CHAPTER SIX
The plane bumped hard on landing, but aside from a rough landing, the trip was easy.
I couldn’t believe how fast it all happened.
I woke up in Georgia, and now I was in California, with the strangest sensation of breaking curfew or something.
I worried about Isaiah finding out and blowing a gasket.
I worried about my brother not really understanding me when I said we would be here tonight.
Not a lot of people could drop everything and just show up in forty-eight hours or so from when another person asked.
The ring I had to give him was heavy in my pocket, having refused to throw it in my small bag in case it got lost at the bottom or the bag was misplaced.
It was a family heirloom now, from one generation to the next.
It represented the real love between our parents, the enduring thing that lasted beyond our father’s death until our mother’s and hopefully well into whatever afterlife I’d now never see.
I’d be persona non grata if I lost it.
“Here we are.” Alexius got up and grabbed his small bag, looking back at me. We didn’t sit near each other on the plane. We couldn’t. The point of daring to go on this trip was to get space and fresh air.
“This all happened a bit quick. What’s the plan from here?”
“Maria is based here in LA. So is Callahan, actually. Two Tribunal members. It’s a hot spot, but we’re not worried about the werewolves.
Maria’s control spreads up to San Fransico, much like Isaiah controls nearly the entire state of New York and much of the surrounding areas for vampires.
She has safe homes scattered about the entire region for any of her vampires or trusted allies to use when they need to. ”
“And the cost of using them? I remember you saying you’ll do some work for her?”
“I did, and she already has a task for me, some busy work for the month while you enjoy time with your brother.”
“What is it? Anything I can help with?” I asked, frowning as I collected my things.
He looked back at me, his brows coming together.
“No. Enjoy the time with your brother.”
“Fine,” I said quickly, and we shuffled off the plane no longer mentioning it. “I assume we’re checking in with her, then heading to where we’re staying?”
“Correct, or at least I will be. You might be able to go ahead of me, though. We’ll discuss it with the driver she’s sent. I did tell her you weren’t here to do any work.”
“Oh, okay then,” I said softly, frowning at the idea of not even going to see the Tribunal member who worked alongside Isaiah and led the vampires. I was staying in her city, in one of her safe houses. I should at least say thank you.
When we saw the car, I was actually relieved. I’d be going with Alexius.
It was then I realized my feelings about going to the safe house without him weren’t about politeness. I was in a strange place, and I didn’t want to be separated from him. Not so quickly, at least. He was strong and stable, and I needed him to help me feel secure.
That realization, though, was uncomfortable and counterintuitive to the trip when we were supposed to want time away from each other to get a breather. I also couldn’t hide behind him forever.
That’s a problem I need to work on… tomorrow.
I got into the SUV with him, our bags loaded in the back.
In the quiet drive, nothing was discussed.
And we didn’t go straight to Maria. Over an hour of silence as the driver weaved through nighttime traffic was enough to tell me that we were going to the safe house first. When the car pulled up in front of a home in a nice neighborhood, the driver said nothing until he was fully parked.
“The nest did some quick research. This home will provide the closet place to Miss Abbott’s family to make the trip here well worth it and safe.
A vehicle has been provided in the garage with the keys.
The insurance is fully covered, and there’s no charge if anything happens to it.
Ma’am, would you like assistance to get inside? ”
“Oh.” I looked at Alexius, who was already undoing his seatbelt.
“I’ll help her in, then go with you to the nest,” Alexius said, something irking him. I couldn’t tell what, though.
The driver, a vampire himself, didn’t get out to help us at all. He just handed a set of keys to each of us and waited in the car while we took in our bags.
“Rude,” Alexius mumbled once we were inside.
“What?” I frowned as I put bags down at the door.
“He didn’t even help us get inside. It was rude. Do I normally need the help? No, but…”
“But you’re a guest, and it’s polite,” I said, nodding as I understood him. “He could have at least gotten the door.”
“Exactly.”
“Is there any particular reason he wouldn’t help us… like maybe he doesn’t feel safe with us?” I was reaching for straws, but it was a valid thing to consider. Alexius the Hunter and his insane—willing to throw Molotov cocktails in a room full of very flammable vampires—partner.
If I were in the man’s shoes, I would have felt cautious too.
“Normally, people are far more polite when they fear me,” he said softly. “Unless they’re trying to tell me I can’t do anything depending on the situation. Normally, people are rude when they’re trying to prove they don’t fear me, whether it’s to themselves or others.”
“Ah.” I could see that. “Well, he has no one to show off to, so…”
“Let me check something,” he said softly, getting out his phone.
He called someone as I started moving deeper into the nice home we’d been given leave to use.
Everything was cool and modern, designed by someone who liked clean lines and a lack of personality.
It wasn’t like Isaiah’s historical-looking homes, full of antiques and character.
It was just a safe house, so I chalked it up to her not caring to fill it with those types of things, while Isaiah’s country home was personal to him.
It felt foreign, suddenly being in a new space after so long. I tested the couch and tried to get comfortable, but it wasn’t the couches at home. Then I tried the recliner, but it wasn’t as plush as I liked.
“Who am I? Goldilocks? It’s a fucking rental,” I muttered to myself, feeling weird in the new space, but not so weird I didn’t realize how I was behaving. “Let’s check on the food situation, I guess. I need to feed tonight before I go to bed. Let’s hope there’s blood.”
The kitchen was hyper-modern and was probably the most expensive room in the house. Ten-thousand-dollar appliances, fridges custom built to match the cabinets.
Alexius found me in the kitchen as I opened the fridges, not finding any blood. Only freshly bought groceries for humans.
“It wouldn’t be there,” he said, leaning on the counter.
“I called Maria, just to make sure we were in the right place and complain about the driver while I was at it. We’re in the right place, and she told me everything the driver was supposed to walk us through.
He just left and will be talked to. She also had something she couldn’t reschedule tonight, so I don’t need to go to her nest until tomorrow. So, we can settle in tonight.”
“Where’s the blood?” I asked, still frowning at the human food. “And that’s nice. You shouldn’t rush into a meeting after being on a plane for… five hours? Six?” I sighed. “It would have put you in a mood.”
“You’re not wrong,” he said softly, admitting the truth of my observation but clearly not liking it.
I closed the fridge as he reached me. I watched as he opened a lower cabinet and revealed a hidden keypad. He typed in a quick code, which caused a painting on the kitchen wall to reveal a locked refrigerator in the wall.
“I knew several vampires who do this because they can’t spell the home against human interference.
They don’t keep large supplies. We’ll get a delivery every two nights with enough blood for both of us.
She had it overstocked tonight to see what we might go through, but I can just tell her tomorrow what we need.
” He opened the secret fridge and pulled out a blood bag.
I reached for it, but he didn’t let me take it.
Instead, he pointed to a seat at the bar and prepared the blood for me.
“I’m told it’s fresh. She doesn’t store it for long. So, this was donated just earlier in the day. Let me know.”
It was. There was a sliding scale of what sort of energy blood could give, depending on how recently it had been in a living human body.
I’d had it all at this point. From the vein was clearly the best, the healthiest option, but it involved a human and actually feeding on something with a heartbeat.
That activated all sorts of instincts in a vampire I wanted to avoid, and so did Alexius.
I’d also had week-old, bagged blood that felt more obligatory to drink instead of satisfying.
“Oh, yeah. This was donated like hours ago,” I said, breathing out after the first drink. “It has that…”
“Fullness,” he provided for me. I nodded and took a second drink.
“Are you going to feed tonight?”
“I should, being in a new city. I need to be sharp, since we’re not at home,” he said, sighing. “I will probably stay up through the day just to make sure security seems tight and that the neighborhood is quiet.”
“That will definitely make you cranky for your meeting with Maria,” I pointed out.
“She’s used to it. How close are we to your brother?”
I pulled out my phone and typed in his address, smiling as I saw directions.
“Only twenty minutes,” I said with a grin. “Easy enough. Is the car protected?”
“She wouldn’t give us a vehicle that wasn’t. That’s a requirement of my visits.”
“Oh, good. I could cut the drive down to fifteen minutes then if I get enough open road.”
“Good luck with that in Los Angeles,” he said, almost smiling. I could hear the light humor, but he showed none on his face.
I continued to drink as he prepared and drank his own. Eventually, cleaning out my glass, I decided to test my luck again.
“So, what sort of work does she have for you?” I asked lightly.
“I’ll tell you when we get home,” he answered, not falling for me. I had been trying to take advantage of the casual moment, hoping he’d slip. It had been a long shot, so I didn’t push any further.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“I know.” He moved closer and reached around me to put his glass into the sink. “Move, let me finish up here. Settle in and tell your brother we’re here.”
“He’s probably sleeping by now, but I’ll try.
” I took my phone and claimed a room, opting for the giant primary bedroom before Alexius could claim it.
This wasn’t Isaiah’s house, where certain things were expected because I was a young vampire in a space I shouldn’t have been in with the ancients.
This was supposed to be a vacation in California.
I was taking the giant bed in the suite upstairs.
He didn’t realize. When he walked in a few minutes later, he quickly saw I was already there and backed out.
“Ha!” I called out.
“Call your brother!” he called back.
I did, and surprisingly, he picked up.
“Hey, sis!” he said, clearly drowsy. “You caught me trying to get to sleep.”
“Hey, Declan. I knew I would. Just wanted to tell you I’m here. In California. I’ll be able to come over tomorrow, if you’re willing to have me.”
“Wha?” He was sleepy and confused.
“I brought the ring, too,” I continued as if he had understood. “So, I’ll come over about an hour after sunset, yeah?”
“Huh? Wait, slow down, Everly. You’re actually here?”
“About twenty minutes away, based on the online directions to your place.”
“No fucking way,” he said, sounding more awake with each word. “Yeah, come over tomorrow. I’m free. Please. Holy shit.” Then he yawned.
“Get some sleep,” I said, chuckling.
“Yeah, yeah. I can’t believe you flew out so fast.”
“My boss is very rich.”
“Clearly.” He chuckled. “Okay, tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow. Good night, Declan.”
“How am I going to sleep now?” he complained, but he did hang up.
With that, I just had to pass the time.