Chapter 2
Two
Aidan stood in front of the full-length mirror and tugged at his cuffs, getting the pristine white oxford settled across his shoulders and along his arms just right before inserting the first ruby cufflink.
Rafe was already upset that he wasn’t wearing all black, but Aidan refused to appear looking like the grim reaper.
If he had to be king of the American vampires, then he was going to be a fair and just king.
He wasn’t going to rule through fear and intimidation.
He did agree with his troublesome son, though, that they needed to make a good impression tonight. He’d been king for roughly six months, but the party that evening marked the first real gathering of clan leaders and other representatives across the continent. Everything needed to run smoothly.
“Sofia arrived just a little while ago, and she brought a dozen Montgomery clan members to work security around the house. They’re meeting with Winter right now for assignments and instructions,” Marcus listed as he continued to read notes from his phone.
“Did you remind Winter that I don’t want him invisible tonight?
I need him visible, mingling, and smiling with the other guests,” Aiden said firmly as he reached for the second cufflink.
From the corner of his eye, he caught Marcus’s frown as he typed into his phone.
Likely texting his youngest brother that reminder right then.
“We’ve spent the past several months convincing the reluctant clans to side with us.
I don’t want all that hard work to unravel tonight because they don’t trust us. ”
“I’m not arguing that point with you,” Marcus said a little more sharply than normal.
Aiden turned his head slightly and raised one brow, only to have Marcus exhale heavily and his shoulders slump.
His son had been working a lot of long hours to pull not only this party together, but to smooth out the worries and ruffled feathers from countless vampires. He had to be exhausted.
Cufflinks secured, Aiden turned toward his dark-haired son with brilliant sapphire eyes and placed his hands on both of Marcus’s broad shoulders, squeezing.
“You have worked so hard. You’ve worked miracles.
We have clans talking to each other who have been trying to kill each other for decades.
We’re so many steps closer to being a unified people.
We have plans in place to streamline our bagged blood delivery service that will cut costs for so many vampires.
This time next year, I think we could begin the early steps for instituting a new government. All of this because of your hard work.”
Marcus flashed him a crooked smile as he lifted one hand and grabbed Aiden’s wrist. “We have worked hard, and yes, things are looking better, but my main concern tonight is your safety. There are too many vampires appearing tonight that I don’t trust. Too many ways this can go wrong.
I don’t want tonight’s party to end in blood spatter and corpses. ”
Aiden chuckled and squeezed his shoulders one last time before releasing him.
“I think we have a very good shot at avoiding that.” He turned back to the mirror and checked his hair again.
Rafe had argued that he needed a crown or at the very least simple coronet, but Aiden refused.
He didn’t want to start something that would be potentially handed down.
The station of King was temporary to keep order until they could finally get a new form of government in place.
“I can’t believe the European Ministry sent an envoy at the last minute,” Marcus muttered.
“They’ve arrived?”
“Yes, there are three of them, and they’ve checked into the Hilton downtown. I haven’t gotten all of their names yet. The European Ministry was only kind enough to send me Mara Schneider’s name as the head of the envoy. I don’t know who else is accompanying her.”
The name didn’t ring any bells for him, but his stomach still clenched at the mention of the European Ministry all the same.
The ruling vampire body across the ocean wasn’t so different from the one that had overseen vampires in the Americas.
Well, maybe they were a little more archaic and, if Aiden remembered correctly, a little colder and more bloodthirsty.
He’d fully expected to hear from the European Ministry when it was reported that Damon James was dead and Aiden had seized control of the territory.
European vampires had no control over American vampires, but they had been known to wield some influence here and there. If things got too out of control in the Americas, the European Ministry would apparently get upset, fearful it was setting a bad example for their own vampires.
And despite the passage of centuries, American vampires were still seen as the rebellious, wayward children who’d run away from home. Or worse, mongrels with no lineage or breeding. He couldn’t imagine any of those attitudes would go over well tonight.
“I want you, Sofia, and Rafe trailing them all night, easing tempers as needed,” Aiden instructed.
Sofia was a calming presence, and Marcus carried a strong voice of authority.
And then Rafe, while the devil incarnate most days, was very good at distracting and unruffling feathers when he put his mind to it.
“I will as soon as Rafe gets here,” Marcus growled.
“I’m here! I’m here!” the vampire in question announced as he breezed through the bedroom door.
He had a black overnight bag slung over his shoulder.
“It looks like half the vampires are downstairs already, awaiting a peek at their new king.” Rafe paused and looked over at his brother.
“Lovely, festive decor, Marcus. I’m assuming that’s Ethan’s handiwork. ”
Marcus smiled at his annoying brother. “Yes, it is. He handled the party preparations with some help from Sofia. I think it looks perfect. A party fit for a king.”
“What’s in the bag, Rafe?” Aiden inquired as he slipped into his black suit jacket. It was better to head off an argument between Marcus and Rafe now. Tensions were running high ahead of the party. He didn’t want his sons snapping at each other when they had more important things to worry about.
Rafe set the bag on a small coffee table in the sitting area of the suite and unzipped it. “I thought I would bring a few things along to make sure that you’re at least looking like royalty.”
“Rafe!” Marcus snapped.
“This isn’t something Aiden can take lightly,” Rafe shot back at him.
“Temporary or not, Aiden took on the title of King. Not president or prime minister. King. That title comes with certain expectations as well as responsibilities. He represents not only our clan, but all vampires. If he fails to live up to those expectations, how can he expect to hold their respect? A vampire should be proud that Aiden represents them, represents the best of them. Appearance is the first step.”
Aiden hadn’t thought of it that way, and he should have. He’d been more concerned with not lording this new position over the vampires. Of them thinking that he was just another cruel tyrant to control their lives.
“Rafe is right,” Aiden announced. He smiled at his son and extended his arms out to his sides. “What can you do for me?”
Digging into the bag, Rafe pulled out a handful of colorful ties.
Each had bold colors and patterns that Rafe held up to Aiden, one after another, before tossing it aside.
He finally handed Aiden a red-and-black tie—a pure power tie.
While Aiden worked on the knot, Rafe returned to his bag and pulled out six small boxes. He opened them to reveal watches.
“Watches?” Marcus said, looking over his brother’s shoulder.
“A watch is a subtle sign of class, power, and wealth. It’s a wink to those in the know that you’ve got taste,” Rafe replied as he held up two watches to Aiden and returned them to the table only to grab another two. “I’d assumed you understood that since you own two Breitlings.”
Marcus placed his hand over the Breitling watch on his wrist. “I like my Breitlings.”
“Yes, but tonight I want you wearing the Vacheron Constantin with the four complications. Father is going to wear the Patek Philippe,” Rafe announced as he snatched up a box and handed the watch over to Aiden.
“Which one?”
Rafe testily waved a hand toward the table. “The navy-and-silver one on the far right.”
Aiden chuckled and glanced over at Marcus. “It’s like he’s speaking another language.”
“Savages. Bloody savages, all of you,” Rafe muttered under his breath while Marcus took off his own watch and put on the one Rafe had pointed out.
Turning back to the bag, Rafe paused and drew in a deep breath. “I have a couple more things for you.”
“What is it?”
Rafe reached into the bag with both hands and carefully drew out a simple black coronet that couldn’t have been more than an inch wide in the band, but it was studded all the way around with square rubies that sparkled and winked in the lamplight.
“I know you’ve resisted the idea of wearing one, but you’re the king.
Those vampires out there want to look up to you, respect you, and they expect to be faced with a man who wears a crown.
” Rafe lifted his eyes to look at his face, his voice low and fierce.
“You’ve earned the right to wear it. You deserve to wear this. ”
Aiden silently swallowed as the swell of conflicting emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
On an intellectual level, he agreed with his son, but his heart remained in denial against the idea of truly being a king.
He had not been destined for such a thing.
He’d known a king and failed him. It felt wrong, but that was in another life.
After a couple of seconds, he nodded. “I will be honored to wear it. Thank you.”