“How many of you are there? How many angels?” he demands.
“Only my brothers and I. And, once upon a time, our father. But we sent him back to the realm we came from.” I shrug carelessly. “Daddy issues, you know how it is.”
“Only ever you and your brothers?”
“Before our time, long, long ago, others like my father roamed this plane. But they retired back to their home manymillennia ago. My father alone stayed. He stole the spark from the realm we call the Great Hall in order to fashion us, his children, that he might rule this world through us.”
“So what is this threat my granddaughter speaks of? Tell me true.”
“That I genuinely don’t know,” I admit. “But if it is any apocalypse, who better to meet it beside than the original Four Horsemen?”
“And the world to reshape as I will it in the aftermath,” Vlad grins predatorily, clearly excited. He finally hands me the precious goblet of dark red liquid.
I nod my head to him in mock salute. “I care nothing for kingdoms. All I want is my parasite gone and a quiet corner to retire with my woman.”
“Then we have an agreement,friend.” The last word sounds dangerous on his tongue. I know better than to trust him.
But I don’t care. I’ve made plenty more dangerous alliances in my long life, and never with as much potential as this.
I take the glass and raise it in a toast. “To our glorious future, friend.”
He smiles, blood from his previous meal still coating his teeth red. “Now. Tell me in detail what you and each of your brothers can do.”
I close my eyes, tip my head back, and down the thick goblet of his blood in one long swallow. It tastes like iron and death, but almost immediately, I can feel supernatural strength pulsing in my veins.
I begin telling him everything he wants to know.
Every secret. Every weakness. Every power.
What’s the harm? We’re allies now.
And besides, I’ve always been better at improvisation than planning.
Let Romulus clean up any mess when he wakes.
TWENTY-NINE
LAUREN
I wassad to wake up alone this morning, but I decided that was selfish considering where we are and everything happening.
I mean, there are issues of global significance going on. Literal apocalypse-level threats. I do still realize that even though I’m so wrapped up in my own personal relationship drama.
It’s just so easy to get lost in the sauce every time Remus or Romulus walks through the door, I feel like I can’t breathe. And I’m not usually a girl who swoons—seriously, I’m not. I’ve always prided myself on being practical and grounded.
But I’ve never been around men who seem so intent on me. My feelings. My well-being. My… pleasure. My cheeks flush.
I’ve never had anyone in a relationship actually pay me real attention. I mean, Michael only bothered getting me compliant enough to use my body. Oh, and he really liked it when I cooked for him. That was important too, apparently. But yeah… that was about the total of that relationship, if it even deserved the word.
So to have this kind of attention from not just one man buttwo?—
I don’t know if it’s fair to ask what I want of Remus. But I just see so many possibilities of all of us living together happily. It feels possible. Within reach, even.
When I peeked my head out of my room earlier, Kharon was stationed in the hallway—protective, vigilant. He assured me that Romulus was in a meeting and would be back soon. When I asked after Ksenia and the baby, his whole face softened.
“They’re well. They named her Luna,” he said.
And now I’m sitting here on the edge of the massive black bed, unsure if I’m hoping it will be Romulus or Remus who walks through that door.
