Page 114 of This Blood That Breaks Us

I took a deep breath and let in the possibility I hadn’t allowed myself to think of. I told myself it was because I didn’t want it anymore, but Will was right. It was all I wanted. I wanted it so bad it hurt to think it may never come true.

“I want . . . another Christmas. I don’t care where. I want to watch my brothers open gifts, and I want to do all our old traditions. I want to see my mom again and tell her how sorry I am. I just want to be together. Anywhere.”

“Well, no doubt, Luke Calem, you’ll get there. Maybe sooner than you think.”

When did William start to believe in me? When had I stopped?

“You really think so?”

“I do. You may have to go through Ascension, and I don’t know what that will mean. But I think you’ll navigate it like the golden boy you are. Don’t give up just yet.”

I think it was a compliment.

“Thanks, Will, this helped.”

Thirty-Five

Zach

No one warned me that Ascension was a rager. I’d prepared for a banquet—a boring one, but every inch of the castle was bathed in red light, disco balls, and melting candle wax.

“What the fuck?” I said as I descended the stairs in the main foyer. The staircase and foyer led to the main hallway that opened to the lawn.

The doors were open, and people—humans—were mingling there dressed up and being served finger sandwiches. I didn’t know we had a working kitchen.

“This is for you, sir!” Connell was at my side dressed in some new fancier suit with an ornate flowered shirt beneath it.

“A party?”

“We’ve been waiting forever to celebrate you. We’re so fortunate to see your Ascension. We wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Oh, it is.”

The entire entryway and the lawn were covered in crimson and people. Men and women of all ages looked at the decor with wide-eyed amazement. No children, though.

“Who are these people?”

“Most are close-client relationships and their families.”

“Did you brainwash them all to be here?”

“No. Everyone wants to come celebrate with you. Well, I did bring in some tourists from the mainland. They think this is a super exclusive celebration of this castle’s second centennial. A lot of them are history buffs who I found in online forums. Blood for the boys and you, sir.”

Connell smiled despite his outright admission he lured humans here to drain them. Little fucker had cards up his sleeve. I bet that’s why Ezra recruited him. His good-boy disposition and knowledge of the internet and modern-day technology would do wonders for them . . . for us.

“Don’t start talking like that around my brother. He’ll bolt in seconds.”

Connell’s eyes grew wide, and he pulled out a notepad and pen from his pocket.

“Really, sir? He won’t like it?”

“No. He won’t appreciate you wheeling humans in like cattle to be slaughtered. He prefers to drink from blood bags.”

Connell scribbled something down with a bent brow. “What about you, sir? Do you mind?”

“What?”

“Do you care about the humans and the blood?”