Wrath was the fabric of life, the basis for everything, the living, breathing structure of the race. After the brutal raids by the Lessening Society, what was left of the aristocracy had fled Caldwell to their safe homes out of town. The last thing the vampires needed was further fragmentation, especially in the form of a violent overthrow of the rightful ruler.
And Rehv was correct: That was where this was going. Hell, even Qhuinn could see the path: Step one, create doubt in the minds of the glymera about the Brotherhoods ability to protect the race. Step two, fill the void in the field with those soldiers of Xcors. Step three, create allies on the Council and stir up anger and lack of confidence against the king. Step four, dethrone Wrath and weather the storm. Step five, emerge as the new leader.
When order in the study was finally reestablished, Wrath looked downright nasty. Next one of you mouthy assholes makes me pound my desk again, Im throwing you the fuck out. On that note, he reached down, picked up the cowering ninety-pound retriever, and settled George in his lap. Youre freaking out my dog and its pissing me off.
As the animal put his big boxy head in the crook of the kings arm, Wrath stroked all that silky, blond fur. It was absolutely incongruous, the tremendous, cruel-looking vampire calming that handsome, gentle dog, but the two had a symbiotic relationship, trust and love thick as blood on both sides.
Now, if youre ready to be reasonable, the king said, Ill tell you what were going to do. Rehv is going to stall the guy for as long as he can.
I still think we should put a knife in his left eye, Rehv muttered, but in the alternative, weve got to hold him in place. He wants to see and be seen, and as leahdyre of the Council, I can stonewall him up to a point. His voice in the ears of the glymera is not what we need.
In the meantime, Wrath announced, Im going to go out and meet personally with the heads of the families, on their turf.
At this, there was an explosion in the room, irrespective of his warning: People jumped out of their seats, throwing up their dagger hands.
Bad idea, Qhuinn thought, agreeing with the others.
Wrath let them go for a minute, like hed expected this. Then he resumed control of the meeting. I cant expect support if I dont earn itand I havent personally seen some of these people in decades, if not centuries. My father met with folks every month, if not every week, to resolve disputes.
Youre the king! someone bit out. You dont need to do shit
You see that letter? Its the new world orderif I dont respond proactively, Im undermining myself. Look, my brothers, if you were out in the field, about to face the enemy, would you fool yourself about the landscape? Would you lie to yourself about the layout of the streets, the buildings, the cars, or whether it was hot or cold, raining or dry? No. So why should I bullshit myself that tradition is something I can take cover behind in a shoot-out? Back in my fathers time that shit was a bulletproof vest. Now? Its a sheet of paper, people. You gotta know that.
There was a long period of silence, and then everyone looked at Tohr. Like they were used to turning to him when shit got sticky.
Hes right, the Brother said gruffly. Then he focused on Wrath. But you gotta know youre not doing this alone. You need to have two or three of us with you. And the meet-and-greets have to be staggered over a period of monthscram them in too tight and you look desperate, but more to the point, I dont want anyone getting organized to do a hit on you. Sites must be prescreened by us, and At this, he paused to glance around. You need to be aware that were going to be trigger-happy. We will shoot to kill when your lifes on the linewhether its a female or a male or a doggen or the head of a family. We will not ask permission, or merely wound. If you can live with those terms, we will let you do this.
Nobody else could have laid down the rules like that and walked without a limp afterward: The king gave out orders to the Brotherhood, not the other way around. But this was the new world, as Wrath had said.
The male in question ground his molars for a while. Then grunted. Agreed.
As a collective exhale hit the airwaves, Qhuinn found himself looking over at Blay. Aw, hell, talk about a suck zonethis was why he avoided the guy like the plague. Just one glance and he was locked on, all kinds of reactions rolling through him, until the room spun a little
For no good reason, Blays eyes flipped up and met his.
It was like getting goosed in the ass with a live wire, his body spasming to the point where he had to hide the reaction by coughing while he glanced away.
About as smooth as a crater. Yup. Fantastic.
and in the meantime, Wrath was saying, I want to find out where these soldiers are staying.
I can take care of that, Xhex spoke up. Especially if I hit them in the daytime.
All heads turned in her direction. Beside her, John stiffened from head to foot, and Qhuinn cursed under his breath.
Talk about your showdowns except hadnt the pair of them just had one?
Man, sometimes he was really glad he didnt do relationships.
Not again, John thought to himself. For fucks sake, theyd just gotten back on speaking terms, and now this?
If hed thought fighting side by side with Xhex was trouble, the idea of her trying to infiltrate the Band of Bastards on their home turf put him on the edge of a seizure.
As he let his head fall back against the wall, he realized that everyone and their dog was staring at him. Literallyeven Georges brown eyes were trained in his direction.
Are you kidding me, Xhex said. Are you frickin kidding me.
Even after she spoke, nobody looked at her. It was all about John: Clearly, as he was her hellren, they were seeking his approvalor notabout what shed put out there.
And John couldnt seem to move, stuck in the cold quagmire between what she wanted and where he didnt want them to end up.
Wrath cleared his throat. Well, thats a kind offer
Kind offer? she spat. Like Im inviting you to dinner?
Say something, he told himself. Put your flapping hands up and tell her What? That he was on board with her going to find six males with no consciences? After what Lash had done to her? What if she was captured and
Oh, Jesus, he was cracking up over here. Yes, she was tough and strong and capable. But she was as mortal as anybody else. And without Xhex, he wouldnt want to be on the planet at all.
Rehvenge snagged his cane and pushed himself up. Lets you and I talk
Excuse me? Xhex bit out.Talk? Like Im the one who needs a mental readjustment? No offense, but bite me, Rehv. The bunch of you need me to do what I can to help.
As all the other males in the room started looking at their shitkickers and loafers, the symphath king shook his head. Things are different now.
How.
Come on, Xhex
Are you people insane? Just because my names in his back, Im suddenly a prisoner or some shit?
Xhex
Oh, no, nope, you can fuck off with that be-reasonable tone. She glared at the males, and then focused on Beth and Payne. I dont know how you two stand itI really dont.
John was trying to think of what he could say to derail the collision, but what a waste of time. Two trains had already made head-on contact and there was twisted metal and steaming engine parts everywhere.
Especially as Xhex marched for the door like she was prepared to claw it apart just to prove a point.
When he went to follow her, she pegged him with a hard eye. If youre coming after me for any other reason than to let me go after Xcor, you need to stop right where you are. Because you belong with this anachronistic group of misogynists. Not at my side.
Lifting his hands, he signed, It is not wrong to want to keep you safe.
This is not about safetyits about control.
Bullshit! You were hurt less than twenty-four hours ago
Fine. I have an idea. I want to keep you safeso how about you stop fighting. She glared over her shoulder at Wrath. You gonna back me up, my lord? How about the rest of you fools? Lets put the skirt and the panty hose on John, shall we? Come on, back my ass up. No? You dont think that would be fair?
Johns temper flared, and he just He didnt mean to do what he did. It just happened.
He stomped his boot, creating a thunderous noise, and pointed directly at Tohr.
Awkward. Horrid. Silence.
Kind of like he and Xhex had not only dragged their dirty laundry out in front of everyone, but hed managed to drape their sweat socks and stained shirts all over Tohrs head.
In response? The Brother just crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, once.
Xhex shook her head. I gotta get out of here. I gotta clear my head. John, if you know whats good for you, you will not follow me.
And just like that, she was gone.
In the aftermath, John rubbed his face, pushing his palms in so hard he felt like he was rearranging his features.
How bout everybody head off for the night, Wrath said softly. I want to talk to John. Tohr, you hang.
No need to ask twice. The Brotherhood and the others left like someone was out in the courtyard stealing their cars.
Beth stayed behind. So did George.
As the doors shut, John looked at Tohr. Im so sorry
Nah, son. The male stepped forward. I dont want where Im at for you, either.
The Brother put his arms around John, and John went with it, collapsing into the once massive body that nonetheless managed to hold him up.
Tohrs voice was steady in his ear: Its okay. I got you. Its all right.
John put his head to the side and stared at the door his shellan had walked out of. He wanted to go after her with every fiber of his beingbut those fibers were also what were ripping them apart. In his mind, he understood everything she was saying, but his heart and his body were ruled by something separate from all that, something bigger and more primordial. And it was overriding everything.
It was wrong. Disrespectful. Old-fashioned in a way that he never thought he could be. He didnt think females should be sequestered, and he believed in his mate, and he wanted her
To be safe.
Period.
Give her some time, Tohr murmured, and well go after her, okay? You and I will go together.
Good plan, Wrath said, because neither of you is going out in the field tonight. The king held up his palms to cut off the arguing. Really?
That shut them both up.
So are you okay? the king asked Tohr.
The Brothers smile wasnt warm in the slightest. Im already in hellshits not going to get any hotter just because hes using me as an example of where he doesnt want to be.
You sure about that.
Dont worry about me.
Easier said than done. Wrath motioned his hand, like he didnt want to go any further on all that. We done?
As Tohr nodded and turned for the door, John gave the First Family a bow and then went after the male.
He didnt have to rush. Tohr was waiting for him out in the corridor. Listen to meits cool. Im serious-
Im just so sorry, John signed. About everything. And shit, I miss WellsieI really miss her.
Tohr blinked for a moment. Then in a quiet voice, he said, I know, son. I know you lost her, too.
Do you think she would have liked Xhex?
Yeah. A shadow of a smile hit that harsh face. She only met her once, and it was a while ago, but they were cool, and if there had been time theyd have gotten along great. And man, on a night like tonight, we could have used the female backup.
Too right, John signed, as he tried to imagine approaching Xhex.
At least he could guess where she would go: back to her own place on the Hudson River. That was her refuge, her private space. And when he showed up on her doorstep, he could only pray she didnt throw him out on his ass.
But they had to resolve this somehow.
I think Id better go alone, John signed. This is probably going to get ugly.
Make that uglier, he thought.
Fair enough. Just know that Im here if you need me.
Wasnt that always the way, John thought as they parted. Almost as if it had been centuries of their knowing each other, instead of merely a matter of years. Then again he guessed that was what happened when you crossed paths with someone you were really compatible with.
Felt like youd been with them forever.
TEN
I shall do it.
As NoOne spoke up, the group of doggen she had sneaked in behind turned like a flock of birds, all at once. In their modest staff room, there were males and females both among the assembled, each dressed properly for his or her role whether it was cook or cleaner, baker or butler. She had found them when she had gone for an idle stroll, and who was she not to take advantage of an opportunity.
The one who was in charge, Fritz Perlmutter, looked like he was about to faint. Then again, he had been her fathers doggen all those years ago, and had had particular struggles with her defining herself in a servile role. My fine lady
NoOne. My name is NoOne now. Please address me as that and that alone. And as I said, I shall take care of the washing down in the training center.
Wherever that was.
Indeed, last night with that dress had been a benediction of sorts, the task busying her hands and giving her a focus that passed the hours with alacrity. It had once been the same on the Other Side, her manual labor the only thing that calmed her and imparted structure to her existence.
How she had missed having a purpose.
For truth, she had come here to serve Payne, but the female wanted none of that. She had come here to try to connect with her daughter, but the female was newly mated, with vital distractions. And she had come here in search of some kind of peace, only to be driven mad with inactivity since her arrival.
And that was prior to her near run-in with Tohrment early this morning.
At least he had taken the dress, though. It was gone from where she had hung it when he had answered her knock with such gruff
Abruptly, she noted that the butler was looking at her expectantly, as if he had just said something that required a response.
Please take me down there, she said, and show me the duties.
Given the way his old, wrinkled face fell even further, she gathered that was not the reply he had been hoping for.
Mistress
NoOne. And you, or one of your staff, can show me now.
The assembled masses all looked worried, as if mayhap rumors of the sky falling had suddenly become reality.
Thank you, she said to the butler. For your facilitation.
Clearly recognizing that he was not going to win, the head doggen bowed low. But of course I shall, mist Ah, No Er
When he couldnt get out her proper name, as if the appropriate title of mistress was required to blaze the trail up his windpipe, she took pity on him.
You are most helpful, she murmured. Now, lead on.
After dismissing the others, he took her out of the staff room, through the kitchen, and into the foyer by virtue of yet another door that was new to her. As they proceeded, she recalled her previous, younger self, the haughty daughter of a bloodline of means who had refused to cut up her own meat, or brush her own hair, or dress herself. What a waste. At least now that she was no one and had nothing, she was clear on how to pass the hours meaningfully: work. Work was the key.
We go through herein, the butler pronounced as he held wide a hidden door beneath the grand staircase. Allow me to provide you the codes.
Thank you, she replied, memorizing them.
As she followed the doggen into the long, thin tube of an underground tunnel, she thought, yes, if she was going to stay on this side, she needed to busy herself with chores, even if it offended the doggen, the Brotherhood, the shellans. Better that than the prison of her own thoughts.
They exited the tunnel by stepping through the back of a closet and passing into a squat room that had a desk and metal cabinets and a glass door.
The doggen cleared his throat. This is the training center and medical facility. We have classrooms, a gym, locker room, weight room, physical therapy area, and a pool, as well as many other amenities. There are staff who take care of the deep cleaning of each sectionthis was said sternly, as if he did not care that she was the guest of the king; she was not mucking about with his schedulebut the doggen who took care of the laundry has gone upon bed rest, as she is mitte doggen and it is no longer safe for her to be on her feet. Please, we are this way.
As he held open the glass portal, they went out into the corridor and headed to a double-doored room that was kitted up identically to the laundry she had used the night before in the main house. Over the next twenty minutes, she received a refresher on how to operate the machines, and then the butler reviewed with her a map of the facilities so she knew where to collect the bins and where to return what she had tended to.
And then, after a stiff silence, and stiffer adieu, she was blissfully alone.
Standing in the middle of the utility room, surrounded by washing machines and dryers and tables to fold upon, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Oh, the lovely solitude, and the fortunate weight of duty settling upon her shoulders. For the next six hours, she had nothing to think of but white towels and sheets: finding them, putting them in machines, folding them, returning them to their proper places.
There was no room for the past or her regrets here. Just the work.
Gripping a rolling bin, she wheeled the blue fabric receptacle out into the corridor and began making her rounds, beginning with the clinic and returning to the laundry when there was no more space left in her transport. After she got the first load into a deep-bellied washer, she went out again, passing into the locker room and finding a mountain of white. It took her two trips to get all those towels, and she made a pile of them in the center of the washer room, beside the drain in the gray concrete floor.
Her final stop took her to the very far left, all the way down the corridor to the pool. As she went along, the wheels on her cart made a little whistling noise, and her feet shuffled unevenly, her grip on the bins lip giving her some added stability and helping her to go faster.
When she heard music coming from the swimming area, she slowed. Then stopped.
The strains of notes and voices made no sense as all members of the Brotherhood and their shellans were gone for the night. Unless someone had left the music on after they had finished their time in the water?
Pushing her way into a squat anteroom tiled with mosaics of athletic males, she got hit with a wall of warmth and humidity so heavy, it was as if she had stepped up against a velvet drape. And all around, there was a strange, chemical smell in the air, one that made her wonder what they treated the water withon the Other Side, everything had stayed permanently fresh and clean, but she knew that was not the case on earth.
Leaving the bin to wait in the lobby, she walked forward toward a vast, cavelike space. Reaching out, she touched the warm tiles on the wall, running her fingers over the blue skies and rolling green fields, but skipping any of the loinclothed males, with their archery bows, and their fencing staffs, and their running poses.
She loved the water. The floating buoyancy, the easing of the aches in her bad leg, the sense of brief freedom
Oh my she gasped as she turned the corner.
The pool was four times the size of the largest bath on the Other Side, and its water was a shimmering pale bluelikely because of the tiles that skinned its deep belly. Black lines ran lengthwise, denoting lanes, and there were numbers going down the stone lip, clearly marking depth. Up above, the ceiling was domed and covered in more mosaics, and there were benches against the walls, providing places to sit. Echoing around, the music was louder, but not overly so, and the mournful tune possessed a pleasing resonance.
Given that she was alone, she couldnt resist going over and testing the temperature with her bare foot.
Tempting. So very tempting.
But instead of giving in, she refocused on her duties, going back to her bin, rolling it over to a large wicker basket, and then transferring her body weight in damp terry cloth.
When she turned to go, she paused and stared at the water again.
There was no way the first round of sheeting had finished its washing cycle. It had at least forty-five minutes left according to what the machine had reported.
She checked the clock that was mounted on the wall.
Perhaps just a few minutes in the pool, she decided. She could use the relief from the aching in her lower body, and there was nothing she could do relative to her job for the next little bit.
Grabbing one of the fresh, folded towels, she double-checked the anteroom. Went farther down and looked out into the corridor.
Nobody was about. And now was the time to do thisthe staff would be concentrating on cleaning the second floor of the mansion, as they had to get that work done between First and Last Meals. And there was no one getting treated at the clinic, at least for the moment.
She had to make this fast.
Limping back to the shallow end, she unfastened her robe and drew off the hood, stripping down to her undersheath. After a brief hesitation, she removed the sheer liner as wellshe would have to remember to bring a second with her if she wanted to do this again. Better to remain modest.
As she folded her things, she deliberately stared at her twisted calf, tracing the roping scars that formed an ugly relief map of mountains and valleys in her flesh. Once, the lower leg had worked perfectly and been as lovely as many an artist could have drawn. Now it was a symbol of who and what she was, a reminder of a fall from grace that had made her a lesser person and, over time, a better one.
Fortunately, there was a chrome handrail by the steps, and she gripped it for balance as she slowly entered the warm water. Upon the descent, she recalled her braid and wound the heavy length around and around the top of her head, tucking in the loose end so that the beehive held in place.
And then she glided.
Closing her eyes in bliss, she gave herself over to weightlessness, the water a temperate breeze wafting across her flesh, her body held kindly in the pools peaceable palms. As she stroked out into the center, she threw away her resolve not to get her hair wet, and rolled over onto her back, sweeping her hands in circles to keep herself afloat.
For a brief time, she allowed herself to feel something, opening the door to her senses.
And it was good.
Left behind at the mansion for the night, Tohr was off-roster, stuck inside and hungover: a bad-mood trifecta if hed ever seen one.
The good news was that with most people gone or going about their business, he didnt have to inflict the toxicity on anybody else.
On that note, he headed for the training center, dressed in nothing but his swimming trunks. Having heard that most hangovers were caused by dehydration, hed decided not only to go to the pool and submerge himself but to bring some liquid refreshment with him. And how was that for healthy.
What had he grabbed? Oh, good, vodkahe liked that straight up, and hey, it looked like water.
Pausing in the tunnel, he took a swig of Vs Goose, and swallowed
Fuck. The sound of Johns shitkicker hitting the floor, like some godforsaken bell tolling, was something he was never going to forget. Just like the kids finger pointing at him.
Time for another swallow and hey, how about one more.
As he resumed his trek toward what was probably going to be a drowning party, he recognized that he was a walking cliché: Hed seen his brothers in this shape from time to time, weaving around with a sour, fuzzy head, a bad attitude, and a bottle of knockout juice grafted to their palms. Back before Wellsie had been taken from him, hed never really understood the whys.
Now? Duh.
You did what you had to do to get yourself through the hours. And the nights when you couldnt go out and fight were the worstunless, of course, you were facing off against all the days bright, glowing no-go. That was even more wretched.
As he came out of the office and zeroed in on the pool, he was glad he didnt have to fake the expression on his face, or watch his language, or chill his temper.
Pushing open the door to the anteroom, his blood pressure lowered as that warm, welcoming wave of humidity came over him. The music helped, too: From out of the sound system, U2 was filling the air, old-school The Joshua Tree echoing around.
His first clue that something was off was the pile of rags at the shallow end. And maybe if he hadnt been hitting the liquor, he might have put two and two together before he
Floating in the center of the pool, a female was faceup on the top of the water, her naked breasts glistening, her nipples tight in the warm air, her head back.
Fuck.
Hard to know what made the bigger noise: his f-bomb or the Goose bottle hitting the tile floor or the splash out in the middle as NoOne jacked up and spluttered, covering herself while she tried to keep her head above water.
Tohr spun around and put his hands over his eyes
On the pivot, broken glass sliced into the ball of his bare foot, the pain pitching him off balancenot that he needed any help with that, thanks to his having sucked face with the vodka. Throwing out a hand, he went to catch himself on the tile floorand ended up slicing open his right palm as well.
Fucking hell, he shouted, shoving himself free of the shards.
As he rolled onto his back, NoOne scampered out of the water and dragged her robe around her naked flesh, that long braid swinging free as she jerked the hood into place.
With another curse, Tohr brought his palm up to check the injury. Great. Right in the center of his dagger hand, two inches long, and the bitch was a couple of millimeters deep.
God only knew what hed done to his foot.
I didnt know you were here, he said without looking up or over at her. Im sorry.
From out of the corner of his eye, he got a visual of NoOne approaching, her bare feet making appearances under the hem of her robe.
Dont come any closer, he barked. Theres glass all over the place.
I shall be right back.
Fine, he muttered, as he brought up his foot for a look-see.
Fantasticlonger. Deeper. Bleeding more. And there was still bottle in it.
With a growl, he took hold of the little glass triangle and pulled the thing out. His blood on the shard was red as a blush, and he turned the piece from side to side, watching the light play through it.
Thinking of taking up surgery?
Tohr glanced over at Manny Manello, MD, human surgeon, mated hellren of Vs twin. The guy had come with a first-aid kit, as well as his signature I-run-the-world attitude.
What was it with surgeons? They were almost as bad as warriors. Or kings.
The human crouched down beside him. Youre leaking.
No shit.
Just as he was wondering where NoOne was, the female came in with a broom, a rolling trash bin, and a dustpan. Without looking at him or the human, she began sweeping carefully.
At least shed put shoes on.
Jesus Christ she had been really fucking naked.
As Manello poked and prodded at the injured hand, and then started numbing and stitching, Tohr watched the female out of the corner of his eyeno direct viewing. Especially not after
Jesus like, really fucking naked
Okay, time to stop thinking about that.
Focusing on her limp, he noticed that it was pretty damn pronounced, and wondered if shed hurt herself in that great rush to get out of the pool and get clothed.
Hed seen her frantic before. But only once