Selene slammed her lips closed and regained control of her vocal cords, ending Seraphine’s rant.
“It means...” He sighed and looked to Mason.
Mason walked further into the house.
“It means that I know something’s going on with you and you won’t tell me what. When I got back from the lobby, you were terrified. Something or someone happened in there. Why won’t you just tell me?”
“I—”
“Yes, tell him. Tell him everything. Why you came, what your plan is. You do have a plan, don’t you?”
She took a deep cleansing breath and closed her eyes, centering herself. Go to sleep, she commanded her demon.
Her demon grumbled but complied.
When she opened her eyes again, she could see clearly and the headache subsided.
“I can’t,” she said.
“I’m not stupid, Selene. You may have convinced Mason about why you are here, but from what you’ve told me about your experiences in that other place, I know they wouldn’t just let you go. You’re here because they want you here. They need something from you and I can only assume it has to do with Mason and the other demons.”
She pressed her lips together in a tight line.
Neeman’s eyes narrowed. “Fine. Don’t tell me. But I won’t help you if you aren’t honest with me.”
“I understand.” She walked past him into the house. Tears flooded her eyes and she raced up the stairs toward her room. She was so screwed. But it didn’t matter. Saving Neeman and the others was all she could do now. Even if it meant they hated her for it.
“There’s one way to keep loverboy safe.”
Selene stopped in her tracks, her hand on the knob to her bedroom door.
“One thing that you could do to ensure he’d stay away. A way to push him away for good.”
Selene’s heart pounded. She bowed her head and fat tears fell on the stairs below her.
“Let me out and I’ll do it.”
“No,” she whispered. “I can do it.” But she wasn’t sure that was necessarily true.
Selene turned back around and wiped the tears from her eyes. It was to keep him safe. Only to keep him safe.
* * * *
Neeman held back the anger threatening to swallow him. He’d opened up to Selene more than anyone in the world and now she was shutting him out harder than ever. It was obvious he’d hit a chord with her about why she was here. The question was, why was she here? Should he say something to Mason about it? Doing so would put Selene in even worse danger than she was already in. If demons looking for her didn’t make her flinch, he couldn’t imagine what was being held over her head.
He stepped into the house. Coven members hung around the upper landing whispering and looking down. The arrival of Sherman, one of the three kings of America was unsettling at best and a bad omen at worst. Sherman wasn’t even the king over the Chicago area, which led Neeman to wonder why he had come.
Neeman knocked on the door to the back study where Danika held her smaller meetings. William opened the door, his expression grave.
“Ah, there he is.” Sherman stood. His tall, thin stature had inches on Neeman. He was the epitome of a New York banker. His dark suit and polished shoes screamed success.
Neeman shook Sherman’s hand but looked to Danika. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
She gave a tight smile. “It’s fine. Have a seat.”
Mason loomed behind Danika, ever the guardian protector.
“I’d prefer to stand if you don’t mind,” he said.
“It’s fine,” Sherman replied. “As I was telling Lord Danika, I’ve come to warn you all.”
“What’s happening?” asked Neeman.
“The High Council is coming. They heard about the bombing of the Tracking Squad training center and they want to investigate.”
“The High Council?”
The High Council lived in England and oversaw the entire society from the old Buckingham Palace. Neeman found it pretentious but that’s how things were done in the society.
“There has been mention of moving the trackers to a more secure location, from what I’ve been told,” said Sherman.
“With all due respect,” said Neeman. “That was the most secure location. The best minds in the world had been employed in creating it.”
“You misunderstand. They don’t mean that the training center wasn’t secure enough, they mean Coven House isn’t secure enough.”
“And what makes them think that?” asked Mason.
Sherman blew out a breath. “Let’s be honest here. There’s been more upheaval here in Chicago than in the entire society in the last decade. Danika’s parents, murdered. Danika, almost murdered. Traitors in the midst, humans in an unsanctioned blood factory, underground blood market, rogues, demons. Mason is the only reason the High Council hasn’t asked Danika to step down as lord. If it was anyone else, she’d be gone already.”
Sherman’s words rang true. Without the fear of Mason and what he might do, Danika would have been ousted a year ago.
“So what do we do?” Danika asked.
Sherman’s gaze moved to Neeman. “They’re scared of what is coming. They’ve heard of the demons returning. They want to make sure their security is assured.”
“You mean they’re cowards who want to hide behind my men’s coattails.” Neeman ground his teeth together, once again struck by the sheer selfishness of Vampires.
“And what about the rest of us?” asked William.
“I don’t know,” said Sherman. “I’m sure most of the lords, offspring, and mates will be secured if things get worse. Other than that, who knows what they’ll do.”
“Why are you telling us this?” asked Danika. “Shouldn’t it be Melton here? He’s the king of this area.”
“Because, despite what my peers think, I am of the opinion that the four of you have done a better job at cleaning up the mess here in Chicago than most of the lords in the US Territory could have. So while I understand the very real fear of what may be coming our way, I think the High Council is overreacting and not acting in the best interests of the entire society. Melton and Vinton do not agree with me in this. So I decided to come and warn you myself. I must ask though. Is it true that demons have been seen here?”
“It is,” said Mason.
“Then can I assume that they are coming because of you?”
“Partly, yes.”
“What else do they want? Have you captured them? Questioned them?”
“We captured one,” Neeman chimed in. “But it died.”
Sherman looked at him. “Did it say what it wanted?”
Neeman walked a fine line. He didn’t want to lie. Sherman was trying to save them all. That kind of honesty and loyalty was rare. But at the same time, he didn’t want to involve Selene.
“He didn’t tell me what he wanted,” Neeman finally said.
Sherman looked at everyone in the group in turn. “What aren’t you all telling me?”
They all stayed silent.
“Look, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on,” said Sherman. “If demons are here then you need all the friends you can get. We all will have to fight together if we want a chance of saving what’s left of this planet.”
“He might have spoken to someone else,” said Neeman.
“Another tracker?”
“No.” The weight of Mason’s stare made the hairs on Neeman’s arm prickle.
“Selene?” Mason asked.
Neeman nodded.
“A female?” asked Sherman.
“She’s been...staying with me.”
“If you think she knows why they are here, then we need to know,” said Sherman. “Have you questioned her? Who is this woman? Is she a tracker?”
“No,” said Neeman. “She isn’t a tracker, she’s…my guest.”
Sherman raised his eyebrows.
“I’m not sure she will be very forthcoming,” said Mason.
“Who is this woman? Is she another vampyr?” Sherman asked.
Every ounce of Neeman wanted to protect her from Sherman. Even though he’d come as a friend, that could change in an instant and as a king of America his rule was law.
“She isn’t a vampyr,” said Danika. “She’s human.”
“Oh, even better. Then we’ll just make her tell us. Where is she?”
Neeman stared at Mason. Mason nodded slightly and Neeman’s gut clenched tight as a wet rope.
“I’ll go get her.” He just hoped she would be cooperative.
* * * *
Neeman stood outside the door to the bedroom. He wanted to grab Selene and run. This was not going to go well. Sherman was a decent Vampire, but he was still one of the three kings and if he perceived Selene was a threat there was no telling what would happen.
Neeman opened the door a crack and stopped at the sound of giggling. Ice shot through his body. He opened the door wider and stepped inside.
Selene sat on the couch, straddling a house slave named Matthew. Matthew squeezed her buttocks. Her head was back and she moaned as he kissed down her neck.
Anger coursed through Neeman at the sight and quicker than he could think, he jumped across the room, grabbed Selene off Matthew’s lap and threw him to the floor.
“Neeman!” Selene screamed.
He lunged at Matthew who scrambled away. Selene stepped between them, her eyes fearful.
“Neeman, stop!” She put her hand on his chest, but he tried to push past her.
Matthew had gotten to his feet and held on to the fireplace mantel. “Neeman, I’m sorry. She didn’t say anything. I didn’t know she was yours.”
“Get out,” Neeman said through gritted teeth.
Matthew nodded and ran from the room.
Neeman’s gaze turned on Selene and he flung her hand away. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Lots of things.”
“Do you have any idea what would happen to you if you’d drained him here?”
“I could’ve wiped his memory.”
“Would you’ve? Would you have even thought about doing that before he went back to the barracks and told them all that you’d done something to him? And how had you planned on getting him out of here anyway, without anyone seeing and him vomiting down the stairs?”
Confusion played across her features. “I...I didn’t think about that.”
He didn’t say what he wanted to say. He didn’t tell her of the excruciating pain that ripped through his heart at seeing her with Matthew. At realizing how little she really cared about him. The impact of that knowledge crushed him.
“That’s the problem, Selene. You don’t think and now you’re in trouble. Real trouble. Sherman, one of the three kings, is down there and he wants to ask you about the shred demon and why he was here.”
She swallowed and blinked several times.
“Don’t you get it? I can’t protect you.”
“I can protect myself.”
Neeman planted his fists on his hips and stared at the floor. All his life as a vampyr he’d been accused of not letting anyone in. Accused of not caring and here he was staring at the same situation. Ironic.
“Right. Okay then, let’s go. Let’s go down there and explain to Sherman how you are Mason’s half sister who killed a demon while in my care and how the demons are here to get you and Mason. Meanwhile the fae have sent you here for another reason, which you won’t tell me. Let’s go do that.”
She stared at him and bit her cheek. There was no way to talk herself out of the hole she’d gotten herself in. Not this time.
“Neeman...” Her lip quivered and she reached for him but he stepped out of range.
His chest squeezed as he realized that he’d been wrong all along. She wasn’t his.
Chapter 20
Selene’s mind was in a flurry. Something was definitely wrong with her. Something had been broken inside or maybe it had never been right to begin with. But those things had nothing to do with why she’d gone down to the barracks and flirted with Matthew. Had nothing to do with why she’d brought him up to the room, knowing Neeman would find them sooner or later. That she’d done to shut him out, to push him away.
“To keep him safe.”
Neeman strode from the room and stomped down the stairs. She followed, trying to form words that would make things okay between them, but she was unable, again.
“If you crumble now, it will all be for naught.”
Selene let out a shuddering breath and nodded. She had to do this, cause this rift between them. It was the only way to throw off Lorcan.
They made their way past the prying eyes of the house members to a door she hadn’t noticed earlier. She followed into a conference type room that held an enormous wooden table surrounded by low leather chairs. Danika sat at the head with Mason standing behind. William sat at her left and an older Vampire dressed in dark suit. His white hair was slicked back and his eyes were warm but calculating.
“Have a seat.” Sherman pointed to a chair opposite him.
She tried to catch Neeman’s or Mason’s eye but they both refused to look at her. She pulled out the chair and sat.
“I’ve been told that you spoke to the demon who Neeman caught,” said Sherman.
“Tell him nothing.”
“Maybe.” She shrugged and crossed her arms over her breasts.
Sherman chuckled. “You have spirit. I like that. But this isn’t the time or the place. What’s your name?”
“Don’t tell.”
“Selene.”
“Okay, Selene, so why were you talking to the demon?”
She licked her lips. “I wanted to see what he was.”
“Why were you with the Tracking Squad? Neeman said you were a guest there.”
“I...stole a car to try and get out of town but stopped for a drink first. Neeman found me at a bar and took me to the compound to figure out what to do with me.”
Sherman’s gaze traversed her face. He inhaled and his pupils dilated slightly. “Where did you come from?”
“Well, see, when a man and a woman—”
“Selene!” Danika’s voice cut straight through her. But Sherman concealed a smile.
She needed to play the part of human militant. “Fine. I came from far away.”
Sherman nodded. “Selene, what did the demon say to you?”
She needed to get the conversation off the demons. The closer Sherman got to the demons, the closer he got to her secret and if he found out she’d been sent by the fae, she didn’t think his means of getting her to talk would be much different than Lorcan’s.
“The demon? Nothing.” She scratched at the surface of the wooden table. “Now the Russians on the other hand, they said something interesting.”
Sherman sat forward and folded his hands on the table. “What do you mean?”
“I overheard them talking about helping Chase and going to Las Vegas.”
Sherman looked to Danika. “You met with the Russians here, didn’t you?”
“I did,” Danika replied.
“How did you hear that?” he asked.
Every eye in the room was on her. Exposing her ability to cloak herself wasn’t a secret she was ready to spill yet.
Selene shrugged. “I have my ways of hearing things.”
The glint in Sherman’s eyes had gone from amused to annoyed. He looked to Danika again. “I take it things didn’t go well.”
“They did not. I believe that they have been hiding Chase and are still in collusion with both Garon and Chase to take over,” she said.
“Do you think they could have had something to do with the bombing of the training center?”
“It wasn’t a bombing,” said Neeman. “It was more demons. They attacked right after the meeting went south.”
“How many m
ore?” asked Sherman.
“A dozen or so that we saw,” replied Neeman.
“Why haven’t they come back?”
“Mason took care of them,” said Danika.
Sherman shook his head. “But if Mason is who they are after, now that he’s been spotted, they should come back.”
“I killed them all,” said Mason. “Another wave will come, but I bought us a bit of time before they figure out those are dead.”
“Nice of Maelstrom to give us credit. I mean, we did most of the killing,” Seraphine sneered.
“Do you know how they got through?”
“There has to be a portal, but we don’t know where it is right now.”
“It’s a portal, how hard could it be to find?”
“Unless you know what you’re looking for? Very hard,” said Mason.
Sherman gazed at Selene. The intensity of it made her squirm. He was obviously old. His aura was that of power and intelligence.
“It’s too dangerous for you all here,” Sherman finally said. “We need to find you a place to hide out.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Danika. “I won’t leave my coven or my company. I refuse to run from Garon.”
“I’ll be staying as well,” said Mason.
“As will I,” said Neeman.
“I’m afraid that might not be so easy. For you especially, Neeman,” said Sherman. “The High Council is coming. They’ll be here within the next day. They’ll contact you to set up a meeting and they will expect you all to be there. Neeman, you should prepare to move and have your guys move as well.”
“I won’t go,” said Neeman.
“You may feel that way now, but wait till you see them. They aren’t the kind of Vampires that you say no to. Besides, I understand that you are loyal to Lord Danika, but your duty is to the society as a whole, not just this area. You go where you are told to.”
Sherman’s phone rang and he answered it.
Selene snuck a look at Neeman. He looked down at her but his face was unreadable.
“I need to go,” said Sherman. “Melton and Vinton are landing soon. They know I’ve been here. I lied and told them I was coming to pick up a new slave. I need to take someone with me.” Sherman’s gaze fell on Selene.
Rise of the Fae Page 20
