Chapter 37
Cain
I hooked an arm around Nyx’s shoulders, keeping her close as the local vampires slipped away. Only Maxime remained. He cleared his throat, the sound loud in the night.
Brien’s head swiveled toward him. “You have something to say?”
“I do.” Maxime nodded at what remained of Dussault. “He—the primus—knew about your mother. Knew that Nazaire had staked her.”
“And?”
“Nazaire had an…interest in Lenore.” The information seemed dragged out of him, like what he had to say pained him. “He said your father had stolen her, that she should’ve been his mate, not Jules’s.”
Nyx stiffened against me. “What?!”
Maxime didn’t seem to hear her. “And when Jules started gaining power, more than my friend ever expected—it was salt in the wound. In the end, he hated them both.”
Twilight came up next to Brien, sliding an arm around his waist in wordless support.
Brien pulled her closer without looking away from Maxime. “So you’re saying he staked my mother because he wanted her?”
The other vampire shrugged, a small, resigned gesture that carried more weight than anything he could’ve said out loud.
“No.” Nyx straightened from me. “Maybe that’s what he told you. He might even have started believing it. But this wasn’t about Prima Lenore. This was about power.”
A dark cloud scudded over the moon, like Luna herself was emphasizing Nyx’s point.
“He knew he could never rise higher in the QCS,” she continued, speaking slowly, like everything had finally locked into place for her.
“Dussault was his age, and already had a lieutenant lined up to secede him. So he went after the Maritime Syndicate. I know he didn’t expect Brien to take his father’s place as primus.
” Nyx glanced at Brien. “Your father’s lieutenant Prosper was supposed to slay you and ascend to primus. ”
Twilight nodded. “Prosper was counting on that himself.”
Prosper had challenged Brien and lost. Brien spared him, but the lieutenant left Lilith Island anyway—a self-imposed exile that was better for everyone involved.
“So that was Nazaire’s angle,” I mused. “And I suppose he would’ve come for Prosper next.”
Nyx spread her hands. “That’s my guess. I don’t have any proof, of course, but that’s how his mind worked. Always scheming, figuring how he could turn things his way.”
“Perhaps,” Maxime allowed. He dipped his head in Brien’s direction, half bow, half surrender. “Good evening, my lord. I’ll make sure the truth of what happened here tonight reaches the right ears.”
“Wait,” Brien said as the other man started to turn away.
“Yes?” Maxime asked.
“Why tell me now?”
“You deserve to know. And maybe—” a self-deprecating smile curled over his lips—“I’d like a place in this new organization of yours.”
“I’ll consider it,” was Brien’s clipped reply.
“Of course. Now if that’s all—?”
He waited for Brien’s nod, then walked slowly, heavily, to the crypt we’d exited from. The rusty hinges groaned as he pulled it shut behind him. Two cardinals burst into flight, wings beating in panic. They disappeared into the sky and the cemetery fell still again.
Twilight slipped the daggers from Brien’s grip. She wiped the blood on the grass, then held them out. He sheathed them without a word.
She glanced around at the rest of us. “It’s getting late. We need to leave now if we want to be back before sunrise.”
Adrian held up his phone. “Already messaged the drivers. They should be arriving just about…now.” He indicated the two black SUVs pulling up to the cemetery gate.
“Thank you,” said Twilight. “Can you help Perla?”
“Of course,” he said.
“James’s weapons,” said Brien, turning toward where the enforcer had fallen.
Talon scooped them up. “I’ll bring them back to the island.”
Brien gave a tight nod. “We’ll bury them at sea. James would’ve wanted that.” The enforcer had loved to go sailing at night.
He and Twilight, headed for gate, arms around each other.
When I urged Nyx after them, she glanced at the lair, biting her lip. “My paintings.”
“We’ll have them sent,” I told her. “But whatever else you have in there can wait. I’ll buy you whatever you need.”
She gave a small, telling shudder. “All I want is my paintings.”
Adrian had already started off, Perla in his arms. We followed, climbing into the SUV after them. Brien, Twilight and Talon took the other vehicle.
We dropped Perla outside of the city at a medic she trusted, someone who could patch her.
Adrian volunteered to stay behind and escort her personally to the island.
He hovered over her protectively. She seemed not to notice, but when he insisted on carrying her inside, she winked at Nyx over his shoulder.
I smothered my amusement and helped Nyx back into the SUV. She settled against my chest with a tiny sigh.
Above us, the sky had cleared, bright with stars. We’d taken two choppers from the island, concealing them outside the city. We had just enough time to make the three-hour flight home before dawn.
“Take us to the choppers,” I told the driver. “And make it fast.”
“Yes, sir,” he said and accelerated onto the highway.
The next night, it was still a few minutes before sunset when I felt Nyx’s long, artist’s fingers on my naked body—moving over my pecs, tracing my ribs, traveling down from my shoulders to my arms.
My eyelids were still glued shut, the day sleep keeping me under. But I knew it was her. The mate bond stretched between us, sparkling like she did. Not something I could see; something I felt. Heat and gravity, pulling us together.
The part of me who hadn’t belonged to anyone—that feral, affection-starved boy—drank it in.
Mine.
I opened my eyes to find Nyx astride my hips, dressed in nothing but tiny red panties and a smile, her thighs sleek and warm against me, her clean scent flooding my senses.
Her mouth curved, slow and certain.
“Yours,” she confirmed, like I’d said it aloud. “And you’re mine.”
She leaned forward, hands braced on my shoulders. Her curls tumbled forward, framing her pretty tits. “Thought I’d wake you up.”
My dick sprang up between us, instantly, painfully hard. “Anytime,” I managed, voice rough.
Her gaze searched mine, the heat giving way to something softer. “You’re really happy about being mated to me?”
“You have to ask?” I slid my fingers into that wild, curling mass, cupping the back of her skull. “You’re everything, woman—brains, beauty, talent. Plus you’re The fucking Haunt. After that show in Paris, the whole world is going to know your work.”
Her entire face glowed. “You mean that,” she said, like she finally believed it.
I tightened my grip on her skull. “I will never lie to you, Nyx. Never. But how can you not know how special you are? You arrive somewhere and the whole damn place lights up. Why d’you think I call you firefly?”
“Yeah?” she asked, pleased.
“Yeah.” I rubbed my lips over hers. She smiled against my mouth and we kissed—slow, unhurried, easy.
Then I drew back, voice stern. “Now let’s talk about you and this plan you had to sacrifice yourself.”
“Mm?” She fisted my dick, a firm hold that almost made me forget the lecture. But she wasn’t getting off that easy.
“Distracting me won’t work.” I curled up and slapped her ass. “I nearly had a heart attack. When he threatened to stick you in the liver—”
I swallowed over the grit in my throat, reliving the terrible fear all over again.
She didn’t release her grip on me. Smart woman.
“I’m sorry, mon coeur.” She gave me an apologetic smile—and worked her hand up and down my erection. “But I’d do it again. You know I had to. You’d have done the same and we both know it.”
Fuck. She had me there.
I narrowed my eyes at her anyway. “I will never be okay with you putting you in danger. You ever try something like that again—if you even think about doing it—and I’ll spank that pretty ass of yours red.”
She reached the tip and rubbed her thumb over the soft skin of the head, spreading the pre-cum around. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
“Damn right.” But I was focused on those graceful fingers and the wet spot I could see on the strip of red satin between her thighs.
She released me and brought my hand to her breast. “Touch me.”
I pinched her nipple, a last punishment, enjoying her gasp and the spike of arousal that followed.
Then I curled up, kissing the tip, soothing the hurt away.
I wanted to turn her over, bury myself in her sweet, hot pussy.
But she’d had a rough forty-eight hours.
She didn’t need me taking her like a greedy bastard.
“You ate?” I asked. “D’you need fresh blood?”
“I’m good,” she said—and sent a rush of adoration through the bond, simply because I cared enough to ask how she was doing. Gods, Nazaire had done a number on her.
She rocked against my dick, and my breath hissed through my teeth. To Hades with being a good guy.
I fell back to the mattress, bringing her with me.
She caught my face in her hands. “I love you,” she said fiercely. “So, so much.” She kissed me hard, claiming me in her own way.
Warmth settled in my chest. A warmth that was still strange to me but that I was starting to recognize as happiness.
I poked at it like it might bite. Like it was some wild animal crouched low in the underbrush, watching me back. It didn’t fight or recoil.
It just was.
Something I could trust.
Something I’d have forever.
I buried my face in Nyx’s throat and let that good, happy feeling loose. “I love you, too.”
“I know,” she murmured, stroking my head. “I know.”
The room around us faded—walls, shadows, the battle we’d fought last night—all dissolving until there was only her heartbeat thrumming against my chest. I slid my hands down her back, feeling the curve of her spine, the strength beneath her softness.
She arched into me, her body fitting against mine as though it had always belonged there.
I kissed her mouth, her nose, her eyes. “You sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“Yes.” She squirmed against me, wet silk dragging over my hard flesh. “I want this, Cain. I need it.”
“Yeah?” I smacked her butt one last time. “Then take off these damn panties.”