18. Rowan #2
Caden followed his gaze and launched himself at Rowan, his fangs bared. Felix caught him tight around the waist and hauled him to his side.
Shit. Rowan wished there was more he could do. This was an unprecedented situation, and Caden was doing far better than any other feral vampire he’d heard of. His humanity was intact, but telling the young man he was lucky not to have lost his mind completely was no comfort.
Would finding his sire help Caden beyond avenging him? The feral state was under the sire’s control, so perhaps when his sire died, the twisted nature of the transformation would die alongside the broken bond. It was their only hope.
With no idea how Caden would react to this, Rowan spoke, slow and careful. “If we find your sire and end him, the cruel edge to your transformation may fade, but I can’t guarantee it.”
“End him? You mean kill him?”
“Yes.” Rowan paused, letting the reality sink in. “He deserves permanent death for hurting you. For turning you without permission and taking your human life away, for doing the same and worse to others, and I hope freeing you from the bond he created soothes your vampire soul.”
“Do it.” In a blur of motion, Caden climbed into Felix’s lap, grabbing his shoulders. “Take my blood. Make him pay. I can’t keep being like this.”
Felix cupped the back of Caden’s head. It was terribly tender, and almost intrusive to witness. Rowan glanced over at Lane, who seemed heartbroken by the whole ordeal.
Felix spoke as if no one else were in the room.
“We’ll find him, but even if killing him doesn’t fix everything, remember what I said.
Look how well you’re doing. You’ve made so much progress in such a short time.
We can get a handle on this. I’ll help you.
You’ll work through these new urges, and it won’t feel like this forever. ”
Caden collapsed against Felix, and Felix held him. He was almost completely still for the first time since entering the room. “You’re right. I keep freaking out and forgetting what we talked about.”
After another moment, Caden slid off Felix and settled at his side. The two hadn’t stopped touching for a second. “I’m ready. Felix can take my blood now.”
Rowan could call Hunter to draw a sample, but another person would probably set Caden off. He clearly trusted Felix. Rowan stood and grabbed the knife from the desk and a clean glass from the bar.
“How is killing the bond between my sire and me going to help exactly?” Caden asked as Rowan handed the supplies to Felix.
“Sire-bonds live within our blood and our minds,” Rowan explained.
“In our minds, our sires have some influence over our emotions. It’s through this mechanism that sires can corrupt a transformation, as happened to you.
When a sire dies a permanent death, their bonds are broken, and their hold over their progeny is obliterated. ”
“So he’s making me feel like this?” Caden’s features twisted. “Can I do it to him? Can I break him, too?”
Rowan smiled at the naked viciousness on Caden’s otherwise sweet face. “No. Sadly, the hold over emotions only goes one way.”
“Figures,” Caden grumbled, his eyes flashing.
Lane laid a hand on Rowan’s elbow. “You’re saying Caden’s sire knows he’s still alive? Through their bond?”
Rowan hadn’t considered how keeping Caden safe betrayed the difference between this transformation and the others. “Yes. He’d have sensed if Caden died.” He didn’t add like the others. Caden didn’t need to know about the dead ferals, at least not yet.
“Wait. What if he comes after me?” All of Caden’s composure slipped away, his eyes bursting with white light. “He could come after me!”
Felix gripped his chin, forcing their eyes to meet.
“You’re safe. I won’t let him come near you.
Remember, I said you’d sense him coming.
Awareness of each other goes both ways, and lets you know when your sire is near.
You haven’t sensed him growing stronger.
He’s hovering on the edges of your mind, right? ”
“Yeah,” Caden agreed, almost breathless.
He settled quicker than Rowan had expected. “We’ll all keep you safe. No one is getting in this building to hurt you. If you feel your sire’s presence strengthen, tell Felix, and we’ll take care of it.”
“Right…it’s a fortress,” Caden muttered.
Rowan smiled. “A fortress?”
Felix shrugged. “What else would you call this place?”’
“Nothing. It fits perfectly. I’ll let you draw the blood, and unless either of you wants to stay, we’ll see to the tracking.”
“No, we’ve had enough for now,” Felix said, and Caden didn’t argue. “I’ll bow out of the hunt, if that’s all right?”
“Certainly.” Rowan wasn’t surprised Felix wanted to stay behind. It didn’t look like he would leave Caden’s side for anything.
Pulling Lane over to the desk, Rowan left Caden and Felix on the couch and did his best to tune out Felix’s muttered words as he bled Caden into the glass.
The moment had a private edge. Rowan was sure nothing intimate had passed between Felix and Caden. Felix would be too aware of Caden’s vulnerable state and would never risk taking advantage. Nevertheless, the way he took care of the young man seemed deeply personal.
Rowan would have to talk to him about it later. Once Caden was well enough to be on his own.
“We should move on his sire immediately,” Rowan said in low tones to Lane. “He’ll likely expect us to track him exactly as we’re doing.”
“You think he knows we have Caden? He might assume Caden is alive somewhere on his own.”
“If we hadn’t grabbed Caden, his sire would expect him to be causing havoc around the city. Caden was dumped too close to Valero headquarters for anyone else in the magic world to have found him and taken him. His sire will know we have him.”
“Shit.”
“It’s fine. We couldn’t have acted any sooner.
I wouldn’t have wanted to traumatize Caden further by taking his blood before he was settled.
And if this is him settled …” He and Lane shared an understanding look.
“In case killing his sire doesn’t smooth out his transformation completely, we can’t do anything to set him back. ”
“No, we can’t, and it’s not like we weren’t busy dealing with a curse, Emile, and the damn Hillmans. Our schedule’s been full.”
When put that way, Rowan didn’t feel he’d fallen short. He was doing the best he could. There was no need to criticize himself for focusing on other problems ahead of Caden. He’d entrusted him to Felix, who was doing an exceptional job. If Caden could have given blood sooner, Felix would have said.
“I’ll message Cecile and ask her to gather a crew so we’re ready to move.”
“What if this sire has a whole coven with him?”
Rowan’s fingers flew across his phone, filling Cecile in.
“This isn’t the work of any coven established in the city.
They know me better than to think they could get away with it, and I’d have heard of a group of vampires coming to town.
The Valeros have eyes everywhere. This guy is on his own or part of a very small group.
It’s the only way he could have snuck in. ”
Lane’s apprehension remained. “Are you sure?”
“If he had a coven of vampires, why not attack me outright? Because he knows he can’t win in an open fight. He’s creating trouble. Trying to get the city to turn on me for transforming ferals so I lose my allies.”
“But it isn’t working. Those witches didn’t believe it was you, and they weren’t your biggest fans.”
“Exactly. We need to strike before he changes tack. We’ll overpower him easily.” Rowan paused.
“I’m coming with you,” Lane said before Rowan could ask.
“Promise me you’ll be careful?”
This wasn’t the first time Rowan had fought beside a witch he cared about, or beside friends without immortal life. It was the first time he’d be with his partner, and Lane’s vulnerability scared Rowan more than anything had in a hundred years.
Lane bumped his shoulder, radiating beautiful confidence. “I will.”