Page 81 of Call of the Blood

“He’s not thinking rationally,” she said simply, and I gave her a flat look. “Am I wrong?” she continued, tilting her head.

“No. I just don’t like that you’re right, and it frustrates me.”

“I am here for Declan, and if you can’t get over your grudge with me⁠—”

“You’re a threat to his humanity,” I hissed. “Don’t you get that? I lied to him and died later on to protect his humanity, and you are a threat to it.”

“Doesn’t look like I’m the real threat right now,” she said, lips pursed, but there was a twitch that made me wonder if she was fighting a snarl. “You spent so much time judging me that your uncle snuck under your nose and got to him.”

It was a slap in the face.

I had no choice but to take it. She loved my brother. It was clear in her eyes. It was clear in her choices tonight. It was clear just because she was in the car.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “There it is. My obsession. I… didn’t realize how strong it was until he decided to forgive you and continue trying to make it work. I… I just need time. I know you care. I do. He… cares so much about you. He loves you so much, you have no idea.”

“He and my father like to think I don’t know,” she said, smiling, but it was so sad. “I knew. I knew why he invited you out here. I’m sorry for not treating you better when we met.” She crossed her arms, protective of herself, her expression thoughtful. “How did you die?”

I told her the story. The third person to find out while I was on this so-called vacation. Declan, I had expected in some way. Henry, while unexpected, made sense. Lexi was in the realm of feeling like an alternative timeline. Nothing made sense anymore.

“You laughed at him?”

“I fucking laughed in his face. I had won. He murdered our mother and made me cover it up. He tormented me. I lived in fear… and for just a fucking moment, he was terrified. And I laughed. I wasn’t afraid. I was going to die, knowing I’d won. It was… the most powerful I had ever felt for just a split second.”

“No wonder Alexius thinks you would beat me in a fight. That’s actually crazy.”

I looked at her, feeling a bit offended, but she was smiling.

“My mom would really like you,” she said softly. “But she’s a Viking, and to die gloriously on the battlefield is her ultimate idea of a good death. To go to Valhalla.”

“You’re here. I think she would like you, too, if you don’t think she does.”

“I think sometimes I don’t walk the path she wants, but it’s hard to know what path that is. I’m closer with my dad.”

“Fair. Just ask her, though. Ask her while you have her.”

31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

We were minutes out from Henry’s secretive second property. Lexi texted Alexius for me, which meant Alexius could pass along the message that we were arriving alone to the Tribunal leaders who were part of the staggered chain of people following us.

So much drama over my human brother and our fucked-up uncle. My brother, teased by Callahan for being stuck between two women who weren’t getting along. My fucking crazy uncle who everyone in Los Angeles wanted dead now. I was certain even Declan wished for it more than once when Henry carried him off.

“There it is,” Lexi said, leaning forward as I navigated the dark drive up to the home. “It’s dark, but that shouldn’t bother either of us.”

“You got eyes for this?” I asked, rolling to a park instead of hitting the brakes.

“I have a nose,” she answered.

“Text Alexius and tell them to stay down the hill at the start of the drive. They’ll be able to stop humans from coming up, and it’s for their safety. We don’t know what sort of nonsense Henry might have going on here. If there’s a fire or anything…”

“Definitely.” Lexi sent the text, then we got out together. Our hushed, whispering voices felt loud in the silence around Henry’s home. We moved toward the front door and found it was unlocked. I peeked into every door, revealing the garage where Henry’s car was parked and another room that felt oddly familiar. It took me a moment to recognize that Henry had recreated a sitting room from Jacob’s nest. A part of his fantasy, trying to find familiarity.

We took another few steps deeper into the house, finding the kitchen, and the scent of blood hit my nose.

Oh, no.

“He brought Henry here,” Lexi said, sniffing hard. “There’s blood.”