2 #2
“I’m sorry, Lucian,” the big fucker rushes to apologize. “I’m sorry!”
But sorry isn’t good enough, and in a matter of half a second, he’s no more than a pile of bones on the floor.
Both Blair and Kylie gasp behind me.
“Sorry, ladies,” Lucian says, dusting off his hands and stepping over what used to be Lexor, and then he waves a lazy hand toward Kane and me.
Instantly, the pain releases its choke hold on my body.
Both Kane and I struggle to get to our feet, and Blair rushes over to him before he can stop her. He wraps his arm around her shoulder protectively, and I don’t hesitate to meet the vice president of the Elite Council with every bit of aggression he deserves.
“All right, Lucian Wrath . We get it. You’re more powerful than we can even imagine. You’ve had your fun showing off, so let’s get down to business. What’s going to happen to us?”
He nods, a shine of pride radiating from his eyes. “Oh, Calloway. I knew you’d be tough. Your mother was strong too.”
“You knew our mother?” Kane asks, his voice sounding far more boyish than it ever has.
Lucian nods. “Of course. I’m your uncle.”
What the fuck? My body sways at the news.
Lucian Wrath, an elite vampire, is the uncle to three blue-collar ones. It doesn’t make sense. That’s not how any of this works. Blue-collars and elites don’t stem from the same bloodlines.
“No…” I shake my head. “You can’t be.”
“Yes, yes.” He smiles at me. “You have good reason to think that. But I assure you, I am . My brothers…discarded you, but you are of their flesh and blood. You are elites. All three of you.”
“Fuck that,” Rook declares, Kylie tucked tightly behind him now. “We don’t want it. We’re fine just as we are.”
And neither Kane nor I go against him.
Maybe other blue-collar vampires would want a piece of the elite pie, but not us.
We want nothing to do with these disgusting fucks—no matter if they just-so-happen to be family or not.
Frankly, the fact that we are related to such a perverse group of vampires only leaves a bitter fucking taste on my tongue.
Lucian nods, his expression a picture of performative understanding.
“I sympathize with your rejection, Rook. Truly. After the life you’ve lived, this news can feel like nothing more than spit in the face.
” He wags a finger and tilts his jaw. “However, given the recent…activities…you and your brothers have partaken in, and the nature of their punishment, I’m afraid the reality of your bloodline is of utmost importance.
It’s why I’ve come myself. To help you.”
Fucking bullshit. To track us down and come here , to our secret, off-the-grid cabin in Connecticut, claiming to be our family, and purporting himself as some kind of savior in this scenario is the height of irony.
It’s men like him who’ve brought us here—who’ve forced Rook, Kane, and me into taking things into our hands and going against their vicious practices of selling women to the highest bidder. Of going against their hoarding of bloodlines in the name of power and longevity and greed.
He’s not a hero. He’s a fucking sadist.
My body prepares to strike—consequences be damned.
“Now, now, Calloway, put away your fangs, my boy,” Lucian comments with a disappointed smirk. “This isn’t the time for that.”
“I’m not your boy, uncle ,” I seethe, prompting a growl from Rook behind me.
Instantly, two black-cloaked vampires bang on the back door, sensing the escalation of tension, but Lucian holds up a hand and the noise stops.
“Cal,” Kane murmurs, urgency and desperation in his voice setting my teeth on edge. It’s not fear, but a willingness to do literally anything to protect his fated mate.
I don’t understand the total capacity of the mating bond yet, at least not fully, and for that, I’m both thankful and annoyed.
Truth be told, Kane shouldn’t have been capable of meeting his mate yet.
Biologically, a male vampire isn’t supposed to be able to recognize the bond until we hit the ripe age of twenty-eight.
That’s when we come fully into our vampirehood.
It’s when we begin to fully recognize any powers we may possess and the aging process becomes nearly five times slower than a human.
But Kane is only twenty-seven. And I’m twenty-six. Rook is the only twenty-eight-year-old vampire out of our trio who should be capable of finding his destined mate.
“Listen, boys,” Lucian says teasingly, using the simple moniker to knock us down a peg. “This doesn’t have to be so tense. I’m here with good news. You’re of noble blood. You’re elites. That means all this…mess…you’ve created is far less consequential than it could be.”
“Nothing about your little visit screams good news,” Rook insists, taking the words right out of my own mouth. “We don’t do well with ultimatums, threats, or intimidation tactics.”
“What threats?” He retorts with an infuriating chuckle.
“I’m simply executing a reunion that should have happened a long time ago.
” His voice takes on a lilt. “Oh, how I wish we could have done it sooner than this, but it’s better late than never.
And quite frankly, very poetic in its timing.
I’m inviting you to take a very distinguished place at your rightful station in New York, just in time for the selection process.
I know your brothers have mated, but Cal, you will have the first Slater chance at choosing for yourself. ”
Selection process ? You have got to be kidding me. I’d rather cut off my dick than be involved in their auction—in their fucking vile sex-trafficking rituals.
“That’s an amazing spin on some really sick shit, Lucian,” I retort. “But what about this? What if I say fuck you, I’m not coming ?”
Lucian purses his lips. “Unfortunately, Calloway, that’s not an option.
It’s just not. And I want to be careful here to explain without emotion, because truly, my boy, I’d absolutely hate it to end this way.
But if you don’t come, your death would not be a threat, but a fact.
As would your brothers’ deaths. And, quite unfortunately, their mates as well. ”
Kane and Rook feel like loaded missiles behind my back. It’s all I can do to keep them at bay with a commanding, wide-palmed hand. They don’t normally take orders from their younger brother, but in this case, they do me the favor.
Fuck me. The tables have certainly turned.
I glance back at my brothers and then at Kylie and Blair. And then, I set my gaze on Lucian.
“The choice is yours,” he says, an infuriating smirk cresting his mouth. “But the consequences are completely in my control.”
At his words, a deep groan escapes Rook’s throat, and when I look over my shoulder, I can tell he’s hanging by a thread as whatever fucking pain-voodoo powers Lucian has start to consume his body.
My eldest brother is a big fucking bastard, and his pain tolerance is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, but he’s no match for Lucian.
Rook only stays on his feet for ten seconds before he’s on his knees with a clenched jaw and his beloved Kylie trying to help him with concern.
“Stop!” I demand. “Just fucking stop.”
“And why would I stop?” Lucian questions. “Because you’ve had an epiphany that attending the selection process is not only a wonderful opportunity for you, but something you are happily going to do?”
When I don’t answer right away, I hear Kane fall to his knees from behind me on a strangled groan.
“No, no, no!” Blair screams. “Kane!”
And when I look over my shoulder, the pain in my brothers’ eyes and the terror on their fated mates’ faces is too fucking much.
“Fine!” I shout. “You can stop with the bullshit! I’ll come!”
Lucian lets out a hearty laugh, and with a little twist of his wrist, he stops my brothers’ pain.
“But just me,” I add through a tight jaw. “Kane and Rook and their mates aren’t necessary.”
“Nonsense. This is a family affair,” Lucian declares with a clap. “It’ll be all or none,” he says and purposefully steps closer to Kylie…and then a moment later does the same to Blair. “And I know the three of you are smart enough to understand the implications of each.”
Oh yeah, motherfucker. The implications are downright impossible to miss.
He looks at the women again, and both of my brothers are strung tight as fucking bows. It’s clear Lucian Wrath is willing to do anything to get what he wants, and unfortunately for us, he outmatches us in the worst kind of way.
“So…what shall it be?” he questions and walks over toward Kylie to just barely touch the ends of her brown hair. “Everyone…or no one?”
I scrub a hand down my face, desperate to figure a way out of this mess, but there is no way out. Our hands are fucking tied. Our body count stacked too high. All our transgressions against the elite point straight to a death sentence.
I don’t trust Lucian, but I don’t doubt he’s a man of his word when it comes to consequences , I think in my mind, hoping to hell Rook can use his telepathy to tap into me.
I have no idea if Lucian is a shield, but I’d prefer to have this conversation without scaring Kylie and Blair even more than they already are.
I want to murder this fucking fuck, Rook pushes into my head.
Yeah, well, clearly, we’re out-fucking-matched, I think.
Kane says his offer isn’t saying death…at least…not yet, Rook pushes into my head.
Kane’s not wrong. Going along with Lucian might be the only chance we have to survive, I answer back. We gotta do this, man. I fucking hate it, but it’s all we’ve got right now.
“Looks like the Slaters are headed to New York,” Rook growls.
“Beautiful.” Lucian smiles. “If I may make a suggestion?”
We all just stare at him.
“Pack your finest. We have many exciting events to attend.”