Page 23

23

GAIDA

My mother waits on the other side of the gates, looking every bit the powerful vampire she is. She’s surrounded by her personal guards, all dressed impeccably in formal attire despite dawn peeking through the trees.

“Gaida,” she says as we approach, her voice carrying that particular edge I’ve known since childhood. The tone that means I’m in serious trouble. “How gracious of you to finally join us.”

I stop just short of the gates, the academy’s protective wards humming between us. “Mum. This is unexpected.”

“Is it?” Her gaze flicks over Luke and Dante, lingering longer on the latter. “When every supernatural being in Europe feels a magickal disruption of catastrophic proportions emanating from this academy, should I not be concerned when my only daughter happens to be residing here?”

“I’m fine, as you can see.”

She narrows her eyes. “Are you?” She tilts her head and studies me.

The Blood Queen’s power inside me responds instinctively, rising to the surface like a threatened animal.

“Interesting,” she murmurs, her eyes narrowing further. “Very interesting indeed. I want to know where my husband is.”

And there it is. The question we’ve all been dreading.

“Aurelius told me he was coming here to speak with you. That was days ago, and since then, silence. None of his usual contacts have seen him.” Her voice remains perfectly controlled, but I know her well enough to hear the strain beneath the surface. “Then tonight, this magickal disturbance occurs.”

I take a deep breath. There is absolutely no point in denying any of this. “Dad is dead.”

For a moment, she doesn’t react. Her face remains perfectly composed, as if I’d commented on the weather. Then I see a slight flicker in her eyes, a momentary fracture in her perfect composure.

“How?” The single word contains centuries of control.

“He was killed,” I say, meeting her gaze directly. There’s no gentle way to say this, no path through this conversation that doesn’t end in pain and rage.

“By whom?” Her voice has dropped to a dangerous whisper.

I hesitate, torn between protecting Dante and respecting his wish to face the consequences of his actions. Before I can decide, he speaks.

“By me,” Dante says, his voice calm and steady. “I killed Aurelius Aragon.”

The silence that follows is absolute.

My mother’s gaze shifts from me to Dante, her expression unreadable. “You?” A cold smile touches her lips. “A child like you killed one of the oldest vampires in existence? I find that difficult to believe.”

“Nevertheless,” Dante replies, “it’s true.”

“Why?” The word contains centuries of barely restrained fury.

“Because he hurt your daughter. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, hurts her and gets away with it.”

“That’s absurd,” my mother snaps at me, but there’s uncertainty in her eyes now. “Aurelius would never harm you. You’re his daughter, his blood.”

“Well, he did. He came here to join the chalice and the sword, you know, that chalice you’ve supposedly been protecting all this time while it was in my fucking bedroom! He wanted to start a war, well, he got one.”

“And you expect me to believe this?” My mother’s voice is acidic.

“I don’t expect you to believe anything,” Dante says, his patience clearly wearing thin. “But it’s the truth. Aurelius attacked Gaida. I stopped him. Permanently.”

“I should end you right now,” she hisses, fangs extended as she slams her hands on the wards. They bounce but don’t break.

“You could try,” he says quietly.

My mother steps back suddenly, smoothing her jacket with precise movements, a very sinister smile on her lips. “Well, well. I’m impressed, Mr DuLoc. You have surprised me, but you, above all else, are worthy of my daughter.”

“Mum?” I ask with confusion at her sudden change in attitude.

“Stronger, older and more resilient vampires than you have tried and failed over the centuries. And yet a young man has achieved what they could not. You have impressed me.”

“What are you saying?” I ask carefully. “You aren’t mad that Dad is dead?”

“Mad? No, not at all. Relieved. He was… not a nice man.” Her face drops into a frown. “I’m sorry, Gaida. I know this is upsetting and must come as a shock to you?—”

“I mean, yeah, it’s a shock, but I guess I’m not surprised thinking about it. You were never close.”

“Not for a very long time,” she says quietly.

“So, you won’t take this further? With Dante? He is in the clear?” I have to ask.

She nods. “If anything, I owe a debt of gratitude.” She turns her head to smile shyly at her guards. I know that look. That is the look of a woman in love.

Well, fuck.

I exchange a wide-eyed stare with Luke, who tries to hide his smile.

“You destroyed Mashtar,” Mum says, drawing the conversation around. “Are you ready for what comes next?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know what comes next. Do you?”

She smiles. Again, it’s sinister, cold and very much not expected. “I guess we will find out.”

And with that, she sweeps around, and one of the guards opens the back door of the car, and she climbs inside. They drive off with me staring after them, not sure what to contemplate.

“Well,” Luke says after a minute. “That went well.”

I turn and give him an incredulous stare.

He shrugs. “What? I was expecting a rabid reaction.”

“Yeah, well, her ‘guess we will find out’ comment has left me rattled.”

“I’m just glad she didn’t try to kill me,” Dante says. “Makes me wonder about my own parents and their marriage now.”

His deep-in-thought expression makes me giggle. “Yeah, guess things aren’t always what they seem.”

“Do you think we might end up like that? You being glad someone killed me?”

I shake my head and go to him, wrapping my arms around him. “Never. We aren’t them.”

“No, we definitely aren’t,” Dante murmurs against my hair.

Luke clears his throat. “We should get back inside. Dawn is approaching, and we have much to discuss.”

“Yes, I need to get back to Felix.”

As we walk back through the academy grounds, I feel the weight of everything we’ve accomplished and everything still ahead of us. The power of the Blood Queen thrums inside me, restless and unfamiliar.

When we reach my room, I find Felix standing by the window, just outside of the sunlight. He turns as we enter, his eyes finding mine immediately. Through our sire bond, I feel his relief.

“How did it go?” he asks.

“Surprisingly well,” Dante says. “Gaida’s mum was pleased about Aurelius’s death.”

Felix raises an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“She was more concerned about what comes next after Mashtar’s destruction,” I explain, crossing to him and taking his hand. His skin is cool against mine, a sensation I’m still getting used to. “How are you feeling?”

“Wondering whether I can withstand daylight.”

“You are possibly immune,” Luke says. “But I wouldn’t test it. Yet.”

I understand his anxiety. Everything is different for him now. His senses are heightened, strength increased, a constant awareness of my presence through our bond.

“We’ll test it,” I promise, squeezing his hand. “But Luke’s right. Let’s give it a few days.”

Felix nods reluctantly. “Right now, we should be prepared for the backlash of this Blood Queen rising. I need to get back to the library, do some research.”

“Now?” I ask. “Shouldn’t you rest, or something?”

He shakes his head. “I’ve never felt more alive, more powerful than I do right now. I’ll go digging, you rest and meet me later.”

“I’ll go with you,” Luke says. “Make sure you’re holding up.”

“I’m fine?—”

“I’ll go with you,” Luke grits out.

“Better do as he says,” I whisper loudly. “He gets grumpy when you don’t.”

We all laugh at Luke’s haughty expression. Nothing has changed, and yet everything has changed.

I just hope I can deal with whatever the Blood Queen is going to throw at me without turning into a megalomaniac.

Guess we will find out.