“Drakyhn,” Salem said with hatred.
“Yes. She was skilled, one of the best I have ever seen, but she was eight and a half months pregnant. She had chosen to travel by car, believing it to be quicker and safer,” Leonid’s head was still low, “I got there too late.”
“We were told she was dead on discovery,” Marcus said into the quiet.
“I lied,” Leonid raised his head and looked straight at Salem. “She was alive, barely. I was able to get her to a hospital.”
“A hospital?” Sloane’s surprise was evident.
“She was heavily pregnant, both she and the babe inside her had heartbeats, weak but they were there. If I had called for Sentinels, they wouldn’t have gotten to her in time,” Leonid passed a hand over his eyes. “The hospital intubated her.”
Salem’s eyes were wet with unshed tears. “No… how could you keep this from me?”
“Because it was one of the last things that she said to me,” Leonid snapped. “Save my child and don’t let him know.” Leonid glanced at Tegan. “The hospital managed to keep Celeste alive in an intubated state and when she began to fail, I gave them permission to perform an emergency birth.”
“If she didn’t want anyone to know, why are you telling us now?” Michael asked.
“Because I have been called home,” Leonid stated. “The Vampyre Council have come for me after all this time. I have been given a directive to attend Council or suffer the consequences.”
“Why?” Marcus asked, he leaned forward. “I thought they were…” he trailed off uncertainly.
“Dead? Disbanded? Disinterested?” Leonid’s scorn was mocking, but it did not seem to be directed to anyone in the room.
“I was going to say asleep,” Marcus replied diplomatically.
“It’s been so long since anyone heard from them, I admit I thought they were myth,” Sloane commented with a shrug.
“Unfortunately, not a myth, they are very much real and yes,” Leonid turned to Marcus, “some were… resting.” He frowned. “But something has pulled them out of their slumber. Something that has concerned them and therefore they have called for me.”
“Why you?” Michael questioned, his distrust of the Vampyre evident.
“My wife sits on the Council,” Leonid held up his hands in a surrendering gesture.
“So, you’re dropping this bombshell and what – my sister – as you pass by on your way home?”
“Michael,” Salem warned softly.
“Do not Michael me dad, have you been listening to this?” He glared at Tegan. “I don’t believe it.”
“It is no lie and is very much true,” Leonid replied calmly.
Michael crossed the room to lean over Leonid in his chair. “When was she born?”
“That’s the part I haven’t got to yet,” Leonid looked up at Michael with a smile.
“You said they performed an emergency birth on her mother,” Sloane reminded him.
“Yes, they did. They cut her from her mother’s dying body and I called for The Sisters.” Leonid was looking only at Salem. “They were close by; they had contacted me in the morning of that day to tell me I would have need of them.”
“They knew?” Salem whispered.
“Yes, they were there for the birth,” Leonid turned his head and met Michael’s glare. “They recorded the birth to the nanosecond.”
“The nanosecond?” Marcus queried curiously.
“Yes, it seems your son was premature, Salem.” Leonid leaned back in his seat. “Had I not been there I also wouldn’t believe it.”
“They were born on the same night?” Salem searched Leonid’s face for any sign of untruth.
“They were,” Leonid confirmed.
“Who was first?” Michael demanded again.
Leonid considered him for a long moment before turning back to Salem. “Neither.”
“What?” Michael could not hide his frustration.
“I don’t understand,” Salem said at the same time.
“Both babes born on the same day, at the same time, to the nanosecond,” Leonid confirmed.
“Impossible,” Marcus whispered.
“Apparently not,” Leonid looked between the two children of Salem. “Even the Sisters cannot explain it, and they spent some time trying to figure out who came first – the son or the daughter – but you both came into this world at the very same time.”
“There’s no Heir?” Sloane asked as he looked between the two of them.
“They are both Heir,” Salem replied as he looked to Leonid for confirmation, his shoulders slumped as Leonid confirmed.
“What does that mean?” Michael looked around at the occupants of the room.
“It means you either have a House divided or the strongest House there has ever been,” Marcus was also looking at both Michael and Tegan.
“Are you trained?” Michael blurted.
“I am Elite,” Tegan replied, holding her brother’s gaze.
“You can’t be, you’re only eighteen. You mean you are almost an Elite.”
“No. I am Elite. I passed the Trial last week,” she smiled at him. “I can train you if you wish for your own upcoming Trial.” Her tone was slightly mocking as she looked at her brother.
“Tegan,” Leonid admonished. Tegan clenched her jaw at the reprimand. “But it is true, the Great Council have been present for all of Tegan’s Trials. She passed the last Trial last week.”
“Congratulations,” Marcus bowed his head to her. “Who are you to guard?” Understanding dawned on his face as he quickly looked to Salem. “The Great Council do enjoy their ironies.” He shook his head as he looked back at Leonid.
“They are also aware of my summons, we all thought it best if Tegan was with her… well, here.”
“Were you going to say family?” Michael asked incredulously.
“She is your sister,” Leonid’s voice was firm, his glare hard.
“I have a sister and it’s…”
“Michael!” Salem cut his son off. “I would welcome the time to spend with Tegan.” He looked at her as he spoke. “If you would be agreeable.” Tegan glanced quickly at Leonid before nodding once.
“When do you leave?” Marcus asked Leonid.
“I need to be quick,” Leonid looked at his daughter. “But I will stay a day to ensure my daughter is settled.”
“Make up your mind,” Michael snapped. “You can’t claim her to be my family and then your daughter. She’s either one or the other.”
“I am your sister by blood.” Tegan looked down at her boots before she raised her head to meet her brothers scornful glare. “But blood does not make a family,” her gaze flicked to Sloane, “does it cousin?”
“No, it does not, cousin,” Sloane grinned at Tegan as he stretched his legs out in front of him.
“I’m sorry, I’m being a jerk,” Michael shook his head as he rubbed his jaw and sat back in his seat. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“It is and you are,” Leonid agreed watching him carefully.
Michael flinched at the Vampyres words as he looked at Tegan. Rising from his seat he walked over to her. “Hi. I’m Michael, I don’t know how to process all of this and I’m struggling,” he shrugged sheepishly.
Tegan glanced at Leonid before she nodded, accepting his apology. “I understand your hostility.” She was still hesitant but felt herself ease as her brother smiled at her for the first time.
“Tegan is an unusual name,” Michael stated as he stood back and looked between her and Leonid.
“I don’t understand,” Tegan frowned.
“Your name?” Michael asked as he walked back to his seat.
“One of the Sisters suggested the name,” Leonid admitted. “It means loved one.”
“How is it spelt?” Marcus asked. “One ‘a’ or two?”
“One,” Tegan replied, her eyes narrowing.
Marcus snorted unsurprised. “The Sisters love their tricks. Spelt like that, it also means favo
urite one,” Marcus murmured from his chair.
Tegan saw Michael stiffen slightly at Marcus’s words. Sloane noticed too and looked at Tegan appraisingly.
“I like it, however it is spelt, it kinda suits you,” Sloane added with a friendly smile.
Tegan smiled at him. He hadn’t said a lot, but he was obviously quite laid back and oddly, he made her comfortable. Michael had her on edge but she felt better after his attempt at civility a moment ago. Marcus, she was unsure of still, despite seeing the respect she had seen in his eyes when he learned she was Elite. And Salem? Salem, she had mostly avoided eye contact with, although she had felt his eyes on her many times.
“Are your kitchens still open?” Leonid asked as he walked around the chair, he had been sitting in. “Tegan would benefit from some hot food.”
“You made her walk from Jasper, of course she’s hungry,” Marcus muttered as he also stood.
“It was a perfect training opportunity,” Leonid was indifferent to the judgement from the Lycan.
“I remember your training sessions, Old One,” Marcus scoffed before turning his attention to Tegan. “When did you last eat?” As Tegan went to answer him, Marcus cut her off. “I don’t mean jerky.”
“Four days.”
“Let’s get some hot food in you,” Marcus bent and picked up her backpack.
“I can manage that,” Tegan said softly, unsure as she also reached for her backpack.
“You jump over the top of the perimeter fence?” Marcus straightened with her backpack.
“I did,” Tegan confirmed her voice firm.
“A thirty-foot fall?” Marcus smiled. “I’ll carry this for you child, you will be bruised,” he hefted the pack onto his shoulder. “Come, you need to eat and rest,” Marcus walked her to the door.
“Father?” Tegan questioned hesitantly.
“Go eat daughter. Salem and I have some more things to discuss,” Leonid instructed.
“That’s our cue, Michael,” Sloane said with a lazy grin as he rose from his seat. “Plus, I want to get to know my new cousin.”
Michael looked between his father and Leonid before he sighed in resignation and followed the others out of the office.
Tegan followed Marcus, very aware that Michael and Sloane were behind her. She could hear them talking between themselves, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“Sloane is reminding your brother that this is as hard for you as it is him,” Marcus murmured to her quietly. “Michael is not usually as ill-mannered as you have witnessed tonight. He will come around quickly, it is not in his nature to be aggressive to Akrhyn,” he paused as he glanced at her, “especially his family.”
“I don’t mind, it is understandable,” Tegan shrugged slightly. “I have known of him and his family for many years, this is new to him.”
“You never wanted to seek them out?” Marcus asked as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
“No,” Tegan answered honestly. “Father keeps me mostly to Silver Lake, my Trials have all been at home, he keeps me away from other Sentinels.” Tegan smiled. “The only thing father is keen for me to meet is Drakyhn.”
“You hunt regularly?”
“Always,” Tegan smiled widely. “I killed some on the way here, the most recent one in Prince George during daylight.” She frowned in remembrance.
“You’re his soldier,” Marcus muttered looking away from her but not before Tegan saw that he looked upset.
“All Sentinels are soldiers,” she replied easily. “I am what I was meant to be.”
“You should have been with your family,” Marcus said as he turned to face her.
“I was,” Tegan answered softly.
Marcus shook his head again and then turned back to Michael and Sloane, who had grown quiet. “Michael, we will need two rooms for Tegan and Leonid. Can you arrange that for me please?”
“I thought I could come to the dining hall,” Michael looked between Tegan and Marcus with uncertainty.
“The hall will be closed, we’ll go to the kitchens,” Marcus smiled at him, “you can meet us there.”
“Marcus,” Michael nodded and turned back the way that they had been walking before turning off down a corridor.
“You got a job for me too?” Sloane questioned.
“Yes, carry this pack,” Marcus tossed Tegan’s pack to Sloane before turning and walking again.
“Why is this so heavy?” Sloane grumbled as he shouldered the pack.
“It has my life in it,” Tegan answered simply.
“You brought everything with you?” Sloane asked as he stepped up beside her and matched her stride.
“All of my hunting gear, yes.” Tegan smiled at her cousin, “I don’t need anything else.”
“Leonid will have trained you hard,” Marcus said as he studied her some more. “What about other teachings?”
“You mean school learning?” Tegan asked as they went down yet another corridor.
“Yes.”
“I had tutors,” Tegan smoothed her hands down her sides.
“You’re nervous?” Marcus commented. “In the office, your heartbeat never changed once. Now it’s racing. Why?”
“I thought I was getting a meal, but it seems I am getting an interrogation instead?”
“No,” Marcus then gave a mirthless laugh. “Maybe? I’m sorry. I have so many questions and I am making you uncomfortable.”
“Would you like me to tell you my learning and training schedule?” Tegan tilted her head slightly as she asked Marcus. “I don’t mind.”
“Let’s get you eating first,” Sloane said instead. “We had the most succulent beef for supper this evening and if we are really lucky, I’m going to get a roast beef sandwich.”
“We’re going there to feed Tegan, not you,” Marcus growled.
“Blythe will never resist me,” Sloane said confidently as he strolled ahead. “I’m a growing boy.”
“The only thing that is growing is his ego,” Marcus told Tegan.
Despite the last few unsettling minutes, Tegan laughed, appreciative of both males’ attempts to put her at ease.
“You kept her from me for eighteen years,” Salem stared hard at Leonid as the door closed behind the others.
“I did,” Leonid replied, unaffected with the tone and glare from Salem.
“You were never petty, Leonid. Cold, unfeeling and clinical, but never petty.”
“I did not keep her from you for spite,” Leonid answered coldly. “Celeste’s last words to me were not to tell you.”
“And as always, you could deny her nothing,” Salem snorted.
“I cared deeply for Celeste; this is not news to you.”
“You took her daughter. My daughter.” Salem rose angrily from his seat and crossed the room to a cabinet. Opening the door, he took out a decanter and two glasses.
“I did what her mother asked and now I have broken that promise to her.”
“Because it suits you.” Salem poured some of the liquid into a glass and tossed it back. “If Kateryna hadn’t summoned you, would I even know about Tegan?”
“I have no control over where the Great Council places her.”
“By the Ancients, you would have let them take the decision out of your hands so you wouldn’t have to.”
“I would have done everything to fulfil Celeste’s last wish,” Leonid’s stare was unwavering as he regarded Salem. “But that is no longer an issue. She is here.”
“She is,” Salem poured another drink and filled the second glass. “Bourbon.” He handed Leonid the glass when the other male nodded.
“Thank you.”
“All Trials are complete?” Salem asked as he sat back down behind his desk.
“Yes, witnessed by the Great Council themselves. Her schooling is complete as well as her training. She is young, I know,” Salem took a drink of his bourbon, “but she is exceptional.”
“Well, she has exceptional genes,” Salem mocked as Le
onid frowned at him.
“Your son will accept her?” Leonid enquired as he placed his glass down.
“Yes. Michael was surprised earlier, this was quite a shock to us all, but he is not the person you met this evening. He is better than that. I can assure you he will have apologised to Tegan on their way to the kitchens.”
Leonid listened quietly. “And your daughter, will she be as accepting?”
Salem let out a short laugh. “No, she will not. But it’s because Zahra is loyal to her brother. He will deal with her.”
“Tegan is prepared for animosity.”
“She will be welcome here,” Salem stressed.
“I hope so,” Leonid picked up his glass again and swallowed the bourbon.
“It is unusual for the Vampyre Council to summon you.”
“It is. Kateryna’s message was informative in what it didn’t say.”
“When was the last time you saw your wife?” Salem asked curiously.
“Nineteen years. She didn’t agree with my lifestyle here,” Leonid ran his hand over his jaw. “Even before I had Tegan.”
“A lot to catch up on.”
“We’ve been married for centuries – nineteen years apart is nothing,” Leonid smiled indulgently at Salem.
“Does Kateryna know about Tegan?” Salem asked as he sat back in his chair and looked out the windows.
“She does, there is nothing I do that my wife is not aware of,” Leonid smirked as he reached for his glass again before realising it was empty. “And even if there was, I’m sure Martha keeps her updated.”
“Martha’s still with you?” Salem asked in surprise.
“Yes, she will be here in a few days,” Leonid tapped his fingers on the armrests of the chair. “She and Tegan are very close to each other. I’m almost surprised she wasn’t here before us.”
“I don’t think my cook will be able to work with Martha…” Salem started hesitantly.
Into Darkness: The Akrhyn Series (Book 1) Page 5
