Page 12 of Forty Deaths Till Us Part

My eyes widened. “You think Jana has it?”

“Possibly. But we need to know either way. Even if she doesn’t, she may have an insight that we no longer possess.”

I sighed as Manu and Cass stared at me. “Okay. I will call her.”

CHAPTER 5

We waited till the early hours of the morning. Before I called Jana. I wasn’t surprised I had woken her and if it wasn’t so important, I wouldn’t have, but she had been happy to hear from me and promised to come over in half an hour.

Rene and I were waiting by the front door, speaking quietly. As I stood in the opulence of the foyer, surrounded by my fellow vampires, the air was heavy with tension and mistrust. A serial killer had that effect on people, including the immortal ones. The atmosphere crackled like a lightning storm, and I could practically taste the resentment in the air. Every sideways glance, and subtle curl of their lips, whispered the one truth that I couldn’t ignore—they didn’t trust me. They blamed me for the events that had befallen them.

At my age, I’d faced my share of challenges and adversities in life, but being an outsider in a clan of vampires was an entirely different battle. I expected their skepticism. Of me and my intentions. It was as if they could detect the uncertainty that lingered in my mind. That I was the source of their woes.

The way they exchanged whispered words that I couldn’t decipher only fueled my anxiety. It was obvious they had formeda tight-knit bond over the years. One my appearance threatened to shatter. This wasn’t about trust; it was about power and envy. My proximity to Rene rubbed those with significant clan stature the wrong way.

Their eyes bored into my back, tracing my every move, and dissecting every nuance of my expression. It wasn’t just my presence that troubled them; it was Rene’s interest in me. Jealousy simmered beneath their frosty exteriors, a potent mix of resentment and longing. Frustration tangled with determination, as I waited for the one person who lightened my soul like no other.

When Rene opened the door to allow her entry into the foyer, my heart leaped. It had done the same thing when I laid eyes on her for the first time and my excitement at being in Jana’s presence had only grown over the years.

Jana was the epitome of youthful beauty, with her radiant smile and shiny, black hair that seemed to catch every flicker of light. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the appreciative stares she received while at the clan. The male members’ eyes seemed to linger a little too long for my taste. In their eyes, Jana was a beacon of charm and innocence.

Still, as Jana ignored the attentive stares, I felt a certain pride. She was my legacy, my child, and watching her embrace her own power was a testament to her strength and the values Isra and I had instilled in her.

I hugged her fiercely when she wrapped her arms around me. “Thanks for coming. Sorry I woke you.”

She waved her hand negligently. “I will sleep when I am dead. It sounded urgent... sorry about the dead comment.”

Rene made a barely perceptible motion with his hand and the men admiring my daughter turned away and continued their conversations with their group.

Rene smiled warmly at Jana. “I assure you, it is fine. Thank you for coming, Miss Nasir.”

Jana winked at him. “You are cute when you are formal.”

There were some hushed chuckles around the room as Rene motioned toward the stairs. “Will you accompany Raven and I to our suite?”

We ascended the lavish staircase, and I had to admire how Jana could be so comfortable wearing simple jeans and a T-shirt when the surrounding vampires were in haute couture. Of course, she was used to drag queen attire.

I walked beside her as Rene trailed behind us. There was a hushed silence, and I glanced back to see everyone looking at me.

“What is that about?” Jana asked.

“I don’t know. They have some odd protocols, and I probably broke one.”

Jana bumped my shoulder. “Then good on you. They seem a little too rigid. They need to live a little.”

I pursed my lips.

Jana gave me a withered look. “I just realized how ridiculous that sounded, but I mean that in the proverbial sense.”

“I get it, honey. It is accurate, though.”

We walked in silence until we entered the suite. I led Jana to the large office, and we took a seat on the couch. Rene took the chair opposite us and crossed his legs after he sat. He looked like he was there for a friendly visit and no tension was reflected in his gaze, but I could sense his eagerness to learn more about my strange ability.

“Jana, I asked your mother to call you here so I could ask you about your telepathic connection.”

Jana stiffened on the couch next to me and I felt like I had betrayed her. I had asked her to keep that strange connection asecret and now a vampire she barely knew was asking her about it.

I touched her arm. “I’m sorry, honey. It appears there was a vampire fifteen hundred years ago who had a similar ability in life. We are wondering if there is a connection to me turning successfully.”