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“Eleven, so far.” Henry’s voice clogs with emotion. “Nora,please.”
My eyes fly open. For Henry to beg… He must be beyond desperate. I can’t believe what I’m witnessing. I study him for a moment—the dark circles beneath his eyes, gaunt cheeks, rumpled clothing. Suddenly, his haggard appearance takes on a whole new meaning. It’s not just because he’s awake in the daylight. He’s slowly self-destructing. Illren has gotten under his skin. He’s been toying with him. Destroying him slowly.
“Please.”
I wonder if Henry has ever said that word in his life. I wonder if he’s ever humbled himself enough to beg for mercy. I doubt it. I always thought it would feel good to watch someone put Henry in his place, but it doesn’t. There’s something sad about watching the mighty fall. And all of those people now dead weren’t Henry. They didn’t deserve to die just because Henry is a bastard. Eleven people. Eleven lives that I will forever carry on my conscience. I close my eyes again and take another long, calming breath. “Illren.” I swallow and meet Henry’s desperate gaze before turning to Illren. “If this is your doing, it stops now.”
Illren looks at me a long moment, and it’s my turn to beg. “Please?”
Illren watches me. I wish he were touching me, because I can’t tell what’s running through his head. He’s staring at me rather hard. Calculating again. Maybe trying to figure me out as much as I’m trying to read him. I squirm as I fight for dominance. It’s nearly impossible to keep my eyes locked on him, but he is not going to win this battle of wills. Iwillhave his word that he’ll stop killing Henry’s vampires.
Slowly, still staring me down, Illren gives me a barely perceptible nod. “As you wish it, Mistress.”
Beside me, I hear Henry let out a heavy breath and feel the air shift as he sags in relief, but I can’t take my eyes off of Illren. He’s still studying me. Trying to understand something. I don’t know what. I’m not that hard to figure out.
“Thank you, Nora.”
I jump at the feel of cool fingers covering mine and finally lose my staring match with Illren when I tear my gaze from his to Henry’s. Henry clasps his hands over mine and squeezes them. Rook and Terrance both growl at the contact, and Henry quickly pulls back, fisting his hands in his lap as if restraining himself is the hardest thing he’s ever done.
I thought his desperation would be gone now, but it’s not. He’s relieved, yes, but he’s still staring at me as if I’m the only person in the universe who can end his suffering. It’s not the same as it was before, though. The difference is subtle, but he’s not thinking of his clan anymore. Now he’s focused on his own needs. His desperation is filled with greed and desire. “Nora…”
He reaches out again, and I quickly pull back. I need to keep this meeting on track before he goes all psycho-obsessed on me again. I pull my shoulders back and make my voice hard and demanding. “You said you had information about my mother’s killers?”
Henry sighs. He flags the bartender down for a refill on his drink, and after throwing back a huge gulp of it, he grimaces. “I don’t want to tell you what I know because it’s going to hurt you.”
I stiffen. “Hurt me how?”
He finishes off his drink. “And it’s going to make you hate me.” His shoulders slump. “More than you already do.”
I stare at him, waiting, and try not to feel sympathy for him. I hate the bastard, but he’s completely wrecked right now.
“Just about two decades ago, there was a vampire power struggle in this city. We nearly had a full-out war.”
I shiver at the thought of vampires going to war with each other—of the collateral damage that would lie in such vicious creatures’ wakes.
“I remember that,” Terrance murmurs. “The Cleveland clan tried to take over. It had the whole city on edge.”
Henry nods gravely. “They were strong, too. I was forced to ally myself with rogues in order to destroy them.”
I frown, not exactly sure what he means. “I don’t understand.”
Henry rubs his eyes as if he’s starting to lose the fight against his need to sleep. “Rogues tend to kill their prey. Too many dead humans puts us all at risk, so I don’t allow them in my territory. If any dare to venture into Detroit, they are dealt with swiftly and unmercifully.”
He pins me with a stare that is both sorrowful and unrepentant. “For them to agree to side with me against the Cleveland clan, I had to give them free reign in the city so long as they were discreet and didn’t draw too much attention to underworlders.”
I suck in a breath. “You let them kill whomever they wanted?” Rage sweeps through me, and I can’t keep it from seeping into my voice. “You sacrificed innocent people just to gain a few fighters?”
Henry’s eyes flash. “I did what I must to protect my vampires and stop the bloodshed.”
“At the cost of my mother’s life!Mylife!” I slip off my stool, leaning into Henry’s personal space and clenching the water glass on the bar. “They didn’t just kill her, Henry! They raped her and tortured her until her body finally gave out!” Henry flinches. Regret washes over him, but I’m too angry to care. “I was six years old, and they damn near killed me, too! A child! You let monsters loose on this city, and you didn’t care because we were only human!”
“I made a mistake!” Henry slams to his feet, chest heaving and eyes glowing red.
I flinch back, and my guys flank me. Rook pulls me into his arms, and Illren steps between Henry and me. Henry watches them pull me back and sags again. “I’m sorry, Nora,” he says, defeated. “Your mother is dead because of me.”
He falls back to his stool and stares at the bar.
Tears fill my eyes, though I’m not sure why. My mother died so many years ago. I’m not sure why knowing who was responsible makes it hurt worse.
