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Struggling to raise myself into a sitting position, I looked at Anna. She stood at the windows, peeking out the heavy curtains into the street below. “I watch people rushing to get to work, to live out their boring little lives totally unaware that there’s more out there. I never thought to question the possibility that there are things that go bump in the night. Vampires, werewolves… I know I should miss my human life, but I don’t. I have an endless life ahead of me. I can do whatever I want. In a way I should thank Derek. I’d never met Nikolaus if I hadn’t been changed.”
“Anna. Where is he?” I could barely speak. I had barely paid any attention to her words. All I could think about was Stefan and the crushing pain in my chest that took my breath away.
“I told you. He’s with Amir. I have no idea what they’re doing. Stefan didn’t tell me. He just asked me to at least stay with you until you woke up. I can leave if you want,” Anna answered softly. She glided to the edge of the bed and sat down. She held out a folded piece of paper. “Stefan left this for you. Read it and I’ll make you some coffee. If you feel like talking, I’ll be in the living room with Lukas.”
Anna got to her feet and quietly left the room in a dizzying blur. Opening the paper with shaking hands, I ran my fingers over his impressive cursive handwriting.
Josephine,
As Anna has explained to you already, I am with Amir. His presence will more than likely temporarily cut the tie that links us together. The pain of the separation will be temporary and uncomfortable.
We are attending to Council business that could not be discussed last night during the testimony hearing. Be safe and do not leave the apartment unattended by Lukas or Anna. It is imperative that if you never listen to anything else I say, you follow this request. I cannot worry about your safety while I attend to these matters.
I will be home to you soon.
Eternally yours,
Stefan
Refolding the letter, I placed it on the bedside table. With a throbbing chest, I forced myself out of bed, sluggishly going through the routine of getting dressed and preparing myself for a day which obviously was going to be very long.
Why hadn’t Stefan told me he was leaving with Amir this morning? He’d mentioned nothing last night, not that we’d focused on much conversation after arriving home. Stefan had been furious with me for using my shield to restrain him with Kian, and he’d taken his brand of delicious frustration out on me. It was clear something had transpired after I fell asleep last night.
Selecting a faded pair of jeans and a worn t-shirt, I padded barefoot into the living room. Lukas and Anna were deep in a conversation, talking so fast that their voices came out as a low and steady buzz. When they sensed me watching them, their conversation came to an abrupt halt and they both faced me.
“Sit down and I’ll get your coffee,” Anna pushed me into the chair and hurried off into the kitchen. I listened as she opened and closed cabinet doors, the clinking noise of the mug hitting the granite countertop. It was all a temporary distraction and my mind refocused on Stefan.
“Where is he, Lukas? I can’t feel him,” I pleaded. My voice quavered. “Please. If he swore you to secrecy for my benefit, you have to tell me. This is killing me.”
Lukas’ ice blue eyes peered at me guiltily. They shifted to Anna as she leaned over and pushed a steaming cup of coffee into my hands. Glancing up at her, I saw her concern for me reflecting in the chocolate brown of her eyes. Her obvious worry only added to my own distress and fueled the growing need for information.
Lukas pursed his lips and ran his fingers over the throw pillow next to him. “All I can tell you is that Amir received a text message around 4am. He said nothing to me about the content of the text, only hurried over to collect Stefan and they left for the Carriage House shortly thereafter. Stefan commanded me to not say anything to upset you. He said there were matters to be taken care of and he’d be home soon.”
Sipping the coffee, I gripped the mug with both hands to attempt steady the shakiness that was rattling my very soul.
“Aren’t you worried about Amir?” I finally asked, breaking the uneasy stillness that had fallen over the room.
Lukas crossed his legs and offered me a strained smile. “Amir and I have a complicated relationship. If I spent my time worrying what he was up to, that’s all I would be doing. He has a complex way of looking at this life. He’s lived the last 100 years attempting to break into the Council. In his mind, he’s going to fix what’s broken. He says that things need to change.”
“And you don’t?”
“I think the rules and the regulations border on the ridiculous. However, someone has to keep order or chaos would ensue. It’s the way of the world, either human or vampire. Amir became a vampire at the time when his religion was under attack. He’s used to fighting, to attempt to make things right. I prefer to mind my own business and fly under the radar. It’s easier this way,” Lukas offered as his explanation.
Bringing the mug to my lips, I took another swallow. “Why is Amir so focused on infiltrating the Council and Board?”
Lukas exchanged a nervous look with Anna. She tapped her fingers on her knee and dropped her eyes to the floor. “Silly Josie. He suspects your father killed the two Board members, just like we do. At least two of the five Council members are corrupt. You saw it with your own eyes last night. Kian has usurped control of the Board by pretending Silvio and Reginald are still alive but are on permanent hiatus. He had the majority of the Council under his thumb until Stefan killed Derek. That leaves Sofia and Adolfo as the two Council members I wouldn’t trust if my undead life depended on it. Lenora is the big unknown since we know where Amir and Nigel stand.”
I placed my mug on the small table, rubbing the spot over my chest where it throbbed like a toothache. The bond searched for Stefan, begging for its reconnection. Was Stefan feeling the same kind of pain? Thinking about him made me want to dissolve into tears. The bond we shared could be a pain, but now that it wasn’t buzzing in the back of my mind I missed its presence. For the first time in a long time, I felt very alone.
A sudden thought popped into my mind. Overwhelming fear gripped me as I almost vaulted out of the chair. “They aren’t planning on doing anything stupid? This was just business issues they’re attending to, right?”
Lukas pursed his lips from his seat on the couch. “Define stupid.”
“Jesus, Lukas. Why can’t you just tell her? Everything doesn’t have to turn into your snark hour. Answer her because I can’t,” Anna snapped. She reached over and slapped him in the back of the head, the sound making a loud crack.
“Ouch! Fine. It’s business issues, yes. If Amir is involved, it’s probably more. Remember his cloaking ability? He only gets involved when tracks need to be covered.” Lukas rubbed the back of his head and pouted.
Shit. I knew for sure that at the minimum, Stefan and Amir were up to something they shouldn’t be. My mind frantically scrambled through the last week, going over every conversation I’d had with Stefan. I was looking for anything that would give me a clue, a hint as to what might be happening. When I remembered his words to my brother, they almost screamed out for attention as they replayed in my mind. ‘I promise you now, Nikolaus. I will help you do whatever it takes to avenge her death. However, you must promise to wait for the proper time. Do I have your word that you will wait for the suitable time to proceed?’
