The man in front tilted his head to the side. There was no deference to the action, of course, just an I-am-the-scientist-and-you-are-the-lab-rat surety. At last. You arrive. He didnt sneer, but the insult was there, an implication that Aden was a coward for having made him wait.
The old Aden might have ignored the implication. The new Aden raised his chin and said, At last, I honor you with my presence.
A fierce scowl. We are not your subjects, and we are not honored by you.
Of course you are.
No.
Yes.
Why, you little
The warrior to the speakers right placed a firm hand on his shoulder, and he pressed his lips together in an obvious bid for calm. The second man said, We are not the ones who wish to speak with you, Aden the Beast Tamer.
At least they acknowledged his power. Names were important to her kind, identifiers of personality, skill and conquest. Vlad the Impaler. Lauren the Bloodthirstywhich was saying something among a horde of vampires. Stephanie the Exuberant. Victoria the Mediator.
Who, then? Aden demanded.
A pause, the eye of the storm, before another male teleported to the head of the V, and every person in the room, save for the newcomers and Aden, gasped in astonishment.
Me.
Sorin, she breathed. Shed known he would come, yet seeing him live and in person still managed to astonish and amaze her. Her brother was here. Her brother was actually here!
The little girl she used to be wanted to run to him, to throw herself in his arms. Theyd never before touched, never spoken, and theyd only met gazes a total of six times. Yet still, the forgotten part of her wanted to do those things and more.
You know him? Aden asked her, but didnt wait for her answer. I think I know him, too. His eyes darkened, then lit back up, going from violet to black, black to violet, as he looked through her. Is there a way to stop him?
StopSorin?
He frowned, shook his head. I dont believe you, Elijah.
Of course. The souls were bothering him, but sadly, they were not helping him.
Victoria reached out and twined their fingers, offering what comfort she could while trying to bring him back to the here and now. He blinked, the black gobbling up his eyes and remaining. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, comforting her.
Sorin snorted. I heard you were insane, human. I am glad to see the gossips can get things right every now and then.
Adens grip tightened, but he did not reply.
Has Elijahhas he predicted something terrible? she whispered.
A muscle ticked under his eye. Again he remained silent.
Was he lost to a prediction even now? Trembling, she returned her attention to her brother. He is not insane, she said. Maybe she could convince these boys to get along. Underestimating him will get you killed.
Sorin met her gaze. Seven, she thought, keeping score in her head, just as before. His hard expression did not change or soften. Did he even remember her? Hed been gone so very long.
Vampires aged much more slowly than humans. While Victoria was eighty-one years old, she was the equivalent of an eighteen-year-old human. Sorin was just over four hundred years old, yet he looked to be in his mid-twenties, with pale hair and eyes as blue as hers. He was taller than Aden by almost a foot and packed with more muscle than any football star.
Sister, he said, bowing his head in tribute. I also heard you were dating the insane human king, but I did not believe it until this moment. And do you really think he could harm me?
Her first thought: He remembers. Her second: Have I ever been so happy? Her third: There is going to be trouble. Her last: He remembers!
Do not anger him, she said, pleased by the evenness of her voice. No matter what happened, no matter what was said, she had to remain emotionally distanced. If there was one thing Riley had taught her during their many self-defense training sessions, it was that emotions ruined perspective and rationality. Your beast will not like it and will punish you for it.
A muscle began to tick under Sorins eye. Interesting. He must have experienced his beasts displeasure already.
Sorins gaze left her to rake Aden up and down. You do not look like a vampire king.
Thank you, Aden replied with a nod of his head. Good. He was back in the throne room and out of his head.
That wasnt a compliment.
A pause. A sigh from Aden. Im to tell you that what youre planning will not end well.
Victorias stomach rolled.
And exactly what am I planning? Sorin asked, unconcerned.
Why spoil the surprise for everyone?
Very well. Lets not. Lets just get started. With that, Sorin advanced, reaching up and clutching the hilts of the blades peeking above his shoulders. Metal whistled against leather, then the silver tips were gleaming in the light of the chandelier.
Aden stood as still as a statue until the wolves erupted in a chorus of growls and snarls. He held up his hand for silence. They obeyed, but their bodies remained taut, the hair on their backs standing on end. And though he didnt order any of the vampires to fight, though he shouted for them to return to their formation, several of them rushed forward, closing in on her brother.
She knew why they did so. Their beasts. Chompers was going crazy inside her head, banging against her temples with enough force to hurt, wanting out, wanting to stand guard over Aden. Every bit of her strength was required to keep him inside, to keep her own feet in place as his failure to escape drove him to try and control her body.
She watched, shaking, as Sorin spunand there went someones internal organs. He spun againand there went a head. He went low, and a leg separated at the knee, each piece falling in a different direction. Gruesome, but all Victoria could think was how good the spurting blood looked. Not just to Chompers, who finally stopped fighting her as he focused on the substance he so craved, but to her. And if it looked good to her
She glanced over at Aden. He was licking his lips, and his eyes were electric, crackling with lightning. Was he entranced? If so, there would be no saving him.
Sorin stopped just in front of Aden, who continued to watch the blood. He was. He was entranced.
I should have forced him to eat before coming here. Now he might dive for one of those puddles. Might lie there and lap up every drop, leaving his body vulnerable to attack.
Get the bodies out of here, she shouted, fearing Adens ability to raise the dead would kick in, and the walking corpses would attack.
Vampire soldiers rushed to obey her.
Arent you frightened? her brother demanded. The tips of his swords were pointed toward the floor, blood dripping down, down, down, sliding so perfectly. She had only to crouch and stick out her tongue, and the flavor would explode through her mouth.
What are you doing? Trembling, she directed her attention to the boys. They were still nose to nose. She must have squeezed Adens hand with every bit of her strength because shed cut off circulation in her own fingers. They were tingling. Relax, just relax.
Aden cleared his throat, somehow pulled himself out of the entrancement as only an older, practiced vampire could, and straightened. Frightened? Of you?
Sorin grinned slowly. Of death.
Why would I be? Im already dead.
That gave her brother pause, wiping away his amusement. You were told wrong, were you not? So far, this has been very good for me.
I never said this wouldnt end well for you.
A confused shake of that pale head. You, then?
No.
Then whynever mind. Sorin met Victorias gaze. Eight. Is he always this cryptic?
The fact that her brother was speaking directly to her again thrilled her, and she couldnt deny it. In fact, she was so thrilled she couldnt think up an intelligent reply. She could only stand there, staring at him, open-mouthed and sputtering like a fool.
Just say what you have to say, Aden commanded, so that we can get started.
Get started? With what? Fear replaced her pleasure.
Sorin sucked in a breath. Very well, then. I came to tell you that your allies are dead. I killed them.
Killed them? When Aden only just took the throne? she gasped out. Finally. Words.
An impish shrug. Ive been knocking them off for the past decade, striking at Vlad every chance I could.
Father had never told her Sorin had turned on their clan. Youre shocked by that? Hed never told her anything. I dont understand, Victoria said. Why would you do such a thing?
She was ignored.
I know your secret, her brother said to Aden.
I know you do, he replied evenly.
So frustrating. What secret?
His strength grows daily, you know. He will return one day soon. He will attack.
His. Sorin knew Vlad still lived. No one else knew, but if they found out They wont connect the dots, she assured herself before she could work up a good panic. For all they knew, Aden and Sorin were discussing Dmitri. Or someone else, someone they didnt know. Yes, that worked. Please, yes.
I know that, too, Aden said. I also know you want to be king. You want to be the one to destroy him when he reappears. Youre willing to challenge me to get what you want. Even to the detriment of the clan.
Insane yet clever. You are correct, Aden the Beast Tamer.
No. Victoria shook her head violently. Maybe we can talk this out. Maybe we can compromise. Vampire battles of this magnitude were bloody and sadistic, and she couldnt bear the thought of either of them hurtor worse. And after witnessing Sorins skill, she wasnt sure even Adens ability could save him.
Aden knew it, too. Hadnt he predicted this wouldnt end well? And yet still he said, I accept your challenge, Sorin the Vicious. We fight for the crown at sunset tomorrow.
THIRTEEN
WHY DID YOU GIVE HIM so long to prepare?
Aden sat on the lid of the toilet in Victorias private bathroom, hungry, so hungry, tired and unsure. Had he done the right thing?
Hed soon find out.
He held clippers in one hand and a small trash bin in the other. He passed the first to Victoria and set the second on the floor between his feet before he replied. I gave myself so long to prepare.
Oh.
She was paler than usual and shaky rather than sturdy. Agitated, even. He understood. He did. Aden had threatened her brother. Was going to fight her brother. She was probably confused, upset and unsure.
An hour ago, that might not have bothered him. But as theyd stood in the throne room, danger torpedoing toward him, shed taken his hand and offered comfort. Somehow, some way, that contact had tugged him out of the cold, emotionless wasteland hed been living in. He was feeling. Hope, admiration, affection, each like the warm rays from the sun.
Now he rested his elbows on his knees. Im going to ask you a question, Victoria, and I dont mean anything by it, okay? So dont get the wrong idea. Im just curious.
She stiffened, and he could feel the worry pouring off her already. All right.
Youre helping me, but you obviously love your brother. Hed felt her desire to run to the homicidal maniac. Only, instead of attacking him, she would have hugged him. Would Sorin have murdered her, too? So, why are you here, helping me?
Some of the worry faded. Fishing for compliments? Or an I love you confession? Before he could respond, not that he knew what to say, she added, I dont want the two of you to fight, thats all.
Did she expect him to walk away from this? We will fight. That, I can promise you. Blunt of him, perhaps, but he didnt want any misunderstandings.
Her shoulders slumped a little. I know you will. Believe me, if I thought I could talk sense into either one of you
He watched her, trying to gauge her reaction to his next words without looking like he was trying to gauge her reaction. Do you want me to walk away?
A moment passed. She sighed. No. You cant. He would come after you. Others would come after you. The challenge has been issued and accepted, and if its not followed through, everyone will think you are weak, that they can have whats yours. Youll never have peace. I just
Wanted them both to be okay. Understandable.
And before you ask, I want you to win.
That, he hadnt anticipated. Why?
Because theres a possibility you will spare him. He will not extend you the same courtesy. Dodo you know whats going to happen?
I dont know about the outcome of the fight, no. Truth. Through Elijah, hed seen it, but hed seen several different versions of it. I do know your brother wont cause any trouble while he waits for the challenge. Meaning, no one else will try and attack him. Or me. If that helps. Elijah told me.
She shuddered. It doesnt help. And II dont think we should talk about this anymore. My body is reacting negatively to your every word. Any more, and I might throw up on your feet.
Great. Hed meant to reassure her, not sicken her. Is an upset stomach your only symptom?
My blood is chilled and thick, and my heart is drumming too forcefully against my ribs.
Not as terrible as hed feared. Shed just described a mild panic attack. And youve never experienced this type of reaction before?
Not to this degree. She frowned down at the clippers. So what do you want me to do with these?
If she wanted to topic switch, theyd topic switch. He wasnt sure how else to calm her. Id like you to shave my head.
Shave yourwhat?
Shave my head.
Horror blanketed her beautiful face. But youll be bald.
He felt a small wave of amusement rush through him. There are worse things.
No, there are not! That will seriously affect our lady action, Caleb said. Hed been fuming since Aden had made the decision to say goodbye to his dye job.
Anyway, I wont be bald. Ill be blond. Theres a guard on the clippers thatll leave a couple inches of hair.
Oh, she repeated, then fumbled around for a moment as she tried to turn them on. Finally the little motor revved to life. And youre sure about this? Theres no going back if you dont like the results.