by Deanna Chase
“Willow.” Talisen’s harsh tone made me step back.
“What?” I asked.
“Go away. I need to concentrate.” He turned his back, rummaging through his healer bag.
“Sorry,” I said again, my voice so low I wasn’t sure he heard me. I left and Phoebe followed.
“He just needs time,” she said as we moved back into Eadric’s sitting room.
I hoped she was right. He’d come, hadn’t he? It was a start. I sat in a chair opposite Nicola. “They fed her modified Influence. The Arcane has had scientists working on duplicating it. None are sanctioned for use because they’re too dangerous. Though it’s not hard to see why someone in a position to abuse their power might prefer the more dangerous, illegal version.”
“Indeed.” Eadric stood. “It’s time I paid my part of the bargain, Ms. Rhoswen.”
I got to my feet. “Paid?”
“Information. Follow me.” He strode toward the double doors.
I signaled to Phoebe and we followed him out into the hall. A few doors down, he unlocked a nondescript oak door and held it open for us.
I hesitated, not at all sure I wanted to enter a room he kept locked.
“Trust me, Ms. Rhoswen, you want to see this.”
Phoebe brushed past me with her eyebrows raised. I steeled myself and followed her. The room was really a suite with two overstuffed chairs and a matching couch, not at all like Eadric’s private rooms with the fancy Louis XVI style furnishings.
A door slammed in another room, and a small strawberry-blond toddler came running out, holding a stuffed elk and shrieking with delight.
“Beau,” a female voice called from the other room. “Come back here, you monster.”
My heart skipped a beat, then pounded so hard I thought it would jump out of my chest. I knew that voice. And when she appeared in the doorway, she froze, staring at me with her mouth open.
“Carrie?” I looked from the small, curvy witch Beau had intended to marry to the little boy now clutching her leg.
“Willow.” She seemed to recover and smiled tentatively. Glancing down at the toddler, she put a hand on his head. “I guess it’s about time you met your nephew, Beau Junior.”
Chapter 31
I sank down into an oversized chair and clamped a hand over my mouth. Beau had a son. I had a nephew. And Carrie never told us.
“Beau,” Carrie said. “This is your auntie, Willow.”
The toddler clutched his mom’s leg and peered at me shyly.
I ignored all the questions straining to escape my mouth and moved to crouch in front of Beau. “Hi, sweetie.”
He tucked his head behind his mom’s knee, one eye peeking at me, and giggled.
I smiled. “You’re a charmer, just like your daddy.” Oh my God. Had Beau known? Why had Carrie kept him from us? And why the hell was she living with vampires? I glanced up at her, my heart aching for Beau and for myself. Neither of us knew his child.
“I have some explaining to do.” Carrie bent down and smoothed Beau’s hair. “Can you give your auntie a kiss?”
I held my arms out, and the toddler wobbled into my embrace. Hot tears burned my eyes. I blinked them back and turned my face, tapping my cheek. “Here.”
“Mwah!” He made a loud smacking sound, laughed, and ran back into the other room.
I stood. “He seems happy.”
Carrie nodded. “He is.”
“Did Beau know?” I held my breath, not sure what answer I wanted to hear.
She nodded again and sucked in a shaky breath.
Relief washed through me. Only a small hole remained in my heart. He’d kept this secret from me, and while I understood it was between him and Carrie, if I’d known, I could have been in his son’s life the past three years. Phoebe took a place beside me and silently clutched my hand in hers. I squeezed, grateful for the support.
Eadric sat on one of the plush chairs and gestured to the rest of us. “Let’s all take a seat.”
Phoebe and I shared the couch, and Carrie perched on the chair next to Eadric. She stared at her fidgeting hands.
“You said you were going back to Washington to be with your family after we lost Beau,” I accused Carrie. “Was that a lie?”
She bit her lip and shook her head. “No. I did go home for a few months. I wanted to stay with my sister, have Beau there, but I couldn’t.” Her voice wobbled. “It wasn’t safe for either of us.”
I tensed and grabbed the arm of the couch. “What does that mean—not safe?”
Allcot leaned forward, hands clasped. “You already know someone inside the Void is watching you.”
“Well, yeah. They’ve wanted to control me for some time because of the Influence, and now there’s the sunwalking thing.” I waved my hand, indicating I didn’t know what to make of the situation.
He shook his head. “No. They’re interested in your creation, but there are other ways to control people. Spells, blackmail, other illegal magic. This isn’t about the Influence. They’re much more interested in your abilities. Specifically the ones relating to vampires.”
I nodded. He was right about the Influence, of course. The Arcane had always been interested in it, but they hadn’t gotten serious about me until I started sensing vampires. “Yes, but what does any of that have to do with Carrie or my nephew?”
Phoebe sucked in a breath.
“What?” I asked her.
She gave me a pained expression and turned to Allcot. “Did her brother have the ability to sense vampires?”
“Of course not,” I said before Allcot could answer. “He would’ve told me. Besides, my abilities didn’t start showing up until months after we lost Beau. If they were the same, then it makes sense they would have shown up around the same time. We are twins.”
Carrie shook her head, her eyes full of sorrow and regret. “I’m sorry. He was going to tell you…” She wiped a single tear from her porcelain face. “But he never got the chance.”
“What…?” Beau had weird vampire abilities?
It’s not that I didn’t believe it was possible. It had happened to me, after all. But he hadn’t told me. And we told each other everything. A nagging seed of doubt tugged at my mind. He hadn’t told me his girlfriend was pregnant. “Phoebs? You knew something about this?”
She shook her head. “I guessed.”
I glanced from Eadric to Carrie. “Maybe you should start from the beginning.”
“Yeah. I think that’s a good idea,” Phoebe said and glared at Allcot. “And don’t leave anything out this time.”
He’d definitely known more than he’d let on. A lot more. I glanced toward the bedroom where Beau Junior had disappeared to. Allcot had been keeping my family from me.
Phoebe’s tone didn’t seem to register with Allcot. He rose and moved gracefully to the wet bar. Using a key from his pocket, he opened a cabinet and removed a bottle that looked suspiciously like wine. But when he poured the thick red liquid, it was clear the main ingredient wasn’t grapes. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
“The beginning,” he said, corking the green bottle, “actually starts many generations ago.” He held up another bottle, this one presumably actual wine, in offering. We all shook our heads. No way was I drinking anything that could impair my comprehension.
He took his seat again. “The firstborn males in the Rhoswen line are quite unlucky. If you look closely at the family tree, you’ll find none of them make it past twenty-five years.”
“That’s not true,” I said automatically, even though doubt plagued me. My dad and Beau certainly hadn’t. But what about my grandfather? He was still with us, living out in Montana somewhere. “Gramps did,” I challenged.
Allcot shook his head. “I assume you mean Charles Rhoswen.”
“Yes. He’s still alive and well, working for the forestry department.” Being fae, he knew every inch of the backwoods and was often called when hikers went missing.
“I’m sure he is. But he wasn�
�t your father’s father, and not the firstborn. That was Erwin Rhoswen, and when he died, his younger brother Charles married your grandmother and raised your dad.”
Stunned, I sat back. How come no one told me that before? Then I narrowed my eyes and studied Allcot. “How do you know all this about my family?”
He lifted one shoulder in a tiny shrug. “Since Carrie came to us, I’ve done a lot of research.”
I’d have to look into that. If what he said was true, it meant Beau Junior was in serious danger. I inched forward on the couch. “And that’s why you’re watching over my nephew? To keep him alive?”
Allcot lifted his chin in acknowledgment.
“Why?” It’s not that I didn’t appreciate his protection, but at what price? Would Beau Junior be beholden to him the rest of his life?
A tiny flash of irritation flashed over his features and then vanished. Was he irritated I’d questioned him, or just tired of being under constant suspicion? I shook off the thought. He’d created the situation; he could live with it.
“Carrie is Nicola’s cousin. She’s family.” Allcot got up to refill his glass.
The hair stood up on my neck. That meant they thought of Beau Junior as family. And Allcot would be a permanent fixture in his life. I rubbed at my throbbing temple, trying not to think too much about the implications. Then a slow terror gripped my gut. “The person who killed Beau knows about Beau Junior? That’s why you came here?”
Carrie shook her head. “Once Eadric figured out what was going on, we faked a miscarriage. As far as we know, he has no idea Beau Junior exists. But if he found out…”
She didn’t need to continue. No wonder she lived in hiding.
“There’s still the question of why.” Phoebe said, breaking the silence. “Why are all the firstborn Rhoswens murdered?”
I sucked in a sharp breath. I’d long believed Beau’s death wasn’t an accident. But to hear the words spoken so plainly, it was like a jagged knife right in my chest. Phoebe clutched my hand again. It didn’t help.
“Because,” Allcot said carefully. “They all have the power to turn vampires into daywalkers.”
My limbs went numb. I sat frozen on the couch, staring at Allcot as he poured another glass of thick red liquid.
“Willow?” Phoebe waved and scooted closer. “You all right?”
My chest started to ache. What had happened with David hadn’t been a fluke. But how did I possess that power? I wasn’t a male or the firstborn. Beau had arrived two minutes before I had.
“We think once Beau died,” Carrie said, answering my unspoken questions, “his power somehow transferred to Willow through their twin connection. And that’s why Asher is stalking her.”
My head started to spin, and I sucked in a deep breath. Someone named Asher was after me?
Allcot took his seat again and concentrated on me. “Asher’s the vampire you met in the cemetery the day you got home from California.”
“But if he’s a vampire, why would he want to stop such a thing?” Phoebe asked.
Eadric angled his head toward a painting depicting a family from what looked to be the sixteenth century. There was one man and three grown women, all very pale and all dressed in layers of ornate clothing, jewels at their throats. “That’s Tobias Sleford and his mistresses. He was the King of the Vampire Royal Court at the time.”
Some sensation returned to my fingers as I dug them into my palm. One thing I had learned during my run as a Void agent was vampire history. Sleford had been a man of the cloth before he’d been turned. His reign had largely consisted of instilling order in the vampire community—until he’d disappeared one hundred and fifty years later. It was suspected he’d been murdered, and the vampire royalty line was abolished. He’d been responsible for setting the groundwork for vampires, fae, witches, and humans alike to coexist peacefully.
“And?” Phoebe tapped her foot.
“Asher used Sleford’s teachings and twisted them into his own perverse reality. He believes he’s a prophet sent back by Sleford to segregate humans and vampires. In other words, he feels humans are superior to every other race and it’s his job to keep humans safe. Naturally, Asher feels daywalking vampires are a mortal threat to humans. His band of followers has been taking out all fae who are known carriers of the sunwalking magic.”
I gasped. “There are more of us?”
He shook his head. “Not that anyone’s aware of. It’s an extremely rare gift. I only know of one other family, and unfortunately that line was terminated about sixty years ago.”
Terminated. Goddess above.
“And he knows about Willow?” Phoebe started to pace, nervous energy flowing off her in waves. “We have to get her out of here. Out of the country, maybe.”
“Now wait just a minute—”
Allcot put his hand up, stopping me. “According to our intel, he’s only keeping an eye on you as a person of interest. If you have a son, Asher would want to know about it. Since you’re Beau’s twin and he’s unaware of Beau Junior, he has reason to believe you could pass the gene to your offspring. As long as he’s unaware of your ability, you should be able to keep living a normal life.”
“But what about the one that tried to jump me that night outside my shop?” He had been a vamp, after all.
“I suspect he’s one of Asher’s people. He may have been trying to impress his master or you might have snuck up on him. No way to tell. What we do know is if Asher finds out about your abilities, he will come after you.”
Phoebe stopped pacing and balled her fists on her hips. “She can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous.”
I stood, meeting her toe to toe. “I’m not going anywhere. I have a life here. I won’t live it hiding out somewhere. Plus, Beau Junior is here. He’s my family.”
Phoebe glanced from me to Allcot and gritted her teeth. “Fine. But first thing tomorrow I’m signing you up for those self-defense classes.”
“Deal.” I smiled. This time I’d go. After the week I’d had, I was dying to. Literally.
Phoebe eyed Allcot. “If you don’t think Asher will kill her, then why did you have David tell Maude there was a death threat?”
“It’s not a total lie. If he learns the truth he will kill her.” Allcot raised his crystal glass to his lips. “And I had my reasons for wanting one of my people on the inside.”
Phoebe snorted. “I bet.”
I started pacing again. “But you didn’t know about my ability then.”
“Willow.” Carrie grabbed my wrist, stopping me. “We knew about your ability to sense vampires. I was afraid for you. It was my idea to have Davidson look after you.”
I dropped to my knees in front of her, betrayal and hurt taking over my logical mind. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” I demanded. “We were close. As close as sisters.” I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face. “You just…left, and took little Beau with you. How could you do that?”
Her eyes glistened with her own tears. “I was afraid. For my child, for you, for all of us. I knew about Beau’s ability. He told me, and deep inside I knew his death wasn’t an accident, but I didn’t know what to do about it. So I went to Nicola, knowing she had access to Eadric and his protection. That’s how I ended up here. They’ve been watching over us ever since. And now you. Since the day David walked into your shop a year ago.”
Eadric clucked his tongue in disapproval, and I gaped. I glanced back at Phoebe. “Did you know any of this?”
She shook her head, appearing just as surprised as I was. Though I don’t know why. As soon as we’d walked into the room I should have made the connection. It was too much of a coincidence to believe I’d ended up with David by accident. He’d lied to me for over a year. Bastard!
This was all too much. “I have to get out of here.” I turned to Phoebe. “Let’s take Maude home.” I glared at Allcot, daring him to protest. But he didn’t.
He inclined his head. “I trust you will not speak of Carrie o
r Beau to anyone?”
“I need to tell Talisen.” There was no way I was keeping this from him. Better Allcot understood that. “He’s been searching for answers to Beau’s death. If he keeps digging, he’ll call attention to himself unnecessarily. I can’t have that.”
The vamp leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. I almost thought he’d argue, but then he said, “That’s acceptable if you put a silencing spell on the information.”
I cringed. Tal would hate that. No one ever volunteers to have their free will taken away. But there were other people’s lives on the line. “Fine.” He’d understand. I hoped.
I moved to the open door leading into Beau’s bedroom. He sat in the middle of the room, playing with a giant soft puzzle. I met Carrie’s eyes and waved a hand toward him. “Is it okay?”
She gave me a small smile and nodded.
Thank you, I mouthed.
Joining my nephew, I sat next to him, handing him puzzle pieces as he worked out where they should go. His eyes and chin were the same shape as Beau’s, but his nose was wider and cheeks puffier. I wondered if he’d grow into Beau’s rugged good looks. I hoped so. Hoped with all my heart.
“Auntie!” he cried in exuberance, jumping to his feet.
“Yeah?” I laughed at his sheer joy as he ran around me in a circle.
He held out a brown-and-white plush dog. “Kiss.”
I clasped my hands around the softest stuffed animal ever made and gave it a hug. “What’s his name?”
“Mama named her.” He moved in, snuggling me close.
“Oh? And what name did Mama give her?” I smoothed his unruly red-blond hair.
“Willa.”
“Willa?” I parroted.
“No, like Auntie. Willa!”
“Willow?” I asked, choking back the emotion in my throat.
He laughed. “Yeah, like Auntie.”
Chapter 32
When Phoebe and I returned to Allcot’s office, Maude was resting on a couch and other than visible exhaustion, she appeared as good as new.
“Looks like Talisen worked his magic,” I said, sitting next to her.
She placed a hand on my leg. “He did. Thank you for asking him to come here.”
