That was the nature of connections. They were always evolving. Though, not always into something you wanted.
As long as Ahrun continued to cling to the past, they wouldn’t be able to move forward.
“Even with Connor?” Ahrun asked, slanting me a look.
“That’s entirely different. You’ll have to figure out how to get through to him on your own.”
Gaining forgiveness was a long road. Ahrun had to make his own amends; Connor had to decide whether to accept them.
Ahrun grunted, silence settling between us as we watched the twinkling lights of the city. Minutes passed, each of us lost in our own thoughts as the cooler night air swirled around us.
“A member of the council is preparing to betray us,” Ahrun announced, interrupting the peace I’d just managed to achieve.
“You mean besides Vitus?”
“I’ve ‘seen’ it.”
I gave him a thoughtful look. “Is that why you engineered last night?”
The emotion dropped from Ahrun’s face, leaving a blank impenetrable mask.
If I’d had any doubt of Ahrun’s knowledge of the events that had led me to the pit, they were gone now.
“You seem less angry than my sons thought you would be,” Ahrun observed.
“Maybe that’s because I already had a feeling you knew more than you were telling.” Seeing his probing look, I gave him a grim smirk. “I’m an adult, Ahrun. I knew what you were doing and decided to go along with it because it suited my own agenda.”
I couldn’t really complain when the ultimate choice had been left in my hands. I could have remained in my seat. I’d chosen to get up and wander.
Ahrun studied me with a strange look in his eyes. “Not many people surprise me, dear one.”
“Should I feel flattered?”
Ahrun’s lips pursed as a faint smile tugged at the corners of his eyes. “Others would.”
I grunted. “This challenge. Thomas has a chance, right?”
Ahrun sent me a startled look. “Of course. There’s no contest. That boy is worth a hundred of Vitus. Liam too.”
“Then why have they let the threat exist for so long?”
Ahrun settled against the balcony. “Partly for my sake. As disappointing as that man has become, he was once my son. A parent doesn’t stop loving their child just because of what they grow into. His death will hurt me. They know that.” Ahrun stared at the city skyline with a distant look in his eyes. “You should have seen him when I found him. He was half feral. Vicious and hungry for power. He belonged to one of the gangs that ruled the area he lived in. Despite the beating he was takingfrom some of the older members of his gang, there was a fire in his eyes that attracted me. I thought, ‘Ah. Finally, someone as hungry for life as me.’”
I waited as Ahrun fell silent, lost in his thoughts. “What happened?”
The question jogged Ahrun out of his introspection. He stirred, his attention swinging back to me as he gave a wistful smile.
“Vitus didn’t want life. He wanted power. No amount could ever satisfy him. It started small. Him using my affection to bully the other members of my House. Before long, he’d graduated to more sadistic pursuits. He liked to target those who were vulnerable. By then, I’d realized I could never allow him to join my line. Vampirism tends to magnify the traits that are already in us. For someone like Liam who has lived their entire life protecting their people, this means an over-inflated sense of duty. It’s why he became an enforcer. To put those instincts and skills to use in service to our people. Vitus was already a monster. I couldn’t play a part in helping him become more of one.”
“From what I heard, he found someone else to do that.”
Ahrun’s scoff was harsh. “I’m sure he came to regret that. Alexandros was everything Vitus was and more.”
“What’s the other reason? You said it was mostly for your sake. That means there is more.”
“Thomas had to gather a base of power. For all Vitus’s faults, he’s good at uncovering talent and then coercing and binding them to his side. Then there’s the council.”
“I’m guessing they protect their own.”
