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“Another time for that tale, old friend.” He’s never hesitated before to confide in me. I square my shoulders as I face him and wait for his eyes to meet mine. A different anxiousness settles through me as doubt creeps into my thoughts.
“We are friends, aren’t we, Alec?”
“We are.” He smiles warmly at me. It eases my discomfort. “Friends and allies.”
“You have many friends.”
“No, I have few friends and many allies. They’re quite different. You are a friend who happens to be my ally. I have few allies who happen to be my friends.”
“That doesn’t sound reassuring.” He grunts a laugh before sitting on the grass, fiddling with his tie as he stares across the creek. I follow suit.
“It’s not. Allies will only stand by you while you have something for them. While you hunger for the same.”
“Out with it, Alec. I don’t speak in code.”
He smiles at my impatience. “Another time. Now, back to Natalia. You’re sure of this?”
“I am. She seems to have the backing of the vampires in the Authority.”
He nods in understanding.
“I figured; they all work together. It’s no matter. They’ll face the same consequence.” Absently, he plucks two blades of grass and twirls them between his forefinger and thumb. I watch as they lengthen in his grasp, their pale green hue turning more vibrant as they grow.
“They’re tainting the blood. I’m thinking they’rebehind the abduction of the vampires who have gone missing recently. I’m sure they need test subjects.”
His breathing stills and another round of thunder booms through the air. He crumples the grass in his fist and the stalks wither, turning brown, dying before my eyes. “Tainting it with what?”
“According to the shifter from Sarin’s pack, Natalia made a deal with them. Drugs in exchange for control of Shadow Falls. She wants the blood bank so she can taint the blood she’s forcing other vampires to drink. It’s a new drug that voids their immortality.”
Alec stares at me with disbelief evident in his expression. “I knew she was overstepping her boundaries with the vampires. But I had no idea she’d take it that far.” His pale blue eyes search mine as he questions with a single breath, “Are you sure of this?”
“The shifter had nothing to gain and everything to lose by telling me this.”
“We need to be certain, Devin. I can’t get the backing of the rest of the Authority without irrefutable proof. This needs to be done quietly. No one can know. Not shifters, or vampires. And absolutely not the humans. There would be widespread panic.” I already knew that would be his decision, but his sense of urgency regarding the matter is reassuring.
“I came prepared with a plan. Veronica’s coven wants the blood bank, so we’ll give it to them.”
“And then?” His quizzical gaze meets mine.
“Then we’ll have the ability to keep tabs on every move that is made.”
Alec shakes his head. “This needs to happen quickly and quietly.”
“I’ll send her to her coven and gain permission for her to observe another town’s bank. It’ll be under the guise of seeing how things are done. A town where vampires have gone missing. Vince will go with her. Maybe he’ll be able to tail them and sniff them out.”
Alec nods once. “Do you need anything from me?”
“Not now, but when we’re ready I’ll need men to take them down.”
“You won’t have to worry about that. Keep me informed. When we have proof, you’ll have the rest of the Authority on your side. It will be more than enough.” His light blue eyes find mine and he smiles faintly before telling me, “She will pay greatly for this; I promise you that.”
VERONICA
The kitchen appears to be the meeting place for the dogs. It seems they prefer this room to the others.
I glance at Dom and Caleb before quickly averting my eyes. My chest thumps and I struggle to restrain my heart from beating faster.
Embarrassment floods through me still.
