Chapter 23 #3
I rubbed my hands over my face and resisted the urge to punch Alric in the face. “You call destroying my house erratic?” A deep-seated, primal scream threatened to burst from my chest like an alien baby.
Alric gave me a chiding look, as if my house was the absolute last thing I should be worrying about.
“We believe Beckett is degrading. Once he tasted your blood, he did not return to the Hive. No one in his Nest has seen or heard from him since the prior incident. He’s focused on you now, but that could change.
If it does, there’s no way to judge the threat he poses to our people. ”
“This is not my responsibility.” Even as I said the words, I felt like a shit person.
I was a supernatural. In a perfect world, anything that happened to any of us would be a problem for all of us, but Alric was reaching here.
The vampires had always been an insular people.
They rarely stepped up to offer assistance to anyone unless it impacted their bottom line or benefited them. “I did nothing to deserve this.”
Alric dipped his head. “You’re right. But now you’re involved. If Beckett’s blood is not purged from your body, you will die.”
A half-hysterical laugh escaped me. I didn’t feel sick, only off.
And not like I was suffering from being poisoned, more like I was transforming.
“Let me guess. You’re just the person to purge it.
” I could not allow myself to become vulnerable to him.
If I allowed him to purge Beckett’s blood, his influence would be the only one inside me.
Was Beckett’s blood somehow fighting his hold on me, or was that part of my genetic makeup?
The second made more sense. Witches, or pureblood witches, could not be turned.
Maybe the hedgewitch part of me was fighting his influence.
So many questions and so few answers made me want to tear my hair out.
His self-deprecating smile was a clever veneer to hide the desperation in his eyes. Alric wanted my blood. Vampires weren’t known for altruism, so was he being genuine or did he want the blood for other reasons he refused to disclose? “Unfortunately, yes.”
I called his bluff. “So do it. Purge Beckett’s blood.”
His lopsided smile told me his answer.
I snorted. “As I expected. If I don’t help you, you’ll let me die.” I made jazz hands. “Surprise!”
Alric thought I was infected with whatever Beckett had and still wouldn’t help me unless I allowed myself to be used as bait. He might have helped me with cleaning up my house, but he’d only done it for leverage in this moment.
Alric let out a breath. “We need your help.”
I slowly shook my head. “And I need yours. Looks like we’re at an impasse.”
“Alex.” Alric looked away. A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Are you so ready to die?”
“Who says I’ll die? So far, I think I’m doing okay.”
Alric rose from his seat and walked toward the door.
“You aren’t. Within days of consuming your blood, Beckett’s behavior altered in unpredictable ways.
He was not meant to feed from anything other than a bag for fear of poisoning others.
Silas and I know he injured you. We smelled it when you came into the alley.
You’re not that far past his attack. Even the flu takes some time to incubate. Magic takes even longer.”
My fists clenched at my sides.
Alric stopped and tilted his head. “Unless you’ve been experiencing further symptoms.”
I forced myself to relax. “It’s time to leave, Prime. Thank you for your assistance in the cleanup, but I’ll take it from here.”
“Leo will drive you to a hotel for tonight. My people will return first thing in the morning to finish.”
The vampire in question appeared by the Prime’s side, seemingly out of thin air.
I opened my mouth to protest, but Alric stepped outside.
“Even if you don’t assist me, I am not one to leave someone in a terrible position.
You cannot sleep in your room tonight, Alex.
Please. A hotel room is already booked and paid for.
My strategist will be there to meet you with clothing and toiletries. ”
Without another word, he melted into the night and disappeared without a trace. A chill ran down my spine as I stepped outside, my eyes narrowing as I searched for him.
But Alric was gone as if he’d never been there.
“Creepy.”
Leo walked over. “Is there anything you need to take?”
I held up a finger and went back inside, shutting the door behind me. “Edmund?”
“You knew.” The betrayal echoing in Edmund’s voice shook me.
“You and I both suspected what was happening to me.” I let out a heavy sigh. “It’s a long story. I don’t think Alric is telling me the entire truth. And I feel fine. I promise.”
“You won’t know until it’s too late. Is there a doctor you can see?”
“A witch doctor?” I asked with a snicker.
“Alex.”
“I’ll ask around. In the meantime, I’m going to a hotel.” I paused with my hand on my purse. “Did you see what happened to my bedroom?”
Edmund’s silence spoke volumes. “As loath as I am to admit, the vampire is right,” he said after a moment. “You should not go in there until they finish. I’ll monitor them tomorrow to ensure they don’t do anything shady.”
“Do I need new furniture?”
The spirit sighed. “You’ll need new everything.”
“Great.” I slung my purse over my shoulder. “Call if you need me.”
“Be careful, Alex. I can’t protect you while you’re in the hotel room.”
“I’m sure I’ll have a vampire bodyguard.”
“Even so, you still don’t know what the Prime’s motivation is. He needs you right now, but what happens when he doesn’t?”
“I guess we’ll find that out when it happens.
” I turned to go. “Good night, Edmund. When I return and get things back in order, I’ll install a better security system.
” I paused at the door. “Also, Cat came up with an interesting proposition. She created a magical Wi-Fi router. I want you to examine one and see if it’s something you could use to better protect yourself from what happened tonight. ”
“I’ll be happy to.”
“See you tomorrow.”
I locked the door behind me, more as a routine gesture than to keep anyone out.
Beckett had proven a locked door wasn’t much of a deterrent when a vampire wanted to get inside a house.
None of the windows or doors were opened, and Edmund couldn’t help me because he’d lost most of his power the second the vampire cut the Wi-Fi.
The only thing I could figure was he either whammied a key from someone, quick-fingered one of mine—though that seemed far-fetched—or had made an extra somehow.
I cursed myself for not changing the locks the moment I’d moved in.
My sentimentality of keeping the original skeleton key lock had just cost me.
First thing tomorrow, I’d call a modern locksmith.
Leo waited for me, holding the passenger door open. His face was somber, and he didn’t say anything when I got inside the vehicle. He didn’t speak until we were ten minutes into the drive.
“I’m sorry about tonight.”
I sighed. “You seem like a decent sort. For a vampire.”
Leo snorted. “Thanks. I think.”
“Your Prime wants something from me.”
“Unsurprising.”
His droll tone made me laugh. “I bet you hear that a lot.”
Our eyes met in the rearview. “He’s not the only one who capitalizes on others’ pain points. Every supernatural leader is the same.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to play his game.”
“True. What he wants will help us all and will help you too. Will you let your pride stand in the way of helping the vampires?”
I tugged my purse closer and closed my eyes. “I don’t have much pride, Leo. Never have. What I do have is self-preservation. I like being alive. What your Prime is asking me to do will likely end in my death.”
He fell silent for a moment.
“When you speak again, don’t you dare say something ridiculous like ‘is one life worth more than the entirety of a species?’ I’ll stab you when you’re least expecting it if you do.”
Leo snorted in amusement but didn’t say anything for the rest of the drive.