“It seems I’m the one who should be thankful for what you did for Fiona,” I said.
“I did what I thought was right. Despite what everyone says—especially the Assembly—you’re the true power behind the Society. You’re the one I trust and follow.”
“Your confidence in me is humbling,” I said, forcing a smile. “But I gave up that power long ago. Even I am at their mercy. Luckily, I still have champions on my behalf.”
“Well, if nothing else, then I am one of them.”
“Thank you again,” Fiona said, grabbing my arm and resting her head against the side of my shoulder. “I don’t know where I’d be if you hadn’t done what you did.”
“I do, and it wouldn’t have been pretty,” Vladimir said.
As he finished his sentence, the double doors to the conference room automatically opened, and the President’s voice bellowed from within for us to enter.
“Matthew,” Janice said as we approached the far end of the long table. “When all hope seems lost, you always have a way of silencing the naysayers.”
“Yes,” Douglas Fiennes said, bitterly. “He’s like a bad penny.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” I said, glaring at Douglas. “I continue to fight because I still have a lot to live for.” I stole a glance at Fiona, whose cheeks began to flush.
“Before we hear from Fiona, the Assembly would like to hear what happened to you after Damien Galt escaped,” Janice said. She leaned back in her chair at the far end of the table, her palms out flat in front of her.
“Aaron said you left with Syrithia,” Ashley added. “Please fill us in on what happened next.”
I gave them a brief version of the story—that she’d turned against me for reasons unknown but hadn’t killed me outright, instead leaving me for dead. I told them I was looking into if this was a Vampire Order directive or if other players were involved.
“I would tend to think if this was a Vampire Order assassination, she would have given you no chance of escape—she would have killed you without prejudice or mercy,” Janice said.
“I agree,” I said. “So even though I’m looking into the possibility, I don’t expect to find that reason behind Syrithia’s actions.”
“Then who do you believe was behind it?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I wouldn’t put it past Frederick, which will lead us right into Fiona’s situation and our primary reason for being here today.”
“Be sure to let us know when you have more information,” Douglas said, sounding like he was ready to move on, which wasn’t too surprising when it came to Fiona.
“Of course,” I said with an obedient nod.
“Fiona, why don’t you start with telling us your side of the story of the events three nights ago,” Janice said.
Most of the other members nodded, looking attentive as Fiona was about to speak. Douglas just looked pissed—like he wanted to jump in and start swinging.
Fiona swallowed hard and glanced over at me for support. I took her hand in mine to offer her a little extra courage—courage I already knew she had. Opening was always the toughest part.
“My mother is a member of Vampire Nation,” Fiona began. “I did not know this prior to my candidacy here. I didn’t know what Vampire Nation was prior to candidacy. I didn’t fully grasp what it truly meant until I was brought to Fangloria and offered as a toy to three vampires, supposedly as a prank by the Fiennes siblings.”
“What?” Janice boomed, quickly turning her attention to Douglas. “What is she talking about?”
“There may have been an incident—a misunderstanding early in the candidacy program,” Douglas said, trying to reasonably defend his children.
I squeezed Fiona’s hand, approving her choice of opening—immediately getting some of the heat off herself and hopefully earning sympathy from at least a few members of the Assembly.
“My trip to Fangloria opened my eyes to what Vampire Nation truly is, what they’re capable of, and what their goals are,” Fiona said, throwing herself back into the discussion. “Now, I said my mother is a member of Vampire Nation, which isn’t exactly true. She is Clementine Biel. She is half of the leading power couple.” Fiona paused to let that statement sink in.
“We all know who Clementine Biel is,” Bruce Roselli said. His rounded features were even more splotched with red than usual. “How does the woman we saw on the security cameras—whom we originally took you for—how is she Clementine Biel?”
“She is the woman behind the curtain,” Fiona said, confidently. “The Clementine Biel we’ve all seen on television takes her direction from my mother and the true Damien Galt, the man who invaded the compound and who went through the portal. He’s the man we all need to fear—not the man on TV. The one you saw on the security cameras with my mother is—well, his real name is Frederick Alabaster, but he is the creator of Vampire Nation, Damien Galt, Clementine Biel—all of it. He is the enemy we didn’t know we were always fighting against.”
As Fiona spoke, I noticed everyone at the conference room table turning their attention to me—expecting me to provide some confirmation of what she was saying.
“It’s true,” I finally said. “I didn’t know it until we’d captured the Damien Galt we all know.”
“Why didn’t the team give us this information during the debriefing?” Janice asked.
“I don’t know. They didn’t have the whole picture, perhaps? I talked with Frederick over the phone after he called during our interrogation of Damien.”
“How did he really escape?” Ashley asked.
“We were ordered to let him go,” I said, flatly. “Frederick was a step ahead of us. Damien and Clementine were supposed to be caught—they’d planned it all along. We’d walked right into a trap. Frederick ordered us to let them go or he’d annihilate my team.”
“How did this Frederick know about the portal?” Douglas asked.
“Because I told him,” I said, knowing it was time to fully come clean.
Most everyone at the table gasped at this revelation. But Douglas just smiled wryly.
“Our most sacred secret—” he began, but I jumped right in.
“He nearly killed me on the first night I arrived here. That was the night he murdered Ashley’s parents,” I said, hoping I wasn’t overstepping my bounds by including her story with mine. “I was a kid and had just fallen to Earth. I’d never breathed fresh air, never seen real trees. I’d never met a vampire until that night. He was going to kill me, but I saved myself with a wild story that piqued his interest. That was the reason I was committed to Sisters of Mercy. He was ultimately the reason I’d been turned into a vampire. I’d kept the portal from him for sixty-nine years. We all saw the rise of Vampire Nation, and Damien Galt graced the big screen with the face I’d seen as a kid. Everything was happening just as it was supposed to—and even though we tried, we seemed powerless to change it. I never realized it all stemmed back to him.”
“You mean—you,” Douglas said. “It all stemmed back to you.”
“That’s enough,” Janice interjected, silencing the room. She sat forward and steepled her hands under her chin, her expression pensive. After a moment, she turned back to Fiona. “Who was the vampire you were with when you entered the compound?”
“I don’t know,” Fiona said, lowering her head. “I never got his name. I had no idea he was going to be there.”
“Were you supposed to be with your mother that night?”
Fiona nodded. “I was supposed to be in Taylor’s spot, the one guiding them in. If I didn’t comply, Frederick was going to kill my best friend. He also threatened to kill Matthew. He may even have turned against my mother for all I knew—and as betrayed as I felt by her, I wasn’t ready to seal her fate. I didn’t have a choice.”
“But I thought she was dead to you?” Ashley asked. “Isn’t that what you told me?”
“Like you said, I guess words are easier than actions.” Fiona’s voice noticeab
ly dropped with this admission.
“I knew you weren’t really so coldhearted. I just wanted to make sure you realized it too.”
“I knew she couldn’t be trusted—neither of them can,” Douglas shot out. “Our entire operation has been compromised from their failures. They need to be gone, so we can clean up this mess.”
“What’s left to clean up?” Janice asked. “It seems the future is coming to pass just as we’ve seen—despite our efforts to fight it. The end is coming whether we like it or not.”
“Who do you think she’s going to ultimately be loyal to—us or her mother? It’s only a matter of time.”
“You couldn’t resist her, yet you’re still here,” Fiona said, her confidence returning. “Why am I so different?”
Now, I was taken off guard with that comment, as was the rest of the Assembly—all except Ashley, who seemed to have a knack for always knowing more than she let on.
“What are you insinuating?” Douglas growled.
“That I believe she used you the same way as she used me, to get to the portal on behalf of Frederick,” Fiona said.
“What’s she talking about?” Janice asked. “When were you in communication with Susan Winter?”
“He had an affair with her years ago,” Fiona said. “Were you even on the Assembly yet? Or was that when my father still had a seat here?”
“Why, you little shit!” Douglas spat, shooting up from his chair, which rolled back and hit the wall. The pulsing veins at his temples looked like they were about to burst.
If he took one step toward us, I was ready to strike. However, before any blood was spilt, Vladimir stepped between us and acted as a barrier.
“Sit down!” Janice yelled, demanding order in the room. “It seems the feud between your families goes back further than I realized. It appears we punished Fiona and Mallory for the sins of their parents. That verdict was reached by way of Assembly vote, but today, I’m making an executive decision. No punishments will befall Matthew and Fiona. They will be cleared of any wrongdoing—potential or otherwise.”
“Madame President, I implore you to reconsider,” Douglas said, dutifully retrieving his chair.
“If I’m to reconsider, I may be forced to reconsider the status of your seat at this table as well,” she countered.
20
Fiona
President Janice Bolt had pardoned us. I couldn’t believe it. When we’d entered the conference room, I’d been sure there would be no decision made today, so they could incarcerate us and draw out the process. But President Bolt had stepped in and cleared us of all wrongdoings.
We both humbly thanked the Assembly and left the room with Vladimir.
“They can bitch and argue all they want,” Vladimir said. “But you built the Society singlehandedly—”
“It wasn’t singlehandedly,” Matthew interjected. “I had my share of help. You were there very close to the beginning.”
“And you know I’m still here for you. They’re not going to remove you from the Society without tearing the whole thing down.”
“I appreciate that,” Matthew said, extending his hand. “There aren’t many people I can universally trust. And thank you for everything you did for Fiona.”
“She needed someone advocating for her while you were away,” Vladimir said.
I gave him a hug and he promptly left Matthew and me to ourselves.
“You were amazing in there,” Matthew said, pulling me into him. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, his lips lingering on my tingling skin, his cool breath sending a chill through my body. After a moment of us being entangled in the open hallway, he said, “We should go.”
“Where did you have in mind?” I asked, running a hand down his chiseled chest.
“I seem to recall having an apartment not far from here,” he said, the corners of his lips curling upward into a wry smile.
I raised an eyebrow. “What are you proposing?”
“That we deserve a little celebration. And I can have you all to myself, without fear of interruption from…” He trailed off before saying Sean’s name, but it was obvious who he was referring to.
“I’m all yours.” I again grabbed his hand and interlaced my fingers in his, eager to find the nearest exit.
As always, Peter was manning the elevator to the upper floors of the penitentiary. He held the door open for us and pressed the button for the top floor with one white-gloved finger. “It’s been a while,” he said. “It’s good to see you both again.”
“Thank you, Peter,” Matthew said. “It’s good to be home.”
His mention of home made me wonder. Where was home for me now? I didn’t even know anymore. I guessed it was safe for me to go back to the condo. Or should I now be staying with Matthew? I didn’t know if it was too presumptuous to bring up the subject of living together. I also didn’t know if I was ready for it yet, though I also found the idea of living alone scary.
Then there was the place where my forever-six-year-old sister still lived within its walls. How could I call some other place home if it’d be without her? I’d always said I couldn’t abandon her, but I couldn’t face Mom again.
I’m so sorry, Becks.
“Fiona, are you all right?” Matthew asked as we continued to ascend.
I was pulled from my thoughts and found Matthew and Peter both looking at me. “I’m fine,” I said and offered a pained smile. Both knew better than to believe my words.
When we reached the penthouse floor, Matthew and I thanked Peter, then exited the cab. As we strolled down the hallway in less of a noticeable rush than before, Matthew said, “You don’t seem fine. Just tell me what I can do, and I’ll do it.”
“It’s not like that,” I said. “There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing to be done. I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed with everything that’s been going on… and it’s just catching up to me. That’s all. I don’t want you to worry or be concerned. I’m fine.”
We stopped before his door, but instead of opening it, he turned to me and cupped my face in his hands. “We’re in this together,” he said. “There are no more secrets between us. No one can break us apart. I love you, Fiona. And there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.” Then he pressed his soft lips against mine.
My scars burned from his touch, still not used to any kind of physical contact, let alone a caress so gentle and sensual. He trailed his fingers over the ridges on my flushed skin, accepting all of me.
“I love you too,” I breathed once our lips parted.
Matthew smiled, kissed me again, then went through the security process to open the door to his penthouse apartment.
“Is there anything I can get you?” he asked as he made a beeline for the kitchen.
“I could use a water,” I said. “After the interrogation—and our little make-out session—I’m parched.”
Matthew passed me a bottled water from the refrigerator, then took out a bag of blood for himself.
“Don’t do that,” I said.
“Do what?”
“That.” I gestured to the blood he was preparing for himself.
He stopped, the bag still unopened. I stepped up to him and laid a hand on his forearm, trying to coax him to put the bag down.
“I need it,” he said, his expression pleading, his eyes haunted.
“You need blood, but it doesn’t have to come from a bag. It doesn’t have to be so impersonal,” I said. “I’m here for you. I want to be here for you in any way I can.” I tried to pull his arm toward me and take the bag from his hand, but he wouldn’t budge.
“We’ve been through this. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re not going to. I want to be what you need—not animal blood from some bag. Me.”
“I do need you,” Matthew said, his voice nearly a whisper now. “I can’t imagine the rest of my life without you.”
His words also hit hard—because the rest of his life was very different than mine�
� unless I became a vampire too. I didn’t want to lose him. I didn’t want him to lose interest in me as I aged and he remained the perfect specimen still standing before me. But Jack and Ashley had made it work. Over the decades, they’d remained committed to each other in every way. I wanted that.
I swallowed hard, nervous but willing to be what he needed. I stopped trying to pull his arm closer and simply reached for the bag. At first, his grip wouldn’t relent, but then it loosened just enough for me to pry the blood from his hand.
I walked over and placed the bag on the counter and took a sip from my bottled water. Then I pulled my shirt up and over my head, placing it on the counter next to the blood before turning to face him.
His gray eyes were smoldering, his jaw clenched as his eyes took all of me in. He suddenly looked more nervous than me.
I tucked my hair behind one shoulder to give him a clear view of my neck. It almost felt weird to stand before a beautiful man while I wore nothing more above the waist than a bra, and to have him so focused on a part of me other than my breasts. I stepped closer. Even when our bodies were only inches apart, he didn’t reach for me. He was frozen in place.
“You have my permission,” I said. “You’re not going to hurt me.” I tilted my head slightly to accentuate my neck even more. “I want to be what you need.”
And with that, he couldn’t hold back any longer. In a flash, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into him. Before I had the chance to even gasp, his fangs penetrated the soft flesh of my neck.
21
Susan
2006
I was lying on the small couch by the window when he entered the hospital room. It was dark outside and my parents had already left for the night. I’d left the precarious message hours ago but hadn’t received a reply—nor was I expecting one. However, here he was, standing in the doorway.
“Roland…” I didn’t even know what to say. He’d always had kind, blue eyes and a gentle countenance about him. He was about a decade older than me, but I hadn’t expected his hair to already be going gray. He looked like he had aged much more than the seven years we’d been apart.
Angeles Covenant Page 11
