Chapter 22
Sky
“What’s going on?” I asked, trying not to sound grumpy as I walked into the kitchen in Chance’s manor with King right behind me. We’d all been together last night at Ego’s place, so I’d been hoping to have some sexy time with my big lug before we went dreamwalking tonight.
“Lysandro called this meeting,” Chance said, handing me a cup of coffee.
My dreams that life could get back to normal were dashed by his words.
I thought things had finally righted themselves finding my cousin and knowing he was okay.
Sure, there would be an adjustment period to him being a vampire, but that was better than him being dead-dead, like a ghostly spirit dead.
Not that I’d ever say that aloud. I’d never purposely hurt Harry’s, Buck’s, or Stevie’s feelings. At least they were still here, but I preferred my cousin where I could still touch him whenever I wanted.
Chatter from the hallway drew my attention, and Lysandro ushered in a stylish, petite woman with gray hair and a youthful face. I stared hard before realizing I knew her. Jumping up, I pulled her into a hug. “Delaney!”
Ego’s manager, assistant, and all-around Girl-Friday and bestie, squeezed me tightly. “Sky, it’s wonderful to see you.”
“You too! But what are you doing here?” I asked, drawing back.
Her gaze moved to Lysandro. “He thought Ego could use the extra support. I’m here to plot and plan.”
Cassi and Carli came in next with Booker trailing behind them. We’d all had a soft spot for him since King and I first found him in the Dreamveil, so I wasn’t surprised when my boyfriend stood up from the table and rushed over to knock knuckles with him.
They’d also bonded over being biracial, which was pretty cool. I often heard them discussing things that were so commonplace to them, but that I’d never even thought about, not having their lived experience.
With the three of them here, everyone who’d been at the mini-castle was assembled once again, with the exception of Ego and Scotty.
“What’s going on, Lysandro?” I asked, starting to panic.
He squared his shoulders and stood tall. “I was hoping that I was wrong, but Ego’s been sleeping past sunset.”
“Why is that concerning?” Stevie asked. Out of everyone in the room, he would be the most worried about Ego’s circumstances—after me—since his little brother was Ego’s anchor and would be more affected than any of us.
“Because he told me about a dream he had, and I’m not sure it was a dream. I believe he was in the Veil.” He looked pointedly between me and King. “Your Dreamveil.”
“How is that possible?” King asked. “We’ve never seen vampires in there.”
“No, you wouldn’t have.” Lysandro licked his lips. “I think we should all move into the living room and get comfortable. This might be a long night.”
We all exchanged worried glances, and I saw King’s grandparents whispering quietly between them as they moved into the other room. King inherited his dreamwalking from Lee, and Rosie had been his tether, so I wondered if they’d ever seen vampires in the Veil.
King pulled me onto his lap on one side of the couch, leaving room for others, and I leaned into his solid strength. I didn’t have a good feeling about this. Stevie must’ve felt the same way because he and his friend—possible girlfriend—Trixie hovered behind us.
Cassi sat on the floor in front of us, pulling Carli between her legs, and Booker sat next to us, looking a little shell-shocked being here. I wasn’t sure if it was because our little motley crew had grown so much or if it was all the power crackling in the room from the various magic users.
Lysandro paced the floor, like he was collecting his thoughts, then stopped.
“I’d planned to take tonight to spend time in the library and with my—well, never mind that, but when I stopped at Ego’s to give him blood, he was still asleep.
I’m not sure how much any of you know, but a vampire’s sleep is ruled by the rising and setting of the sun. ”
Jetty put a hand up in the air. “But you’re always out and about.”
“With your trusty umbrella,” Chance added with a grin.
Lysandro smiled. “Well, I’m very old.”
“He’s actually ancient,” a cute teenager said as he strolled into the room. He had lanky blond hair and strode straight to Lysandro.
“Where did you come from?” the old vamp asked.
“I let him in,” Harry said, reappearing where he’d been next to Buck.
“But why are you here?” Lysandro asked, sounding dumbfounded.
The kid grabbed his arm. “Because you were supposed to come for your feeding tonight, and then you didn’t, and I saw the old tomes you’ve been reading. I know you’re worried about Ego.”
King tensed next to me. “Old tomes?” he asked.
Lysandro huffed and pointed a finger at a vacant chair. The kid grinned and walked over and sat down. “Everyone, that’s my…friend, Benji.”
The kid waved. “And so none of you freak out like Scotty did, I’m twenty-seven.”
I noticed that I wasn’t the only person in the room whose mouth dropped open.
He didn’t look a day over sixteen. Lysandro clucked his tongue.
“Anyway, as I was saying, I borrowed tomes from Malcolm, King. My apologies, Lorewarden, that I went to him without you present, but with your proximity to Sky, I didn’t want to alarm any of you until I knew more. ”
King cleared his throat. “No apologies necessary. I’m more like the Lorewarden in training.”
Worried about my cousin, my impatience came through as I asked, “But what did you need to know? Is something wrong with my cousin?”
“And what about the Dreamveil?” Rosie asked with concern. “My Lee and I never saw vampires there in all our years or on any of our travels.”
Lysandro tugged at the collar of his shirt.
“Yes, well, that makes sense. I’m embarrassed it took me this long to piece things together, but my sire and I were always in close proximity until her passing, so we never had to use alternate methods of communication.
You see, there’s a space within the Veil where vampires roam.
They’re outside of the dreams of humans, but a pocket where Makers can speak with their children during sleep. ”
My mind ran a mile a minute trying to connect the dots. “So you think the asshole who attacked my cousin and turned him without his consent is what? Trying to reach him in his sleep?”
Lysandro gave one sharp nod.
“Well, screw him. Ego won’t want anything to do with him. He figured out how to get by this long, so he’ll probably tell him to go kick rocks.”
Lysandro rubbed a hand down his face. “If only it was that easy. A fledgling’s Master can communicate with him in the Veil, but he can also cross him over to where he is, and his body will follow.”
I started to jump up, ready to get in my car and go to Ego, but King brought me back into his chest. “How is that possible?”
“That’s what I was researching. As I’ve told you, it’s not an experience I’ve ever had, so I wasn’t actually sure of the mechanics of it all. And while a vampire isn’t a spirit like Harry or the others, their body will basically transport when a fledgling answers the call of their sire.”
“So what are you saying to us?” Elyse asked.
Chance’s mom had grown fond of Ego while he was here, but even more so after he’d left on tour and had video-called every chance he got for more information on being a sound witch and to meditate.
I thought she’d probably talked to him more than I did before he just disappeared.
“I’m saying I believe he’s in trouble,” Lysandro said.
“But I repeat, there’s no way my cousin will want to go where he is.”
Lysandro cleared his throat. “Even though his Master left before they bonded, he did give Ego his first taste of blood. The tie between sire and fledgling can be…almost impossible to resist. Plus, Ego’s so new to this, and there’s so much he doesn’t understand.
He may not be able to resist the compulsion any more than one of you. ”
“But you could?” Benji asked.
Lysandro licked his lips again. “It was many years before I learned to resist my Maker’s compulsion.”
“So vampires really can compel humans?” Cassi asked.
Lysandro stared at her, then slipped his gaze to Marc, the most harmless and nonmagical of us. “Hello, Marc,” he said in a silky-smooth voice I’d never heard him use before. “Please be a dear and stand on your head.”
Marc rose instantly. “But I don’t think I can.” He shook his head. “It’s been years since I tried that level of activity.”
Lysandro reached out a hand to him, imploringly. “But it would make me so happy if you tried. You can use the wall. I don’t mind. I just need to know that you’d do anything for me.”
“Of course, I would,” Marc responded. Then he ran to a blank spot on the wall, dropped to all fours, put his head on the ground, and attempted to heft his lower body above him. He kicked out like a mule over and over before we heard him whimpering. “I’m trying,” he said frantically.
“Enough!” Elyse’s voice cracked like lightning from the heavens. “You will not humiliate my husband.”
Lysandro bowed to her. “Of course.” He turned back to Marc. “You tried so hard. Thank you so much. You can stop now and go sit back with your wife.”
Marc scrambled up with a big, goofy grin on his face, tripping over his own two feet in his haste to sit back down by Elyse. As soon as he sat, the glazed look left his eyes, and he startled. “What just happened?” He glared at the wall. “Why did I do that?”
Elyse cupped his face in her hands. “Are you okay, Mr.?”
Looking uncertain, he said, “Of course, Mrs.,” reassuringly.
Elyse turned her fiery gaze back on Lysandro. “You’ve made your point. And if you ever do anything like that again to me or mine, I will light your ass up.”
Lysandro bowed again. “I know. As you should, and I would never. In fact, it’s been years since I’ve done anything like that.”
“If you ever need practice, I volunteer as tribute,” Benji said with a smirk.
Ignoring him, Lysandro continued, “But I’ve made my point, and you see my problem.”
“Our problem,” Chance corrected.