“Zack, wait,” Roger said.
Zack took a step back toward the door. Doing so brought Takashi into view. All the regret he’d swallowed since he spoke to Seamus at the mansion rose, and he wouldn’t choke it back down. “I’m sorry, Takashi. I am so fucking sorry.”
The coldness that Takashi had had in his blue eyes melted, and that would have to be enough because Zack couldn’t stay and risk the two people he loved most. Using his amazing speed, he rushed for the door. He had it open and was about to step through the opening.
With an invisible force, the door started to close. Caught off guard, it was far stronger than him, and he barely danced back from it to keep it from slamming into him. When he tried to open it again, it remained shut. Alarmed, he turned back to tell his lovers about the weird occurrence.
Roger had his hand outstretched like he was holding on to the door handle. Instead of brown or red, his eyes were a blue so pale they were a silvery white.
That wasn’t a color that Roger’s eyes had ever turned before.
Some supernatural entities could take on the appearances of others. Nell would have no trouble hiring an assassin, and taking Roger’s form would be the perfect way to get through their guards.We’ve been tricked. Zack reached for the hilt of his dagger. “Whoever you are, you’re going to wish you’d picked a different face to steal.”
Roger frowned at him, his brow pinched with confusion.
Takashi ran forward and put his hand on Zack’s shoulder. “It’s our Roger.”
A brief warning flared in Zack’s mind, claiming that Takashi could be in on the assassination attempt. But as Zack met his gaze, he knew that was far from the truth. However Takashi was certain that this was Roger, he was right. He had never wavered in his love for either of them. Never betrayed them.
Zack was the traitor.
And he might accidentally be so again.
He sucked in a deep breath and said, “Roger, you have to let me go. You both do.”
CHAPTER 49
The mortal steel in Zack’s eyes had been replaced with a crimson color that belonged to a much older vampire. As a mortal, he’d slouched a little, let his shoulders dip whenever he wasn’t sure of himself. He’d been full of rage and tears, but he had been sweet, too.
Now he stood tall, with his chin level and his shoulders straight. In a voice laden with an ethereal quality, he repeated his demand. “Seriously, you have to let me out of here.”
When Zack had initially reached for the door, Roger had reacted on instinct. His arcane power had known the shape of his will before the instant he’d realized what he wanted. This was his one chance to speak to his lovers after a month, and he wasn’t about to let it slip away.
Even if something was clearly wrong between them. The turmoil was obvious in the way they were avoiding each other, and seeing that strengthened Roger’s resolve that the three of them needed to talk.
“You’re worried about the bond with your sire,” Roger said, fighting through his numbness. He’d rehearsed different speeches in his head, and though he’d hoped it wouldn’t come up, he knew that sires and their sirelings could share eachother’s strong emotions. He had never expected Zack to flee because of it. “All we need to do is create a believable lie for whatever you’re feel?—”
“He can read my mind,” Zack snapped.
That’s new.
Zack hurried for the door again.
Roger closed it with telekinesis.
“Roger!” Zack hissed.
“I have been fighting for a month to see you. I am not about to let you run away,” Roger replied.
“He could?—”
“Fuck him. This is about us.” Roger swept forward and held Zack’s cheeks with both hands. “You are not going anywhere until we talk. If I have to unleash an earthquake upon Candide’s beautiful palace, I will. I don’t care. You are what matters.” He reached a hand out to Takashi as he met his gaze. “The two of you are all that matters.”
With a wan smile, Takashi took hold of Roger’s hand and squeezed.
“I imagine that our time apart has been eventful for you like it’s been for me,” Roger said. He took Zack by the hand as well and drew both his lovers toward the desk. If Zack tried to zip out again, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to pull off the feat of getting the door shut. Zack was faster than any fledgling he’d ever seen, almost as quick as himself.
He rested his backside against the desk and held on to Zack’s and Takashi’s hands. The two of them drifted off to either of his sides. They had their mental defenses up. Takashi’s was fierce as a fortress. Zack’s was paper-thin. Roger could slide through both, but he didn’t need to. Zack had apologized with a tone of voice Roger knew came from the broken place inside him; Takashi was withdrawn the same way he’d been when he said his goodbyes in 1921.
