Page 30

She screeched the car to a halt. I put a hand on the dash to keep my head from connecting with the windscreen. She hadn’t even bothered to pull over, just stopped dead in her lane on the empty highway.

“Lachlan.” She turned to face me. The color was gone from her face. No sultry twinkle in her eye, or seduction painting her lips. “Veronica just publicly declared her intention to have you as a Scion. That,” she pointed at the woman, “is the only thing on this god forsaken planet that puts that at risk.”

She didn’t get whatever reaction she was looking for. Aurora continued on like a headmistress talking to her dumbest student. “The only thing that can break a Scion bond is your Scion making a Scion. That,” she pointed again, “is the only thing that can ruin all her hopes and dreams.”

I looked back at Tiffany again, an ache in my chest tightening.

“Drive the fucking car.”

Obeying, she jerked the van back into movement.

“We are going to need a very good story.”

Fuck that. Fuck Veronica. I pulled the dagger out of my pocket, twirling it, thinking. I needed a plan. Veronica only cared about appearances, that there was no question she was Queen of the realm. I could find a way to use her vanity to my advantage.

“Your best option is to stash her with another Family. Double or triple her Bond Price. Maybe get her out of the City.”

Panic fluttered in my chest at the very thought of being separated by any kind of distance. Being three feet away was to much. I pricked my finger with the dagger, watching the pin points of blood well up.

“Not the Mesman’s, clearly. Halberd would eat her alive,” Aurora was ticking off the Families one by one, “Naves might not actually care that Omar was dead…” her words trailed off as she thought about it. “We’re left with Koen.” She tapped her painted nail on the steering wheel. “Miko would take her if the money was right.”

We hit a pot hole and my heart thudded. The urge to pull Tiffany into my lap and cushion her from the world was almost overwhelming. I hated she was in filthy clothes. I hated that blood marked her body where he had hacked at her. Rage seeped in to replace the panic. How fucking dare he cut her? I should have ripped his head off with my bare hands. I should have…

“So, what do you think?”

I rubbed my temple and forced myself back into the conversation. “What do I think about what?”

“Seattle?” Aurora said like she was talking to an idiot child. “Sending her to Seattle is really the best option. Killian is crazy enough, not even Juliet pays him any attention. And with the witch infestation there…” Aurora didn’t feel the need to elaborate on Juliet’s long standing witch feud.

I answered all of her musings with a simpleno.

“Well, then, you’re left with Shaw. And if you’re going to pull this off, you’re going to need a really good story.” She repeated.

On that point, she was at least right. Aurora didn’t even know the half of it. She assumed I had been having a mad love affair with a mortal. She would never believe that a moment of pure comfort found in a hug would have resulted in all this, that I would do anything to live in that one moment forever.

TWENTY-THREE

LACHLAN

Aurora angled the van through a maze of rusted cars and discarded construction equipment. Vampires are no strangers to underground parking lots and forgotten places. This place? Death trap. She jutted her chin out, indicating a door on the far end that just clanged open. She got out and waited by the bumper. I twisted around, the vinyl seat cracking and squeaking. No one else appeared to be here. I wasn’t taking a chance.

Sliding into the back, I opened the door and arranged Tiffany so I could pick her up. I pulled the torn scrubs around her as best I could. Blood still streaked her skin.

“Just leave her. It will be fine.” Aurora was picking at her nails, waiting on me to get on with it.

I started weaving past trash cans and concrete barriers. This is an obstacle course. Couldn’t cross the space without bumping into something and making noise. I gave a snort of satisfaction. Low-tech intruder alarms. I took extra care not to bump Tiffany’s head or catch her foot on something.

A man waited for us. He was tall, broad for a vampire. Well, for someone in Veronica’s family, at least. His jeans were ragged in places from wear not some sweatshop kid artfully distressing them and there by jacking the price to “designer.” His arms were folded across his chest. Aurora had called him, said she needed a favor. He said she had to ask in person.

“Shahid Helios.” I nodded my head respectfully.

He sighed and rolled his eyes like I was the most tiresome child on the playground.

“Get into this century, Venier. I go by Shaw now.” My skin crawled at the mention of Veronica’s name, the name I wore, the name my blood bought.

“Shaw, I’m sure you know…”

“What is this?” He cut off Aurora and gestured and the limp woman in my arms.