Page 85 of Call of the Blood

“Body bag!” Maria yelled. “He’s Turning! We need to secure him so he’s not damaged!”

Vampires rushed over Declan, and Alexius knew they were treating him carefully. More carefully than anyone else had been allowed until this point.

But Alexius didn’t pay much attention to that. He didn’t see Everly again. Had barely seen her when she slammed into Henry. He knew she was fast. He never thought something could push her to be faster than she already was.

But it was Henry who revealed himself out of the darkness first. Bleeding, holding his side, Henry was running for Declan. Alexius side-stepped, putting his entire body in the way of Henry, who seemed to comprehend who was in his way at the last moment.

“You,” Henry hissed viciously, skidding to a stop in front of him. “It’s always you!”

“Yes, it is.” Alexius, seeing Henry’s face, hearing his voice, finally remembered that thing that had floated just outside of his mind.

“He’s mine! Give him back!” Henry said, pointing around him at Declan.

“I can’t do that yet. You’re in trouble, Henry. Plus, I wanted to ask you a few questions.”

“You can go to hell, Alexius!”

“I know you’re angry about your sire. He’d killed three people in one night. Not even Jacob could tolerate that sort of behavior. I did my job.” Alexius put his hands in his pockets and leaned down a bit to make sure their eyes met. Henry Abbott wasn’t particularly tall. “But all of this is a bit much.”

“It wouldn’t have to be if I was allowed the claim I deserved! The claim your son stole from me!”

“You wanted to Turn children after their father died,” Alexius boldly accused, throwing his guess into the night for all to hear.

“Twelve and fifteen were old enough!” Henry screamed.

Werewolves snarled. Vampires hissed. Henry said something unforgivable. The repulsion and rage of everyone behind Alexius was palpable. No matter what else happened tonight, Henry would be dust in the dawn for that statement.

“None of it would have been a problem if their father had listened to me like he was supposed to! He just had to get away from the controlling bitch of a wife he picked!”

Alexius once knew Everly’s late mother. Rupert rather liked the woman when they had to coordinate.

“Oh, can you explain that?” Alexius asked, almost as if he was talking to a child. He wanted Henry to talk because every word he said made the red-eyed monster in the darkness more angry. He wished he could look at those eyes, stalking, finding a position it liked as Henry ranted, but he needed all of his attention on the clinically insane man in front of him.

Henry, however, didn’t answer.

Alexius leaned a little closer.

“Henry, how did Liam Abbott die?” Alexius asked, now understanding that Henry’s crimes went deeper. Deeper than Jacob had probably understood.

Henry made a face, taking a step back. Alexius took a step forward, following him.

“Just let me have Declan, Alexius. He, Everly, and I are going to be a family. We’re going to fix things and leave all of you alone.”

“You think Everly will go with you? Over me?” Alexius smiled, but he felt murderous. “That’s never going to happen.” Alexius would break every bone in his body before that happened.

“We both know you overpower her, and that’s why she’s with you.”

Alexius made a face. It was an accusation he had been worried about. One he leveled at himself for over a year to avoid letting him and Everly fall for the heat that was between them.

“You don’t know your niece at all, do you?” Alexius finally asked but continued, making the question rhetorical. “That’s besides the point. You know… Jacob should have just told me to kill you. What was the official exile reason?”

“I hadn’t committed a crime! He couldn’t just kill me for having… thoughts.” Henry took another step back.

Alexius sighed. His son. His beautifully soft-hearted son. Too gentle a soul sometimes. It was an argument they had frequently. Who was redeemable. Who wasn’t. Alexius didn’t think Jacob thought Henry was redeemable. Jacob probably didn’t trust his own instincts in the matter. Probably hadn’t wanted to.

“And the only thing he thought I was going to do was kill their mother and raise them myself,” Henry said.

“Ah, that explains it,” Alexius said, nodding. “Well, Henry Abbott, let’s put things in order, shall we?” Alexius was playing with him, knowing it gave her more time. “You do have a very strong claim over the human currently Turning, Declan Abbott. By rights, I shouldn’t be in your way to get to him. His werewolf has no claim; there are no legal bonds there. But there is someone else who has a much stronger claim than you.”