“Come in, everyone,” Titus called.
Soon the room was full. The men stood together in a semicircle, smiling at Carina and Alessia, who chatted happily. The tension of the last several days ebbed from Alessia’s frame as she considered them. Her new family. She glanced at her Daddy and smiled at that idea. After years of being isolated and having no one in her corner, all these fierce warriors and Carina had come to her defense. Everything would be fine.
Gio appeared in the doorway. “Sir, you have another guest. I will bring refreshments.” When he stood back, the air vibrated with electricity.
The vampires all turned to face the door and lowered their eyes slightly to the ground. Carina’s hand tightened on Alessia’s arm.Who is this?Staring at the door, Alessia held her breath.
The devastatingly handsome figure she’d first spotted in the Nightfall video appeared framed in the doorway. In person, his magnetism impacted her at an unbelievable level. Unable to look away, Alessia met his gaze and shivered at the ice-blue eyes that seemed to see directly through her. He was more attractive than she remembered.
Look down, Little mate.
The brush of Titus’s mind on hers interrupted her inability to break eye contact. She dragged her gaze to the carpet underher feet, and the mental bonds that wrapped around her loosened slightly. Alessia drew in a shaky breath of relief. That connection had been too intense.
“Your bravery impressed me, Alessia. You are the perfect mate for Titus. My congratulations to you both for finding each other and sealing the bond. May you have many years of happiness together,” Alaric decreed.
“Thank you, Alaric,” Titus answered for them both.
“Should I convene a clan gathering?” Alaric asked.
Sensing that she was somehow involved in the meeting, Alessia lifted her chin automatically to check where Alaric’s attention focused. Titus tightened his grip on her hand. Focusing on the rug under her feet, she nodded to signal him she understood as Titus addressed the Elder’s question.
“Yes. With Enzo’s continued existence, my mate is not safe from his threat.” Titus’s tone was blunt.
“Are you questioning my decision, Titus?” Alaric’s response dripped with iciness.
Alessia inhaled and held her breath. Whirls of power circled around her, whispering over her already sensitive skin. What was Titus doing?
“Honestly, yes,” Titus admitted before adding, “I do acknowledge that you may have additional information that I do not.” His voice was hard and controlled, as if he struggled not to lash out at the clan leader. Alessia squeezed his hand back, trying to reassure him she was okay and he could relax.
“I do,” Alaric confirmed before continuing, “I will draw everyone together on the next full moon. That will give you time to prepare.”
“Thank you, Alaric,” Titus answered. His voice sounded slightly less tense. Alessia smoothed her fingers over his skin in silent appreciation.
The electric vibrations in the room diminished. Alessiapeeked up and found the space where Alaric had stood was empty. She turned to Titus and whispered, “Is his appearance always like that?”
“Every single time. I do not understand his actions today, but I have learned over the years to trust his instincts. Perhaps Enzo’s mere presence prevents a bigger threat from gaining power. Besides, we have Bram to monitor him. Tell me how fucked Enzo is, Darius.”
“We’ve smashed his financial house of cards, leaving his business tattered on the ground,” Darius reported with satisfaction. “The tax authorities also received a detailed accounting that will complicate his life further.”
Will my mother and sisters face repercussions for Enzo’s actions?Alessia pushed the worry from her mind. They had aligned themselves with Enzo. Her family wasn’t her problem to solve.
“Darius is a wizard with numbers,” Carina whispered to Alessia. “He scares me a bit when he works with Bram online. No one is safe.”
Of course, everyone overheard her. Darius laughed heartily, and Bram flexed his fingers as if he were a concert pianist getting warmed up. The tension in the room deflated.
“We need some drinks,” Titus proclaimed and headed for the fully stocked bar where he mirrored Bram’s finger stretches before tossing a crystal rocks glass into the air and catching the tumbler behind his back. He pulled out the bottle of Hardy Perfection cognac from a concealed spot on a lower shelf. Unfortunately, Donovan had joined him and spotted the label.
“Whoa! Are you hiding the good stuff? What year is that?” Donovan asked, walking closer to see for himself.
“What’s Titus keeping from us?” Marcus asked.
“Little girls only,” Titus said. “You scoundrels are too jaded for this perfection.” He added a finger-deep pour tothe glass and delivered the drink to Alessia. “Let me know if you want more, Little mate.”
“Would you care for a glass, Carina?” he asked.
“What is it?” Carina asked hesitantly.
“Brandy. Here, try mine first if you’d like,” Alessia said, holding out her glass.
