Unraveled

Aden’s cheeks heated. “Enough.” He turned to Victoria, pulling her close for a final hug. “Distract them,” he whispered in her ear, “and I’ll take off with Jennifer.”

She kissed the side of his face before drawing away, her hand remaining on his arm as long as possible. When she was positioned in front of the wolves, who were still grinning like loons, she looked at Maxwell. “Take my hand.”

“What? You want to perform another surgery? Sure, I’m game.” He clasped her outstretched fingers.

They disappeared a second later. Nathan spun, frowning. Then Victoria reappeared, alone, and grabbed his arm before he could stop her. They, too, disappeared, this time leaving Aden alone.

Now! Caleb commanded. You have to act now.

Aden, Elijah began. Think about this.

“Thinking time’s over. I’m doing it, and that’s that.” Chin high, he stalked back down the hall to the witch’s door, drew in a breath and turned the knob.

TWENTY-SEVEN

MARY ANN CHEWED ON her bottom lip as she peered up at Riley. A fuming, steam-coming-out-of-his-nostrils Riley. She was once again in his bedroom at the vampire mansion, perched at the edge of his very soft bed, the door closed, footsteps echoing beyond it. She doubted anyone would barge in—even if she screamed, which she wouldn’t, he wouldn’t hurt her, but company would have been nice just then. Riley paced in front of her, an intimidating sight.

“Let me get this straight,” he said, each word measured. “Tucker was in the woods. Outside the cabin. You saw him. He waved you over. And you. Actually. Went.” The last was uttered with disbelief.

“Correct.”

“You talked to him.”

“Yes.”

“You were within striking distance of him.”

“He wouldn’t hurt me. Not that way,” she added before Riley could remind her of the mental anguish Tucker had caused and the tears she had shed.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of, Mary Ann. He’s a demon.”

“Part demon.” And the father of her best friend’s baby. If he decided to help Penny and be a part of the baby’s life, then he was going to be a part of Mary Ann’s life, as well, because she planned to be there for her friend. Riley needed to learn that now. “And he’s calm around me. You know that.”

“Then,” Riley continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “you waited a few hours to tell me what had happened.”

“Yes, again.” She’d given Tucker time to get away. Riley was a wolf, an expert tracker, and easily could have found him. They would have fought. There wasn’t time for a fight. So, once she was sure enough time had elapsed, she’d made an excuse to Victoria about being hungry and dragged Riley out of the cabin to fill him in. He should have thanked her for telling him anything at all. Instead, he’d brought her here to yell at her.

Riley scrubbed a hand down his face. “Why do I bother protecting you, if you’re just going to throw yourself into dangerous situations?”

“Because you like me.” Until this mess with the witches was over. Then they had some major issues to work out. Or not. She still planned to leave him. A knot formed in her throat.

He stopped, sighed, the anger seeping from him. “You’re right. I do like you. Even though at times likes these, I’m not sure I like that I like you. So tell me again what Tucker said about Vlad.”

That, she could do. “He mentioned the former vampire king is alive and well and living in an underground crypt behind this house. That said former vampire king ordered him to watch us and report his findings. And that said former vampire king is mad as hell that someone else is commanding his people.”

“Yes, Vlad would be, but he couldn’t have survived total body je la nune poisoning. No one could have.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen others die that way.”

Was that…guilt darkening his green eyes? Had he killed others that way? The fact that she wasn’t disturbed by the possibility proved just how immersed she was becoming in this otherworld. “Maybe he healed. You once told me Vlad was the strongest among you, and that his people hoped he would somehow recover. I mean, seriously. That’s why Aden hasn’t been crowned officially.”

“First, if Vlad was alive, he would have come to us.” Riley’s head tilted to the side. “Unless he was too weak, but then…no. No. He wouldn’t have sent a kid to spy. Second, Vlad was also staked. Maybe he could have healed from one injury, but not both. Not in such a weakened condition.” A heartbeat later, he added, “God, I can’t believe I’m talking about this with a human. Vlad killed for less.”

“Well, there’s a new guy in charge and I have a very good feeling he’d tell you to tell me what I want to know. So, backtracking. I thought vampire skin couldn’t be penetrated. How was Vlad staked?”

Riley frowned, hesitated, but eventually said, “Did you hear me tell Aden that when we tattoo wards on the vampires, we have to prep the needle with a little je la nune first? That’s what allows the ink to penetrate. It’s the same principle with a staking. You cover a blade in je la nune and stab the heart. The poison melts the skin and infects the organ.”

“Maybe he heals faster and from more severe injuries than anyone else.”

Head tilting to the side, Riley stood there for a long while, silent, pensive, grim. Finally, he sighed and held out his hand. “There’s one way to verify this.”

She shook her head, already knowing what he planned. “Feel free to go alone.”

“No way. Let’s go check the crypt.”

Her eyes widened. “A very much alive, very hungry, very angry dethroned vampire king might be down there. That’s dangerous, and I’m not supposed to place myself in danger. Remember?”

“You’re my very capable backup. Now, come on.” He waved his fingers. “Afterward, we’ll go back to the cabin, find out whether Aden has left the witch’s body and whether he learned anything.”

And if he hadn’t? she wanted to ask, but didn’t. Time was ticking away, no solution in sight. She was trying not to let nerves overwhelm her, wasn’t letting herself think about how significant tomorrow was. What better way to distract herself than to pay a visit to old Vlad? A man who’d once enjoyed removing human heads and displaying them on pikes.

Shaking now, she took Riley’s hand and he pulled her upright. Why did he want her to go with him, anyway? The real reason, and not the “capable” crap he’d spouted. Riley was a protector first, and a flatterer second. Because he still didn’t believe Vlad was alive? Because he wanted to prove to her that Tucker had lied to her?

Instead of leading her out the room, he dropped her hand. What, she was supposed to walk behind him now, like a good little inferior human? She was not disappointed—except that she was very disappointed. Only, he didn’t leave. He strode to his closet and dug out a coat, then wrapped that coat around her, pulling her hair from underneath. Okay, she really wasn’t disappointed anymore.

He reclaimed her hand. “Just…stay behind me and do what I tell you, when I tell you. Got it?”

“Got it. But I’m really not a dimwit when it comes to my safety.”

“Let’s not get into a debate right now.”

Funny. They strode into the hall. Going from Riley’s normal bedroom to the all-black hallway was a bit of a shock, but she soon grew used to the drab surroundings. The black walls, the black windows, the violent tapestries, the swirling circles—wards—etched on everything.

“Do you think Tucker plans on ambushing us?” Even as she asked, she deduced the answer. If he thought that was a possibility, he wouldn’t take her. Unless he wanted her to see Tucker’s “evil” firsthand. She barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Never mind. Don’t answer. Just listen. I. Want. To. Survive. I won’t do anything to place myself in unnecessary danger.”