Chapter 12
Ambrose woke up alone. He’d been waking up alone every evening since Lila left—save for his one or two days with Pollock. But waking up that evening was different. He had felt Lila there with him the day before. He had felt her in his mind, and he expected she’d be there when he awoke, and so when she wasn’t, it felt like a whole new wave of despair crashed through him.
He just wanted her back, permanently. Ambrose felt the urge to chain her to the bed and never let her go more with each passing night. And with each passing moment, it seemed more and more likely Lila had actually bewitched him. He felt . . . obsessed. Sick, almost, with need.
His need felt so similar to those first few months as a vampire so many years ago. When bloodlust ran his mind rampant. Only now, his lust was a blurred line of hunger and love for Lila. Just to be in her presence was enough—he didn’t even have to touch her—but if he could, he was afraid he would be like an animal. Lords, what he’d give to hear those sweet little moans and gasps she breathed when he did touch her.
As the moon grew brighter and dusk turned to night, Ambrose dragged himself through the motions. He washed up and threw on a loose, black shirt and black leather pants. He didn’t bother equipping a blade and he rolled his sleeves to his elbows, walking barefoot on the plush rugs and cold stone engulfing the floors of the manor.
Everyone was already in the large dining room, ready for the usual morning breakfast meeting, but Ambrose barely heard any of them as they discussed the manor’s welfare.
Blood had been distributed, and as some drank quietly, others seemed fidgety, restless. He took a sip of his own cup before him, the blood tasting stale on his tongue. Nothing like Lila’s sweet flavor.
Fuck. This was bad. The hunger for her was growing.
Usually, breakfast was reserved for things of the manor, if anything needed repairs, shipments of the day to and from the towns of the Crow Court, and the like, but this evening was different.
“I have news,” Kaz said, turning to him. “Would you like to discuss in private or shall I share with everyone?”
Ambrose put the gross blood back on the table and leaned back in his seat. Nodding, he said, “Go on. It’s time everyone was up to date on matters.”
“Very well, sir.” Kaz stood, tucked in his seat, and walked around the table. “I had the crows scout our neighboring villages last night. All along the border of the Viper Morada, more and more strigoi attacks are occurring. It seems like, with the fall of the Crow Lord, the Reinicks and Reclus are growing braver with each passing night. They’re coming more inland as the nights pass, and reports say attacks have begun along our southern coasts just as of last week. We can assume the north of the Crow Court is safe for now, but who knows for how much longer?”
Ambrose sat up. “Shall we start evacuating our people?”
Kaz nodded. “I believe it would be in our best interest. Since the strigoi venom infects vampires and humans alike, it may benefit to evacuate all our lands in the south. Lord Maronai has offered refuge for any civilians of the Crow Court as well.”
Ambrose leaned his elbows against the table, rubbing at his chin. “All right. Send the southernmost communities north, toward Catacomb City. The capital should be able to foster everyone for the time being and there should be enough blood storage for the vampires to survive years without consumption of our human population. For our coastal cities, send everyone east of Bonne Mère, to Darius. They should be able to reach the Arachnid Estate territories rather quickly.”
Kaz continued to pace, but nodded nonetheless. “There is more, Lord Draven.”
Ambrose lifted his hand, indicating him to continue.
“It seems just within the last hour, there has been movement from our enemies. The Reinicks and Drusilla have left the Morada, with Miss Bran in tow.”
Ambrose immediately stiffened.
“They seem to be heading toward the Maggot Mansion. With your permission, we think it would behoove us to inform Lord Nostro as soon as possible.”
“Send word,” Ambrose ordered. “How are they traveling?” Normally, to get from the Morada to the Mansion, land travel was expected—land travel through the Crow Court. And if they believe Ambrose to be dead . . .
“Straight through, sir. We thought they may choose to voyage by sea, around the Crow Court, but with your supposed death, it seems they may be trying to terrorize our land. For all we know, they may even try to claim it.” Kaz paused, fidgeting with the cuffs on his sleeves. “Our projection shows they’ll travel just north of us, through Asterim.”
Lila would be passing just by him. Did she still want him to sit by and do nothing?
Little Crow, he called.
When a moment passed and there was still no return, he tried again. Lila, answer me.
But nothing, yet again.
He cracked his knuckles. “Pollock,” he called.
The bird came soaring down from the iron chandelier hanging in the room and perched on the back of the Crow Lord’s seat.
“Find them, and keep an eye on Lila. But fly high and out of sight.”
The bird squawked as he bobbed his head, and then soared from the room.
“What is your plan, sir?”
Ambrose drummed his fingers against the wood as all looked at him. Constance and Marcus sat silent the entire time, but at the mention of Lila, he caught them both stiffening. Kaz waited for orders, as did the vampires surrounding them at the table. Even Robin, his gardener, seemed ready to take his shovel and hoes to battle if the Crow Lord only asked.
Ambrose looked up, meeting Kaz’s eyes. “What do you think would be the best course of action from here, Kaz?”
He straightened and smirked, his mustache twitching. “You know me, sir. I’m all for defending what is ours.”
Ambrose smirked in turn. “That’s why I asked you.” He knew Kaz would express what Ambrose desired. And right now, that desire was to get those fuckers off his land and bring his woman home.
Once the room cleared, and everyone left to either their daily routines or their stations, Ambrose and Kaz moved to his study.
With a large map of the Crow Court between them, Kaz sat on the other side of the desk.
“It is just the siblings, Drusilla, about a dozen strigoi, and only five or so members of the Viper Morada. And, of course, Miss Bran.”
And just like that, the thought of her brought warmth to his chest. Fuck, he was in trouble.
Kaz smirked.
“I’m afraid I’m unworthy of her,” Ambrose admitted.
The man across from him scoffed. But it was the truth. The invisible bloodshed on his hands still made him feel . . . tainted. Lila was so good, so pure. And he was a monster, after all. And this sick desire he couldn’t shake was only proving it more and more.
“Ever the self-loathing. How many actions will it take to undo those of when you didn’t even know yourself? When will you forgive yourself?”
Now Ambrose shrugged.
“Master Draven, I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. You have made our civilization what it is today. You are the reason it works. You are the reason Lila will have a safe place to come home to. The other manors—they don’t believe in the murine because of you. Lord and Lady Reinick kept the treaties, but they tested the boundaries as much as they could. It isn’t surprising Ciro broke it the moment he stole that power. They are at fault, not you. You are more than deserving of happiness, and I think Miss Bran is well enough equipped to decide if you are worthy of her affection or not, and she has already chosen.” With a gruffled sigh, Kaz studied the map between them, tapping at small icons for towns and villages. “So stop wallowing and be proactive. What’s your plan?” he asked, meeting Ambrose’s eyes.
Without responding, Ambrose sat back in his chair, the plush velvet under him reminding him of a very different office encounter he had with Lila just a few months ago. He still had her white thong in the desk drawer.
He closed his eyes, and focused. In an instant, he felt every crow residing in the Crow Court. He felt them as if he were them. He saw through their eyes, he felt their flight. But none were the crow he needed.
Pollock.
Ambrose focused his mind on Lila’s bird, focused on the desires of the bird.
Find Lila. Find friend.
There he was.
Ambrose’s eyes went from seeing the black behind his closed lids to seeing a vast forest below him. His forest.
Pollock was soaring near the clouds, flapping his wings as he scanned the ground below him.
Find friend, save friend.
Ambrose felt Pollock’s need and he reciprocated.
Lila, hear me.But there was still no response. The Concord was off—it was never off. There were times she couldn’t respond, or if she’d be asleep, but the connection was always there. Now, it was just gone. It was almost as though it was blocked. Like, there had never been one in the first place. He couldn’t feel her, couldn’t reach her. Worry grew in the pit of his stomach.
Pollock spotted a shimmer of silver sparkle from the ground. The shimmer coalesced into a shape, and that shape became the carriage party carrying the Reinicks and Drusilla. The large carriage had its windows drawn, but around slithered a number of strigoi—just about a dozen. Some ran ahead while others continued to attempt to bite at the horses’ legs.
Pollock’s eyes focused further. All around were more people on horseback. Ambrose counted the courtiers of the Viper Morada, but then he—or rather, Pollock—saw his favorite color.
Lilac flashed before their eyes, and a weight immediately and simultaneously lifted and dropped. Ambrose couldn’t tell what was his emotion and what was Pollock’s, but he knew they both felt a mix of anger, fear, sorrow, and want.
Lila rode on a chestnut-colored horse, with Ciro behind her. His hand was wrapped precariously around her waist. Hektor rode next to them, chatting with his brother and eyeing Lila. But Pollock couldn’t look anywhere else once his eyes landed on her. He flew just a little closer.
Keep your distance. We don’t want them to spot you.
Begrudgingly, Pollock kept his altitude, but his eyes stayed locked to Lila.
He couldn’t see much, just her hair. The angle blocked her face from his, but she seemed to be lolling back and forth, the only thing keeping her upright was the arm around her waist . . . unwelcome as it might be.
His heart was pounding—or maybe it was Pollock’s—but there she was. Alive.
Lila, please.Yet still nothing. Maybe she’d been asleep, maybe she couldn’t hear him in her dreams.
But it felt like more than that. And he knew she could. He’d invaded her dreams when they first made their bargain.
Stay on them, Ambrose ordered before coming back to himself. The feeling of falling rushed over him as he pulled his mind from the crow, and grounded himself back into the office in the Crow Court.
Ambrose opened his eyes, adjusting to the room around him. “It’s exactly as you said. We have only a few hours, perhaps. Maybe less. You will take the kids and go to the Arachnid Estate—it’s getting too dangerous for them here and Darius will protect you. I’ll intercept the Reinicks, and I’ll get Lila back. I’ll bring her home.”