Chapter 34

Lucianus

It was time to take her blood again. I was meant to pick her up. I had never imagined meeting the man she was living with. His hostility filled the air between us, along with the scent of his blood. I looked him over with a curious eye. He looked like he’d gotten into an accident, but there was the lingering scent of metal on him, like a knife and wood.

More than that, his eyes narrowed at me with such suspicion, and his presence gave me pause. This human was much more than he seemed.

“Please come in,” Trinity said, checking her phone. “I guess I lost track of time… I thought it was tomorrow?”

“Later today,” I said. “I am simply early.”

She smiled with relief and nodded, stepping aside to welcome me into the house. I stepped into the house, eyeing Mark, who stumbled back and away from me, still grasping his gun. He hobbled away as Trinity closed the door behind me, and he disappeared around the corner. The house was simple, clean, and a bit bare. Mark’s scent was faint in the air as if he wasn’t here often, but Trinity’s and another man’s scent was much stronger. I supposed it was her father.

Why would Mark, the owner of the house, have such a faint presence here? Trinity and her father had only been staying here for a short time. He was a cop of some sort, but even police officers returned home.

I heard the drawers open and close as Trinity said something about getting her things and being ready soon. I looked around and took a deeper breath. There was alcohol in the air but nothing much else. I had been in this house before, but this was the first time that I had ever heard of this man. The first time I had seen or smelled him as well.

Trinity may believe that the man lived here, but this house was little more than a base of operations for him.

“How odd to see him in these circumstances,” I said. “You never mentioned that you lived with him.”

“I didn’t?” Trinity frowned. “I can’t imagine why I wouldn’t. He’s my best friend. We’ve known each other since we were kids. I suppose it just slipped my mind.”

It was more likely that my desire to ensnare her made Mark and his place in her life inconsequential. Trinity led me further into the house to where Mark was starting to set the table with plates and glasses. It might have looked welcoming, but there was a stiffness in him and an air of hostility around him as he glanced up at me.

“I was going to eat,” Mark said stiffly, pressing a hand to his side as he set cutlery on the table.

“Are you joining me?”

I glanced at the cutlery and took note of the silver I could smell in the air. I did not flinch, though the air felt warmer as I approached the table. My instincts were screaming a warning. This wasn’t the first time that I had encountered humans and their penchant for silver-colored cutlery, but it was the first time that a human had actual silver. These were not silver-plated or stainless steel but true silver. Why would a cop, living in such a modest house, have a need for true silver cutlery?

It could have been an heirloom, but Trinity said that they had known each other since they were children back in the human city of Chicago. She never made mention of his family. There were no frames of pictures anywhere that I could see either.

He set the fork, spoon, and knife in a neat line. The false light of the light bulbs glinted on the edges of them. I could almost feel it cutting through my flesh, but I narrowed my eyes to make out the symbols on the handles. They’d been marked by the church, likely blessed as well.

This Mark had more than a passing connection to the church.

No one would be able to just buy a set of silverware like this. It was tradition centuries ago to gift a set to certain families who had proven themselves devout.

I glanced over at Mark again. His injuries, for a human, were in line with the attack on Henri and the others, but I couldn’t be sure that it was him as this was a different city than where that farm was. I couldn’t even be sure if this man had encountered werewolves recently, but still, I was suspicious.

“No, I imagine not,” I said softly. “I had planned to take Trinity out. Do enjoy your meal alone.”

Mark’s eyes narrowed as Trinity came back and slid into a seat to put her shoes on.

“Oh? That’s not necessary. There’s food here,” Trinity said. “I wasn’t expecting to be out long, especially not with Mark hobbling around and injured.”

Mark’s lips twitched into a grin. “You’re going to play nurse, hm?”

“Call it a surprise,” I said lightly, tugging on the mate bond to make her yield to me. It wasn’t hard.

“Well, I would, and I will, but shouldn’t you be getting some rest?”

Mark’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to me.

“What exactly are you planning to do with Trinity?” Mark asked. “A date?”

Trinity flushed, and her head shot up. “Mark, that’s none of your business!”

I took a seat and waited, not allowing Mark’s apparent hostility to bother me. He was a minion of the church. We were enemies. Perhaps he already knew I was a werewolf. The offer to eat with him was a test to see if his suspicions were correct.

He was a fool to think we were so easily exposed by silverware and veiled threats. While it would be painful, I had endured much worse. The scent of silver, however, only made me think of my wife’s death. I felt the old fury and rage starting to boil at the back of my mind and checked my watch.

I had maybe a minute or two to get Trinity out of this house before I lost control and murdered her friend… Perhaps with his own cutlery. I smiled at the thought of cutting his throat open with one of the silver knives and leaving him to die.

It was tempting to say the least.

“I’m just asking,” Mark said. “You never mentioned… this man.”

“The same is true of you,” I said lightly. “I believe I’ve heard your name in passing.”

Mark narrowed his eyes. “How do you feel about werewolves?”

My lips twitched at the question. The hunters might be strong, but they were not cunning. It was almost refreshing to meet a warrior of any kind who believed in throwing the gauntlet first.

Trinity groaned. “Honestly, Mark, this isn’t the time. I thought we talked about this—”

“Do you believe in them?” I replied.

Mark grinned. “Werewolves? I believe that the stories of things going bump in the night are true. That werewolves and vampires are unnatural, children of demons—blood-sucking--”

“Mark, that’s enough,” Trinity said, grabbing her keys. “Knock it off.”

I smirked. The man was certainly a hunter, whether he was involved in the attack on Henri and the others, I wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter. I made a note to do away with him as painfully and as soon as possible.

“It is fine, Trinity,” I said lightly. “Are you a religious man?”

His eyes narrowed. “What of it.”

“It is in my experience that the religious tend to find fault in anything they do not agree with so long it is outside of their little, narrow-minded communities and does not serve them.”

Mark’s jaw clenched, and he sat in his seat, glaring across the table at me.

“Wasn’t Jesus given a second life? The church never explained that does it?” His eyes widened.

“And are vampires really such a pressing threat? Shouldn’t you be planning the next Crusade?”

“You… How dare you…”

“It is not of any interest to me to debate the fallacies of religion,” I said, waving my hand flippantly. “Nor discuss ghost stories of bygone ages. Though… it is quite interesting to find anyone who believes in monsters these days,” I said and chuckled. “Though I suppose everyone should be allowed their flights of fancy—even religious, prejudiced, murderous zealots.”

Mark shut his mouth and pushed back from the table. He glared at me as he turned and headed back to the kitchen. I chuckled and looked at Trinity who looked horrified.

“I’m so sorry, Lucian. I’m not sure what’s going on,” Trinity shook her head. “We can go if you want.”

“There’s no rush. Take all the time you need to get ready.”

Trinity looked grateful and seemed to remember something before leaving the table to walk further into the house. Trinity was as oblivious and as stupid as most humans, but Mark’s hands were tied as it was clear that Trinity didn’t believe in werewolves.

I would use that to my advantage. Perhaps I would join him for dinner and pick his feeble mind about the movements of the church.

“I’m ready!” Trinity announced returning to me.