Chapter 13 #2
“That’s my fault,” Aiden admitted. His shoulder slumped and Ronan immediately wanted to draw him into his arms. “Your focus was entirely on your mother while we were living in Britain. I tried to keep you from associating with other vampires as long as possible because I was afraid of their influence. I didn’t want you losing what made you all so special. The only one who got away from me—”
“Was me,” Winter finished.
Aiden sighed. “You were never one to sit still.”
Winter smirked at him. “I don’t think I suffered any kind of irreparable damage.”
“No, you just scarred the rest of us,” Rafe mocked.
“The point is that the European Ministry now wants Aiden dead because Mara has likely already reported that he won’t bow to orders,” Ronan said, bringing them back to the matter that was most weighing on his mind.
“Furthermore, whoever they task with killing Aiden will also be assigned the entire Varik clan. They can’t risk leaving any of you alive to stir up trouble.
They have to show that their wishes are to be obeyed, even from across the ocean. ”
Aiden twisted around on the sofa so that he could look up at Ronan. “Any chance they might toss their favorite contract worker the assignment?”
“Oh, no. I’m on an entirely different shit list for them now,” he replied with a wide grin. “They want me dead, but they’re probably offering a bonus for my head if the vamp can bring me back alive for torture before my final execution.”
His lover’s brow was crisscrossed with lines of worry, and his nose wrinkled. Ronan wanted to run his finger down it, smoothing away the lines, but he didn’t want Aiden to smack his hand away. “Why do you sound so amused by this?”
“It’s not the first time I’ve run afoul of the Ministry.” He paused and scratched his cheek with one finger. “Though…I’m not sure how I’d get out of this one even if I wanted to. For the most part, they learned to leave me alone and I would leave them alone.”
“So, we can expect an attack,” Lola said in a hard voice. “From the emissaries already here?”
Ronan shook his head. “Unlikely. As Aiden proved in the meeting, Mara is barely more than a baby. I can’t believe they sent her.”
“Speaking of, how did you know all that information about her?” Winter asked. “It was incredible…and frightening.”
Aiden’s smile turned to Ethan, who waggled his fingers at the group.
The fledgling wiggled to the edge of his seat, seeming to have trouble holding in his enthusiasm.
“Well, I might be learning more than just coding in my classes. I’ve got some friends who’ve been teaching me some hacking techniques.
The European Ministry has been building a database for all its vampires, but they have some really shitty security. ”
“You hacked the European Ministry?” River gasped.
“Yep.” He did another wiggle before continuing. “Looks like the database is relatively new. Not nearly as many entries as I would have expected, but they have lots on the vampires who work for them.”
“Did you find out about him?” Rafe demanded, pointing directly at Ronan.
Ronan’s heart skipped a beat at the thought.
Did the Ministry have a file on him? What in God’s name would be in it?
Nothing good, he was sure. This was not how he wanted Aiden and his children learning all his secrets.
He wanted to talk to them, explain things.
At least cushion the blow. If that were even possible.
Panic tried to seize him, but Ethan was already saying, “I didn’t look at his file to find out how old he is and by relation, Aiden. And even if I did find it, I’d bow out of the bet.”
“But there is a file,” Ronan said softly, the words nearly getting caught in his throat.
Ethan lifted large eyes up at him and winced.
“Sort of. Not much on your background or anything to give a hint of your age. Mostly it’s just jobs.
A lot of jobs. Vampires you’ve hunted down.
They also had the complaints and charges against your targets.
It reads like a freaking list of demons and monsters. ”
“Okay. Thanks,” Ronan murmured. He dropped his gaze to Aiden’s shoulder rather than looking at everyone in the room. Discomfort churned in his stomach, and he could feel their eyes on him.
“No, thank you. I know you were doing a job, but you likely saved lives by getting rid of those monsters.”
He grunted but couldn’t bring himself to say more than that. He was no hero. He’d just been doing a job, passing the time. It hadn’t been about saving innocent lives.
“What about the other one with Mara?” Sofia inquired.
Ronan shook his head, relieved they were moving on from his past. “Michael barely has more than a century on her, but he’s nothing more than muscle.
He’d attack if the Ministry told him to, but they would know he had no chance of making a dent.
After everything the Variks have survived, they have to know that they can’t fuck up their first attempt on Aiden’s life.
It will just force you to strengthen your defenses.
Each attack will become progressively more difficult. ”
“Why not send an entire army of vampires from Europe against us?” Wyatt inquired.
Ronan grinned. That was such a shifter thought process. They were all about brute force and power through numbers.
“One reason is that the Ministry has no army to send. It relies on the agreement of the various clans, and there are very few clans who would be willing to send most of its members overseas to deal with a Ministry problem, thus leaving their own clan and territory vulnerable to attack by another rival clan.”
Sofia suddenly hummed. “I suddenly wish they would.”
“What?” Bel squawked.
She chuckled, her dark eyes sparkling with her mirth. “Can you imagine a faster way to unite all the various clans in the Americas under Aiden’s banner? Announce that the European Ministry is trying to take over the Americas and kill their king.”
“Hating a foreign leader trying to steal power will always trump hating the leader you have,” Winter added.
“Your faith in my ability to win over our fellow vampires is so touching,” Aiden grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He rested against back of the couch, and Ronan slid a consoling hand over his shoulders while still smiling.
“You will win them over, but it’s a long process,” Ronan said.
“And we’re short on time,” Sofia added. “I have members of my clan watching the emissaries at the hotel to make sure they don’t go anywhere but the airport.
Jake has offered up a couple of wolves to take over if they’ve not left by sunrise.
Do we still want them to leave? Should we try to hold them here? ”
“No, we let them go,” Aiden answered decisively. “I want them gone as soon as possible rather than risking them stirring up trouble here.”
“What about anyone else in the area who might be working for the Ministry? You know, besides Ronan,” Winter tossed out.
“Is it because I called you kid?” Ronan teased. Winter glared back at him, but it was Rafe who spoke up first.
“Wee One gets touchy about nicknames.”
“Bastard,” Winter snarled.
“Wait, he still calls you Wee One?” Fox asked.
Winter wrapped an arm around the witch, pulling him in closer. “He had stopped for a while.”
Rafe sat up and gave a little shake, a wicked grin spread across his lips.
“Tonight feels special. Little Varik has turned into a hacker. We’ve got a whole new Ministry trying to kill us.
Father is finally getting laid and planning out his sex dungeon.
” Winter groaned while Bel snorted, trying to hold in a laugh.
“And I’ve found a brand-new way to torment Wee One. It’s a wonderful night.”
“Bite me, Rafe,” Winter snarled.
“Behave,” Marcus moaned. “Sofia and David are accustomed to our brand of insanity, but Ronan isn’t yet. I’m sure Father would prefer if we didn’t send him running out of the house screaming.”
“Well, isn’t it better that he learn now rather than be surprised later?” Bel inquired.
Ronan leaned down, laying his head against the top of Aiden’s, and said in a stage whisper, “I love your clan.”
Aiden chuckled softly. “They are always entertaining.”
“And loyal,” Sofia added.
“And protective of what’s theirs,” Ryder grunted, breaking his silence at last.
“Good.” Ronan turned his cheek and pressed a kiss to the top of Aiden’s head before straightening.
It was easier to breathe if he knew that they’d all be protecting Aiden.
But after spending this enlightening evening with the Varik clan, Ronan was coming to realize that he didn’t want anything to happen to any of them.
Aiden’s family was steadily becoming more precious to him and not just because they belonged to Aiden.
“The threat is going to come from Heller,” Marcus announced suddenly, drawing all eyes to where he was standing at the far end of the room.
The vampire seemed to be staring off into space, his mind still turning over what he’d just said.
After a moment, he gave a small nod and continued.
“Heller is going to be their best option right now. He and what remains of his clan have been hiding successfully in the Americas for the past six months. He has the best chance of sneaking around and possibly even getting close to Aiden. Far more than anyone the Ministry might send over.”
“And since he’s already gone to the Ministry for assistance, they know he’s willing to be used.
They could offer him the throne for the Americas if he just gets rid of Aiden and the Variks.
The promise of power could give him the courage to act that he has been lacking,” Winter murmured. “It makes sense.”