“I won’t presume to tell you how to run your organization, Mr. Rogozin,” she said. “But I would like to deal with my uncle directly. We have some unresolved… family matters to settle. Once that’s done, I assure you, he won’t cause you any more trouble.”
An understanding smile spread across his face, and he reached out and touched her shoulder. “You are formidable woman, Ms. D’Amico. I understand why vampire king is so taken with you.”
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“As it was meant.” He gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze, then released her. “Tell him I look forward to hearing from him whenever time is right. We will be waiting.”
The elevator arrived, and she stepped inside, turning around to meet his eyes once more.
“Forgive my presumption,” he said, placing his hand against the doors to hold them open, “but if I may give you a word of advice?”
“Of course.”
“As demon in hell, I saw many, many wars. Many deaths. As demon on earth, I have seen many, many wars. Many deaths. I know your father was great loss to you. But revenge… It does not fill hole inside you. It only leads to more holes.” He shook his head, lost for a moment in his own thoughts. Then, glancing at her once more with a look she could only describe as pity, “Mourn your father, Ms. D’Amico. Avenge him if you must. But then? Let it go. Live your life. Enjoy time you have left, before…”
He trailed off and finally released the doors, smiling once more before turning away.
As the doors slid closed and the elevator began its descent, the unsaid words echoed through her soul.
Before Azerius comes to claim you.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Is there nothing you can’t do, Charlotte D’Amico?”
Safely back in his bedroom at Ravenswood, Dorian cupped his woman’s face and stared into her eyes, still trying to process everything she’d told him about the meeting.
While he’d been crawling the walls of a nearby restaurant, hoping for the best but fearing the worst, she’d been dining with demons, altering the course of Dorian’s life. Ofalltheir lives.
He’d been bloody terrified the entire time, cursing himself for allowing her to go through with it. Cursing himself for not turning her into a vampire when she’d asked, certain he’d left her weak and vulnerable. In those terrible hours, he told himself he’d finally do it—he’d turn her the moment they returned to Ravenswood, if only to give her that elusive advantage over all the enemies who might otherwise harm her.
But then, just when he was ready to storm into that hotel and steal her from the demonic clutches he was so certain had trapped her, she’d returned to him.
Safe. Whole. Overwhelmed, but relieved.
She’d done it. She’d succeeded in securing the deal.
Yes, there were details to work out and formalize. And no, they had no guarantees Rogozin wouldn’t fuck them as swiftly and thoroughly as Chernikov had.
But Charlotte had gone head-to-head with a powerful demon crew with little more than a laptop and a prayer, and she’d accomplished exactly what she’d set out to do.
Dorian had never been more proud of anyone as he’d been in that moment.
And in that moment he knew, without reservation, he’d finally grant her wish. He’d turn her into a vampire—not because he was afraid of her human frailties, but because he saw in her a strength and determination that refused to be dimmed, no matter how much darkness life had thrown at her.
He wouldn’t turn her to make her strong.
He would turn her because she wasalreadystrong, and becoming a vampire washerchoice—one she’d made from the depths of the same inner badassery that had allowed her to face the demons. That had allowed her to survive her father’s death and her uncle’s cruelty. That had allowed her to look into the eyes of a monster and see the human soul inside.
Hissoul.
Dorian pressed a long, lingering kiss to her lips, then pulled back to admire those beautiful copper eyes once more. He could lose himself in them. In her.
How had she come into his life? How was it even possible she was his?
“Only one thing,” she said now, granting him the gift of a smile as she reached up to trace her fingers across his forehead. “I can’t read your thoughts.”
They were standing before the windows, and Dorian looked out through the glass, taking in the view of his father’s lands.Hislands. “I was thinking about fate.”
