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Yikes.
“Yup,” North blurts out, “we’re good to go.”
We thank Malcolm and excuse ourselves, then return to our room.
“What the fuck was that?” Cain demands in a furious whisper.
I explain the arrangement that they have going on. “If you ask me, I think it’s a good solution. I mean, it’s a creepy as fuck one, but as long as it’s consensual for everyone and nobody’s dying, then it’s a lot better than what we’ve had the last few hundred years, isn’t it?”
“Almost anything is better than what we’ve had,” Raven grunts.
North hums in agreement.
“How do we know that those humans are really there of their own free will?” Cain asks.
“Well, I suppose we don’t, unless we interview them and give them a truth potion or something,” I admit. “But I trust Willow. I like her. I think that she’s dedicated to changing things for the better. She didn’t seem to be blinded by her investment in vampires, you know?”
The men all look at each other, but then look at me and nod.
“If you trust her, then we trust her,” North says.
“Still,” Cain adds as we get into our room, “I think that one of us should keep watch at all times. You can never be too careful with vampires.”
I can see the wisdom in that. “All right. But not one of us all night, we’ll take turns so that none of us are exhausted tomorrow.”
The others agree. These vampires might be nice, but they’re still vampires.
And I’d rather be safe than sorry.
CHAPTER12
North starts out on watch, and Cain agrees to take second, leaving Raven for third. The bed is as big as I’d hoped, and we’re able to curl up together nicely, with me in the middle. I can tell the guys are being protective, more so than when we’re at our safe house, but I don’t remark on it. It’s not like I’ll be able to change their minds on anything and if I’m being honest, they’re the more reliable fighters than I am. It makes sense to have me be the protected one in the middle.
It takes me longer than usual to fall asleep. I’m paranoid, in spite of all my trust in Willow. I can’t just easily fall asleep in the middle of a den of vampires. My logic is fighting against my instincts. But eventually, I do fall asleep.
And once again I dream.
It’s the same one as before. Nothing’s changed. I’m leading a massive army of golden warriors, but I’m all alone. I hate it. I don’t care for the glory or the battle lust. I care that I don’t know where my mates are. We’re now at a point that I can feel them when they’re near me, I can sense how they’re feeling, their states of mind. And in my dream, I can’t feel them at all.
Why would they be anywhere else but here? They’d never let me go into battle without at least one of them by my side. The only explanation is that it’s because they’re not here anymore. They’re gone.
I wake up with tears on my cheeks.
Fuck, when am I going to stop having this dream? When am I going to stop this prophecy? It was the very first Sight I had, and I don’t want it. I’ll do anything to keep it from happening. But it’s like all those Greek people in the old plays,The IliadandOedipus Rexand all the rest, the more they tried to prevent a prophecy from happening, the more likely it actually became. Their very actions are what made it occur.
Who knew that this would be how those college classes on the Antiquities came in handy,I think sardonically. I’d taken them so that I could recognize a proper Greek or Roman piece of art when I saw one, for thieving purposes.
I don’t want to worry my mates any more than they already are. We’re all stressed, there’s no need to make them even more so. I wipe away my tears and look over to see who’s on watch.
It’s Cain.
He’s sitting in one of the comfy chairs in front of the crowded bookshelf, just staring out the window into the darkness. It’s dark all the time here, but right now it’s properly night, and we can see the stars. It’s a lovely view, since we’re up a few levels, and below us is the carefully maintained garden.
Cain doesn’t look like he’s enjoying the view, though. Even with the darkness, I can see the way his jaw is clenched and his nails dig into the arms of the chair.
My fears melt away as I feel his own pain. He’s really struggling right now. Even if I wasn’t his mate and couldn’t feel his emotions, I would know that, but I can and that makes it all the sadder. Feeling the pain that your loved one is in.
I carefully slide out of bed, so that I don’t wake up Raven or North, and walk over to Cain. I wrap my arms around him from behind, hooking my chin over his shoulder. “Hey.”
