I debated the route I’d decided to take for this conversation—which was full honesty.
Based on what I’d been able to glean from Josh Drake’s and Celestina Drake’s highly edited updates, Hazel was a virtuous type of human who valued honesty and trust. Two things that went directly against my gut instinct.
But I need her help, so I’ll be whatever is needed.
“Your husband is in the process of picking up Jade O’Neil—a member of the Magical Response Task Force—and taking her off to meet his Dracos siblings, siblings evenyouhaven’t met,” I said.
“And?” Hazel asked.
“And I am deeply in love with her, as you have to know from my brief but heated campaign to get on the task force, and Killian is throwing her to the sharks in an attempt to outmaneuver me.”
Hazel stood straight. Even though vampires can’t sense magic, I swear the air felt electric. “You think his siblings will hurt her?”
“If they’re stupid enough to try, they won’t live through the experience,” I said dryly. “She’s a vampire slayer—a very good one. But I don’t want him thinking he can use Jade to get me to do whatever he wants in the future.”
“So instead you intend to usemeto show him you could play the same trick?” Hazel asked.
“Yes,” I said, simply. “I’ve been here since September and have respected Killian’s wishes to leave you alone, even though I knew all along where you live. I’ve been partners with Jade for not even half a month, and he’s dragging her into vampire politics.”
“You’re not wrong,” Hazel agreed. “Although, in his defense, I’m sure he would never let his siblings harm her, and he mustbelieve she’s an amazing fighter or he wouldn’t risk her neck. The possible fallout is far too great.”
“Forgive me if I find that Idon’t care, because she’s still in potential harm,” I flatly said.
Hazel nodded. “I understand—and I agree with you. Killian botched this, and he knows better.” She studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. I’ll come with you—it suits me to meet the other Dracos vampires on my own terms. But.” She held a finger up. “I don’t like that you’re using me as a threat.”
“It’s not a threat,” I said. “Just a reminder that vampires in glass coffins shouldn’t throw stones.”
Hazel’s expression of consternation shifted into something rueful. “You know, I’m sorry we’re meeting like this. You seem fun.”
“I’ll be tons of fun—for you. Killian is going to hate me more than ever,” I said.
Hazel shrugged. “It’s good for someone besides me to remind him he can’t be a tyrant. His Family is too eager to do whatever he wants, and sometimes I think my own wizards would listen to him over me. But that’s okay—the House always wins!” Hazel high-fived the banister.
The House creaked alarmingly, but Hazel beamed—as if it were some ancient, beloved pet making noises at her.
“So, you agree to go?” I confirmed—hardly able to believe my honesty had actually paid off.
“Yep. Just let me get changed. I have a feeling fuzzy socks and fleece leggings won’t impress Killian’s siblings if they’re even half as stuffy as he’s said.” She wriggled her fingers at me, then rushed back up the stairs.
I called after her, “You’re wrong, because they’re definitely far worse than he explained!”
CHAPTER
NINE
Jade
The car ride was longer than I expected. Killian’s residence—Drake Hall—was far out of town.
Killian spent the entire ride asking about Considine—how he was transitioning to working on the task force, his reaction to Orrin being released into his custody, if I found him as annoying as Killian did, etc.
It wasn’t until the car—driven by his First Knight—pulled into his private driveway that he switched to discussing what I was worried about, his siblings.
“Ahh, yes. I should have warned you. All my siblings are Dracos, but they each have their own Family—except the twins, who have united their underlings in one eccentric group.”
“I am aware,” I said. “Like you, none of your siblings go by the name of your sire’s Family, but selected names that translate into dragon. I assume this was done to honor Ambrose Dracos who chose his last name for its similarity to the Latin word draco, which means dragon.”
I knew about Killian’s siblings because of my snooping, but it was a common practice for the offspring of first-generation vampires—and I was sure both Considine and Ambrose were first generation vampires even though we had no record of it—to choose their own Family names if they separated from their sire to mark their new boundaries of power.
