Page 33 of Vipers and Vendettas

I stand. ‘Did she tell you this after you found her, or have you known this all along?’ I snap.

‘Neither. I only learned about it yesterday when I found the vamp she used to fence the jewels. She had him send it.’

‘Why would she do that for you, Daemon? You’ve hardly kept your hatred of her quiet.’

‘Insurance. She wanted me indebted to her instead of them.’

‘But she kept what she did secret,’ I argue with a frown. ‘The others were right. There’s much more going on here.’

Daemon winces. ‘Yes, there is.’

I let out a sigh and grit my teeth. ‘What else haven’t you told me?’

‘There is something, but Jules – It’ll have to wait, okay?’ He swears under his breath. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything. I should have. But you’d only just let me back in. I didn’t want you to …’

‘No, I’m sorry,’ I say, and his eyes widen in surprise. ‘I shouldn’t have made you leave the clan in the first place. I didn’t have to do that, but I was angry.’ I look away. ‘Perhaps more at myself than you. I blamed you for bringing her to us, but I should have … I’m the leader. I should have …’

‘We both have regrets,’ he says quietly. ‘You’re not yourself, are you, Julian?’

I shake my head, standing up with a sigh and running a hand through my hair. ‘I thought I was, but I’ve never been so angry before. I wanted to kill her, Daemon. I think I might be losing it.’

He’s silent for a minute before he speaks, but when he does, it’s not to berate me for hiding the fact that I’m probably going rogue.

‘Are you going to tell the others she’s here?’ he asks instead.

‘Yes, but no feeding from her for now. We go to the club if we need a top-up. And call your brother. Ask him if he can spare Theo. I want him to check her out properly.’

He makes a low noise in his throat. ‘He’d be more likely to say yes if it comes from you,’ he mutters. But he nods and turns to go.

‘Well done finding her,’ I say.

He grunts and leaves me alone. I stare at the closed door for a few minutes before I leave the library and go upstairs to my room. I rifle through my bathroom cabinet, finding a pot of salve. I open my closet door while I think of the fold. I haven’t told the others, but I can get in without the key if I use this door. It’s connected directly.

I open it quietly and enter. It’s dim, but I see Jules immediately. She’s curled up in a ball on the bed. At first, I think she’s asleep, but she jumps up and whirls around to face me, backing up to the corner.

I put my hands up. ‘I’m not here to hurt you,’ I say. ‘I don’t know what came over me down there.’

I see her throat working, and my eyes darken at the marks around her neck.

‘Shit!’ I hiss. ‘I’m sorry, Jules. I didn’t mean to hurt you.’

She looks surprised at my apology.

‘Here,’ I say. ‘It’ll heal faster with this.’

I step closer, and she doesn't balk, so I untwist the lid and throw it on the bed beside me.

‘Do you want to do it?’ I ask, holding the pot out for her to take.

She watches me for a minute before she shakes her head, rolling her eyes a little at me. I give her a small smile, glad that she’s feeling well enough that I can see a glimmer of her usual self after I lost control of myself downstairs.

‘No mirror,’ she whispers.

‘Right.’

I step closer, and she flinches. ‘Maybe I should get Tabith?—’

‘Just get it done quickly,’ she rasps.