At Blade's Edge (23 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Theo was fully charged at sunset when she attended him for his tea. Clive had headed off to meet with the Scions about this whole sorcerer mess thing so it was just the two of them. All the festivities stuff would start several hours from then with the first official dinner so she took the opportunity to have some time alone with him to gauge his emotional state.

“It does my heart good to see you so happy, Petal,” Theo told her as she turned the handle of his teacup just so.

“Thank you. I’m also happy to see you so well.”

“For a while I listened to music no one else can hear.” He looked off into the middle distance for a few breaths.

She put cookies on a plate and allowed a slight clink of the tongs. Enough to snatch his attention back from wherever he’d been.

“I’m not pleased Hunter Corp. has dug their talons into you even deeper.” He frowned.

Nadir had updated him on what had gone on in London, but had told Rowan she’d edited to keep him from getting too angry.

A caution Rowan approved of mightily.

She’d share about Hunter Corp. To a point. “I’ve been with them longer than I lived here. I’m doing what I’m supposed to. I feel very certain about that.” Though she knew there were tribulations to come. A sense of dread had been hanging over her life for so long she’d greeted it like a neighbor by this point.

Theo said, “It’s been centuries since I’ve felt this much unease. So many things changing all at once. The energy of it is delicious, but also metallic with too much worry and fear. Normally fear is tasty, but modern fear I don’t much like. In the cities modern fear leaves behind a jittery sort of film.”

Stress. Modern humans with their rush rush rush, hurry hurry hurry. It ate them alive.

“I don’t like that you’ll be in deeper with them. I don’t have to and you can’t make me.”

Rowan just stared at him. Okay then.

“I appreciate your concern,
Vater
.” She needed him to remain calm. The Keep was full of people and more would be arriving by the day. If he lost it she had no idea how many would die before she could get things under control again.

“I know. I apologize. I worry because I love you. But I understand you have your own way of doing things.” Theo looked her over carefully. “I’ll find a way to tolerate it. Enzo has advised me on this.”

He patted her hand, snatching a cookie from her plate right after.

She laughed and he relaxed, letting go of the anger that had been building up, stinging at her skin like angry insects.

“Tell me about your home in London then. I should like to know the details.”

She spent the better part of the next hour telling him about the house, about their plans in Las Vegas, about the art she’d seen recently and had loved.

“I need to dress for dinner. Enzo has peeked in on us twice now,” Theo said sometime later.

Rowan stood, taking care of the tray, which Recht took to the door.

“I’ll see you shortly,” she told Theo.

“Wait. Enzo, bring the boxes please.”

Her cousin came in with several boxes that he left on the low table near Theo.

He patted the top box, a leather valise of sorts, before he opened it. “Your father had clothes in his rooms here when he...died. I have saved them all these years. Not able to bring myself to give them to you or throw them out. But I think it’s time.”

She’d only seen pictures of her father. He’d died when she was a baby. Or to be more accurate, Theo had ordered her parents killed for violating the inviolable rules of humans working in service to Vampire houses.

Some shirts, a pair of work pants. Soft slippers. A boar bristle brush and shaving kit.

“There’s nothing of you there. Not outwardly. He worked so hard to conceal your existence, you know. But his scent changed. I can smell it even now. How he loved you.”

Tears stung the backs of her eyes as she tore her attention from the clothes to the face of the man who—for better and for worse—had been the only father she’d ever known.

“Having raised you. Having seen your light and your fierce spirit, I understand why he did it. I’d die for you as well. We share that, your father and I. We love you.”

Before she could reply, he turned, calling out to Enzo that it was time to get dressed.

She walked back to her rooms still thinking about the last several hours. Complicated was a word people used a lot when they talked about family relationships. It certainly applied to her own.

There had to be better words. Probably a German word so why didn’t she know it? She had every reason to want Theo dead. And so many more to love him. Loving him made her feel guilty sometimes. Not loving him would have made her feel even worse.

Yeah, complicated just didn’t do it justice.

Clive had left a note that he’d meet her downstairs for pre-dinner drinks. Which meant he was annoyed by whatever had happened at the Scion-athon and wanted to cool down before seeing her.

Cataline seemed to burst from a side door. “I think you should wear the green tonight. I’ll do your hair.”

Rowan held a hand over her heart. “You scared the heck out of me.”

“If I hadn’t come to help, you’d under style your hair. You know your father likes a more fancy hairdo.”

She got into the green dress, something she bet Clive had picked out because it was simple and managed to be luxurious and sexy all at the same time. Her back—and thus the worst of her scars—would be under material, but the front dipped low enough to give a peek without being too much.

Cataline twisted and pinned Rowan’s hair into a braided crown.

“These are a present from your husband,” Cataline said as she brought out a dazzling pair of diamond chandelier-style earrings.

“I think I’ll keep him,” Rowan murmured as she slid into shoes.

“He does a good job in the present department and he’s certainly not hard to look at. You’ve made your father so happy, Rowan. The rest of the household too.” Cataline hugged Rowan tight before dashing off with a warning not to mess up her hair or clothes.

Like she was four.

Rowan put on some lipstick and after one last look, headed downstairs.

Clive knew she was on the way, felt the build, the crackly and snap of her energy as she got closer. He smiled at the sight of her in that dress with those earrings. She looked every bit as perfect as he knew she’d be when he picked them out for her.

She came straight to him. He kissed her wrist. “You look fantastic. Would you like a glass of champagne?”

“Yes, that’d be lovely.”

He clinked his glass to hers as they began to make their way though the reception, spending time with each Scion, accepting gifts and congratulations in a long ritual that took a total of two and a half hours just to complete.

Rowan hadn’t complained a single time. He knew she’d been agitated a few times. Bored here and there. Genuinely touched as well. She did everything expected of her and she did it to perfection.

When she’d told him she was good at this, she hadn’t been bragging. Nor had it been a surprise to him. He’d seen her work a room multiple times and never ceased to be amazed by her skill at reading people.

“Before we go into dinner, I have something for you.” Theo flicked his wrist and a rolling cart came in with a laptop on it bearing Carey’s face.

“You didn’t think I’d miss out on all the festivities did you?” Carey asked her. “I’m here working, but I’m there in spirit. We’ll have a shindig here for you when you and Clive get back. You look gorge in that green. Dang, your dude has good taste.”

Rowan grinned. So damned happy to see his face. To hear he was pleased for her. It rang through her emotions so clearly he didn’t have to be bonded to her to see it all over her features.

“Thank you. Be sure to water my plants. We’ll be home in a few days.”

There was a crashing sound in the background and Carey turned to look over his shoulder. “What the fuck?”

Rowan got closer to the screen. “What’s happening?”

Clive moved with her. He pulled his phone from his pocket, calling his office to get his people out to help Carey.

The alarm went from the klaxon to red lights.

Carey grabbed a gun from a holster attached to the underside of his desk. But it was too late. Two bodies showed up, keeping their faces out of the camera. They held Carey in place, gagging him and tying his wrists to the chair arms.

It was a bad dream, watching as Carey struggled, ineffective against the hold they had on him. Must have been magic being used because Carey was a big guy, he should have been able to at least struggle harder.

Fear was in his gaze as he looked into the camera.

“You there! In my home. What is it you seek from me,” Rowan demanded, hoping she could talk them down or at the very least give time for Vampires to show up or Carey to free himself.

“Just so we’re clear, Ms. Summerwaite. You won’t win. Everything and everyone you love will be ripped from you.”

It was impossible to know which one said it, or if it was even one of them at all. Carey tried to struggle but to no avail.

Then, as Rowan started to beg to make a deal, the person on the right reached into the camera’s range. Carey’s gun held in someone else’s hand was placed to his temple.

“Wait!” she ordered.

The click and resulting boom of the weapon discharge, the
thwack
of Carey flying apart and hitting the wall, staining the computer’s camera red hit Rowan like a physical thing.

Rowan wailed and nearly crumpled. She threw her body toward the laptop, calling Carey’s name. Someone held her waist, enabling her to keep her feet. Theo, she thought.

In the background Clive ordered China and a full team of Clive’s lieutenants out to hunt the assailants down.

Rowan needed to keep them there long enough for the Vampires to arrive. She gathered herself, shaking with outrage for long moments. “You. There in Vegas.” Brigid had taken over enough to get the words out, make them seem threatening.

* * *

Her voice was deadly calm. The hair on the back of Clive’s neck stood up.

In Las Vegas, one of the sorcerers at the apartment spoke. “You need to understand we can get to you anywhere, anytime. You can play your little games in London, but we’re going to win and kill as many people you care about as we can.”

“Why? What’s your game?” she snarled.

“If I told you that I’d be helping.” A hand shoved Carey over, chair and all. And then the screen went black.

Rowan had gone very pale. “He wasn’t even thirty.”

“Rowan, come sit.” Theo pushed everyone else from the way and took her to a nearby settee. “What can I do?” he asked her as he set her down carefully.

Clive had never seen The First act this way with anyone else. Ever.

“I... I don’t know.”

He reached out to slap her cheek. Clive could see it coming. Felt as if the world slowed down to a crawl.

And then he caressed Rowan’s hair instead and Clive had to turn away for a few breaths, shaking at how close he’d come to assaulting The First.

“I’m sorry you lost your friend,” Theo told her as Clive turned back around. “Now. Snap out of it, Petal. If you lose focus you let this enemy win. You can’t allow it. Pain is useful. Don’t ever forget what you feel right this moment but if you don’t put it away it’ll slow you down and be your undoing.”

David inched a little closer to kneel near her. “I can get us on a plane back immediately. We’ll do what’s right. We’ll get even for this.”

Rowan swallowed hard and then nodded, so lost before speaking to her father. “Okay. I’m going home. I’m sorry, but I need to leave. Normally I’d stay, but he...”

“He was your family. I understand. Use whatever Nation resources you need to get back to your city.” Theo took her hands in his. “These people who’ve just taken your friend. They want grief to fog your choices. You can’t bring him back, but you can exact your vengeance. You can set the balance right again.”

Rowan took a shuddering breath and her gaze settled on Clive. He hurt that she’d had to lose someone so close and important. Someone whose loss she’d feel responsible for until she died.

But he was glad it wasn’t her. Glad she was alive, even if Carey wasn’t. She didn’t need to hear that, but he felt it just the same.

“Alice will coordinate with David and get everything set. Cataline will get you packed so we’re ready to go when we’re set,” Clive told her.

She was going to tell him he didn’t need to accompany her back, he saw it on her face, felt the build up in her energy. But she let it go. Instead, she let herself need him. Let herself be taken care of just a little.

“Okay, thanks.”

Susan took over with Rowan, getting her to eat a little while things got handled. David and Alice made things happen and he got his last bit of work done with the Scions before they headed to the airfield down the mountain from the Keep.

Theo kissed her cheeks and hugged her. “I know your heart is broken. I wish I could take your pain away. Know that whatever means I have are yours should you but ask. Please be safe. Don’t break my heart too.”

Rowan hugged him back. “Thank you. I’m sorry to have to leave early,” she said.

“I’m surprised you held on as long as you did,” he teased lightly.

“You can’t possibly be leaving to deal with a human! The First has given you this honor,” Thomas said.

Rowan didn’t bother speaking. She just walked over, kicked Thomas in the balls hard enough that he doubled over and stayed down, before heading back to Clive.

His mother hugged them both. “I’m ever so sorry, sweetheart,” Antonia said.

Charles nodded once and they got into the car. She put her head back against the seat, closed her eyes and didn’t say another word until they had taken off.

“Take a pill and get some sleep. It’s a ten-hour flight. You can’t do anything in the air. David is handling everything he can.” Clive steered her toward the small, light tight bedchamber.

“I can’t close my eyes right now. I keep seeing his brains. The look on his face right before they killed him. He knew. In those last moments he knew and I wasn’t there. I couldn’t protect him. Another person who got killed because of me.”