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“It is only your son who is missing among all who have gathered. Why?” Sigbjørn asked, placing his book on the table at his side.
“Sadly, he has taken more after Theseus—forgive me, past Theseus since the death of his mate, Azami, last year. I do not believe he wishes to be—”
I felt the air move as Sigbjørn was now before Jabari. Even I felt the need to step back. Sigbjørn looked calm, but my senses were telling me he was dangerous at this moment. “When I summon the family, you arrive—all of you. Witches have attacked not only on our lands but the lands of other vampires in the last several days. The air is changing.”
What does that mean? I thought and sort of hoped he’d answer me, but he did not look away from Jabari.
“Forgive me, Father,” Jabari spoke, looking him in the eye.
“No,” he replied. “We shall go out there together, and then you will excuse yourself and bring him. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Sigbjørn’s shoulders rolled back, and he looked him over once before putting his hand on his shoulder. “Welcome back.”
Jabari opened his mouth to speak when, all of a sudden, Sigbjørn’s attention was on me. He looked me up and down, the look on his face one I couldn’t read, but he did not say a word. Instead, he stretched out his arm, not for me, however, as Rhea stepped forward, gently putting her hands on his, and they walked toward the doors.
Ulrik came over, shoving Jabari quickly with his elbow before following after his father with Melora. Even Hinrik patted Jabari’s shoulder. I really wished someone would clue me in. At times like these, I wished I wasn’t an abandoned vampire who knew nothing about this vast society that I was now part of.
“Druella?” Theseus said, now beside me again, his hand outstretched for me.
I took it and squeezed, looking up to him. I wanted to whisper and ask him to explain what I was going out to see, what was happening or supposed to happen, but whether I whispered or screamed, my questions didn’t matter because everyone would be able to hear me.
“Later,” I said to him as we walked out.
He nodded, and I braced myself. When I stepped out into the receiving hall of the Thorbørn family, the light of the full moon hovered above at least two hundred vampires. Some I remembered from Montréal. They all stood with crystal glasses filled with blood, staring directly at me, and not one of them spoke, which was vastly different from my first vampire ball.
“My vampires of Ankeiros,” Rhea spoke. “I present to you, Druel
la Thorbørn, the newest member of our family, mate of our son, Theseus. I believe some of you have already begun to call her the vampire-witch. I must say that we Thorbørns truly do know how to pick them.”
There were a few snickers, but it was drowned out by boisterous applause.
I was not expecting that at all.
“Hello, Aunt!” a green-eyed, blond-haired vampire hollered before being locked in a headlock by Melora, causing him to laugh.
A tray was bought up to me with a glass of blood. The smell of it so close to my nose made me reach out and throw it back down my throat. I had no idea when I had last eaten.
“Apparently, someone has been keeping his mate so preoccupied she could not even spare a second to eat,” a group of males said, snickering at they watched me and my…poor manners?
“I do not deny it,” Theseus replied, throwing his glass of blood down his throat with just as much speed and vigor as I did. His words caused all of them “Ooh” and “Ahh” at us. “Though can you blame me? Do you not see how beautiful she is?”
I huffed in surprise though I couldn’t help but smile. The once silent hall was now alive with laughter and conversation, all of which was about us. One of the groups, being the same group of three females, I was sure I had seen in Montréal.
“And so ends the reign of the heartbreaker.”
“What happened to all that intending talk in Montréal?”
“As if she could deny him for much longer.”
“I’m quite surprised she could hold out as long as she did.”
Déjà vu.
“You all truly are the worst gossips I’ve heard,” Theseus said, shooting them a look that only made them smile at him.
“Don’t mind us. We are just tending our broken hearts since you can’t—” The glass in her hand shattered, and the blood inside stained her hands, dripping to the ground.
