I think about the others in my close circle.
Andrew needed direction after his turn, but he’s decent, loyal, and more human-like than most other vampires in VMR. It might have to do with the age in which he was turned—at the ripe age of twenty, which was considered a grown man during the early 1940s. Now, it’s barely old enough to drink legally.
Andrew’s youth and soft heart annoys Vittoria to no end, but it’s one of the things I admire about him. It’s a trait I sometimes wonder if I’ve lost in myself. That is, until Elliot strolled into my office for an interview.
My blood is old, powerful, and I gave Elliot a lot to bring her back from the dead. There’s a good chance her transition goes wrong and she’s lost to the dark gift forever…
When the SUV stops and the four of us step out, Elliot looks around the quiet, dark grounds in the Diamond suburb, a densely wooded area of Tenebris where quaint single-family homes expand into sprawling, gated properties. I nod to Andrew and Vittoria, who go ahead to scout the house.
“Is this where we’re going to eat?” Elliot asks. The night is still, and we walk across the manicured lawn. “I smell humans.”
“No.”
“Why am I here then?” She stops, which draws me to a stop, too. The violence is only barely restrained in her. “You said there’d be revenge.”
I straighten my tie, taking in the leather of her outfit. Pure fucking Vittoria, choosing that. Practical with a vicious twist. The scent of leather twines with the scent of Elliot—sun and flowers—making her more delicious, darker, something hard to resist.
“Yes. It’ll come.” I take one step closer, relishing her sharply sucked in breath. “Patience.”
Her eyes narrow. “That’s rich coming from someone who gets to do whatever they want. Drink whoever?—”
I grab her chin and squeeze, making her look at me. This time her pretense falls away, and she glitters with hateful obedience. There’s lust there, too, as much as she doesn’t want to admit it. But I know every sensation within her is amped up now as a vampire, and her need for me is no exception.
I crave it all.
Bring on the anger and hate, just as long as she fucking knows who is her master.
Her maker.
“Let’s get one thing straight, Ms. Montague. I don’t live the life of a king.Ifollow the rules I helped set up, too. None of us gets to run around and kill whomever we feel like killing. Not me. Not Vittoria. Not you.”
The hate in her expression twists into loathing. “You’re weak.”
“Never that. Pragmatic. Besides, it passes,” I say, “the uncontrollable thirst.”
She looks at me now with a blank face. But she doesn’t fool me. This stage passes, too. And Elliot will be herself again.
I hope.
I release her.
“If you’re going to be with us, then I need to be able to trust you, otherwise there are…ways to end a vampire permanently.”
She takes a step back, dark shadows painting her eyes. “Ways?”
“Yes.”
I’m not about to elaborate. I don’t need to give her any ideas.
“So then what am I supposed to do here?” Elliot asks as Vittoria strides back to us from the darkened house, a gun over her shoulder. “Do I at least get a weapon?”
“We are the weapon. And no gun for you.” I look past her to Vittoria. “Got something?”
Vittoria nods. “Five humans inside. Four men, one woman. They have a cache of things we might be interested in, and some connections, too.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I say. “Take Elliot.”
Vittoria approaches and drops her tone just for me. “She doesn’t seem to be handling the change well.”
