anything you learn around us stays private. Break that rule and we have a problem.”

Someone else would have promised death or torture as a way to keep her in line. I’m sure Anton would have described in intimate detail his preferred method for dealing with traitors.

That wasn’t me.

Killing someone left a stain on your hands you couldn’t remove. A step like that should only be undertaken when absolutely necessary. It wasn’t that I’d never killed. I had. But never in cold blood and always in self-defense.

I didn’t want to make threats unless I was sure I could deliver. Maybe when push came to shove, I’d change my mind.

For now, though, I’d leave the details to her imagination.

“I understand,” Deborah said.

I hoped so.

“Don’t stand on ceremony and you’ll fit right in.” I reached down to take the heaviest of her suitcases. “Welcome to the mad house.”

I’m sure she’d regret her decision before too long.

Pushing the door further open, I headed inside. Wood floors gleamed throughout. There was a light finish on the wood, the natural tones showing through. It went well with the overall design of the house. A living room and dining area existed right off the entryway. From where I stood, I could see a massive TV on one wall. A couch was in front of it.

A pair of cozy looking arm chairs were arranged in front of the massive windows that offered a scenic view of the woods and property. Already, I could imagine myself parked in one as I spent an evening or morning reading and sipping on a hot beverage as I periodically stared outside.

A dining table that could have seated a dozen people sat across from the kitchen I could only partially see from this position.

Whoever Thomas’s designer was, they’d done an excellent job. The textures and colors worked together without overwhelming one another.

It felt retro with a modern flair.

Perhaps the most important part was that it felt like a home. My home. As if someone had taken a photo of my old place and replicated the best parts here.

My chest felt tight as I took in the space.

Liam had done his best to make me feel welcome in his home, but it wasn’t the same as having a place that was entirely my own. Filled with my things and my presence.

Until this moment, I hadn’t realized how much I’d yearned for that.

I moved further into the space, feeling like I was in a dream. Hearing movement in the kitchen, I headed there, Deborah following.

I rounded the corner to find Sienna standing next to an over-sized island watching Connor press his ear against the wall.

“What is he doing?” I asked, joining Sienna.

As I watched, Connor tapped the wall softly before listening intently. Every few seconds he would move to a new spot and repeat the action.

Deborah stared at him like he was an animal in a zoo. Strange and alien with the potential to cause great harm if not handled correctly.

“I have no idea,” Sienna admitted as more tapping came.

Deborah looked as lost as I was.

Sienna watched for a second longer before turning her attention to me. “Is there anything else you’ll be needing at this time?”

I shook my head. “Not that I can think of.”

“Good,” Sienna said in a brisk voice. “My number is programmed into your phone. Feel free to call me if you have need.”

With one last doubtful look in Connor’s direction, Sienna strode outside, her heels clicking over the wood floor.

I waited until she was gone before turning back to my vampire brother. “What are you doing right now?”

Connor lifted his head from the wall to look at me. “Checking for termites.”

He said it as if it should be obvious.

I nodded slowly, debating whether it was worth my peace of mind to delve further.

“Does that work?” Deborah whispered, looking intrigued.

“I don’t know.”

Vampire hearing was sensitive enough to hear the changes in our prey’s heartbeat. Whether it could also hear a termite burrowing into wood was a mystery. One I’d never expected to have to solve.

“Where did you get this idea?” I asked, having a feeling I already knew the answer.

“Nathan.”

I massaged my temples. I was going to kill that man the next time I saw him. When did he have time to talk to Connor about this? We’d only had the deed for a day.

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” I said finally.

Deborah bit her lip to hide her smile in an admirable bout of self-preservation.

Maybe she’d survive this madhouse yet.

“Nathan said this was the best way,” Connor explained. “Knocking would startle them enough to send them scurrying. It should also tell me if there are any other animals in our walls.”

“Is this why you kept disappearing every time we went to look at a house?” I asked, memories of Connor leaving me on my own with the realtor bubbling up.

His slow blink was answer enough.

“Why are you concerned about termites anyway?” Deborah asked.

“All of the shows on TV agree that mitigating termite damage will be quite costly,” Connor informed her. “Depending on the severity we would need to tear out walls and joists to replace them.”

I knew I shouldn’t have let him binge watch the home improvement networks.

“Would Thomas have given you a house with potential structural damage?” Deborah asked with a confused look on her face.

Connor stared at Deborah long enough for her to become uncomfortable before he shifted his gaze to me in unspoken demand.

“Don’t look at me,” I said with a shrug. “It’s a relevant question.”

Thomas didn’t strike me as the type to give a flawed gift. He was much too snobbish for that. If the house ever had termites, I was sure they were long gone by now.

Connor stared harder at me.

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Do what you want.”

If he wanted to inspect the house, have at it.

“But if I were you, I would start with the basement,” I added. “That’s usually where you find the most things wrong. Including termite damage.”

Connor gave the door off the kitchen a considering look as I started into the living room.

“Take the master,” he called after me.

I waved a dismissive hand at him, not really caring where I ended up. As long as it had a bed and good black out curtains, I was happy. A bathroom would be nice though.

And a closet. A walk-in if I was lucky.

“I can take the smallest room,” Deborah offered as Connor disappeared into the basement.

“No need,” I informed her. “I’m sure there’s no shortage of rooms.”

Knowing Thomas, he’d have thought of everything. I was betting he’d been planning this for a while and had renovated this place from top to bottom long before my old apartment burned down.

“Take whichever one you want,” I added. “As long as you don’t try to kill us in our sleep, we’ll get along great.”

Not that I was really worried about that scenario. Connor didn’t have the same limitations as me. The moment she made a move he’d end her life.

A better person might have reminded her of that fact, but I refrained. You could learn a lot about a person from how they acted when they thought no one was looking. Whether they were selfish or selfless. Malicious or caring. It would be interesting to find out which end of the spectrum Deborah landed.

When Deborah simply stared at me, I gave her an arch look. “Something wrong?”

“Why haven’t you asked me why I rejected Chadwick?”

I threw myself onto the couch, finding it as comfortable as it looked. “Why should I care about that? It’s your business. I don’t make a habit of prying into things that aren’t mine to know.”

I searched around for the TV remote.

“You’re different than I expected.” Deborah crossed the room, plucking the remote from an end table and handing it to me.

I thanked her with a smile and pointed it at the TV.

“Everyone always says that to me.”

I still hadn’t figured out if it was supposed to be a complement or an insult.

The TV turned on, taking us to a home screen of apps. It looked like Thomas had already signed me into a few.

“Don’t worry,” I told Deborah, gesturing for her to join me on the couch. “When it becomes pertinent, I’ll be sure to give you the third degree.”

I opened one of the apps and navigated to a show that was getting a lot of buzz online. It was a remake, this time starring an older version of a fan favorite character. I settled in to see what troubles one sarcastic teen could get into while investigating the murder spree taking place at her new school academy.

“You’re a fan of this show, too?” Deborah asked, resting her butt on the very end of the couch. “What episode on are you on?”

“Three. You?”

“I’ve seen all of it.”

“Do you want to pick a different one?” I asked, holding out the remote.

Deborah shook her head. “No need. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.”

I started the episode from the beginning and hit play.

Deborah started to relax a third of the way through. By the time the halfway point came, she’d found a comfortable spot and snagged a pillow to hug against her chest.

We watched two more episodes like that before her yawns got the best of her.

She waited until the end of the current one before rising and stretching. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to head up.”

I paused the credits. “Have a good night.”

“You too, Aileen.”

She yawned again, stumbling toward her suitcases and grabbing two of them before heading up the stairs.

I tossed the remote on the marble coffee table and flopped onto my side, stretching my legs out on the couch until I was fully reclined.

What a long night.

I listened to Deborah moving around upstairs as she got settled. Letting my thoughts wander, I soaked in the quiet atmosphere. It was nice to have no place to be for once. If I wanted, I could lay here all night before finding my bed come day. What a life.

Gradually, I became aware of Connor sitting on the arm of the couch next to my head.

“Find any termites?”

He shook his head.

“Does this mean you’ll stop knocking on the walls?” I asked.

“For now.”

One corner of his lips tilted up at my snicker.

He changed the subject. “What happened to the human?”

“You mean Deborah?”

He inclined his chin.

“She went to bed,” I answered. “Are you planning to continue referring to her as ‘the human’?”

“It’s best to keep her on her toes,” Connor explained. “You’re kind enough for the both of us. My easy acceptance of her presence might lead her to think it’s okay if she oversteps.”

“And we wouldn’t want that,” I said in a dry voice.

“No, we wouldn’t,” Connor agreed. “I want this to go well. I know how difficult it is for you to see a human as food.”

I studied him quietly, reading the sincerity on his face.

Connor might not be my biological sibling, but he certainly had the big brother act down pat.

“Just don’t be too hard on her. From what I’ve seen, her former master was a bit of a jerk.”

I was betting she had good reason for not going back to him.

Connor dipped his chin in acknowledgment.

I pushed up onto my side. “Are you sure you’re okay with her being here? I never asked your opinion.”

Only now did it occur to me that I’d brought an essential stranger into our lives without discussing it with him. That was an oversight on my part.

Genuine surprise showed on Connor’s face. “You never have to ask my permission for something like that. I trust in your decision.”

A companionable silence fell between us, interrupted only by the faint sounds of the house settling.

“May I ask a question,” I asked finally.

Connor gave me an expectant look that I took as permission.

“How did you survive all those years as a stag?”

“That is a strange topic to bring up after all this time.”

I rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. “I suppose it is.”

He leaned over me, blocking my view. “May I ask why you posed it?”

I was silent for a moment, pondering my answer. “It’s just something that’s been on my mind since I got a glimpse of our stalker.”

Connor’s expression turned thoughtful. “You wonder if they’re a vampire suffering from devolution.”

I knew he was smart.

“It’s an interesting theory. What made you consider it?”

I sat up, turning toward him. “It’s just this sense.”

He’d felt old in my mind. Ancient, really.

There was also something familiar about his presence. Something I usually associated with other vampires.

Then there was his skeletal form. It had reminded me of a dehydrated mummy. Everything about him matched the descriptions I’d heard of a rare phenomenon that only happened to vampires.

Devolution. A state we fell into when we were deprived of blood.

Our bodies rotted around us, leaving our mind intact until the very end. By the point it reached our brain, it was irreversible.

“If it had been true devolution, he would have attacked us as soon as we stepped out of the car,” Connor pointed out.

A disappointed frown crossed my face. “There goes that theory.”

“Not entirely.” Seeing my interest, Connor’s lips quirked. “Ancient vampires have been known to put themselves into an extended state of rest that mimics devolution. Their appearance deteriorates but their minds remain intact.”

“I think I preferred the devolved vampire,” I admitted.

An ancient taking an interest in me? Yeah, there were so many ways that could go wrong.

“Yes,” Connor agreed. “An ancient would create a host of problems for us.”

I slumped into the back of the couch. “Then we’re back at square one.”

Connor patted my shoulder and rose. “To answer your earlier question, I had no need for blood when I was a stag since I was in what is considered a magical state. My normal needs were repressed.”

I had a brief image of Connor, his snout dripping with the blood of forest animals, before I shook it away. “What happened when you returned to your true form?”

There was a brief glimpse of something dark in Connor’s face before his features smoothed into calm lines. “There is a reason I didn’t appear before you for several weeks.”

I was quiet, noting the brittle way he was holding himself.

“You’re not going to ask?” Connor asked with a sharpness he usually reserved for other people. Not me.

“Do you want me to?” I asked carefully.

His face went blank.

I sighed, wishing I hadn’t brought the subject up if it was going to have this effect on him.

“I’m not going to abandon you, Connor,” I promised him.

It was what he was afraid of, I knew. That I would walk away, leaving him alone.

“Is this part of that battle buddy thing,” he asked, no longer as hostile as he’d been a few moments ago.

“You could say that,” I agreed. “I don’t walk away from you. You don’t walk away from me. We always talk things out and have each other’s back.”

Connor’s thoughts were hard to read as he observed me. After a long moment, his lips twitched upward. “You needn’t worry, Aileen. Liam and Thomas were there to monitor me. They ensured no lives were lost.”

I released the breath I was holding, relieved. Despite my big words, I was glad Connor didn’t have the added trauma of taking a life while not in full control of himself.

He rose from the couch and started toward the front door.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“I thought it best to do a perimeter check. Even though I don’t think we were followed, I want to be sure no one is out there watching us.”

I popped up to standing. “Want company?”

“I would never say no to an offer like that, but do you think you can keep up?”

I grinned and started toward him. “I did it before in far worse circumstances, didn’t I?”