Release (The Protector Book 3) (21 page)

“Your father granted me this power—what a fool—thinking he could actually control me.” Arian laughed. “I will bow to no one, Chase, but you will bow to me. You will be my greatest soldier and you will put me on the dark throne Riley has claimed for himself.” He roared and moved in to bite the vampire, but the silver claws on Rayna’s whip snapped against the ground, sending sparks through the air.

Arian flinched, and Rayna threw her arm forward. The blades sliced through the darkness and Arian stepped back, evading the strike.

“You will not escape me next time, Williams,” he said. “And anyone who gets in my way will die.”

Pain shot through my ears as another
crack
sounded and the lion vanished, transforming instantly into a black crow. The bird cawed and jumped into the air, disappearing into the dark sky.

The hooded figure was back on her feet, walking towards us. Her entire face was masked by shadows, and the blonde hair and red scarf were tangled together. Power vibrated off her and I kept my blades at the ready.

A strange tingling started over my shoulder, becoming painful. It broke my focus and the magic inside me faded. The skin along my back burned and I shifted my shoulders, trying to relieve tension that had formed in the muscles.

Vincent pushed himself into a sitting position, his wounds already starting to close. Blood was still smeared on his chest and face, but the wounds were now only thin scratches.

“You’ve grown more powerful, my son,” said the hooded woman.

“Son?” I asked.

Vincent sighed and lowered his gaze. “Chase Williams, meet my mother, Lady Alessia Lazzario.”

Chapter 19

“Umm…hi,” I said, trying not to sound confused. Saved by the very demon I was supposed to be protecting Vincent from? Something wasn’t right about that.

The woman didn’t respond. She nodded and turned back to Vincent. “You’ve built yourself quite the world here, son. I can’t say I’m not impressed.” Her Italian accent was thick, and each word was just above a whisper.

“Yet you managed to crumble it in just a few short days.” Vincent’s wounds were closed completely now and he pushed himself to his feet.

“That is hardly the case. You know how things work, my child. When you come to a city you’re unfamiliar with, you have two choices: watch idly from the shadows or make an impression. Naturally after four centuries, waiting was not something your father was eager to do.”

“Four centuries or not, Father has never been keen to stay on the sidelines.”

“Your words ring true.”

“Why are you here?” Vincent asked.

“You don’t truly expect me to distinguish that with a response, do you? Your absence after the death of—”

“I know why you’re in Stonewall. Why are you
here
, in this place, with us? If the Sovereign wants me dead, I see no reason why it matters whose hand delivers the final blow.”

Alessia laughed. “I do not want you dead, son. I’m appalled you would even consider that..”

“You may not, but you are not the only member of the Sovereign. Answer the question, Mother.”

“My reasons are my own,” she said. “But if you must have an answer, why is it so hard to believe I don’t want to see my son hurt?”

Vincent’s jaw clenched and his forehead creased. “Because you could have saved me pain once and you chose silence. As always, you pathetically fall in line behind your narrow-minded husband.”

Alessia’s gloved hand struck Vincent’s face, and the sound—even open handed—was a solid
crack
.

Vincent hit the ground with force and his body bounced off the pavement. Mimicking Vincent’s body, Tiki fell too, his cheeks splitting open. Blood trickled from their wounds before they closed.

Vincent’s eyes opened wide as he watched the blood run down Tiki’s face and his power flooded the air. Tiki’s body jerked at an awkward angle and then he went limp.

“I’m sorry, my friend.” Vincent nodded to Tiki and turned back to Alessia. “As for you, I owe you an apology as well. Such a comment was obtuse of me. Please forgive me, Mother,” Vincent whispered.

Alessia nodded, reaching her covered hands up and pushing the hood off her head. Blonde hair fluttered out from the cowl. Long golden locks brightened the midnight backdrop, and the red scarf wrapped around her neck tangled with her hair.

Deep purple eyes carried an outer ring of gold, and thin lines of it swirled into the purple. Her pupils were small, and perfectly manicured eyebrows arched above her fierce gaze. Flawless white skin was contrasted by pouty lips painted a dark purple that nearly matched her eyes. She was taller than Vincent, and only an inch or two shorter than me.

She glanced at each of us, devouring us with her eyes. Her power caressed me, dancing along my skin and sending nips of apprehension throughout my body.

A smile curled along her lips as I diverted my eyes from hers. “Interesting company you find yourself in, son. A demon I’ve never seen, but I suspect purity in his veins,” she said, nodding to Tiki. “A hybrid of pure independence,” she tilted her head towards Rayna. “And a hunter.” Her gaze swallowed me and I fought the unnatural urge to look at her.

The tap of heels on the pavement came closer and she was near enough now that I could feel her breath. It was warm and carried the scent of copper. “But you’re not just any hunter. Are you, my sweet?” I shivered at the sound of her voice; the deep, demonic tones had been replaced by warm, entrancing ones. “No…you’re something much more than that. I can smell the power on your blood.”

“Leave him,” Vincent commanded, standing to his feet.

“I beg your pardon?” Alessia turned to face him. “Perhaps I am not here for you at all. Perhaps I came to see what all the fuss is about with the anointed
Protector
.”

Alessia lifted her hand and slid her fingers down my cheek. Her black glove was torn where her claws had come out but otherwise felt like silk. She tapped her fingers lightly along my chin, gently pulling my face towards her.

I tried to resist but my body worked against me. It wanted to look at her. I craved the depths of her heated stare, and as such, I succumbed to her touch, meeting her eyes with my own.

“Oh yes,” she whispered, leaning closer. The stench on her breath was thick, but it didn’t disgust me like it should have. Instead, I wanted to taste it. I wanted to lick the stale blood that had coated her lips and bask in the revival it had given her.

“Mother, stop this.” Vincent’s voice held a warning, but he did not move.

“Get your hands off him,” Rayna said, and she stepped forward, but a pulse of influence filled the air and she stopped in her tracks, suddenly looking confused.

“How dare you!” Vincent moved over to Rayna, gripping her shoulders and looking into her eyes.

Alessia ignored them both and I didn’t even care. I wanted her attention—all of it. “You are very desirable,” she said, leaning in closer to me. I could feel the edge of her lips when her body was suddenly torn away from me.

“I said enough,” Vincent growled. His milky flesh flashed briefly to its transparent counterpart and black veins spread across his face.

“My son, let us not fight,” she said, smiling at me and turning away. The cold power that filled my mind vanished, and the moment was gone. “I wish you no more heartache, my sweet Vincent. I’ve come to offer immunity.”

“The Sovereign wishes to excuse my actions? Do you take me for a fool?”

Alessia shook her head. “I want no more war between us. You’ve been absent from my life for far too long. I miss my son. You should be at my side, ruling the Sovereign with us.”

“You are in no place to make this offer. Father would never allow it, and even if he did, the rest of the elders would laugh at such a notion.”

“Have you forgotten who you’re speaking to? I am not so naïve as to make such a claim wildly. Your father, along with our peers, has agreed.”

“On what terms?”

Alessia stepped away, and the sound of heels tapped beneath her cloak. “They ask very little of you, my child. Simply for you to extend the respect to them you once considered obligatory.”

“What, exactly, am I expected to do?”

“For full immunity from your past transgressions against the council, all they request is that you take a knee. Acknowledge their rule over the vampiric world, request your status as prince be reinstated, and surrender your half-breed counterparts.”

“Surrender my half-breed—” Vincent cut himself off and growled. He paced back and forth, hands on his hips, dry blood coating his body. “You wish me to forfeit the lives of my family?”

Alessia’s smirk faded and a frown creased her unblemished skin. “How dare you use such a term for those filthy unborns.” The demonic tone returned to her voice, but she quickly withdrew it. Clearing her throat, she took a breath and paused. “Vincent, my son. I am your family. The Sovereign, they are your family. These…creations of yours are a desperate attempt at replacing R—”

“Don’t you dare!” Vincent snapped, and his fangs dropped as he spoke, slightly slurring his words. “You will
never
speak her name.”

“Four centuries, and still you are angry with me. She was not one of us. You are a part of our bloodline, Vincent. Neither she nor these petty creatures you surround yourself with will change that. You are a Lazzario. A prince among vampires, and potential future king. Do not continue to mock your heritage with these abominations. You are better than that.”

“I am better than many things, but those
abominations
are my family. The only family I have.”

Alessia moved in a blur of cloak and pale skin, and her hand wrapped around Vincent’s throat before I could blink. She stared into his eyes and took a long, deep breath. “You are my son, so I will forgive that blasphemous comment. It’s been far too long since we’ve shared an embrace, and this should not be how it befalls us.” She released him and stepped away. “This was a surprise to you, me coming here. I must take this into consideration. I give you this scarf, Vincent Lazzario, as a sign of our offered truce.” She pulled the scarf from around her neck and placed it around Vincent’s. “As per Sovereign rule, you have seven days in which to respond. I do trust you’ll make the right decision.”

Her black cloak drifted around her as she moved toward Rayna. Rayna reached for her whip, but power immersed the street and she froze, her green eyes locked on Alessia. “I see,” she said. “Rozeilia is gone, so you’ve found yourself a look alike. Interesting.” She walked in a circle around her and a pang throbbed in my stomach. “Astonishing, actually. With the exception of the eyes and this silly red hair, she’s almost a replica.”

Vincent moved through Alessia’s power as though he was unaffected and took a stand between her and Rayna. “You are no longer welcome in my company.”

Alessia smiled. “Calm your anger, Vincent. It will do you no good. I shall bid you farewell this eve, but I do hope you’ll consider this offer. I want nothing more than to have my son back.”

Vincent didn’t respond. Long fangs bit at his bottom lip and he watched her with unmoving determination.

I waited for more, but when I blinked, Alessia had vanished. A soft breeze left the scent of coppery death in the air, but in a moment, it too was gone.

The power around us collapsed and my muscles relaxed, free to move once again. I took a deep breath and sucked in the night air.

Rayna’s eyes were filled with anger, Tiki looked exhausted, and Vincent’s fierce stare had left his face. He dropped to the ground, crossed his legs, and ran his hands through his thickly styled hair.

“So…that’s your mom,” I said.

“Save it, hunter. I’m not in the mood.” Vincent’s fangs had retracted and his face was as serious as I’d ever seen it.

“You'd better get in the mood.” Rayna glared at Vincent. “You’ve got major explaining to do.”

Chapter 20

“I will explain nothing to you!” Vincent snapped. He paced the library and Marcus watched him with concern.

“Vincent, if we are to help you, it is best if we know exactly what we’re getting into.”

“I do not care. Those details are not important, and as such, I do not feel the need to share them. The reason I came to be in this position does not help in any manner. What matters is that you are educated on the members of the Sovereign and what they’re capable of. For this, I am more than happy to accommodate.”

“Alessia said something about Rayna being a replica,” I said.

“Mr. Williams, I understand that you are a bit slower than the rest, so for this, you are forgiven. However, if I must repeat myself and explain that these details are not important one more time, you may see a different side of me.”

“You know what, Vince,” I said, and he cringed at the name. “I’m tired of all this. Your games, you choosing what information we get and don’t get. It’s old now. Either you tell us everything and we’ll help you, or you can leave.”

Silence filled the room, and Vincent turned to Rayna, then back to Marcus. “Marcus?”

“Marcus isn’t in charge,” I said. “This is a group effort, it affects all of us, and I’m calling you out. If you want our help, you need to tell us what’s going on.”