Chapter 27 #2
Damon hummed. “Julianna.” He paused, muscles ticking in his face before he said, “It was a shame to hear of her loss.”
“Yes, no one should be murdered in their own home,” Aiden said.
There was only a hint of tightness in his voice, but otherwise he controlled his anger when Winter wanted nothing more than to rip Damon’s throat out with his fingers for even speaking of her.
He might have his own personal troubles with Julianna, but she would not be disrespected or devalued by this shit stain.
“But that is the end we are all racing toward, isn’t it?
” Damon countered. His face formed a look of concern, but Winter was not convinced.
Something in his eyes, possibly, that spoke of other plans and emotions.
“And it doesn’t need to be. We can find a common ground despite our disagreements and little squabbles over the past weeks. ”
“My sons and I have kept to ourselves. We kept Julianna from other vampires and safeguarded the humans when necessary. We started no wars between clans. And yet, we have been targeted and harassed. Our blood has been spilled.”
Damon chuckled. “You can’t play the role of the victim here, Aiden, though I admire your nearly convincing attempt.”
Winter ground his teeth together to keep back any harsh words, and he did notice Aiden’s shoulders stiffen.
“The Black Wolf clan started a quarrel with us,” Aiden stated in a firm voice.
“Minerva was determined to upset the order of our world. She was followed by the MacPherson clan and Nolan’s desire for power.
Their attacks on my clan would not be tolerated, and they had to be stopped.
However, neither I nor my sons have any aspirations for power. ”
“And yet, you’ve been forming a number of alliances and steadily growing your ranks.” Damon scratched his jaw and lifted one mocking eyebrow at Aiden. “One might think you were preparing to overthrow the Ministry.”
“We are protecting ourselves and joining with other clans who grow weary of feeling threatened while the rulers who are supposed to be looking out for their interests do nothing.”
Damon hummed and nodded. “Oh yes, of course,” he said, not sounding as he believed it at all.
“Though, I can hardly complain. Nolan was a controlling prick and would have been a nuisance eventually if it had not been for your sons. And then Minerva.” He shrugged.
“She was just a crazy bitch that needed to be put down if she couldn’t be controlled.
The idea that she could lead any kind of revolution for our kind was laughable. ”
“Her only interests were the death and destruction of humanity, which leads ultimately to the death and destruction of our own kind.”
Damon nodded. “But it has all worked out in the end.”
Winter fought hard not to react to those words. They didn’t quite make sense, but they were enough to send a chill through his frame.
Aiden shifted from one foot to the other, his hands flexing a little at his sides. “I’m sorry but I don’t quite follow you. How have things worked out?”
“I know the Variks have no faith in the Ministry. For the most part, the idea that a bloated bureaucracy could accomplish anything was ridiculous. We’re vampires.
We’re not made to settle our disputes in a court setting.
We fight it out and the victor claims the spoils.
It’s more natural. We need a strong leader. ”
“So you cleaned it out,” Aiden said softly.
Damon smiled smugly as he strolled over to a large painting entitled Medea About to Kill Her Children.
The pale woman looked as if she’d dragged her two struggling children off to a darkened grotto, a dagger clutched in one fist. Damon grinned broadly at the painting as if he approved of the horrible creature’s desperate act.
“I thought it was all quite artfully accomplished. Some of it took a little nudging and a few whispers, while others I just ordered to get the task done. In the end, I didn’t even need to kill them all,” he admitted.
He chuckled as he looked over at Aiden, his gaze hardening.
“I am the strong leader the vampires need to pull us into a cohesive people. They will follow me.”
“Or they will die,” Aiden finished.
“Yes, but it’s what’s best for everyone.”
Aiden looked forward at the painting, a frown digging deep lines into his face. “It’s an interesting proposal. Where does that leave the Variks?”
Damon made a noise of agreement in the back of his throat as he stroked his chin with index finger and thumb.
“Quite the conundrum, isn’t it? I could have you and your clan slaughtered as the rebellious faction you are.
I would imagine killing you and your sons would be enough to bring the Montgomery clan in line,” he mused.
He waved his hand a little in the air as if mentally debating that option.
“Or…I could leave you alive as an emissary of sorts for me. You would continue to oversee the Montgomery clan as well as all those other little disgruntled groups since they seem to like you so much. You would hand down my orders and see that they are followed.”
Winter struggled to keep his expression blank at such a proposal. Working for Damon would be hideous, but it would buy them some more time to spy and plan. They could come up with a safer way to take out Damon and all his little minions.
“Naturally, you’re shocked by my generosity,” Damon continued with a wide grin. “But keep in mind that I would need assurances that you and your sons would behave themselves and follow my orders.”
“And what reassurance can I offer that would assuage your worries?” Aiden asked carefully.
For the first time since they’d entered the Delacroix room, Damon turned and looked directly at Winter. The blood in his veins froze and his mouth went dry. He could so easily guess what Damon wanted.
“I want him,” Damon announced.
“I beg your pardon,” Aiden gasped.
“I want your son, Winter. I want the personal executioner of the Varik clan. The spy. The only vampire whose name causes a ripple of fear through all of our kind. I want him.”
Aiden was already shaking his head, but Damon held up one hand to stop any words that were about to fall from Aiden’s lips.
“I won’t harm a hair on his head unless I must. I only wish for him to officially leave the Variks and join my clan.
He would work for me. Be my spy and my executioner.
And as long as you and your other sons abide by my wishes, he will continue to live and serve me.
” Lowering his hand, Damon gave a small nod of his head.
“You may take a couple of moments to think about my kind offer.”
Lacing his fingers together behind his back, Aiden turned from Damon and slowly strolled across the room, seeming to take in the other Delacroix paintings. Winter joined him in his walk, knowing they couldn’t speak since Damon would hear everything.
As Winter saw it, they had two clear options. Winter could grab Aiden and part the veil between worlds. Once invisible, they could escape and prepare for war.
The other option was that Aiden take Damon up on his offer. Winter joined Damon’s clan, giving up both his family and Fox, in order to keep them all safe. While a miserable existence, it would hopefully give him the chance to be close to Damon and eventually kill the vampire.
Winter stood silently beside Aiden, his heart racing but he was also strangely calm. He trusted Aiden, always had. Whatever Aiden decided, he would follow because he knew it would be what was best for him and the family. Best for everyone.
A smile slowly spread across Aiden’s lips, and his shoulders relaxed slightly before he looked over at Winter. And then he winked. Winter couldn’t guess what Aiden had planned, but he was sure it would be an adventure.
“You’ll probably think me gauche and predictable, but I have a different favorite of Delacroix’s paintings,” Aiden said.
“Really? And which would that be?”
Aiden spun around and nodded to the painting on the far wall that was supposed to be in the Louvre, but it was his understanding that the original actually hung in The Gallery. The French palatial museum held the fake.
“Liberty Leading the People,” Aiden said. The famous painting was a bare-chested woman leading fighters over barricades and dead bodies with a musket in one hand and the French flag in the other.
Damon sneered at Aiden, almost immediately turning his back on the classic. “And you would make me to be the fallen King Charles X in this little lesson?”
Aiden smiled. “You remember your French history. But no, you’re no fallen French king.
I like the painting because it is a reminder that people will always fight for their freedom and will follow a leader who believes in their cause.
” The smile fell away, and Aiden’s voice turned to ice. “And you will never have my son.”
Winter tensed while his heart sang at Aiden’s angry words. He would have gone to Damon’s clan if it was what Aiden wanted, but he had no desire to ever leave his family.
But there was no explosion of rage. Just laughter.
“I expected as much, but I did have to try,” Damon said with a shrug.
“I will slaughter all the Variks as well as the Montgomerys. You’ve caused me nothing but trouble.
” Damon’s gaze snapped over to Winter and his grin turned particularly cruel.
“And before this night is over, I mean to take back what you stole from me.”
“Fox!” Winter snarled. He didn’t think. Rage and fear swept over him in massive engulfing waves. Sliding his hands along his waist, he palmed the two slender knives hidden on his person and started to launch himself at Damon.
He didn’t get far. Heavy footsteps pounded across the marble floor, the sound echoing through the art gallery.
Damon grinned triumphantly at him as his loyal followers stormed The Gallery.
It was clear they were about to be significantly outnumbered.
Winter needed to kill Damon, but he also needed to get home to Fox.
“Winter!” Aiden shouted.
He flew to his father’s side, putting his own body between Damon and Aiden.
“It’s time to leave,” Aiden said calmly.
As much as Winter wanted to stay and fight, it was best they beat a quick retreat.
He tapped his powers and pulled aside the veil.
Aiden automatically grabbed Winter’s hand and followed his son into the world of the dead.
The moment they vanished, Damon screamed and lunged at where they stood.
Winter shoved Aiden to the side while attempting to slam his blade down into Damon’s neck.
The sharp metal simply passed through his flesh like it wasn’t even there.
Or rather like Winter wasn’t even there.
“Winter?”
“They can’t see us or hear us. We’re safe,” Winter growled, glaring at Damon as he screamed for his men while waving his arms about, still trying to locate them.
“Could he grab you or me?”
Winter shook his head. “His hand would pass through us, but I wouldn’t advise allowing it if you can. It’s extremely uncomfortable, and I may lose my hold on my power.”
The guard who had been in the doorway entered and looked awkwardly at Damon, confused as to what his master was doing but also probably stunned that Winter and Aiden were now missing.
“Dead! I want all the fucking Variks dead!” Damon screamed.
“We need to get out of here and warn your brothers,” Aiden said.
Shoving one of the knives back into his holder, Winter grabbed Aiden’s hand and led him through the gallery.
There were a few more ghosts passing through the open space, but it was the dozen new vampires that filled the gallery that caught his attention.
All were heavily armed and searching the area for him and Aiden.
Didn’t matter. They weren’t going to be found.
“I need to return home. He’s gone after Fox.”
“I’ll go with you. We’ll protect your witch,” Aiden promised.
Winter could only nod. The lump of fear that had formed in his throat wouldn’t allow him to say more.
That was fine. He swore to himself that if a single hair was harmed on Fox’s head, he would prove to Damon and all his little flunkies why the vampire world feared him.
The Angel of Death would claim them all.