by Kira Hillins
“Husband.” Madeline took hold of Gerard’s hand. “Everyone here has secrets. There is nothing to forgive you for.”
Tristan sneered. “I want to know everything about Ivan. Places he has stayed. People he knew.”
“I haven't seen or heard from him since he faked his death.” Gerard shrugged. “I didn’t even know he was alive. If you allow me to speak with the Elders, we can spread the word. We’ll have eyes all over the world. Someone will have seen him.”
“No.” Anna said her first word since Gerard and Madeline had flown through the open balcony door. “We’re already in trouble for letting Madeline go. How do you think they’ll react to the rest of the story? Not well, I imagine.”
Gerard cast a reassuring grin. “I have already smoothed out the ruffles about Madeline, Lass. As you see, my wife is in perfect health. You were acting on my orders—a test to see how she’d react to being set loose in society. No offense, Love.” He patted Madeline’s hand, though she didn’t seem torn about it as she leaned against his arm.
“I am curious,” Madeline said to Anna. “What was it like to carry a child inside you?”
Tristan’s eyes radiated a tint of red. “You dare ask her—”
“—it’s okay, Tristan,” Anna said in a soft voice. He leaned back in the couch as she tucked her arm under his. He clasped his fingers through hers then gave a short nod. “It was difficult. My feet ached and I was nauseated every day. I was tired, but then, they’d made me take pills so I would sleep. They’d strapped me down to my bed at night so I wouldn’t wander outside or into someone’s room to feed. They’d drugged me to make me forget who I was.”
The room grew still as everyone stared at her. Tristan’s long face said what everyone else was thinking. Anna had suffered through so much pain. It was a wonder why she hadn’t broken down into a sob.
Anna gave a short, sad smile. “It was also wonderful; to feel life moving inside me knowing she was created with love. Every day, every hour and minute, I envisioned holding her in my arms. I couldn’t wait to share my love with a child I never believed possible. And Tristan…” She looked up into his eyes. “I couldn’t wait to see you holding her in your arms. All I ever wanted was to make you happy, to see you smile, and I…I’ve failed.”
Her face puckered as she rose from the couch. She leaned against the hearth as she cried in her hands.
Jack wiped his wet eyes. This was too much to watch. He couldn’t bear to see Anna in so much pain and heartache.
***
Tristan wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “It’s okay.” His voice was soft in her ear. “I’ve got you.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She hadn’t meant to break down like this in front of company, but the memory was too fresh in her mind. If the ache in her heart would just go away.
“There is nothing to apologize for.” He curled his arm under her chin and palmed her cheek. “It will take time to heal.”
Gerard heaved a sigh as he and Madeline stood. “Don’t worry, Lassie. I will make the Elders understand what happened. In the meantime, I suggest you both stay here until this blows over. Or better yet, maybe you should find a more secluded place. If word gets out about all of this, and I imagine it will, you two will be a very popular couple.”
Anna would like to keep this whole ordeal quiet, but she trusted Tristan’s judgment. She believed in Gerard to do what was right for all of them. If she and Tristan had to leave town, then that’s what they’d do. Start over somewhere else. Somewhere new and far away from this place. A place nobody would ever think to look.
“Thank you, Gerard.” Anna shivered as she hugged the short, rugged man. “And Madeline,” Anna hugged her too. “I want you to know that I forgive you.”
“Oh, Anna.” A grin crept across Madeline’s face. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”
“Forgive is one thing,” Jack said as he headed for the front door. “Forgetting…well, that’s another.”
As Tristan locked the balcony behind Gerard and Madeline, Anna hugged Jack at the front door. “Thank you for everything.”
“I’d do anything for you, Anna.” Jack gave her a gentle squeeze. “If you need anything, you’re always welcome at my house. You know where the spare key is.”
Tristan shook Jack’s hand. “I am in your debt, Jack," he said with a nod. "You took care of her when I could not. If there is anything I can do to repay you.”
Anna kissed Jack’s cheek, and his face warmed beneath her cool lips. “I’m happy you’re home, both of you.” He grinned as he walked out into the night. “I’ll visit sometime. Maybe we could all take a midnight stroll down the beach or something.”
His nervous laughter enlightened her. It also amused Tristan, for he genuinely grinned at his new friend.
As they watched Jack drive down the driveway, Elric landed on the crumbling sidewalk. A chill shimmied up Anna’s spine as he stepped into the house dressed in a long maroon wool coat. His brows arched as he looked down at her.
“I heard about what happened.” He bowed slightly. “I came to offer my condolences.” His gaze followed Tristan who moved to Anna’s side. “To both of you.”
“Thank you,” Tristan said as he shook Elric’s hand.
In all the chaos, Anna had forgotten all about Elric and the dream she’d had of him. She’d never told Tristan about it. She’d never had time to tell him. Maybe it had been a nightmare, though the mark on her arm told her different.
She ran her hand over her forearm then glanced down. The scar was still there. What was she to do? Say something about it? Let it go and mark it all out as some strange phenomena?
“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.” Elric held his dark gaze to hers. “If I had known about your pregnancy, I would’ve offered you my protection.”
“But you did know about it.” Anna held out her forearm to show him the scar. She had to know. It didn’t matter what happened or if this turned into a fight. She’d been through enough bullshit lately to care about anything other than the truth. “You preyed on me while Tristan was away then marked me with this. Why?”
“I’m sorry. What? What are you talking about?” Elric arched his brows as he looked at Tristan. “Oh, I understand. Losing a child is quite difficult. I imagine she’s not quite back to herself.”
Fire spread through her veins. She placed her hands on Elric’s chest and shoved hard. He stumbled a few steps back, but caught his balance on the wall. He leaned back as Anna stared up at him.
“Don’t you dare deny it. You made this scar.” She slapped his chest with open palms. “You had me sneak into the penitentiary to talk to Madeline. Why?” When he didn’t answer, she shoved him harder. “Answer me!”
“Anna.” Tristan clutched her shoulders. He tried to pull her away from Elric, but she wouldn’t budge. Not until she got the answers. “I apologize for her behavior,” Tristan continued. “But she has been through a lot. She needs to rest.”
She fisted Elric’s collar and slammed him into the wall. If she could throw him through the stone and rip out his throat, she would do it in a heartbeat. “You tried to seduce me while Tristan was away. You told me to leave him so you and I could raise my child together. You’re the reason why I left with Madeline. Oh God!” Her stomach churned. “You’re behind all of this. You set this whole thing up. You plotted with Ivan to lure me away from Tristan, didn’t you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Elric snorted a laugh. “Tristan. Get your crazy witch off me.”
Tristan enclosed his hand around Elric’s throat. As he lifted him up the wall, he growled. “Answer her.”
“You do…realize…” Elric struggled to speak. “I’m your ruler. You’ll be in a heap of trouble if you don’t let go.”
“I do not care.” Tristan sneered, fangs out and ready to tear into Elric. “If you orchestrated this to steal my child, then confess. I will make your death swift.”
Elric
stared down into Tristan’s eyes. Even as Tristan squeezed his throat, the smirk on his face would not leave.
“I believe you.” Elric choked out. “Fine. Fine. It’s true. I did come to Anna in hopes she’d run away with me, but my plans went south. Let me down and I’ll tell you everything.”
Tristan let go. Elric dropped to his feet then leaned over his knees. He rubbed his sore throat as Tristan led Anna toward the fire.
“Yes. I conspired against you.” Elric cleared his throat. “But, hear me out before you get all bent out of shape.” He coughed as he walked toward Anna.
Tristan stepped in front of her, his arm protectively over her front. “Stay your distance.”
“I swear I’m not here to hurt anyone.” Elric leaned around Tristan. He caught Anna’s gaze, then motioned with a glance at the mark on her arm. “I’ll remove it if you’ll let me.”
Tristan turned his head to the side, brows low against his eyes. When she nodded, he let Elric pass. “Touch her and you die.”
“Yes, I know.” Elric said in a nonchalant tone. “Don’t worry. This won’t hurt a bit.”
Anna lifted her arm. “What was this for anyways? And why?”
Elric waved his hand over the line embedded in her skin. “Call it a vampire tracking device. A small spell I learned from my step-mother. I had to be sure you made it safely to the crypt with crazy Madeline.”
Anna shook her head. “Why?”
“I was supposed to meet you there. Once I had you, I’d hoped Tristan would blame your disappearance on Madeline. But then someone kidnapped you before I got there.”
Anna watched the line on her arm disappear. Thank God she wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore. Still, none of this made any sense yet.
“It was Ivan.” She despised that name. As long as she lived, she would hate that man for what he’d done. “I’m not sure how I got to the convent.”
“What do you remember?”
“I remember a bright light had surrounded me in the graveyard. I woke up strapped to a bed. They told me a hunter had found me on the riverbank and brought me to the convent. They drugged me. Brainwashed me into forgetting who I was.”
“I’m sorry, Anna.” Elric stared down at her. “Although you probably won’t believe me, I never meant for any of this to happen. If the plans were followed to a T, you would be with me now. Safe. And maybe your child would be alive too.” Anna’s heart dived at the mention of her daughter. “I never would’ve allowed anyone to hurt you. But, Ivan betrayed me. He went behind my back.”
Tears crept into her eyes. “Didn’t you know where to find him?”
“No. He’d moved his convent without my knowledge.” Elric shook his head. “I…I am ashamed. I’ve ignored a lot of things during my reign, things I should’ve been aware of. But in my defense, Ivan is creature like none other. I have known him all my life. He is a force to be reckoned with. A slippery snake. He has this way of bending the will of others and taking control. Damn it! I should’ve searched harder for you.”
“When we met in the forest…” Tristan balled his hands into fists. “You knew about Anna but refused to tell me. Bastard!” Tristan was about to blow off steam on Elric’s face, but she couldn’t let him do it. Not yet. Not until Elric confessed all of his sins.
“I know I should’ve.” Elric gazed at Tristan; face long, eyes filled with remorse. The man looked in turmoil, as if he’d lost his best friend. Or maybe this was fear that Tristan might let loose his demon and kill him. “There’s so much to tell you, but I’m not sure where to begin. Maybe you should sit down.”
Tristan clenched his teeth. “I am fine where I stand.”
“All right, but I warned you.” Elric looked at the ceiling, the wall, the balcony. It was obvious he struggled to find the words. “Let me start at the beginning, well, sort of the beginning. More like, in between’ish.”
Tristan fisted his jacket. “Talk.”
“I’m trying.” Elric pressed his fingers to his temple. “Okay. So the truth is I’ve followed you for centuries. Actually, I followed Anna’s bloodline through you.”
Tristan let him go. His brows lowered as he drew a step back. “What are you talking about?”
“You were always there waiting with a shred of hope for humanity, not realizing that it was all a facade. There is no real cure for vampirism. Not through a lab anyways.” Elric reached out to palm Tristan’s shoulder, but Tristan stepped back. “It broke my heart to see you so miserable. I wanted to talk to you, to let you know you weren’t alone, but I wasn’t allowed to. Ivan wouldn’t let me. Now I wish I would’ve broken the rules.”
Tristan scoffed. “More lies.”
“I swear on mother’s grave that I’m not lying.” Elric strode to the kitchen and leaned his elbows against the counter. “Do you remember Sia—the mother who came here that fateful rainy night?”
“My mother,” Anna whispered as goosebumps spread over her skin.
“Yes.” Elric gazed at her. “I was the monster who chased her here. I was after her baby, but she made it to your door before I could grab her.”
“Sia.” Tristan looked like he was going to be ill as he leaned back against the wall.
“Ivan ordered me to kill you and take the child. I almost did. I’d gotten to the balcony door when I had a change of heart.”
Tristan sneered. “What changed your mind?”
Elric grinned. “For the first time ever, you smiled. Centuries of misery seemed to melt away and it broke my heart. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bring myself to send my own flesh and blood further into despair.”
Tristan’s eyes widened. “Flesh and blood?”
“Yes.” Elric stood upright. “You’re my…my older brother.”
Anna’s heart sank. She felt Tristan’s pain. His heartache. His own family had cast him out and plotted against him. For what reason? What had he done that was so wrong?
“Brother?” Tristan raised his glaring eyes to Elric. “My brother hid in the shadows my entire life. He conspired against me with my father. Why?”
“Dear old dad is one bad man. He’s always craved power, hence the reason he took an angel for a wife.” Elric shoved his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, and then strode toward Tristan. “He was the right hand of hell’s soldier. The original soldier.”
“Hell’s soldier?” Anna shuddered. “That sounds downright frightening.”
“Sounds scary, but he was actually a good guy. Married to an angel. Had sons. Typical family man who lived on a cul-de-sac. He kept our kind in line, like the way I do. Or try to anyways.”
Anna cocked her head to the side. “So how’d you get to be king of vampires?”
“King of vampires. I like that.” Elric chortled. Seeing neither Tristan nor Anna shared in his amusement, he shrugged. “Dad came for me when I was ten. He took me under his wing and taught me how to fight. He told me about our past, about angels and the power they possess. On my twenty-fifth birthday, he put the demon inside me. When hell’s soldier stepped down from the throne, he made me ruler.” He gave a heavy sigh. “Anyway, after you were born, Tristan went into hiding. Ivan and I decided we too would wait until you were old enough to bear children. Dad left me with specific instructions to keep an eye on you, but I got busy with ruling. Dad stayed hidden at the convent. I hadn’t even given much thought about anything until Tristan showed up with Gerard. By the time I was ready to put the plan in motion, Anna was already pregnant. I mean, time flies when you’re having fun ruling an entire collective of vampires. Right?” He scratched his jaw with his fingers. “I was absolutely stunned and mortified. Dad was so pissed that our plans went awry.”
Tristan sat on the couch. He rubbed his face between his palms as he took all this in. Anna could see he wasn’t sure how to feel or what to think. This was too much for him to process.
“What now?” Anna asked with a waver in her voice. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know why Elric was here. Surely after his fat
her’s betrayal, he’d want nothing to do with this. “Will Ivan come after me again? Or, are you here to take me away? Because, I’d rather die.”
“Gwen’s craft is powerful enough to block my connection, so I have no idea where Ivan’s run off to. But don’t worry.” Elric stood before her with a grin on his face. “Please, don’t get me wrong, because you’re beautiful and would make a very good wife, but I swear I never wanted any of this. From the very beginning, all I ever wanted was to be hell’s soldier. I desire to be a great ruler, a true king of vampires. Having a so-called messiah to rule heaven and hell doesn’t interest me when I’m perfectly happy here on Earth. Not to mention women flock around me.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “You belong with Tristan. I only hope he’ll forgive me and maybe call me brother someday.”
Tristan didn’t respond. How could he? Elric had given him a lot to process, maybe too much. It was enough that they’d lost a child because of this man.
Anna didn’t want to think about any of this anymore. All she wanted was to be alone with Tristan. To mourn with him. To be with him. They’d barely had any time to themselves since he’d found her at the convent. She was desperate to feel his arms around her in their bed.
Anna opened the front door. A gush of wind blew into the room. “You should go.”
“Yeah.” Elric stared at Tristan who didn’t budge from the couch. He wouldn’t even look at him. “For what it’s worth, my brother, I am sorry about all of this. You always have a place on my council. And I’m placing you both under my protection. That I swear on our mother’s grave.” He gave a solemn grin and a short bow, and then left the house.
Tristan slammed the door shut then locked it. He moved the thin black curtain in the small window aside. Once Elric disappeared from the sidewalk, he turned around.
