Blood Ties

by Lauryn Evans

  Not that she had feelings for him. She had never been romantically interested in anyone before. And she wasn’t going to start now.

  Renata shook her head, wrenching herself from her girlish thoughts. There was work to be done, parties to be planned, and a House to protect.

  “This House isn’t going to run itself,” Renata murmured as she climbed the grand staircase, making her way to her office.

  ~

  Renata heard her smartphone buzz from her nightstand as she read Alexander’s copy of Great Expectations. Lately, reading before bed calmed her mind and helped her sleep. She couldn’t tell if it was just reading that made her feel better, or because the book had once belonged to Alexander. Part of her thought it was a little of both.

  She gently put the book down onto her lap and reached for her smartphone, finding an email notification from an anonymous sender.

  Wyatt.

  Renata opened the email and saw the subject title was PIANO, the code word she and Wyatt decided on so that she’d know it was him.

  She opened his email, which read:

  Hey,

  So far, I haven’t learned much, but here is what I do know. Scott is the leader here, and pretty much, what he says goes. The guy we kept in the basement is his nephew, Jackson Crowe. He’s pretty popular around here, and he seems to be pretty close to Scott. Scott trusts him more than anyone else; he’s his right-hand man.

  Pretty much everyone here is a descendant of this Evander dude. They all talk about him a lot. I’ve been listening to the gossip around here, so I also know that Scott’s son Jonathan died recently during an attack the Order organized, but I’m not sure about the other details.

  Renata paused. If Scott’s son was dead, and so was Jackson’s cousin, then that meant…

  Good lord. The magna she killed the night of her first party was Scott’s son, Jonathan.

  That couldn’t be good.

  And if most members of the Order are descendants of Evander, then they’re descendants of Alexander too.

  Renata felt like someone punched her in the stomach.

  Her adoptive family, just like Scott had said. He’d used small snippets of truth to taunt her.

  Family or not, they wanted her dead. The thought tasted sour on her tongue.

  Renata redirected her attention back to Wyatt’s email and continued to read:

  They’ve started training me. My instructor taught me about the elixir and how it works. There’s this machine that they hook a vampire into that filters their blood and takes out unnecessary stuff, pretty much just leaving the vampire’s venom. They use that machine to make the elixir and wouldn’t be able to keep making it without it.

  The Order’s scientists are working to make the elixir better so that more of the human consciousness is present in magna form. They say that’ll make it easier for me to “complete the Order’s missions.”

  Apparently, you become very animalistic and don’t remember much after changing back into a human. Also, all the members of the Order live together in this compound. It’s kind of like in the mansion, except there are a lot more people here.

  That’s all I have for now,

  PIANO

  Renata analyzed what Wyatt reported back to her. It all made so much sense now. That was why the magnas were getting smarter. They thought more like humans while in their animal forms.

  Then, it hit her.

  Somehow, Alexander knew the magnas were getting smarter—that they were thinking more like humans in their animal form.

  That’s why Alexander needed to buy us some time, she realized. He was trying to delay their advancements with the elixir so that the House could have a better chance to fight them.

  Until the end, Alexander always did what was best for the House, even after his death.

  Now, that Alexander was gone, she didn’t have his wisdom to guide her. The Order posed more of a threat than she realized. She couldn’t help but feel afraid.

  As long as the Order was around, they would be a threat to her, the mansion, and all who lived in it.

  What scared her, even more, was that she didn’t know the Order’s numbers. They could have at least one hundred hunters, all who could change into magnas and attack when Scott gave the word.

  Truly, the only way for her to keep her people safe, she realized, would be to eliminate the threat.

  Renata was certain that she couldn’t do away with an entire organization, especially when she didn’t know how many hunters the Order had. She couldn’t simply disband them, and she couldn’t murder every single one of the Order’s hunters. If she did that, she would be just as bad as they were. There had to be another way.

  Maybe she didn’t have to take out the Order itself. Maybe all she had to do was ensure that the Order would not be able to wield the magna elixir, their greatest weapon.

  Yes, that was it. Somehow, she would have to get inside of the Order’s headquarters and destroy the machine they used to make the elixir. Without it, the Order’s scientists wouldn’t be able to prepare the vampire blood they needed. They would be unable to make the elixir, and without it, the Order’s hunters wouldn’t be able to transform into those murderous creatures.

  They’d be forced to hunt vampires the old fashioned way, which was much less of a threat. She’d much rather be attacked by a hunter with a stake than a magna.

  If she destroyed the machine, then she would stop the magna attacks, at least until the Order found a new way to make the elixir. If they ever did. Destroying the machine was her best option. For now, it was the only way she could keep the House members safe without living in fear of the next attack.

  She knew this would require some serious planning on her part. Overall, her plans seemed to achieve their goals. But she would need to think of everything that could possibly go wrong. Breaking into the Order’s headquarters would be dangerous.

  Good lord. She refused to think about that just yet. She needed a breather first. A lot had happened recently, and Renata barely had time to breathe in between. So, she would do just that.

  Breathe.

  She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, hoping she’d rest peacefully.

  ~

  Two weeks later, Renata sat on a wooden bench outside in the mansion’s new garden. After the attack at Renata’s first party as Mistress, Adelaide had taken up a new hobby: gardening. The girl had quite the green thumb and an eye for flower arrangements that gave the mansion’s exterior new color and beauty. If she wanted to, Renata would put her talent to good use; bouquets would be the perfect touch for a spring party.

  Alexander’s copy of Great Expectations rested in her hands. It was a beautiful spring day, and the warm weather was finally arriving in coastal New England.

  “I know about your spy.”

  Startled, Renata launched herself from where she sat on the bench, assuming a defensive position, with Great Expectations still in her hand, raised like a weapon. As soon as she saw who had spoken to her from behind the trees surrounding the mansion, she lowered the book.

  Jackson Crowe stepped out from the trees, moving closer to her.

  Damn it. Renata chastised herself. How could her heightened senses fail to detect him?

  Renata didn’t trust Jackson as far as she could throw him. For all she knew, he could have a dose of magna elixir with him, ready to end her for keeping him prisoner. Still, her mind couldn’t help but wander back to that day in the alley when he saved her.

  Why is he here? To taunt me?

  “I know about your spy inside the Order,” he said again. “And a book definitely isn’t going to scare me.”

  “That’s why you interrupted my reading?” she asked, coyly, masking her apprehension.

  How could he have known Wyatt was a spy? Wyatt hadn’t even been a member of the Order for a full two weeks. Renata’s mind raced. He must have known the attack in the alley was a setup.

  The party. Jackson could have seen Wyatt at the party when Scot
t confronted me.

  If Jackson could piece together who Wyatt truly was, then surely others could too. Renata began to panic internally. Jackson could so easily tell Scott what he knew. Wyatt and the House would surely be in grave danger.

  “I didn’t realize who he was that day in the alley but knew I recognized him from somewhere.” Jackson slowly took another step toward her.

  Renata’s throat tightened, her chest constricting.

  “He was at the party, wasn’t he? The piano player.”

  Renata refused to take a step back, to show any sign of weakness. He was challenging her in her own territory. Her face concealed her irritation like a professional. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said coolly, closing the copy of Great Expectations she held in her hand.

  “Come on, Renata. I know you do.”

  “Is that why you’re here?” She stuck her chin up in the air. “To taunt me?”

  “No,” he said to her softly. “I’m here to tell you to be careful.”

  “Oh,” Renata’s blush reddened her cheeks.

  With that, Jackson turned around and was lost in the trees.

  ~

  Will paced across Renata’s office. “That guy’s got some balls,” he said, anger bleeding through his voice.

  “We need to get you out of there, Wyatt. This is quickly becoming a risky situation, and if Scott finds out, we’ll all be in danger,” Renata wrapped her arms around her torso.

  And Wyatt sneaking away to meet with them added a new level of complications.

  “For all we know, he’s just saying that to get to you, Renata. He could be following Scott’s orders to try to intimidate you. They may not know anything.” Wyatt argued.

  “That’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

  “I agree with her.” Will stopped pacing. “We can’t trust Jackson. Not while he’s toying with us. Plus, he’s Scott’s nephew for crying out loud.”

  “Jackson told you to be careful. That doesn’t sound like someone who wants to kill you,” Wyatt argued.

  It didn’t. That was what worried her.

  “He could be saying that to make me believe I can trust him,” Renata sighed. Secretly, she wanted to believe Wyatt. Her mind, however, couldn’t afford to acknowledge such a possibility. Not when she was responsible for the lives of those who lived under her roof. Knowing she had a difficult choice to make, Renata grew even more uneasy.

  “Please, Renata. Let me do this,” Wyatt pleaded, his eyes conveying what his words already said. “If it gets too dangerous, I’ll stop.”

  She considered it for a moment, her office silent. Renata sighed, “I’ll allow it. But, any sign that someone suspects you, get out of there immediately. Be extremely cautious and only report vital information. Visit the mansion only when you must.”

  “Thank you,” Wyatt said before exiting the room. “You won’t regret this.”

  “Are you sure about this, Ren?” Will made his way to where she stood behind her mahogany desk.

  “For once, I’m going to have some faith.” She prayed she wouldn’t regret her decision.

  Will nodded silently, leaving her alone to work.

  Renata fell into her routine, planning the next party as a good Mistress of the House does.

  Once she had a theme, dress code, color scheme, and general menu, she had Adela gather the House members in the common room and assigned duties.

  Adela came up to her, asking, “Is there anything else you need me to do, Mistress?”

  “Yes,” Renata said. “Have Heather hire a qualified musician to play at the event.”

  “Are you sure?” Adela asked.

  “Of course, I am.” She caught Adela’s gaze. “You know why Wyatt can’t play.”

  “I know that,” Adela said, waving it off. “But why don’t you play? I heard you at some of your lessons. You sounded good, Renata.”

  “I guess I could, but I still have my duties, and I need to be a good hostess,” she said, fumbling for an excuse.

  “Come on, Renata. It might be fun.”

  Fun. That was something she hadn’t had a lot of lately.

  She sighed. “Have Heather hire a musician that can accompany me. I’ll begin, then whoever we hire will play for the rest of the night.”

  “Will do,” Adela grinned victoriously and left to go find Heather.

  Renata spent the remainder of the evening practicing one of Alexander’s pieces she found in the drawers of his old desk—her desk now. It was a simple piece and sounded beautiful when she played it slowly. She didn’t plan to play all night, just as she told Adela. Renata was simply going to start the night with this piece, then resume her duties.

  Renata was excited, but nervous about playing in front of an audience. Still, practicing the piece made her feel more relaxed than she had for a while. As she played, Renata lost herself in the music, her body moving to the beat as her fingers danced across the keys. She wasn’t as good as Wyatt. She was still a beginner, but she was pleasantly surprised to see how much she’d learned. Renata was definitely showing the piano some love, as Alexander asked her to in his letter.

  She noticed the darkness outside of the windows, realizing she’d lost track of time.

  She hoped Alexander would be proud if he could see her now.

  NINE

  “How is decorating coming along?” Renata asked Alice as she entered the ballroom, the day of the party. “The tables look beautiful so far.”

  “It’s going rather well,” Alice replied, smoothing out the white table cloth on a nearby table.

  Adelaide placed her beautiful flower arrangements in the center of each table on top of the baby blue table runners.

  “Those bouquets are beautiful Adelaide. They’re perfect centerpieces.”

  “Thank you, Renata,” Adelaide grinned. “Flowers are the perfect thing for a spring party.”

  Renata could smell the aroma of the steaming platters Edwin prepared as he and Will set up the buffet table on the other side of the ballroom. She saw grilled carrots, buttered asparagus, ham, and pasta dishes, with lemon cheesecake for dessert.

  “This food makes me wish I was still human,” Adela said as she walked into the ballroom. “So that I could eat it all and get a food coma.”

  Edwin laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “You should go get ready, Renata. Guests will be here any minute now.” Adela told her.

  “Of course,” Renata said and made her way to her bedroom.

  She’d been practicing the piece all morning. She’d forgotten the party was at two o’clock, unlike the other events, which were usually at night. An earlier time was fitting for a spring luncheon.

  Once in her room, Renata searched her wardrobe for fitting formal attire. She eventually decided on a pale yellow spaghetti strap A-line gown she had purchased in the late ’90s. The dress was a simple, solid color, with no “bling” as Adela called it. She liked that it was so simple and elegant. When Adela saw her, she would scold her, saying the dress was no longer in style. Renata tugged her shoulder-length brown hair into a simple knot, throwing on some jewelry as she made her way down to the ballroom.

  Once she could see that guests were beginning to pour into the ballroom, Renata sat down at the piano. A trumpet player and a violinist were setting up in the corner by the piano. Renata took a deep breath as she placed her sheet music down in front of her.

  Jitters took over her stomach. She closed her eyes, taking another deep breath as she began to play. Renata didn’t even need to look at the music in front of her. She had practiced so many times that her fingers simply knew where to go. Renata relaxed, becoming one with the notes she was playing and her jitters fading away. Her mind was empty, captivated by the music until she sounded the last chord.

  She got up from the piano, took a bow, and made her way into the crowd.

  “That was amazing!” Adela exclaimed. “You’re a natural.”

  “I had a good te
acher,” Renata replied.

  The violinist and trumpeter began to play, while Renata started to entertain the guests.

  “That was beautiful, Renata.”

  Renata’s heart fluttered. She knew that voice. Its owner had running through her mind a lot lately, despite her attempts to fight her feelings.

  “Thank you, Jackson,” she said uneasily, turning to face him. How on earth did he get in here without her knowing? Surely Will would have told her if he’d come in through the front door. He must have come in through the back door or some other way.

  What’s he doing here?

  Jackson placed his hand on her waist, taking her hand as he led her to the center of the ballroom. “Care to dance?” he asked.

  Renata saw Will across the ballroom, suspicion in his eyes, and his body tense once his eyes landed on Jackson. “Well, we’re already there,” she replied, not rebelling against his advances.

  Renata and Jackson glided along the dance floor.

  “Care to tell me why you’re really here?” Renata asked as she looked away from him, hoping to hide her apprehension. She could feel his stare; it made her face hot.

  “My cousin,” he paused, his eyes calculating. “The magna you killed was Scott’s son, Jonathan. I’m here to warn you. Your life is in danger.”

  Renata was quiet, her mind processing the words that hung in the air between them.

  “He’ll kill you and anyone in your House that stands in his way as revenge, Renata.”

  “How do I know that I can trust you? That you’re not here on his orders to set up a trap?” Renata couldn’t understand why he was telling her this, why he saved her in the alley, or why he came that day in the garden. “Why are you telling me this now?”

  “Whether you can trust me or not is up to you,” he sighed, avoiding her gaze. “My mother thought that the killing of innocents, even innocent vampires, was wrong. She believed that.” His voice softened. “I guess, in my anger, I blamed all of them. All of you.”