“She is very close to death,” Gabriel said. “She needs her treasure room to properly heal.”
“Treasure room? Where the hell is her treasure room?” Nick repositioned her in his arms.
Gabriel shrugged. “I haven’t seen her in years. Your guess is as good as mine, but it would be somewhere hidden. Somewhere safe.”
“Harriet. Let’s get her back to the car and pay a visit to the Traveller.”
Gabriel reached out to help him with Rowan, but Nick shook his head. No matter how much he hurt, he would not relinquish her. Not ever again. He’d come for her, and he was carrying her out of here.
“All right then,” Gabriel said. “Let’s find Tobias and get her home.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tobias landed on top of the stone mansion and roared down over the burning lawn. Under the full moon, his dragon eyes scanned the grounds. Bodies lay burned and motionless in his wake. Vampires mostly. He’d attempted to avoid the humans and the dog. They weren’t the enemy here and were likely compelled to do the vampires’ will. Luckily most had fled at the first sight of him. Now there was nothing moving in the circular drive or the rolling yard of the estate. Just the flicker of fire and a soft breeze blowing out of the east and across his scales.
But then the front door opened and Gabriel exited the house. Nick was behind him with Rowan in his arms. Tobias whimpered. His sister was damaged, pale white and limp. He spread his wings, ready to swoop down and fly them to safety, when the distant sound of car engines coming up the drive gave him pause.
Quickly, he made himself invisible and transformed back into his human form. If it was who he expected, he couldn’t be seen. The gate opened and a line of three dark SUVs drove toward the mansion, coming to a stop in the front circle. The doors opened. He recognized Aldrich right away. The elder vampire had been at Sabrina’s coronation and had been responsible for telling the vampire council about him and his dragon siblings. These were the Forebears, called in by Malvern to get Rowan. Just as he’d thought.
One of the vampires was dressed in a suit that looked like it came straight out of the nineteenth century. He was exceptionally tall and approached Gabriel with an air of entitlement. Clearly this was the leader, Turgun. Tobias remembered Sabrina talking about the ancient vamp, the eldest of their kind.
The master vampire brushed invisible lint off his sleeve and stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the front door. “We’ve come for the dragon,” he said, his voice commanding.
Nick placed a kiss against Rowan’s temple. “There’s no such thing as dragons.”
“Who are you? Where is Malvern?” Turgun demanded.
Nick descended the stairs, and Tobias had to give him props. The guy was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. “I don’t know who Malvern is, but my friend is sick and I need to get her home. Now if you’ll excuse me.” He started walking toward the gate, passing between the elder vampires.
Tobias knew the moment Turgun smelled Rowan’s blood. How could he have missed it? It stained her chest and her dress, and as a doctor, Tobias knew all too well that shit couldn’t be mistaken for human. The vampire’s nostrils flared, and he held up a hand. The others in his group turned as one to stare at Nick, who was walking as fast as a human who was carrying a dragon could walk.
“Stop, human!” Turgun yelled.
Nick did not stop.
The vampires closed in. With their superspeed, it was almost as if Nick was standing still.
“Leave him alone. He’s not what you’re after.” Gabriel popped his wings and flew over their heads, landing protectively between Nick and the vampires.
The vampires hissed.
Tobias looked up at the moon. “Well, universe, it’s been nice knowing you.” He spread his wings and prepared to do what he had to do.
Before he had a chance to soar down and help his brother defend his sister and her mate, another group of SUVs peeled into the compound. Five of them. He paused at the edge of the roof as the first one stopped and a familiar face exited the vehicle.
“Sabrina!” Tobias caught the eye of his vampire bride, whose look told him he should stay exactly where he was.
A moment later, the Forebears were surrounded by the Chicago coven’s human security contingent, their guns trained on the elder vampires.
“These bullets are soaked in Keetridge Solution,” Sabrina said. “Please don’t move. I’d hate for any of you to be damaged beyond repair.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Turgun snapped, his fangs extending. “You’re beyond your coven boundaries, Sabrina Bishop. You’d better have a good reason for this disruption.”
Sabrina pulled a snow globe from her bag. Tobias focused in and realized it was of Chicago, the kind you could get at any souvenir stand in his home city. “I do have a good reason,” she said, “and all you have to do is look at this to understand it.”
The Forebears moved in, staring at the snow-filled orb. Tobias noticed Sabrina never looked directly at the snow globe. Turgun, Aldrich, and the rest of the vampire council did, however, and each froze in place as soon as they saw it. Sabrina lowered it to the ground between the Forebears, who huddled around the trinket and stared at it, unblinking.
He lifted off the roof and flew down to his mate, pulling her into his arms and kissing her on the mouth.
