by Jackie May
When we reach the bar, I almost don’t recognize Henry. He’s perched on a stool, hunched over a drink. He’s in suit pants and a white dress shirt, but he’s minus the jacket, and the clothes are a bit rumpled. His hair is also falling out of his ponytail. He’s never looked anything but immaculate. Seeing him so disheveled is shocking. “Henry?”
I nearly gasp when he turns around. His cheeks are sunken in, and there are dark circles beneath both of his bloodshot eyes. He sits up straight when he sees me, but it doesn’t do much to help his appearance. He looks as if he hasn’t slept or eaten in weeks.
“Hello, Nora. Thank you for coming.”
He looks annoyed to see my clan standing behind me, but not surprised, and he doesn’t comment on it. He waves me forward toward the stool next to him. “Please sit. Have a drink.” He flags down the bartender. “Anything the lady wants.”
I debate joining him, but he looks so awful he must really need me for something if he’s willing to let me see him so vulnerable, so I take pity on the man and sit on the stool beside him. “Water is fine,” I tell the waiting bartender. After the man hands me a glass, I take a sip and face Henry. “Okay. I’m here. You wanted to talk?”
Henry eyes my clan again and then sighs in defeat. He pulls a white handkerchief from his breast pocket and waves it a little before dropping it on the bar. “I surrender.”
My jaw falls slack, and I blink a few times. Just what exactly does he mean by that? A glance at my men tells me they’re all just as surprised as I am. Well, not Illren. He looks suspiciously smug. He catches me watching him and meets my gaze almost defiantly. Instead of asking just what the hell he’s done—because I have no doubt he’s done something to make Henry look this way—I warily turn back to Henry. “Surrender how, exactly?”
He sits back and scrubs his hands over his tired face. “I love you, Nora.”
Okay. Definitely not what I was expecting him to say. I have no idea how to respond.
Henry takes a gulp of whatever dark liquor is in his glass and then turns on me with a desperate expression. “I have never wanted anything more in all my centuries of existence than I want you.” He rakes his hand through his hair, pulling even more of the long blond strands free from his mangled ponytail. “I would not give you up for anything…” His eyes flick over my shoulder and darken with anger. I’m sure the glare is directed at Illren. “Nothing would stop me from pursuing you,” he says again, “except the safety of my clan.”
Uh-oh. “What do you mean?” I ask, though I’m afraid I already know the answer.
Henry gives me a flat look. “Call off your guard dog. I will leave you alone, if your assassin will stop killing my clan.”
This time everyone looks at Illren. He’s got that bored I’m-above-this-conversation expression on his face again. “What did you do?” I ask, bracing myself for an answer I know I won’t like.
Illren meets my questioning gaze with not a shred of remorse. When he says nothing, Henry snaps. “He’s killing my vampires!” he hisses. “And not just any of my vampires, but my favorites. The ones I sired myself. He’s killing my family, Nora. And he’s leaving them to be found in horrific ways meant to terrorize my clan!”
My stomach rolls. I have no doubt Henry is telling the truth. Still, I need confirmation. “Illren?”
Illren cocks a brow at Henry. “Have you any proof it was me?”
Henry’s eyes flash red. “Of course I don’t have any proof! You know I don’t. If I did, I’d have gone to the FUA already, and you would be rotting in a cell in the underworld prison.”
Illren, unruffled by the threat, shrugs one shoulder and rests his hand on the hilt of the glamoured sword at his waist.
Henry gives up on goading him and appeals to me again. “I don’t need proof, Nora. I know it’s him. He told me himself that he was going to do this. You were there when he made the threat.”
“Then perhaps you should have listened,” Illren murmurs in his scary, cold-blooded-killer voice. “Instead of attacking Nora, again, at this very bar, after I warned you of the consequences. Even Nora warned you that if you touched her again she wouldn’t stop me. You came at her anyway. You compelled her. Left bruises on her skin. You distracted us all while we were under cover, putting my entire clan in jeopardy. Several of my men—Nora’s family—were severely injured. Nora was nearly killed.”
Henry flinches. That last accusation hit a sensitive spot. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one wracked with guilt at the moment. I pinch my eyes shut and pull in a deep breath through my nose. This is my mess. Illren is my responsibility. “How many?” I whisper. I can’t open my eyes. I can’t stand seeing Henry’s devastation.
“Eleven, so far.” Henry’s voice clogs with emotion. “Nora, please.”
My eyes fly open. For Henry to beg… He must be beyond desperate. I can’t believe what I’m witnessing. I study him for a moment—the dark circles beneath his eyes, gaunt cheeks, rumpled clothing. Suddenly, his haggard appearance takes on a whole new meaning. It’s not just because he’s awake in the daylight. He’s slowly self-destructing. Illren has gotten under his skin. He’s been toying with him. Destroying him slowly.
“Please.”
I wonder if Henry has ever said that word in his life. I wonder if he’s ever humbled himself enough to beg for mercy. I doubt it. I always thought it would feel good to watch someone put Henry in his place, but it doesn’t. There’s something sad about watching the mighty fall. And all of those people now dead weren’t Henry. They didn’t deserve to die just because Henry is a bastard. Eleven people. Eleven lives that I will forever carry on my conscience. I close my eyes again and take another long, calming breath. “Illren.” I swallow and meet Henry’s desperate gaze before turning to Illren. “If this is your doing, it stops now.”
Illren looks at me a long moment, and it’s my turn to beg. “Please?”
Illren watches me. I wish he were touching me, because I can’t tell what’s running through his head. He’s staring at me rather hard. Calculating again. Maybe trying to figure me out as much as I’m trying to read him. I squirm as I fight for dominance. It’s nearly impossible to keep my eyes locked on him, but he is not going to win this battle of wills. I will have his word that he’ll stop killing Henry’s vampires.
Slowly, still staring me down, Illren gives me a barely perceptible nod. “As you wish it, Mistress.”
Beside me, I hear Henry let out a heavy breath and feel the air shift as he sags in relief, but I can’t take my eyes off of Illren. He’s still studying me. Trying to understand something. I don’t know what. I’m not that hard to figure out.
“Thank you, Nora.”
I jump at the feel of cool fingers covering mine and finally lose my staring match with Illren when I tear my gaze from his to Henry’s. Henry clasps his hands over mine and squeezes them. Rook and Terrance both growl at the contact, and Henry quickly pulls back, fisting his hands in his lap as if restraining himself is the hardest thing he’s ever done.
I thought his desperation would be gone now, but it’s not. He’s relieved, yes, but he’s still staring at me as if I’m the only person in the universe who can end his suffering. It’s not the same as it was before, though. The difference is subtle, but he’s not thinking of his clan anymore. Now he’s focused on his own needs. His desperation is filled with greed and desire. “Nora…”
He reaches out again, and I quickly pull back. I need to keep this meeting on track before he goes all psycho-obsessed on me again. I pull my shoulders back and make my voice hard and demanding. “You said you had information about my mother’s killers?”
Henry sighs. He flags the bartender down for a refill on his drink, and after throwing back a huge gulp of it, he grimaces. “I don’t want to tell you what I know because it’s going to hurt you.”
I stiffen. “Hurt me how?”
He finishes off his drink. “And it’s going to make you hate me.” His shoulders slump. “More than you alrea
dy do.”
I stare at him, waiting, and try not to feel sympathy for him. I hate the bastard, but he’s completely wrecked right now.
“Just about two decades ago, there was a vampire power struggle in this city. We nearly had a full-out war.”
I shiver at the thought of vampires going to war with each other—of the collateral damage that would lie in such vicious creatures’ wakes.
“I remember that,” Terrance murmurs. “The Cleveland clan tried to take over. It had the whole city on edge.”
Henry nods gravely. “They were strong, too. I was forced to ally myself with rogues in order to destroy them.”
I frown, not exactly sure what he means. “I don’t understand.”
Henry rubs his eyes as if he’s starting to lose the fight against his need to sleep. “Rogues tend to kill their prey. Too many dead humans puts us all at risk, so I don’t allow them in my territory. If any dare to venture into Detroit, they are dealt with swiftly and unmercifully.”
He pins me with a stare that is both sorrowful and unrepentant. “For them to agree to side with me against the Cleveland clan, I had to give them free reign in the city so long as they were discreet and didn’t draw too much attention to underworlders.”
I suck in a breath. “You let them kill whomever they wanted?” Rage sweeps through me, and I can’t keep it from seeping into my voice. “You sacrificed innocent people just to gain a few fighters?”
Henry’s eyes flash. “I did what I must to protect my vampires and stop the bloodshed.”
“At the cost of my mother’s life! My life!” I slip off my stool, leaning into Henry’s personal space and clenching the water glass on the bar. “They didn’t just kill her, Henry! They raped her and tortured her until her body finally gave out!” Henry flinches. Regret washes over him, but I’m too angry to care. “I was six years old, and they damn near killed me, too! A child! You let monsters loose on this city, and you didn’t care because we were only human!”
“I made a mistake!” Henry slams to his feet, chest heaving and eyes glowing red.
I flinch back, and my guys flank me. Rook pulls me into his arms, and Illren steps between Henry and me. Henry watches them pull me back and sags again. “I’m sorry, Nora,” he says, defeated. “Your mother is dead because of me.”
He falls back to his stool and stares at the bar.
Tears fill my eyes, though I’m not sure why. My mother died so many years ago. I’m not sure why knowing who was responsible makes it hurt worse.
While I try to get a hold of my emotions and stop my tears from falling down my cheeks, Henry stares into his glass as if he’s lost. “The men who killed your mother were part of the rogues that helped me defeat Cleveland. Most of the rogues weren’t bad, they simply didn’t want to swear fealty to a master and join a clan, but the ones who went after your mother were different. They were sick, twisted. They were reckless and cruel. They went on a killing spree through the city that was so terrible it nearly outed all underworlders to humankind. I knew the moment I saw your memories that first night it was them.”
I sniff and dry the last of my tears away. A vague memory surfaces of that first time Henry barged his way into my mind. He’d looked horrified after seeing that memory of my mother. I hadn’t thought much of it at the time because the memory was awful, but now I know there was more to Henry’s reaction. He was upset because he knew he was responsible.
Charlie’s quiet voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Why didn’t you stop them?”
We all look at Henry, waiting for his reply. He swallows hard and bores his sad eyes into mine, pleading for understanding and possibly forgiveness. “I couldn’t. I wanted to, but I’d given my word. I’d signed a binding contract. I couldn’t touch them. If I did, I’d lose control of my clan, and I couldn’t have a vampire revolt. It would have meant chaos for the entire city.”
I open my mouth to argue, and Henry silences me with a rueful look. “There’s a reason vampires need clan masters, Nora. We’re dark, dangerous predators. Without someone strong keeping the others in line, we will fall victim to our dark natures. That is why only a master vampire is strong enough to lead a clan. I lead one of the largest clans in the country. I couldn’t afford to let it fall apart over a handful of rogues killing humans.”
I shake my head in denial. What he’s saying makes sense, but something’s still not quite right. “What about the FUA? If these rogues were so out of control, they had to be a threat to the underworld. How come the FUA didn’t know about them?”
To my surprise, Henry scoffs. “They did know. They knew everything that was going on. They purposely didn’t stop it. Those rogues terrorized this city for months before they stepped in.”
I gasp in horror. “Why?”
Henry smirks bitterly. “According to Gorgeous, they were ‘good for business.’”
“What?”
“The FUA wasn’t official in Detroit at the time. Madison and Gorgeous were in talks with the heads of all the factions, but as you can imagine, we were all hesitant to sign anything agreeing to give the human government any form of control over us. Out of control rogues terrorizing the city was just the motivation they needed to get me to agree to their terms.” He levels me with a hard gaze. “Madison used the rogues as leverage. She made a deal with me to take care of the rogues only if I signed the treaty with the FUA.”
I gasp. He can’t be serious. “No.” I shake my head. There’s just no way. “They wouldn’t do that. Their job is to protect people. They fight for justice.”
The look Henry gives me is full of pity. “They fight for underworld justice. A few human casualties were a small price to pay. I’m sorry, Nora, but your friends are as guilty of your mother’s death as I am.”
My stomach rolls. I close my eyes as my emotions start to spiral out of control. What Henry’s claiming is atrocious. That the FUA—that Director West and Nick—would stand back and let monsters tear through this city just to get their way… It’s despicable. And if it’s true, Nick lied to me. Or, he withheld the truth anyway. I asked him about my mother. I asked him to help me find the rogues, and he said nothing. He pretended he didn’t have a clue when he had to have known. The betrayal almost hurts worse than the truth.
A pair of arms wraps around me, and I spin to face my hugger. “Shh, darling,” Charlie coos as I bury myself in his chest. “It’s all right. We’re here.”
He sends waves of peaceful reassurance at me through our bond, trying to calm my turbulent emotions. His embrace is foreign and yet feels so familiar. The longer he holds me, the more I feel a connection to him. Our mate bond is reacting to our closeness, pulling us together. “I’ve got you,” he murmurs.
My guys all surround me, worried and wanting to comfort me, but they allow Charlie this moment as if they know he’s the right man for the job this time. And somehow he is. I hardly know him, but his calm, steady presence is exactly what I need to settle the storm currently raging inside me. I melt against him and take a deep, shuddering breath.
“Nora,” Henry rasps, breaking the bubble of peace Charlie created around us. When I turn my head so that I can see him without leaving the safety of Charlie’s arms, he reaches out but quickly pulls his hand back. “I am sorry,” he murmurs, “for the part I played in your mother’s death. I know I can never make it up to you, but I want you to know that I am sincerely regretful.”
I’m surprised that I believe him. For all that he can be a monster, he does seem to feel guilty. That’s probably just because he believes I will never forgive him, and therefore never accept a relationship with him, but in his own messed up way, he is sorry. “Thank you,” I mutter. “I appreciate that.”
He gives me a pained smile. “You deserved the truth.”
I nod my thanks one more time. He’s right that the truth hurt me, but I’m still glad I found out. He only told me to get Illren off his back, but no matter his reasons, he told me the truth. I’m grateful to him for that.
/>
I let Charlie cart me away from the bar and cast one last glance over my shoulder. “Get some sleep, Henry. Your vampires are safe from my clan.”
I ride back to the den with Terrance and Charlie while Illren, Rook, and Oliver follow behind us in Ollie’s SUV. The drive is quiet, and I’m grateful. I’m glad to have my guys near me, but I need time to process what Henry told me.
My phone shatters the silence. I scoff when Nick Gorgeous’s name lights up the screen. He’s the last person I want to deal with right now. His betrayal still stings so badly I can hardly breathe. I send him straight to voice mail and shove my phone back in my pocket. When my phone goes off again, it takes everything in me not to throw the damn thing. I shut the phone off this time and turn my gaze out the window, letting the dreary, cloudy, freezing day affect my mood.
“Everything okay?” Charlie asks.
Terrance asks the same question with his eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Fine.” I sigh. “Just our friendly neighborhood dragon. I don’t want to talk to him.”
Terrance gives me a long look before turning his eyes to the road again. Just when I’m sure he won’t tell me what he’s thinking, he quietly says, “It could be about the fey. The meeting went well last week. They might be ready to sign the treaty.”
I scowl out the window. “After what Henry said, I’m not sure I want to sign the treaty.”
Terrance puts on his I’m-about-to-give-a-lecture face but says nothing when I glare hard at him. Wise troll.
The rest of the drive passes in silence. When we get to the base of the bridge where the entrance to the den is, Nick is parked out front in one of his ridiculously expensive cars. He meets me by the door, and seeing him there, smiling his big, happy, carefree smile, my anger boils.
