I just needed to speakto my cousin, and then I could check in with my parents. The newswould at least reassure them and cement the reason I needed to stayin the UK a little longer. God, my father would have a heart attackif he knew I was currently staying in the Colony Nest and sharing abedroom with the new Leader.
Not that there wasanything going on between us, far from it. It’s just Nathan didn’tlike the idea of me being in my own room with strange Vampires inthe same building, and as he didn’t sleep, it meant I could use hisnew rooms and he would stay close by.
Truth be told, thishad to be the only time in our history he was actually keeping mefrom losing my mind. I mean, I was living in a Nest. Sure, itwasn’t for long, but the fact alone was madness.
Not that the remainingthree members were anything to worry about. I had the feeling thatthe two females had taken a shining to the new Leader, and the boy,Mark, looked as though you could snap him with a simple tap. Notexactly a strong army for trouble, but it would do, for now.
The three of them hadbeen sent out two days ago to search down any Leeches that might behiding and give them the same choice that they had beengiven—follow the new Leader or get out of the UK.
I wasn’t expecting anarmy to come back, especially as our survivors were only with us astheir Masters and Mistresses didn’t reside in this country. One wayor another, our three members would either come back with somestraddlers or empty-handed.
I guess the Pack wouldbe pleased to hear that they had actually exterminated the entireUK Colony.
So, while I sat on mythumbs waiting to hear about Heather, Nathan got to work on tidyingthe place up and studying the businesses that Michael had, gettingto grips with the wealth he had just laid his hands on and how hecould somehow improve Vampires’ way of life.
Jesus, my father wouldstraight out die if he knew what I was involved in. I should bekilling Vampires. Not helping them to adapt.
“You look deep inthought … again.”
I looked up as Nathanstepped into the room, dressed in jogging bottoms, T-shirt, andtrainers. He really didn’t suit the look but wanted to wearsomething loose and comfortable while we trained. I had somehowbeen roped into teaching him to fight as he had won his first andonly two challenges on sheer luck and savage instinct.
“Just trying t’get myhead around things. I guess it’s all finally catching up t’me.”
This last fortnighthad been the craziest of my life.
“Any word offCarter?”
“Are you serious? Heseems t’have fallen off the face of the planet all of asudden.”
“Try Dante again?”
“I will.” I hopped offthe arm of the sofa. “Remind me again what the point of theagreement was?”
“So we could all livein peace and be on the same page.” He brought his hands together inprayer.
“I feel like we gotthe short end of the stick.”
“Yeah, I think wedid.”
“If I don’t hear fromthem in the next few days, I’m going t’have t’go back upthere.”
The idea of making thenine-plus-hours journey was not appealing in the slightest, but ifCarter and Dante continued to ignore my calls, it was looking likeI wouldn’t have much of a choice but to pay them a visit.
He dropped his arms tohis sides. “I know.”
“Are you going t’beokay on your own?”
I didn’t like the ideaof leaving him here on his own. Sure, we only knew of threeVampires that were still in the UK and they might not be back foranother week, but that didn’t mean he would be safe on his own.
“I’m not thathelpless.”
“Oh, I know you’renot.”
I still couldn’t getthe image of him punching the female Vampire’s head off out of mymind. The way in which he’d repeatedly stabbed his talons throughher flesh, muscle, and bone … The blood had actually drained fromme as I’d watched. The rhythm in which he’d punctured her hadreminded me of the shower scene in Psycho where NormanBates’ ‘mother’ stabs relentlessly until the victim is dead.Considering all the Vampires I had killed and the ways I had killedthem … the ways in which I had witnessed them be killed … well,this was the first time I had actually wanted to throw up. I wasn’tentirely sure it had anything to do with the way the Leech had beenslaughtered. More to do with witnessing who was doing thehacking.
Nathan was far fromhelpless and most definitely far from being harmless, which is whatI had repeatedly told the Pack and, I guess, myself. He was just asdangerous as any Vampire, if not more so as with every day thatpassed by, we were learning that he had all of their advantages andnot many of their weakness. But that’s what the Leches wanted,according to the Pack—a better, stronger species of Vampire, and myGod, they were on their way to getting just that.
“It will be good forme t’have a few days here on my own.”
I arched a brow athim.
“Besides, with all thenew moves you’re going t’teach me, I will be totally fine.”
I stepped into thecentre of the living room of the centre house which we had chosento keep clear for meetings and training, etc. It just seemed easierthan constantly having to replace furniture.
“This is my life now,Elle.”
“T’be alone? Jesus,you’re really getting into the iconic broody Vampire character,aren’t you?”
“Get lost.” Hestretched his arms above his head. “I just meant, fights,challenges. These are part of my life now.”
“You’re right, butthat means you’re never going t’be on your own. There will alwaysbe Vampires around, and a lot of them will always be tryingt’challenge you or just hurt you.”
“I will be fine.”
His focus shifted tothe left of the room, and he shook his head.
I frowned. “You tookthis role on without fully realizing what it entailed.”
“I took this role onso no one else has their life stolen
