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“She looked so broken when she saw me. When she saw my bruised body and she realized what happened. I was barely clothed and covered in blood. My grandmother was a truly devout Catholic. She said the church would help us, that they would know what to do.” She reaches across the desk for the crumpled tissue and regains some of her composure before continuing. “It took forever to reach the local priest, but he accused me of making everything up. That I must have imagined what I saw and experienced because werewolves would never do such a thing.” She straightens and faces me. “They were supposed to protect us. We had a pact with them. Apparently they were allowed to do whatever they wanted so long as the vampires were kept at bay. What happened to me was nothing more than a small sacrifice in exchangefor the security they provided.” Her dark eyes harden as she spits out, “That’s what the priest told me. ‘It was a small sacrifice to pay!’ That’s the day I started to hate everyone. My grandmother was the only one who wanted justice. No one else dared to confront the wolves.” She calms herself and wipes her eyes again. I can’t even fathom her pain. To live through something so monstrous and survive, only to experience a horrible betrayal—my heart breaks for her with the injustice of it all.
“She died a few weeks later. I think the church’s refusal to intervene was too hard on her. She was so angry at everyone else and felt like she had failed me, even though there was nothing she could have done differently. Her heart just couldn’t take it. So I was left on my own, on the outskirts of the town. I lived in fear that the shifters would come back. One night I thought they did. I thought they’d come for me again.” A wicked glint shines in her brown eyes. “But it wasn’t the wolves.” Her dark red, plump lips form an evil smirk. The look on her face is one of a scorned woman who’s reaped her revenge. “No, it was three vampires. They’d come to kill everyone.” She tilts her head and I hear her neck crack as she reclines in her seat and crosses her legs. Her characteristic collectedfacade replaces the emotional woman who I’d just been sitting with.
“They were going to kill me. Most of the town had already been slaughtered. They decided to punish everyone who’d sided with the wolves. Not that we had much of a choice in the matter of what the werewolves did. Obviously. When they saw me, they smiled. Like we were old friends. They’d heard what the wolves had done and offered me a choice: death or the chance to have vengeance. If I’d been smart, I would have chosen death. But then again, fate wouldn’t have been able to curse my poor pup had I died all those years ago.”
“You’d rather have died than become a vampire?”
She shakes her head and purses her lips. “Not now, no. But the things I did, all out of hate and to get revenge …” Her dark eyes narrow as she meets my stare. “There can be no forgiveness for all the innocent lives I’ve taken and all the times I sat back and watched as my coven ravaged villages for sport.”
“Does your coven still …” I swallow hard, not able to get out the rest of the words.
“My old coven, I’m not sure. If they do, then they must be keeping quiet about it. The Authority has no use for those who make messes they have to clean up.”
“So your old coven is the one who trained you. Natalia?”
“Natalia’s a bitch.” Her voice is hard and dripping with spite. “She was there when I was made a vampire. She taught me some things, although she’s not as good as she thinks she is. Hate motivated me for decades, but when the years pass like days, you learn to let some things go in the name of self-interest. Natalia’s still fueled by malice. I’ve no idea why, but I tired of her antics long before I’d even left that coven.”
“What about your current coven?” Part of me is intrigued, wanting to meet more vampires and hear their stories; the other part is terrified.
“They’re … vampires. There’s not much to say beyond that truth.” She stands up and heads to the door, opening it just before Vince enters. “You took your time, didn’t you?”
He only huffs a humorless laugh, each hand holding a coffee. Vince’s silver eyes find mine and he smiles, although it’s subdued. “Hey, Grace,” he says. Veronica may seem the same as she did before last night, but something has shifted in Vince. Something darker, something more careful.
Veronica asks Vince to give me my drink and holds the door open, telling me, “You can go now.”
“I was really hoping to talk to you a bit more.” Glancing between the two of them, I’m left feeling like an intruder.
“I’m happy you came to see me, sweet mate of my Alpha, but Vince will take care of me.” Vince looks up from setting her coffee on the dresser and gives Veronica a semblance of a smile.
“I’ve got her, Grace.” I feel the need to pry and protect Veronica, even if she doesn’t think she needs it, but something in me settles and I know that I can leave them be. Something deep inside me is telling me that Vince will heal her. He is her mate. As I head back to the east wing of the estate, I expect the knot to form in my chest, objecting to my leaving. I rub my chest as I walk back to my room, waiting for the pull, but it never comes.
DEVIN
“What does your coven want with the blood bank?” My hardened and blunt tone doesn’t seem to bother Veronica. Good. I’m glad she’s taken to her position in the pack easily enough. Unlike my mate, who’s still finding her feet and second-guessing herself. She’s doing well, though.
It’s not until Veronica answers that I realize my thoughts have drifted to Grace yet again. Even with treachery at hand and the threat of war, all I do is think about Grace.I’m an obsessed wolf.
“There isn’t nearly enough bloodto sustain our coven. We don’t venture into human territory much and we don’t reside near wildlife.” Her nose scrunches in distaste. “More than that, purchasing blood from the Authority costs far too much for far too little.” Her sharp nails tap on the counter once before she adds, “It seemed wiser to go directly to the banks.”
“You have to order the blood for the coven?” It’s difficult to keep my expression impassive. Much about vampires remains a mystery, even to other supernatural species. So long as laws aren’t broken, they aren’t required to divulge any information regarding any aspects of their way of life. There are plenty of whispers, though …
“We don’thaveto order blood. But most of the humans won’t sell theirs and like I said, our sources for acquiring it are limited.”
“What about having a personal …” I leave the remaining words unspoken.
“Drinking from humans? From their necks? It’s been outlawed, as I’m sure you know.”
“And your coven abides by the law?”
She swallows thickly, her gaze dropping for a fraction of a second before she nods.
“I see.” When I see him, I’ll be sure to ask Alec about the blood they sell to the covens. If they’re druggingblood from the humans’ blood banks, then I’m certain they’d be tainting the blood they sell to the covens as well. A tic in my jaw spasms. Thank fuck we don’t drink that shit, but Veronica might.
“And do you plan on drinking the blood from the banks?” I don’t miss that her body stills and tenses. “Ineedto know.” Not only for her protection; I need to be sure she isn’t a part of this scheme to poison other immortals. I’m fairly certain she has nothing to with it, but the way she glances at Vince and instinctively touches her neck where his claiming bite is, has my stomach knotting. As if she thinks being his mate will protect her if she’s a part of anything as fucked as tainting blood.
Drawing herself to her full height, Veronica responds loud enough for Vince to hear, “If you’d rather I didn’t drink from him—”
“Fuck that! What the fuck, Devin?” Vince’s aggression takes me by surprise but as always, my face stays expressionless. My eyes narrow as they meet his and he backs down, no doubt feeling my anger.
