Fated In Secrets (Nocturne Vampire Clan #2)

Chapter 32

32

EVANGELINE

“ Y ou are positive all these passageways have been closed off? That no one can get in?”

“For the tenth time. Yes .” Blake raked his hands through his hair. But at least he’d stopped pacing. “Evangeline. I cannot believe…” Red climbed up his neck, indicating another impending explosion before he stomped away, then stormed back. “And you are just now telling me this, because…”

“Because I needed to gather more proof. Because I needed to be absolutely sure before I started throwing around accusations. Because Riordan is slowly becoming corrupted and wouldn’t fucking listen to me. Because…”

Because you don’t have your magic and you’re vulnerable and I’m scared to fucking death of losing you. Because I texted you twenty goddamned times and didn’t get a response .

I snapped my mouth shut, knowing that would be the wrong thing to say.

“Well, now you’re caught up and that’s everything I know.” I said grumpily. Well, almost everything, except the secret I’m sworn to never tell anyone.

“Tyberius was Malachi’s brother?” Blake swallowed; eyes distant like he was trying to remember. “Bosch caught him trying to assassinate Tyrell, I can’t even remember why. Valaine kept him in the dungeon until Domonic issued one of his bullshit official decrees. Tyberius was in piss poor shape when they brought him up. Tyrell made a short announcement, then he was executed in front of Darkmore, on the steps. By my hand, as you’ve pointed out. Twice.”

“Well, that explains his hatred for you.”

“I always thought…” He shook his head. “I always thought Draven was some asshole who had it out for me. Never gave much thought as to why.”

Blake spun to face me, his expression equal parts worry and what-the-fuck.

“I cannot believe you broke into Riordan’s safe, Evie. Did you ever consider…I don’t know… coming to me for help ?”

“I…” I snapped my mouth closed because while that should have been my first impulse…it wasn’t.

“I don’t know how.” I spread my hand helplessly. “I don’t know how to ask someone for help, because I’ve never had anyone to ask. It’s always been me. I was the responsible one. The one who had to figure everything out by myself. All the time . I never had what you and Riordan have, this…joined at the hip thing.”

“We’re not fucking joined at the hip .” He muttered. “You’re making it sound weird.”

“It’s not…” I rubbed my temple. “I wish I had someone, Blake. But I didn’t. And…” I touched his hand, willing him to understand. “I could have done better. I will do better.” I promised.

“It wasn’t my finest moment, but I was backed into a corner, and I felt like…” I tried to think of how to explain myself without sounding crazy. “There was this overwhelming sense of doom. That if I didn’t help him, the world would fall apart, or something terrible would happen to Angel.”

“He might have used his glamour on you.” Blake said thoughtfully. “His magic can make you see things that aren’t there. He’s a master at manipulation and I wouldn’t put it past the slimy bastard to mess with your head to get you to do his dirty work.”

“He is two thousand years old, Blake. And I’ve had his blood.” Blake winced, and I added quietly, “but I agreed , in the end, I made the decision, so this is on me.” I muttered, even though it felt like I was only beginning to pay for this particular mistake.

“You have to warn Riordan, he won’t listen to me. The coronation is the perfect opportunity for Malachi to make Riordan look weak.” I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall; my voice lowered. “The castle will be filled with allies and enemies alike, Blake. Riordan’s convinced he’s in control, but he doesn’t understand what Malachi is capable of. We need to watch his back . And yours .”

Blake’s jaw tensed as he thought it over. “Rohr’s prepared for an attack, you know. That’s the entire point of the coronation—bringing everyone together, so Riordan can show off his new powers and assert his rule. He actually wants them to make a move.”

I rubbed my aching head. “Riordan might be overestimating his strength. And Malachi isn’t planning something as simple as a direct attack. We need to account for every possibility.”

“Agreed, but it would be… dangerous to fortify the castle too heavily. Our enemies would become suspicious. But I’ll double the guards around the coronation hall and secure the main entrances and exits.”

“And these passages?” I asked, my gaze drifting past the fresh vase of dark red roses to the armoire in the back of my bedroom.

I had to remind Bex— no more flowers .

Every single time I came back to my room, they were there, sitting on my bedside table. Sometimes, They still had dew on the petals.

He raised an eyebrow. “You really think he’d use those?”

“Absolutely, given how he pops out of the shadows at the worst possible times. He’s spent years learning this castle. He’s probably memorized every hidden doorway and knows we can’t guard them all.”

Blake exhaled. “I don’t disagree. Alright, I’ll have the Knightsguard comb through the passages again tonight and mark any that lead to the Hall of Mirrors or the ballroom. But Evie…” He looked up at me, his eyes sharp. “I don’t like letting Malachi roam free. I should lock him up under some pretense, since he’s a security risk. Question the bastard myself.” His entire face lit up.

I crossed the room to stand by his side, “all I have is a theory, no solid proof of what he’s planning, or who his allies are. We need him to make a move, and if we can catch him in the act… we can bury him.”

Blake sighed, nodding slowly. “We’ll be prepared for anything.” He traced a path down my cheek with his finger. “Next time, you come to me, understand? You don’t try to handle shit on your own, you bring the problem to me and we’ll figure it out together.”

I tried to pull away but he caught my chin between his fingers. “I’m serious, Evie. You don’t know how angry I am right now.”

I did, actually, because his emotions were boiling over inside me. Rage and fear and love and a smidge of frustration. Okay, a lot of frustration.

“I promise. I’ll do better.”

“I’ll station our best guards in the ballroom and stay close to Rohr. And I’ll have Nash put the soldiers with the strongest magic in the Hall of Mirrors. We’ll be ready.”

I gave him a small, grateful smile, relieved to have him firmly on my side. “Thank you, Blake. This may be Riordan’s coronation, but you’re the one I trust to keep us all safe.”

He shook his head with a small smile. “You’re lucky you can talk me into anything, Evangeline.” He pulled me into his arms and took my mouth in a searing, hard kiss, then broke off just as quickly.

“Do not do anything by yourself. Do not go anywhere, do not set foot outside of this castle. And don’t expect me back until right before the coronation.”

His smile turned rueful. “Because as much as I’d love a repeat of the other night, I’ll be working on new security protocols and castle preparations I don’t know how long those will take. But I’ll make goddamn sure Malachi gets what’s coming to him.”

I passed on Blake’s warning to my sister, who, predictably, rolled her eyes.

“Fine. Like I care about some ridiculous party. And yes, mom , I have been eating regularly.” Angel was so deep in her book she barely looked up, turning the pages slowly enough I knew exactly what kind of scene she was reading.

Still, it was nice to see she’d gotten some of her spine back.

“Is the book good?”

“Uh huh.” Another of those glacially slow page turns, pink staining her cheeks .

“You know, Bex keeps bringing you smutty books and you’ll need more than blood from your donors.”

“Evie, that’s gross .” But Angel’s body curled in on itself, fingers gripping the book tighter.

“Sure, Angel, it’s absolutely gross to do something you might actually like . I’m just saying, live a little. Enjoy life while you can.”

She looked up from the book. “Is something bad about to happen? Because that’s the sort of shit people say before everything goes to hell.”

“Pshhht. Bad? No.” I said, too quickly. “There will be a lot of security for the next few days. Best to stay in your room, or at least, in this wing. Unless you’d like to come to the ball? I’m sure there’s still time to get you a dress.”

Please say no. The last thing I want is for you to be around a castle filled with soulless bloodsucking monsters.

And speaking of dresses, did I have a dress?

“I have no interest in parties.” Angel murmured, her nose dropping back into her book.

I reached over her, sorted through the pile of dogeared novels Bex had brought. “Are any of these good? I picked out one that definitely had some potential. And Blake did say he would be busy for the next two days.

“Oh, that one has no plot, but some of the scenes are…” Her toes curled into the velvet couch. “Yes, that one’s good.” She said noncommittally. “Now if you’re done with your dire warnings and encouragement for me to have sex with perfect strangers, I’d say your sisterly duties here are done.”

I frowned down at her perfectly smooth blond hair. ‘Well, that’s a little harsh. I take my sisterly duties very seriously and you are calling my work ethic into question.”

Finally, fucking finally , her lips curled up in a smile. “Yeah, well, the heroine’s about to bang a wolf and a Viking barbarian and I can’t enjoy this properly with you there, so go find something to do, will you?”

“You’re seriously dismissing your own sister for fictional characters?” I threw my hand over my heart. “I am seriously offended.”

“Don’t be. This threesome is going to be epic and if you keep talking, you’ll totally ruin it.” And that was how I ended up in my room all night, reading monster smut and fantasizing about Blake.

And Riordan.