Because the Night

Chapter Five

While we hid from the sun, the aboveground floors had been transformed. There’s no sign of the dust covers and everything is shiny. The scent of lemon cleanser fills the air. A large-screen TV has been hung in place of a painting in the living room, and there’s plenty of blood bags for me in the fridge. Even the piano has been tuned, as demonstrated by Henry banging out “Moonlight Sonata.” New cellphones and laptops wait on the dining room table.

Lucas, however, walks straight into the main bedroom on the upper floor and starts perusing the selection of modern clothing left for him.

“Shirley left instructions for a set of new suits to be made each year by that place you like on Saville Row. So you’re all up to date. These are only a portion of them.” Henry lounges on the king-size bed made up in charcoal-gray linens. “Let me tell you, the ones from the seventies were ugly as hell. Not even your precious tailors could salvage that decade. Shirl and I downed a bottle of Bollinger and burned them in her fireplace one night. We had a ball. However, you would have liked the punk era. Now they knew how to have fun.”

“You were supposed to look after her,” says Lucas, in a low voice.

“Father.” Henry sighs. “She passed of old age in her own bed surrounded by a loving family. There was nothing to be done. Humans die. No matter how much we sometimes wish otherwise.”

“She never changed her mind and asked you to turn her?”

“No. She remained wiser than all of us to the end.”

Lucas stares at the clothes with a blank expression.

“Enough of this depressing nonsense.” Henry jumps off the bed and grabs my hand. “Let’s go see what they left for you, little sister. Helena keeps a personal shopper with excellent taste on staff. I should know, we were shagging for a while. Me and the shopper, that is. She used to adore me when she was a little girl, but Helena would probably now stake me on sight. Her mother’s distaste for us was contagious, unfortunately.”

Given he appears to be in his early twenties, and I am a solid thirty, being called his little sister is odd, to say the least. I follow him into the next bedroom, which is also freshly cleaned with the bed made. An armoire is bursting with clothing, shoes, and accessories. “Holy shit. Is this all for me?”

Henry smiles and starts rummaging through it all. “I love a good makeover.”

“There’s a lot of black.”

“It’s just practical. Newborns have a tendency to make a mess and spill their food. Black is the only color that hides blood.”

It doesn’t look like any of my actual belongings are here, though. “Did they burn everything I owned in the fire?”

“Helena would have wanted it to look authentic, I suspect,” he says with a wince. “But I am sure she’ll see to it that your family receives a hefty life insurance payout, if that helps.”

“Money doesn’t fix everything.”

“No,” he allows. “But take it from someone who grew up without any, it’s better than the alternative.”

I sit on the bed and take a moment to pull myself together. My parents must be devastated. At least they still have my brother. The thought that Christmas was our last time together as a family hurts. Especially since we argued about me staying in L.A. and I cut the trip short by a day. All of those precious moments we wasted.

We had been tentatively discussing a trip together to Hawaii later this year. Maybe that’s what they’ll do with the money, buy a place on the beach. Mom always dreamed of being closer to the ocean, and Dad would be able to fish to his heart’s content.

My best friend, Nicole, will have to find someone else to be her bridesmaid. Someone else with whom to share secrets and bad jokes and two-in-the-morning drunken revelations. We were going to save our pennies and open a book shop together one day. Not that either of us were good with money, or even particularly liked dealing with other people. But we both loved romance books and hanging out together. It was a beautiful dream, and now it’s gone.

“Why don’t you go take a shower?” suggests Henry in a gentle tone. “Get that ash and muck off you and freshen up. You’ll feel better.”

“Yeah,” I say with a discreet sniffle. “I think I will.”

Vampires like a party, apparently. And Henry invited half of the undead in L.A. to the house. There are even real live humans in the mix, but they’re all in the know. None of them bother to hide the bite marks on their bodies. Thankfully, my control is a little better tonight. Being freshly fed doesn’t hurt. But I still have a bad habit of gawking at them. I am officially a creep. I don’t mean to be. The blood calls to me and I forget myself. Which is probably why Henry sticks to my side like glue. To make sure I don’t lose control again and attack anyone.

As he would say, déclassé.

Music by Olivia Rodrigo pumps out through the open windows and doors. Henry and I are in the back courtyard area off the dining and living rooms. Party lights have been strung from the pergola and the overgrown garden has been tamed. Even the water feature has been cleaned and filled. This vibe out here is nice.

I didn’t last long inside. Too many voices and bodies and scents. Too many eyes staring at me. Anything new is a novelty to vampires, apparently. And I am the first newborn in a long time in this city. But yeah…inside the house was beyond overwhelming. My body is also being weird in new ways tonight. Like, I’m turned on for no reason. Even the brush of my clothes against my skin is enough to elicit a response. So strange. However, being outside in the night air is lovely.

What’s truly amazing is the beauty of the world with my vampire sight. Guess I was dealing with too many things last night to be able to appreciate it. But the curve of a leaf or a petal on a flower can be dazzling. The distant lights of the city below hold me spellbound. And the ability to see the expanse of stars in the heavens shining above is amazing. There are no words.

“I worked for a gambling hall, running messages and helping in the stables,” explains Henry when I ask for his origin story. “No real options beyond grunt work for a lowborn bastard. But I had a talent for card games and word got around. Then some asshole aristocrat accused me of cheating and shot me. Father frequented the hall and took pity on me, and here I am today.”

“Were you cheating?”

“Of course, I was, sweetie,” he says in an amused tone.

“Are these people all your friends?”

“Some,” he says. “Mostly they’re the ones who needed to see Father up and about again. They’ll help to spread the news. It caused quite the stir when he said he was going to sleep for a century. They need to know he’s back and not to be messed with.”

“But he doesn’t sleep.”

“Deny us blood for long enough and we slip into something like a coma. You or I wouldn’t have the strength to wake ourselves. But Father is old, with a singular sort of will, and I am sure you smelled absolutely delicious.”

More of the guests are wandering outside to keep an eye on us. So weird. “Tonight is another show of strength?”

“Yes. Exactly. Vampires love a good turf war. They find it all very exciting, stealing each other’s shit and slaughtering so-called friends. Gives them something to do to pass the time. We’re not all like that, but enough of them are to be a problem. It’s the issue with living forever; one gets jaded. Not even the board and their rules could stamp it out entirely. So it saves time if we show the idiots it’s a bad idea to mess with our family. Even if there are only a few of us gathered here presently.”

“But Lucas and Archie weren’t friends.”

“Not even a little. They never got along. But Archie kept up his attempts to reach Father over the last thirty years purely because he didn’t want him waking up and claiming his territory. Guess he had a point. The runes never weakened, however, and I remained close at hand, so here we are.” He leans against one of the pergola posts with his arms crossed over his chest. “Father flouted the rules by making you and then refusing to allow them to execute you. And whether he likes it or not, he’s now the power to beat, in this neighborhood, at least. People need to see us strong and united.”

“How were these guests able to get past the runes?”

“Because Lucas allowed it.” Henry smiles. “He can have an open-door policy if he chooses. The runes behave according to his wishes. Especially now that he’s awake.”

“Are runes how the myth started about vampires needing to be invited into a home?”

“No. That one’s true. But a human needs to live in the building. It must be someone’s home,” he says, tucking a strand of blond hair behind his ear. He has a number of piercings. “All these questions. Hasn’t Father told you anything?”

“Only bits and pieces.”

“Whatever created us ensured we had weaknesses,” he says. “Running about in the daylight will turn you toasty. We can’t enter a human’s home without invitation, but any other building is up for grabs. Silver stings to touch. But a stake through the heart will ruin your entire night.”

“What about crosses and garlic?”

“Bollocks. Complete nonsense. Once upon a time, a pope was being pressured to come up with a solution to us preying on his clergy. The next thing you know, we’re supposedly all super religious with a dislike of seasonings. Idiot.”

“Huh. Can Lucas sense where we are?” I ask. “I know he can do that tug thing where you feel him in the middle of your chest. You know, when he wants something. But can he actually tell where we are?”

“No. We can feel that tug, as you call it, from a distance. That’s him telling us he wants us to phone home or something. And he can compel us if we’re face to face. But it isn’t supernatural GPS. He can’t find us through the bond. Not still thinking of leaving, are you?” Henry tips his head. “I wasn’t lying when I said you don’t want to be on your own right now.”

“No.”

“Hm.” He sighs. “It can be a hard and lonely life, this one. Centuries pass and we remain unaltered. Human lives are bright but fleeting. Give the family a chance to grow on you, sweetie. You never know; you might quite like some of us.”

The way we’re being stared at is annoying. And I’ve had enough.

Henry grins. “Look at you with the power moves.”

“What?”

“You turned your back on them. It means you’re not afraid of them attacking you. Very girl boss. Don’t turn back around, you’ll ruin it.”

“I was just sick of them staring.” I shake my head. “Does everything have to mean something?”

“Immortals tend to overthink things. Thanks to all of that time on our hands.”

“Great.”

“Father is something of a legend among our kind. It makes them curious. He hasn’t made another vampire since me, and that was centuries ago,” he says. “They’re wondering what it means that he turned you. And they’re wondering how strong his blood has made you. I got challenged all the time for the first decade or so. Tedious as fuck.”

“You said he swore off making any more.”

He nods. “Yes. But that’s his story to tell. He wouldn’t appreciate me sharing. What you really need to understand, Skye, is that we’re his family. We’re both his strength and his weakness. He was alone for a long time. It takes a lot for a creature like him to embrace the concept of sharing his long life with others.”

“I highly doubt he cares about me one way or another,” I say. “Saving me from those vampires last night was just a show of strength, like he said. And making me was an act of guilt or pity, as you inferred.”

“Perhaps. Though, the blonde hair and green eyes wouldn’t have hurt.”

“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned that. Why is it important?”

“You found an outfit you liked?” asks Lucas, appearing beside me, holding a full wine glass. If he heard me talking smack about him, it doesn’t show.

He’s been in a meeting in a room on the lower floor for hours. No idea who with. The black pants, button-down shirt, and shoes he has on all look expensive. It sucks how well he wears them. The man has pretty privilege and then some.

I do not want to be attracted to him. However, my gaze strays and then sticks to the strong line of his neck and the way the top three undone buttons reveal a glimpse of his chest, and this is not okay. Crushing on sociopaths is never a good idea. It’s in bad taste on the part of my hormones to notice him in this way at all.

As for him being my sire, I have a father, and it is not him. Henry and Lucas can have whatever relationship they like. But we’re a family in the loosest terms possible, as far as I’m concerned.

“Um. Yes,” I say. “Thank you.”

Henry smiles. “She cleans up well. Doesn’t she, Father?”

Lucas nods and takes in my black designer velvet suit and heels. Henry convinced me not to wear a top beneath the jacket. But it’s not like it doesn’t button up to just below my bust. The bulk of me is covered, and no longer having to worry about gravity definitely has its perks. Four-inch heels are also easier to handle, given my vampire grace.

Henry took over doing my makeup after I accidentally broke the shower door and snapped a hairbrush. Controlling my strength is still hit or miss, apparently. My new brother has a variety of talents, including contouring. But it would be boring living forever without learning new things.

“Very nice,” says Lucas, with a vague frown. Like he’s not quite sure if me dressing up is allowed. But it’s the word beautiful that appears in my head. Which is curious. His gaze lingers on my dark red lips. Not a color I would normally wear, but Henry was insistent. Guess he was right.

Lucas turns to face the guests gathered nearby and looks each and every one in the eye. They all break eye contact first. Then he turns to me and hands me the wine glass full of blood. “Drink this. It’s one of your blood bags.”

“The contents came from one of tonight’s guests. Cage-free and consent-certified,” says Henry with a smirk. “No humans were compelled in the production of tonight’s sustenance.”

Lucas ignores him. “You need to stay ahead of the hunger. Open your hand, and I’m going to place the glass into your grip carefully. Try not to break it. It was a gift from an empress.”

“You always did admire Catherine,” says Henry. “Remember that time outside of Druzhba when Benedict and I got you drunk by feeding on those inebriated aristocrats and we chased some bears?”

“Poor bears. Thank you.” I accept the glass as delicately as possible and yes. Success. “If he calls you father, what am I supposed to call you, daddy?”

“I don’t entirely hate the sound of that.” A fleeting smile crosses his lips. He’s even more handsome when he smiles. Devastatingly so. “We can talk about it later if you like.”

Henry snorts.

“It was a joke,” I say. “First names are fine. Who’s Benedict?”

“Someone who is not here,” answers Lucas, watching the crowd. And that’s all he says, as per the usual. Keeping secrets doesn’t make him half as alluring and mysterious as he seems to think it does. All right, so it probably does. But it is still a deeply annoying habit.

I take another sip of blood. “Okay. Next question. Do we get any other gifts when we change?”

“Like what?” asks Lucas.

“I don’t know. Like reading minds, or starting fires with our thoughts, or stuff like that.”

“Not that I’ve heard of,” says Henry.

Lucas studies me. “It’s very rare. Why are you asking, Skye?”

“No reason.” I take another sip. “Just watched too many vampire movies, I guess.”

His gaze narrows on me.

I stare back at him, transfixed. It’s the same way I feel with the humans and their irresistible blood. As if I have a need only he can meet, which is absolutely not the case at all. The way my nipples have hardened to peaks beneath my jacket, however, is not helping.

“Have you fed recently?” asks Henry, interrupting the staring contest. Thank goodness. “You’re looking a little hungry, Father.”

“It’s next on my list of things to do.”

“Monica,” Henry calls out to a woman in a slinky dress, curled up on the lap of another vampire. “Come here, please.” Then he turns back to us and says, “We met in the VIP section at a Stage Dive concert last year. A charming girl, and a vegan, which gives the blood such an interesting taste.”

Monica is gorgeous, with olive skin and shoulder-length, curly brown hair. She’s naturally graceful. She doesn’t even need vamp juice to make her so. And I am not the least bit jealous at all because that would just be weird.

Lucas’s gaze fixes on her and his whole body goes statue still. Like he’s about to pounce or something. Then a smile curves his lips, and he takes her hand and leads her farther back into the garden without a word.

I watch until they’re out of sight, for some reason. It must be a newborn thing. Being clingy with the vampire who killed me and made me drink his blood, etcetera. Nothing else makes sense. Because I don’t actually care about him walking away with someone else.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back in a minute.” Henry bumps his shoulders against mine with a smile. “Well, maybe not a minute. He hasn’t gotten laid in over seventy years. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s forgotten how to do it. Do you think I should go back there and give him some pointers? Remind him of what goes where? There are bound to be some anatomy books around here I could use.”

I sip my blood and keep my mouth shut.

“No. You’re probably right. Father doesn’t have much of a sense of humor,” says Henry. “Thank goodness you’re here, little sister. Where would I be without you?”

“No idea.”

“Me neither.” He grins. “Fucking and feeding go exceptionally well together. You should try it sometime. Mind you, mortals can be so fragile. Are you any good at dancing?”

“Well—”

A shout comes from inside as a large figure strides through the French doors and out into the garden. It’s the guard from last night with the shaved head and suit. The one who was guarding the steel door in the subbasement level of The Boulevard Hotel. Everyone gives him a wide berth, but they don’t go anywhere. Heck no. They’re all gathering outside, eyes alight with excitement at whatever’s about to happen.

“Oh, shit,” mumbles Henry.

“What?” I ask.

“Lucas,” the man shouts. “We have business, you and I.”

Lucas appears opposite him in a blur of motion. He wipes blood off his chin and says, “Hello, Berin.”

“I didn’t challenge you last night because I didn’t want to disgrace the board. But I’ve resigned my position now. It’s time for you to answer for his death.”

“Archie doesn’t deserve your loyalty.”

“Perhaps not. But he made me. I was a member of his guard for almost a century.”

“How did he get past the runes?” I whisper.

Henry leans closer. “Father considers him a friend. At least, he did.”

“I understand,” says Lucas, with sadness in his eyes. “It’s a matter of honor. Are you ready?”

Berin nods.

It isn’t as quick as when he killed Archie or Christos. They charge each other, hands grappling and pummeling. Lucas breaks loose and spins, slamming his elbow into the other male’s nose. I wince at the sound of breaking bone. When blood spurts, a moan rises from the gathered guests, and they lean closer.

Berin bashes his fist into Lucas’s cheek, making his head rock back. A flash of pain crosses his face, there and gone, and I lunge forward without thought.

Henry grabs me around the waist and anchors me against his hard body. “No, you don’t, sweetie. You would only distract him. He wouldn’t thank you for interfering.”

“But—”

“Look closely,” he says, lips brushing against my ears. “You can track his movements, can’t you? You can see him?”

I nod. “Lucas isn’t moving as fast as he can. He’s letting him hit him.”

“That’s right,” says Henry. “He’s letting his friend get some hits in before he ends the fight. He’s doing him a kindness.”

“Didn’t Berin know he couldn’t win?”

“Without a doubt.” Henry scoffs. “But some choose to find meaning in eternity by living by archaic codes or some such nonsense. Self-righteous wankers.”

Lucas doesn’t drag it out, however. Soon enough, he has the other vampire on his knees in a headlock. The smaller cuts and bruises on their faces are healing as we watch. Nice to know we have accelerated healing.

“Don’t make me do this, Berin.”

“My honor,” is all the other male says in his strained voice.

Lucas’s lips flatline. Then he punches his hand through the male’s back and pulls out his heart. The body slumps in his hold before turning to ash. And that is that.

“Father didn’t exactly have many friends to begin with,” whispers Henry. “Now he has one less.”

I say nothing.

Lucas straightens and turns our way. Ash covers his fine suit and blood drips from healing cuts on his cheek and lip. He allowed himself to be beaten black and blue. His forehead is furrowed, and shadows fill his gaze. Like all of the long years of his life are suddenly weighing heavily on his broad shoulders. The grief and loneliness in his expression is acute.

A polite round of applause starts among some of the guests and several of the humans raise their glasses in a toast to his victory. What idiots. Like this death was in any way a victory.

Lucas turns on them all with a snarl. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

The whole pack flees like their asses are on fire. If Lucas wanted a show of strength, this has definitely achieved that end. But at what cost?

“Best thing to do when he gets this way is distract him. Otherwise, the gloominess goes on for weeks,” whispers Henry.

“What?”

“Oh Father!”

I suddenly realize Henry has a pants situation. How embarrassing. I definitely wasn’t pressing my butt against him on purpose. He was just holding me that damn tight. I wrestle out of his hold and the jerk grins.

“Distract him with what?” I ask. “Henry?”

Instead of answering me, he announces at the top of his voice, “You’re never going to believe this. Awkward timing, I know. But her lust is kicking in and she smells fucking amazing.”