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“I’ll try to be gentle,” I said, my tone heavy with irony. After all, Persephone might have been considered the weakest Domina, but she was still an ancient vampire. Not one to trifle with in any arena.
A few moments later, a side door opened and Persephone swept out into the courtyard. Last time I’d seen her she’d been wearing dove gray, like a woman in mourning for her lost power. But now she wore a bright sapphire dress that played brilliantly against her deep auburn hair. The moonlight made her pale skin glow like a pearl. No doubt about it, Persephone was still the most beautiful female I’d ever seen.
Watching her stride toward us, I wondered if maybe I’d misjudged her all along. I’d always thought Tanith was the smart one and Lavinia was the strongest of the three Dominae. But now they were both dead and pretty Persephone had the entire dark races scrambling.
“Sabina.” She tipped her head regally in greeting.
“Domina,” I responded. While I’d lost my need to kowtow to the Dominae long ago, I’d always viewed Persephone with less contempt than her two partners. And since part of the reason I’d agreed to this meeting was the need to convince her to return to the States to take control of the vampire race, I figured I’d stack my bets and show her the respect she expected. However, I refused to bow to her. I wasn’t that desperate for her favor.
“Thank you for agreeing to this meeting.”
I didn’t bother pointing out I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. “Of course. I was surprised to learn you were in Rome. Everyone thinks you’re still stateside.”
“I assume your cohorts are already in touch with Rhea and the Queen regarding my location.”
Adam’s aunt and Queen Maeve of the fae were trying to hold down the dark races in America until Persephone returned to take control of the vampires.
“You know you have to go back.”
“Not necessarily,” she said, looking thoughtful. “I have decided to renounce my right to rule the Lilim.”
My stomach dipped. While I’d known this was a possibility all along, I’d hoped that she’d suck it up and do what was right in the end. “Domina, I’m sorry, but that’s bullshit.”
“Hey!” Chiara protested.
Persephone waved her cousin down. “I am quite decided on the matter.”
“Well, that’s just perfect,” I said, my voice rising. “We were so close to finally achieving peace between the races and now you’re going to just walk away and leave the vampire race without any sort of leadership?”
“Sabina, let’s not be overly dramatic. The Undercouncil is perfectly capable of running things until a new candidate can be found.”
I sighed. Yelling at her wasn’t going to get us anywhere. “Look, I understand your misgivings. I’d be reluctant to take over, too, after my two predecessors were murdered. But times have changed.”
Persephone raised a perfectly arched brow. “Have they? Have you found Tanith’s murderer yet?”
“No, not yet. But we know who’s responsible. That’s why I’m here.”
Her forehead crinkled. “Who?”
“Cain.”
Her hand flew to her midsection. “Great Mother protect us. How is that possible?”
I quickly gave her an abbreviated version of Cain’s plot to destroy any chance at peace, leaving out the part about him using Maisie as his weapon. “So the Hekate Council and the Queen sent me here to find him and make sure he’s out of the equation.”
“But how will you manage that? Cain can’t be killed.”
“Which is why I’m trying to locate the mage who calls himself Abel.” I conveniently left out the part about Abel maybe being my father. No sense delving into that quagmire when things were complex enough as it was. “I’m hoping his knowledge of Cain will give me the key to stopping him.”
“A mage named Abel?” Persephone said, frowning.
I realized the source of her confusion. “Not the same Abel as in the mortal mythology—the brother Cain killed. This mage I’m looking for apparently adopted the name when he decided to make Cain his enemy. Maybe he sees himself as the original Abel’s avenger or something.”
Which begged the question again of why my father hated Cain so badly. But that was an issue for another time and definitely not one to analyze with Persephone.
The Domina blew out a breath. “I wish you luck, but I’m afraid I don’t share your optimism. This does nothing but confirm my decision to get out of dark race politics.” She turned to Chiara. “Tell the servants to start packing up. We’re leaving Rome.”
My mouth fell open. “So that’s it? You’re going to just run away?”
Persephone speared me with a glare. “Sabina, I am two thousand years old. Do you think I reached this advanced age by being a coward?”
“No, Domina.”
“I reached this age by being smart and choosing my battles. For whatever reason, Cain is determined to kill anyone who attempts to make peace a reality for the dark races. You said it yourself: The Queen and Rhea need me to bring the vampires back to the table. That means I am a threat to Cain’s plans. I’d be a fool to return. Just as I’d be a fool to stay in this house when the man who wants me dead is loose in Rome.”
As much as I hated to admit it, she made a good point. But I wasn’t ready to surrender. “Who will rule the race, then?”
Persephone’s lips spread into a calculating smile. “If you want peace so badly, why don’t you volunteer? You’re a descendant of a Domina.”
A harsh laugh escaped my lips. “Don’t be ridiculous. The vampires would never follow a mixed-blood.” Not to mention, I didn’t want to rule the vampires or any race.
“They would if they believed you were the only leader who could guarantee peace. Your blood may be mixed, but it’s noble. Plus, your connection to the Hekate Council means you’d be able to negotiate favorable terms for all parties.”
I shook my head so hard my brain rattled in my skull. “Impossible. There has to be someone else.”
Some emotion flickered in her eyes, but it disappeared as soon as I saw it. “It is only impossible if you believe it to be. Regardless, it’s no longer my business. Please give the Queen and Rhea my regards when you deliver my decision.”
I crossed my arms and glared at her. “You can tell them yourself. I’m not your messenger.”
