Chapter 23 #2
“Well, I had to sort through it a bit.” Philippe couldn’t help but be charmed by the slight flush painting Bel’s cheekbones. “Starlings are horrible with numbers. It could have been more or fewer intruders. But definitely two escaped. Winter is seeing if he can get a trail through the woods.”
Philippe shook his head. “He probably won’t have much luck. The woods aren’t deep, and they empty out into another subdivision.”
“We have to assume Ming and Peter escaped and are looking after themselves, at least for now. We need to focus on Jullien.”
Philippe wanted to say that Ming and Peter were better off on their own at this point, but his words were cut off by his phone vibrating in his pocket.
He grabbed it, praying that it was possibly Jullien or the others telling him that they got away safely.
But his body froze when Ezra’s name flashed across his screen.
“Put it on speaker,” Rafe said, drawing him in closer.
He had to suck in a deep breath to regain control of the swirling vortex within him. Ezra needed to fucking die. To die in the most painful, horrific way for how he betrayed his clan.
“Ezra,” Philippe choked out.
“I take it you’ve returned home at last,” his former friend replied.
“Why? Why would you betray our clan?”
“You left me with no choice. I did what you refused to. I protected us.”
“What?” Philippe gasped. It was all nonsense. “Took care of whom? How were you protecting Piper? Or Kim? Or Erik and Sarah? They were your clanmates, and you’ve killed them.”
“Because they didn’t deserve to be clanmates. They didn’t even deserve to be fucking vampires!” Ezra screamed into the phone. “Someone should have slaughtered them after they were reborn, but everyone was too lazy or cowardly to do it.”
“You knew all this time what our clan was built on. If you had such a problem with it, you could have walked away at any time. No one was forcing you to stay.”
Ezra sighed heavily, his breath battering the speaker.
The silence stretched and there was a soft scrape that sounded as if he was pacing somewhere before he spoke again.
“I love you, Philippe. I’ve always loved you.
I love Jullien too. You’re my brothers, my family.
I couldn’t leave you. But I also couldn’t let you go on building a clan that would ultimately destroy us.
We need to be stronger. Surround ourselves with stronger vampires so that we can survive the war that’s coming. ”
Philippe flinched, and Rafe’s fingers tightened on his shoulders. Rafe had used those same words when he’d repeated the conversation he’d had with Nolan MacPherson.
“Where’s Jullien? Is he still alive?” Philippe demanded, his voice wavering when he wanted it to be strong.
“He’s here with me. Alive, for now.”
“What do you want?”
Ezra chuckled low. “So many things, but we’ll start with something simple. I’ve struck a deal with the MacPherson clan. There’s no other clan more powerful than the MacPhersons. We’ll be safe. We’ll grow even stronger with them.”
“What’s the deal?”
“MacPherson’s clan leader wants all three of us or none of us. So, if you ever want to see Jullien alive again, then you need to leave those weak Variks and come to MacPherson Hall.”
A harsh, ugly laugh erupted from Philippe’s lips. “And that’s it? I’m just supposed to accept that you slaughter innocent vampires that were once your clanmates and come live happily ever after with you in the MacPherson clan.”
“I know it will be hard, Philippe. You’re going to hate me for a long time, but we’re immortal.
You’ll come around eventually. You’ll see that I’ve saved both you and Jullien.
When the war comes and you’re on the winning side, you’ll thank me for what I’ve done.
Only the strongest are able to make the hardest sacrifices. ”
“No, all you’ve done is saved your own skin. You don’t care about anyone else. Where is Jullien? I want to speak to Jullien.”
“I don’t think so. He’s struggling with my decisions as well and needs to be restrained. But when he sees you with me, he’ll come around. He’s always been your dutiful little follower.”
“Ezra—”
“Enough of this time-wasting. You have until midnight tomorrow to present yourself at MacPherson Hall, or Jullien will be eliminated like the others. And if you involve the Variks in this matter,” he paused and laughed again.
“You know what? Go ahead. Bring the Variks along. We’ll kill them and snuff out their so-called mystique once and for all.
Everyone will bow to the MacPherson clan. ”
The call ended and Philippe raised the phone so that he could throw it against the nearest wall, but Rafe quickly ripped it from his clenched fingers, shoving it into his own pocket.
“We just might need that later,” Rafe murmured, concern filling his lovely eyes.
“Fucking cowardly bastard!” Philippe shouted.
He paced away from the warmth of Rafe’s body, his footsteps echoing across the wood floor of the silent hall.
“I trusted him! He was by my side for a century. He was with me when we rescued some of our clanmates and then he fucking turns on them. Our clan trusted him.”
“Nolan got to him. Whispered in his ear about wars and the safety of the MacPherson clan. Played off his fears.”
Philippe shook his head at Rafe’s words. “Then Ezra should have fucking talked to me. He betrayed us. He fucking betrayed us!”
“And we’ll help you get vengeance for all those lives he’s stolen, all the people that he’s betrayed,” Aiden said evenly.
Philippe stopped pacing and stared at the older vampire.
He’d made that comment so calmly, but he had to understand what he was committing the Variks to.
They would be marching into a clan that had greater numbers and impressive powers.
He was endangering vampires he’d viewed as his own sons for well over a century.
Philippe started to shake his head, but Marcus snapped at him.
“Don’t! We knew exactly the risks we were committing ourselves to when we first considered an alliance. We don’t go into this lightly or blindly. This kind of wholesale slaughter cannot go unpunished. Our kind can’t live in fear of clans like the MacPherson’s.”
There was a snort in the open doorway, and a younger-looking Varik stepped into the room. “Trust me, Nolan MacPherson has been building toward a fight with the Variks for years. He just didn’t have the balls to start it like Minerva and her Black Wolf clan.”
Bel sighed and gave an eye roll worthy of Rafe. “Besides, we all know Rafe is going to follow his boyfriend straight into danger, and he’s not going to have the common sense to look out for his own skin along the way.”
“Fuck you,” Rafe grumbled, pointing at his twin. But the two words lacked Rafe’s usual fire. Could it be because Bel was right on the money with that assessment? Yes, Bel was very right.
“Enough, boys,” Aiden said. “We must return to Marcus’s and make plans. Rafe will need to reach out to Ryder and Lola. I doubt they would wish to miss out on this…adventure.”
Philippe was aware of the Variks starting to slowly file out of Arsenault Manor.
His eyes skimmed over the broken furnishings and the cooling pools of blood.
He’d tried to build this place into a home.
All the buildings they’d inhabited over the years were meant to be homes.
The Arsenault clan was supposed to find warmth, safety, and understanding within these walls.
But Ezra had turned it into a place of death and fear.
Strong arms wrapped around him from behind, and Rafe’s cologne wafted around him. Hints of bergamot and lavender. Philippe closed his eyes and tried to sink into Rafe’s comfort, to let it ease the pain that was trying to crush his heart.
“Come home with me,” Rafe whispered in his ear. “We’ll plan tonight. Get revenge and rescue Jullien. When we’re done, we’ll come back here and properly bury your family.”
“I love you, Rafe,” Philippe said in a broken voice.
They were the only words he could think of that could possibly encompass all his gratitude, hopes, and fears.
Rafe was there for him. And while he’d prefer to keep his lover as far from the danger and violence that was to come, he was still relieved that Rafe would be beside him every step of the way.