Chapter 11
Tobias
“What we have just learned does not leave this room without my permission. Are we clear?” Tobias looked pointedly at Christo and Althea, who both nodded.
“I need to check in with my vampires,” Althea said shortly after. “I know they’re technically yours now, but my role isn’t going to change, even if I do answer to you.”
“I expected no less.” Tobias folded both arms over his chest and leaned back in the chair.
She eyed him carefully. “You don’t have enough feeders for everyone; we’re going to have to hunt.”
Pursing his lips, Tobias nodded again. “Fine, but do it discreetly, and do not incapacitate any mortals. Choose lowlifes if you can.”
“Sure thing,” she agreed. “And, we’ll glamour them appropriately afterward, yadda yadda yadda. I get how your kingdom works, Martelli.”
Once she’d left, Lemures gave a series of barks and disappeared as well. There was a moment of silence as it appeared none of the four males remaining, nor Kitty, wanted to be the first to speak.
Christo heaved a great sigh. “Did you mean everything you said before, or was most of that for Althea’s benefit?”
Tobias knew he had to tread carefully. Christo’s loyalty for the past century meant everything to him. The male had stuck by his side even though he was pissed as hell about it. They’d only ended up friends due to a promise Tobias had made Christo’s father on his deathbed.
He’d told the dying male, his mortal servant at the time, he would take Christo as a new mortal servant in his place.
Christo hadn’t wanted that, and had begrudgingly accepted regular blood offerings from Tobias instead, to prolong his mortal life.
The quest to Hell to rescue Rion had changed everything.
Christo had stepped up and become a full mortal servant.
So, after everything they’d been through, the way things had unfolded tonight had been less than ideal. Nevertheless, what had been said was true. With such an intricate web of vampires and immortals all connected through Tobias, a hierarchy had to be maintained.
In a way, it was similar to the societal structure of the angels.
Until he’d slept with Vixen, Will had believed breaking his Holy oath would cause him to become Fallen, thus condemning him to be forever connected to hell and the Dark Prince.
It was what all angels in the higher realms believed, except Uriel, who was a double agent.
Uriel was the only angel who could enter both Heaven and the Outer Realms, due to upholding the oaths of both.
Though cryptic and often irritating, Uriel had always been in their corner.
At times his help had been invaluable, along with other angels from the Outer Realms, who had also come to their aid time and again
These realms were a secret place the Savior had created after Rion’s birth mother had been held prisoner by Leviathan Lord of Chaos and Wrath, aka the ruler of the eighth realm, and forced to bear his children.
She had never chosen darkness, and though she could no longer enter the higher realms, deserved more than the hand fate had dealt her.
Especially, with how much it had broken her spirit.
She hadn’t seen her children since Kitty was a baby, and Rion just six years old.
While it had never previously been necessary, the Savior now recognized that life and faith was not black and white.
Such a rigid belief system was failing some of the very people he sought to save.
Adaption was essential if the Holy, and all those who believed in the light, were to evolve and thrive.
The revelation of this whole scenario had come as a shock to them all. Tobias could understand why the secrecy was necessary. If mortals and angels alike did not strive to uphold the greater good, if they did not fear the consequences, society would crumble.
Now as he looked at the sandy-haired mortal in front of him, Tobias finally understood. Everything about his role as vampire king, and member of the Immortal Trinity hinged on stability within the Kiss, and the Undead subjects of New York State.
He had to present himself and his powerbase the right way, or his position at the top would be in jeopardy.
Things were already somewhat fragile with five dead vampires and four mortal servants.
The impending arrival of his maker didn’t help either.
He could not afford to show favoritism or hesitation.
Christo growled under a breath. “Are you going to answer me? Or is this how it’s going to be now?”
“Would you fucking relax?” Tobias raised his voice a little more than he intended.
“This situation, our entire lives from this point on, is going to be like walking on a goddamned tightrope. I will always protect you, and I’ll always tell you as much as I can.
I don’t know what more you want from me. ”
“Perhaps if you wish to be better informed, you should attend meetings alone in the future,” Rion mused.
“If you bring someone of lesser standing than yourself, we will be forced to keep conversation at their level. You are a mortal servant, and outside of our circle, a certain degree of propriety must be observed.”
“Thank you,” Tobias said silently. “Lost my head for a minute there.”
“I noticed.” While Rion’s outward appearance did not change, Tobias could feel the beguilement behind his words.
“Okay.” Christo scrubbed both hands over his face. “If Althea being here was the reason you were so weird tonight, I can live with it. I’m going to head over to Manhattan and check in with my bar staff at Chameleon.”
“I can take you,” Will offered.
This time, Christo gave a genuine smile. “That’d be great. Thanks.”
The pair flashed out, as if they’d just attended a social gathering rather than whatever weird shit had just transpired in Tobias’ office.
Rion glanced at his watch. “I should also depart. I am supposed to be dining with Lori tonight. If you need me to return, let me know.”
“Maybe, keep it in your pants tonight? Some of us have shit to get done,” Kitty drawled casually.
Tobias burst out laughing.
“I am not amused,” Rion muttered, before dematerializing.
“Hey, look, sorry I overreacted last night,” Kitty said, once they were alone. “It never occurred to me in my wildest dreams that your advances would be my brother’s fault. We’re good, yeah?”
Tobias smiled. “Yeah, we’re good.”
“Is there anything I can do to help with the crap-storm you’re dealing with?”
He massaged a brow. “I honestly don’t know.”
She got up and came to sit in the armchair opposite him at the desk. “Show me what you’ve got so far.”
“Just the list and notes Rion made last night.” He slid it across the desk for her to see.
“Yeah, I was there when Lyla gave these names to him. I’ve met four of them, if you include Marquez. They were all assholes. I’ve heard Viggo Westergaard is a male of honor, but can’t speak for the remainder of the list.
“I’ve actually met Westergaard, and yeah, he’s very principled. One of the few vamps I know who gives a shit about the fate of mortals. Do you know what any of their talents are?”
Tilting her head to the side, she thought about it. “Carvalho can read emotions, but he can’t project or absorb like Rion and I can. Beaumont can glamour, but nowhere near as good as you and Marquez. Ngdugu can control bats, which is weird as hell to watch.”
“Westergaard is a dream walker,” Tobias said.
“Damn…”
“I was just trying to determine if any of them were capable of instigating the vampire deaths from outside the bounds of this kingdom.”
“No. Not possible. No vampire could do that.”
His brow furrowed. “I’ve already disproven a lot of theories about what vampires can or cannot do. How do we know you’re right?”
“Well, we don’t. But, even if a vampire was in your kingdom, they’d have to be in or near the building somewhere to wreak that much havoc.”
“It’s got to be your father, then. I keep trying to find other causes, but there aren’t any. He swore an oath to free them, in exchange for hiding and raising you as a baby. Reneging on that won’t come without cost. Why would he do this?”
She gasped at sat bolt upright. “It’s you…”
“You’ve lost me.”
“The Immortal Trinity is a threat to the throne he sits on – fuck, we should have warded the room before we started talking about this. Anyway, due to the promise he made my mother, my father will not kill Rion unless he has no choice. He has no hold over Will, but you… you he could get to. What if he’s manipulating the original Undead kings to try to eradicate all vampires? ”
“He knows I was sired by Marquez, why wouldn’t he just start there?”
“How do we know he didn’t? Marquez isn’t actually here yet.”
“So, you think he wants to get rid of me, and wiping out every other vamp is just an added bonus?”
With a sigh she tucked a lock of hair behind an ear and met his gaze. “I don’t know; it does seem a little extreme. I’m really just thinking out loud.”
“What’s your take on my vamps being immune to the eighth lord’s attacks? Was I right? Is it because I still have part of my soul?”
“It sounds like the most plausible explanation, but I’ll ask around in the Outer Realms.”
Just then, the door burst open and Derek staggered in, carrying Keziah in his arms. She was trembling, barely conscious, and babbling incoherently between gut wrenching sobs. As they got further into the room, Tobias realized she was also sweating, which should not have been possible.
“What the hell…” He stood up at once.
“Lay her down over there,” Kitty said, pointing to the couch.
As soon as Derek had complied, Kitty was at the vampire’s side, kneeling beside her. She began to sing, her Holy voice in the language of the ancients provided a calming effect. The more she sang, the less agitated Keziah was.
“What happened?” Tobias asked in a low voice. “She’s under my protection; I should have felt something if she was in trouble.”
Derek’s expression was unreadable. “She ain’t hurt. She kept calling out for Ramón Carvalho. He’s her maker, right? She was talking about him earlier.”
“Yeah…” Tobias watched Kitty with the vampire on the couch.
The way angels could heal and instill calm with their voices never ceased to amaze him.
Beneath the awe resided a well of distaste.
What could happen to override his new bond with her, and what did it have to do with Carvalho?
The thought was barely present in his mind before Keziah provided an answer.
Though still shaking and sweating, she looked over at Tobias. “My… maker… is dead.”