by J. A. Saare
I understood why he didn't want me inside, but that didn't make things easier. It wasn't my fault the vampires were afraid of me. I'd only done things to keep the family safe. Well, I had until I'd come face-to-face with Marius. Many of them had been present when the bloodlust hit and I'd lost control. Gabriel hadn't spoken of that night. Since I could enter his head for information, I had done so.
I wanted to know how I'd be received when I greeted his guests.
Nothing I'd found had been flattering or positive. The vampire ruling them adored me and would kill them if they came anywhere near me. For that reason, many of them hoped I'd be hit by a car, bus, or even a train. A couple hoped I'd take a doomed flight and crash in the ocean. Regardless of how I died, they wanted me gone. They'd never say it out loud or make a move because they valued their lives too much, but they wouldn't shed a tear if something unfortunate happened to me.
I decided to eavesdrop and found the cause of the disturbance. Gabriel had dropped the big bomb, getting straight to it. His ability told him which vampires gave fealty because they meant it and which ones did so to save their skin. The ones who weren't up for new management had to go. He didn't want them in New York or any of the surrounding states. If they didn't leave in forty-eight hours, he'd take out their entire family. Four of his guests had just gotten their walking papers, and they weren't happy about it.
The cell in my back pocket vibrated.
I stepped away from the door, removed the phone, and looked at the number. When I saw it was Bane, I went to the stairs, not wanting anyone to listen in, and answered the call.
"What's up?"
"Joshua wants to know when you can help him with his issue." I caught noise in the background, which meant he was dealing with people on the streets. He mingled with humans as much as he did supernatural entities. He watched over everything, making sure things didn't happen to anyone or anything. Selling guns was only a front that allowed him to keep his nose in everyone's business. He used the same tactic as he moved from place to place, getting nice and cozy with those who ran areas and spoke to locals. "I told him I'd ask. What does your schedule look like?"
I leaned against the banister, grateful he'd called me to ask.
As much as I loved Gabriel, I liked making my own decisions.
"I have to stock The Razor, make some calls, and do some hires." Gabriel needed a place to hold meetings, and the club had always been perfect for that. I'd agreed to take over since I had experience in the industry. It was that or bring in someone else, which I wasn't comfortable with. I'd agreed to watch over essential issues until we found a competent manager. Some of the old staff had agreed to return, but we needed a few waitresses, solid security, and people behind the bar. "It should only take a few days. How does next week sound?”
"Peachy. I'll tell Joshua." I heard a rasp against the phone and realized he'd covered the receiver. I heard him tell someone to fuck off. When the noise settled, he came back to me. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm alive." He'd left the house right after my debt had been settled. What Marigold had said about him struck a chord. He'd been eager to leave. "How about you?"
"Alive." He exhaled into the phone. "You and me have things to figure out."
"You're right. We do." I was relieved he felt the same way. There was so much I wanted to know. "Why don't you tag along when I see Joshua?"
He didn't respond right away. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea."
"Why?" I didn't see how it would be an issue.
"My presence will only rile things up."
Whoa. Wait.
"You said it was a poltergeist on land he owns." While it was true that energy built energy, Joshua's problem, to my knowledge, was regulated to an open area and not a home or residence. Thinking I'd been sabotaged, I lowered my voice, trying not to hiss when I informed him, "This better not be another test. The first one was more than enough. I'm not going to keep proving myself, even if you're the one asking me to."
"It's not a test, and it is on land he owns." I could feel him grinning through the phone. Even across a cellular line, he was antagonizing me. "I don't think I should be there because it'll make your job harder. Things get strange when I come around the place."
Not good, but I could handle myself. "Define strange."
"Trees falling down. Streams flooding. Forest creatures running for their lives. Thunder, lightning. A lot of wind and rain. That kind of shit."
That didn't sound good.
I didn't want to be anywhere near that kind of action.
"It sounds like you have more than a poltergeist problem."
"Well, girl," he sighed, back to being the asshole of assholes, aggravation apparent in his voice. "That's why I want you to check things out. We won't know until you go there and see, will we?"
Maybe it was true. Maybe not.
But I owed him, and he knew it.
"I'll go, but we have to meet before I do." I had to know more about the family that had sent him. I also wanted to understand where I came from. "I said I'd take care of the poltergeist, and I will, but I won't do anything until I talk to you. Some weird shit happened when you left me to get Marigold's body." I still sensed people here and there, all of them foreign and strange. "I feel things I can't explain. I want to know why." He didn't respond, and I thought one of us lost our signal. "Hello? Are you there?"
"I'm here." I could hear him breathing, but he didn't say anything for several seconds. "It's going to require more than one conversation. You're at the vampire club?"
"The Razor," I corrected him. "And yes, that's where I am."
"How long will you be there?"
I stifled a groan, not wanting to think about the applicants I'd be screening in another hour. Interviews were always the worst, especially when it came to wait staff. Since The Razor had a reputation, I'd have lazy asses with fake references and inflated resumes. Not to mention vampires who'd expect me to jump for joy when they came in and asked for their jobs back. Even if the doors had been closed for months, word had gotten out that the joint was reopening in a couple of weeks. I'd considered calling my former co-worker Deena. She knew the ropes and got shit done. But that wasn't possible. Even if she hadn't endured trauma that would change her for the rest of her life, she wasn't a proper candidate. Not unless she wanted to become a vampire or servant.
I'd never do that to her.
"I'll be here until the sun comes up."
"That bad, huh?"
I laughed, but it wasn't because I was happy. "You have no idea."
"Then expect me sometime between now and then."
"Sounds like a plan." I grasped the phone, wanting to know one thing. "I have a question."
"Shoot."
I didn't know if it was a good idea to bring Marigold up, but I decided I had nothing to lose. I proceeded with caution, knowing he didn't open up to people. "You were upset when Marigold said that about you. You didn't like it." I took a deep breath, knowing I had to ask. "Why?"
"Hmm," he replied, exhaling into the phone. I waited, wondering if he would tell me. "Pops was there."
Family issues were always a bitch. "Does that matter?"
"It does to me." He sounded much smaller than the man I'd gotten to know, almost like a child seeking validation. "He's a good man, but he struggles when it comes to me."
The admission pissed me off. "He shouldn't. You're his son."
"Maybe, but he still does." Bane's voiced changed, taking on a human-like aspect I hadn't known he possessed. "I'm something he created that he loves but sometimes thinks wasn't meant to be."
Poor bastard. He's looking for his place in the world.
Just like me.
Rhiannon's Law #61: Life sucks for everyone, and misery doesn't give free passes. Even on your most fucked day, it's important to remember that you never know what someone else is dealing with until you walk a mile in their shoes.
"We all have our traumas, asshole. You're not the only
one."
He chuckled like it was what he needed to hear. "That's the princess I know. Blunt, brutal, and straight to the point. Never taking shit from anyone."
"You got that right. No matter what."
I looked down the stairs, thinking about everything I had to do.
There were people to hire. I also had a bar to stock. Several lighting fixtures and pieces of furniture needed to be replaced. I had to contact vendors, reestablish contracts, bring in a cleaning crew, and get the billing in order. Since the doors opened in two weeks, I was on a tight schedule. I wondered if I'd manage to get everything done.
Still, despite the mountain of work ahead of me, I had time.
Even if I didn't, I would make it.
"You should definitely swing by. I've got plenty of alcohol in the pantry. We can sort through our personal shit and drown our sorrows. If the sun comes up, we can do it on our own." Since we had common issues, I told him, "You're not the only one who wonders if you landed in the wrong place at the wrong fucking time. I think about that every day when I open my eyes."
"So we're on the same page?"
And then some. "On the same fucking sentence."
"I'll wrap things up and swing by. I'll see you soon."
"I'll be here." Because he was family, I owed it to him, and he was someone who gave me a chance at a future of my choosing, I added, "You're not alone anymore. I might not be the best listener, but you know where I am if you need me."
He heard me but didn't respond, remaining on the line for several seconds. Then he hung up. I slid the cell into my back pocket, no longer caring about the conversation taking place behind me.
Let vampires deal with their own shit.
I was a human and necromancer who didn't ask for her life but had been given it just the same. I'd been offered a chance at something different, an opportunity to find out where I'd come from. With Bane, I'd finally understand things about myself I'd always questioned, uncovering mysteries that had long eluded me. For the first time in months, the future wasn't doom and gloom.
I was about to get a heaping shot of answers.
The meeting didn't last long. Gabriel never intended to open the floor for discussion. He'd set a schedule for private meetings, told those he wanted gone to leave, and warned what had happened to Marius was child's play in comparison to the punishments he'd dish out if a vampire or any of their family members stepped out of line. In truth, what had transpired wasn't actually a meeting at all.
It was about Gabriel establishing absolute authority.
"Come to me, love," he instructed.
He provided an image, showing me how he wanted things to go. I followed along, opening the door and shouldering through vampires in my path to go where he wanted. I went to the desk and slid into the seat behind it. He wasn't letting any of them leave the room until I was tucked safely behind him. He'd just pissed off several dangerous individuals. He wasn't taking any chances, ready to deliver on his promises immediately if they tried anything. I suddenly realized that was why he hadn't wanted me in the meeting at all. He'd already decided he'd demolish the room if he had to, and he didn't want me there to distract him if things went sour. The room emptied quickly, but Gabriel, Adrian, and Peter didn't move until the last vampire exited the office.
Shit on a stick.
"We'll have to make our move tonight or tomorrow," Peter said solemnly, and my attention darted to him. Gabriel's second-in-command didn't look happy. His amber eyes had darkened, and his expression revealed his torment. "It's not wise to give them time. They'll bring others in for protection. You should take care of things immediately."
Adrian went to a chair across from me, getting ready to look into the future as best he could. "I'll start with Kletter household until you decide what to do."
I realized what they were talking about.
Gabriel had been inside the minds of the vampires he'd told to leave. He knew which ones were considering other options and had to be destroyed. I could have opened my big mouth and offered my opinion, but he'd never left my head. He was so attuned to me he caught each of my rambling thoughts. Since I was also in his head, I witnessed him sort through all of the minds in the room as he also honed on his own thoughts. It was information overload, far too much to take at once. I pulled back, focusing on his emotions.
I felt his regret at what he had to do.
Two families would die tonight, and they would be killed in horrific ways. Witnesses would be brought in to spread the word of what they'd seen. In order to create the same fear and respect vampires held for half-demons, Gabriel had to become a monster they understood. I'd always known he'd have to exert force, aware he meant it when he offered others fair warning, but I'd truly hoped he wouldn't have to endure crude and bloody executions to remind vampires his rules had to be followed. I was supposed to work on reestablishing the club, but I wouldn't let him do something like that alone.
"No," he said quietly and stared at me. The regret vanished, replaced with resolve. He'd warned them. He'd told them what he'd do. Someone in his position didn't have the luxury of remorse. "You'll stay here and take care of the club." He nodded at Adrian. "Go to the car and start. We'll be down shortly. Do Kletter first and then Stewart. Bane and Rhiannon have a meeting scheduled. I want to be back before the sun rises."
Because he refused to leave me unprotected during the day.
Son of a bitch.
Adrian departed, but I didn't even glance at him.
My entire focus rested on the vampire facing me.
He'd managed to address vampire families, give them all warnings as he'd entered their minds and learned their truths, and keep tabs on my entire conversation with Bane at the same time. He was powerful and capable, yet sometimes I forgot just how dangerous he could be when I gave him permission to use his ability to the fullest. I'd told him earlier in the day he could monitor my mind freely, knowing it would settle him during his first true interaction with the families in New York. I'd assumed he'd treat the matter like he'd done when I'd been working with Goose. He'd listened in here and there, offering encouragement or making joking remarks to lighten my mood, but for the most part he'd taken care of things with Bane.
There was a huge difference between the situations, however.
He trusted Goose.
He hadn't trusted the vampires he'd addressed.
Tonight he'd been in my head the entire fucking time.
Holy shit.
I felt him pull away, sensing his alarm and doubt, aware of the change in the connection between us. He absorbed my panic and reacted immediately, throwing up walls, ready to change the way he went through my mind and communicated.
"Don't," I informed him mentally, doing so right away. "We're good."
I rose from the seat and went to him, taking a deep breath. I'd been warned things would change when he took over. He had to be centered, and he wouldn't be if he didn't have immediate access to my mind when we weren't together. Even if he tried not to worry about me, he would do so instinctually. The more he attempted to prevent that kind of thinking, the worse it would become.
He couldn't not think about me.
I'd learned more about werewolf mates as I'd done various forms of research on The Minnow—not those who mated for power and position but those who actually found their other half for good or bad—and thought Gabriel and myself had developed that kind of bond in our own strange fashion. Something tied the two of us together and prevented us from being individuals any longer. Since he could catch the flow of my thoughts, knowing that I was anxious but not angry at his intrusion, he reversed what he'd been doing.
The connection reestablished, becoming even stronger.
I was certain that the more I accepted it, the more it grew.
He slid his arms around my waist. I rested my cheek against his chest, breathing in his clean and tantalizing scent, telling him softly, "I won't go anywhere, so you don't have to worry about me, but I want you to
be careful."
"Always, love."
"It's time to contact the recruits," Gabriel informed Peter even as he spoke mentally to me, more than adept at handling numerous conversations at once. His tone and demeanor indicated his control and calm. "Tell them to get ready. Their trial period starts now."
So that was going to happen as well.
The family was about to increase in number and grow.
We'd lost several members, after all.
In the past, the most powerful vampire houses had half-demon masters with serious connections. Many in the South and West Coast had more than one vampire in charge of each house. It made sense that Gabriel would want the same in the new world he wanted to create. Not to mention, it was time to rebuild his defenses around the city. There were several candidates, none of whom I'd met, but I trusted Gabriel and Peter. They'd make all the important decisions when it came to the family. They put the well-being of those under their care above their own.
Peter left the office as well, doing as instructed.
"I'll reach out to Bane and ask him to come as soon as possible. I'm leaving Landon and Corey with you." Gabriel plopped his chin on the top of my head, bringing his hands to my hips. He slid his fingers around the delicate bones of my pelvis and gave them a gentle squeeze. "They'll monitor applicants before they let them in. I don't want you leaving the locked areas."
Even though I'd known this would happen eventually, I hated it. I understood his need to be with me because it went both ways. "I don't want you going anywhere without me."
"The houses we are dealing with are powerful, but they're small, Rhiannon. The reason they're balking is they have properties here and in the other states. They're placing financial importance over things that should matter most." He sensed my unease and admitted, "They don't believe I'll actually go through with my warnings. They think I'll take it easy on vampires now that half-demons aren't an issue."
"They can't be that stupid."
"They can and are, and it's unfortunate. They weren't there when everything changed. They didn't see what we did when we were pushed too far. They've heard the stories of what we did at the mansion, but they know me as who I used to be, not the vampire I've become."
