My eyes widened. “What does Sid have to do with this?”
Vincent pinned me with a serious stare. “In order for me to claim the Law of Embargo for a territory—in this case, Prosper Woods—there has to be a witch present. As soon as Sid showed up, I claimed the town of Prosper Woods as mine by the Law of Embargo, Sid, as mine by the Law of the Soul, and you, as mine by the Law of the Heart. It forced the three vampires to leave. They will not be able to set foot in the town or the area surrounding it again unless I lift my claim.”
“Which I assume you never will?” I asked, continuing the conversation but making a mental note to ask about these laws at a later time.
He squeezed my hand and nodded. “Yes.”
“So, the books are safe and so are we,” I stated.
Vincent sighed deeply. “I hope so…definitely for the time being. If Sergio makes a new claim, the Conclave of Eight will have to travel here and they won’t be able to do that easily. They travel with a massive retinue of guards, so it’s never an easy thing when they do it. Also, since it’s already been adjudicated, they’ll be angry to have to come here to hear the same manner again, especially under these circumstances.”
“I know it sounds redundant but why not just let those Conclave guys take the books and keep them?” I asked. “I understand why you want to keep them, but do you have any reason other than the fact that Robert told you to? You said you can’t read them.”
Vincent frowned, yanking his hand out of mine and standing up to begin pacing around the room. “You don’t know what you’re saying, Romeo, and I don’t expect you can.” He stopped in front of me, looking down at where I still sat on the couch. “Perhaps I can explain it to you this way…you took a vow to protect and serve when you were sworn into your job with the LAPD. You promised not to shirk your responsibility. Then, let’s say, you were tempted to abandon that vow for something you wanted more than anything else in the world. Would you just give it up, compromise your morals and the ethics you’ve lived by for centuries, just because it’s the easy way out of the situation?” He held up his hand when I opened my mouth to speak.
“No, you wouldn’t compromise your oath, Romeo. I know you are a man of honor. I am also. That’s why I won’t give the books up.”
“I understand,” I said. “They mean something to you even though you don’t know what’s inside them because your maker told you to care for them and that they were precious.”
“They’re much more than that. They hold secrets of some kind. I don’t know what those secrets are, but I do know that Robert knew they had to be kept safe and out of other vampires’ hands. I suspect Sergio knows what is in the volumes also, and I think whatever it is, is meaningful to him because it holds great power. I know this. He wouldn’t be trying so hard if it didn’t mean he’d advance his power.”
“He’s not a good vampire, I take it,” I concluded.
“Sergio Serrano is a vicious killer, and the other vampire with him, Justine, is just as lethal. I don’t know the third one—this Harvey Miller—but I do know if he travels with the others, it’s because he has the same propensity for violence that the other two do. It’s not good, Romeo. It’s a very good thing that they’re gone.”
“Okay,” I said on a sigh of relief. “But that means you are basically protected as long as you’re here in this town. What happens if you leave Prosper Woods?”
“I can’t leave. They’ll try to have me killed.” He sat down beside me, retaking my hands. “There’s one more thing, Romeo.”
“What?”
“It means you’re stuck here with me.”
My eyes widened. “Why?”
“I called out protection for you under the Law of the Heart. That means that you are my true mate, and now that they understand who you are to me, it makes you a target. You have no idea how powerful Sergio is, Romeo. He will kill you with ease if he gets a hold of you.”
“So, I’m trapped here in town.”
“I’m afraid so, my lover. I’m so sorry.” He looked truthfully regretful. “You will not be able to leave Prosper Woods and the surrounding area which includes Frederick. If you do, Sergio and the others will kill you. I’m so sorry, my love. I never wanted to hurt you. I do hope you understand why I did it.”
“Believe it or not, I actually do understand.” I leaned in and kissed him, softly. I put all the love and heat I could into the kiss, wanting him to know that I didn’t blame him for trapping us here within these city walls. I felt at home here now. I had no siblings other than my stepbrother who I wasn’t close to. My parents were dead. I’d been on my own for many years before meeting Vincent. I wasn’t upset with our circumstances. I really wasn’t. When I finally ended the kiss and leaned back, he was staring at me.
“Can you ever forgive me?” He sounded small, worried.
I smiled at him. “I already have, Vincent.” I paused for a minute. “By the way, you mentioned that Scott Templeton is human, but did you also know he’s a medium?” I said, remembering the conversation I’d had in front of Vincent’s store. Vincent’s eyes widened.
“What? How do you know Scott’s last
