I stare right back at him. Confusion and… anger…? swirl inside me. I just saved his life, and he wants to lecture me?
I try to twist out of his grip. He doesn’t let me go.
“Promise me,” he says. “Promise me you’ll control it in The Haven.”
I feel that anger rising. I try to push it down, but it’s like a pot of boiling water. The only way to get rid of it is to stop feeding it heat… and my raging emotions are simply adding to the fire.
“I…” I start to say. But the voice that comes from my lips is not my own. It’s cruel and savage and threatening.
It’s the voice of the vampire borne within me. It’s full of anger and hatred. I’ve never been an angry person, and to feel the emotion so acute inside me, it frightens me.
It takes all the willpower I possess, but I temper it. I speak with my regular inflection.
“I’ll… I’ll control it.”
“Good.” Just like that, Raul releases me. He bends down and offers his brother a hand. I stare as Raul helps James up.
What the…?
“I was trying to help.” James says to me grudgingly. “To get the weapon away from Victoria.”
I can’t help the incredulous scoff from coming out.
But Raul only nods. “We might plot and bicker,” he says. “But two vampires of The Haven would never kill each other.”
Yet even as he says that, a haunted look passes through his eyes.
“Especially not anywhere near our coven’s territories,” James adds. He looks at the blonde woman twitching on the floor. “She was a fool for trying an attack.”
My mouth works, but no words come out. Is Raul just going to stand there and accept that for an explanation?
“I saw the look that passed between you and her before she drew the knife!” I accuse James.
“You misread it. I was telling her not to do anything stupid.”
“Liar!” I snarl. Tendrils of that ever-present anger rise from my gut. “I know what you’re capable of! You’d stop at nothing to get ahead!”
“She’s known me for a few weeks and already has such a firm opinion,” James notes to his brother.
Raul gives a sour chuckle.
“I can’t believe this,” I say. “Raul, did you not see what just happened? She—“I point at Victoria, “—tried to kill you. Your brother helped her! If it wasn’t for me—“
“Enough.” Raul cuts me off. Something in his voice slices right through the hierarchical vampire presence that I naturally exert over him. “That’s enough, Eleira. I want you to trust me on this.”
Am I going crazy? None of this is making any sense! Why is Raul reacting so… passively? Why am I being framed as the bad guy?
Raul gives me a level look. “We’re going to deplane now,” he says. “I’ll take Victoria. James will come next. Eleira, you wait here until I return.”
“No!” I say. “Why am I to be left behind?”
“It’s for your safety,” Raul says. He takes my arm and pulls me aside. He whispers in my ear, “Mother knows I brought you back. But she doesn’t know how powerful you are yet. She’s waiting for us out there. She’ll be able to sense your power from a distance—but she doesn’t know it’s yours. I don’t know how she’ll react when she discovers it’s actually you. Victoria already surpasses her in strength. The Queen won’t like that. But bringing two vampires, both stronger than her, home with me? Let’s just say it makes for an unpredictable situation.”
“Fine,” I grumble. Part of his explanation makes sense… a bit.
It doesn’t mean I like it.
I settle into a seat, cross my arms, and stare daggers at the backs of the other three vampires.
Raul rips the sack off Victoria’s head just before he takes her off the plane, leaving James with me.
Chapter Three
SMITHSON
I stand on my Queen’s right, shoulders back, chin held high, chest thrust out.
We’re gathered at the edge of The Haven for the arrival of her two sons. In my mind, I conduct a quick check of all the guards.
I’ve posted many around the area. The congregation surrounding the Queen is only a tenth of those under my command.
The rest are spread through the trees, hidden in strategic positions throughout the forest. All are waiting to strike on my command.
When the Queen of The Haven reached out to me and offered me the position of Captain Commander… I was flabbergasted. I could never expect such a boon.
She and I knew each other, many long centuries ago…
I lie flat on the rocky ground, edging my way forward inch by agonizing inch.