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Ari arched a brow. “Who was your grandfather?”

“Lieutenant Mazzini. He worked for the king’s army in Italy about six or seven hundred years ago. You trained him. Shit, you probably don’t remember—”

“I remember him,” Ari said with a hint of emotion. “I remember all the vampires I trained.”

Jesus, really?

Ari was over fifteen hundred years old. That’s a lot of vampires. Then again, he hadn’t stayed in the role of commander that entire time. He’d left to start The Alliance where he’d created a team of assassins who worked private security for humans.

Who had no idea they were vampires.

Many of those assassins were now in Maine, helping to fight this war. Ben—Ari’s former head assassin—was now an SLC.

“He was still working in King Francis’s army when you disappeared.”Shit.“Left.”

The details were murky, but Ari Moretti had left his family and was thought to be dead. Most didn’t know he even existed. Then he showed up and Vincent announced he was his uncle.

It was a topic they were all told toleave alone.

But one thing was known about the vampire; he’d been the commander, as Craig is now, and had trained both of the Moretti princes. Now Vincent was king.

Ari’s eyes drifted across the room as if going back in time.

“He spoke highly of you, telling my father, then me, many tales. When the king revealed you were still alive, I was sorry Grandad was no longer with us.”

Mack hadn’t known he was a Moretti, just a great warrior.

“Your grandfather was a good male.” Ari said. “Excellent with a sword. One of the strongest swings I’ve seen.”

Mack smiled proudly.

“Anyway, it was a dumb idea. You have enough on your plate. I just want to be as strong as I can if we end up in arm-to-arm combat. To protect...my family.”

And someone else who was very important.

Someone he had never been able to make his.

Someone who haunted his dreams and had for many years. Who, just looking at her photos, had his fangs slipping out and cock thickening.

“It’s not likely to happen. At least not on any grand scale. Wars don’t look like they did fifty, five hundred, five thousand years ago. The serum is an extreme risk to us. Just putting it in the water system—once they learn it doesn’t impact humans—would see us all rounded up and...well, whatever they fucking want.”

“Yeah, fuck.” Mack ran a hand over his face.

Ari watched him, his lids lowering just an inch, and those piercing ancient eyes looked through him as if able to read his mind.

Perhaps he could.

“But you knew that.”

Shit.

“What?”

“You knew that. There’s something else.”

Crap.

“I mean—”