Chapter 38
It was like take two with a few modifications. Remi stood looking out the window, much like she had the night before, only she had Leontes babysitting her this time. Her young vamps were up on the roof again. Elaine was downstairs while Darien and Garrett prowled around outside in Were form. Alaric, Pascal, Attis, Brome, and even Vie were gone to follow the tunnels and try to find where the scent led them. Remi had tried to send Cait to stay with her friends, but she’d refused and now stood at her back window watching for everyone’s return.
“I can feel the waves of emotion pouring from you,” Leontes spoke from the other window but didn’t turn to look at her.
Sighing, Remi leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. “I feel like I’m always being left behind.”
He glanced at her, a brief surprised look on his beautiful face. “You wanted to go with them in the drains?”
Remi snorted. “No, not really. I just…”
“I’m not upset that I have been left to watch over you.” He smiled sweetly, “I consider it a great honor to protect the Keeper.”
His facial expression changed, and if Remi wasn’t mistaken, he looked excited.
“It’s a very thrilling time for all of us. We’re personally helping the Keeper, and for the first time since times we remember began, the Keeper has a mate.”
She wasn’t sure if she wanted to know, but she asked anyway. “Why is that thrilling?”
Leontes glanced out the window again and then turned to face her. “Perhaps,” he smiled, “let’s consider for a moment that it was never intended for a single Keeper to carry the burden alone. For whatever reason, previous mate’s paths didn’t cross.”
Frowning, she looked at him for a moment. “Wait, is this going where I think it is?”
He flashed her a fanged grin, “If you’re thinking the results of your procreating, then yes, it is.”
Pushing her hair back from her face, she sighed, “I thought the Keeper was actually the soul with many lives.”
He nodded slowly, “It is. The soul seers have confirmed that.”
She’d ask what a soul seer was another time. “So, you think if I have a child, they will have a soul like mine or the abilities?”
He waved a hand around, “That’s what is exciting. We don’t know.”
Rubbing her hands over her face to have a reason to break eye contact with him, she glanced back out the window. A werewolf prowled the other side of the street; she didn’t need to look long to know that it was Darien. He paused long enough to glance at her and then continued. “I just recently found out I have a mate,” she watched him out of the corner of her eye, “I don’t think I’m ready to take it to the next level just yet.”
“Mmm, quite,” he turned back to the window, “all right then, we shall change the subject.”
Remi was all for that, anything but talking about her.
A sound of pain came from his direction, turning to see why she was faced with a lonely expression.
“I had a mate once,” he averted his eyes and looked at the floor. “It was a long time ago.”
She didn’t know if she should ask what happened, then wasn’t given the chance when he began speaking again.
“She was fey,” he gave her a sorrowful glance, “which is taboo. A vampire and fey.”
Remi frowned. “I know, but don’t understand why.”
Resting his hands behind his back, he watched out the window again. “We’re too powerful on fey blood. Close to unstoppable.”
“But she was your mate…”
He nodded. “Yes, and we ran away to escape punishment.” His voice had dropped to almost a whisper, “We almost made it.” A strange noise passed his lips. “Two hundred years later, I agreed to take a position on the council to possibly change things. Mates,” his eyes briefly connected with hers, “regardless of specie or breed, should never be parted.”
Remi felt her chest tighten when his words made her think of ever being without Darien permanently. “I’m sorry.”
Leontes tilted his head and studied her for a moment. “Thank you. Hundreds of years have passed, yet the pain is still there.”
Several minutes of silence passed, and neither spoke. It made her antsy, and the waiting for them to return seemed longer. She looked over at him, having no idea what his blank expression meant. She broke the silence. “So, all vampires have an ability, right?”
“On record thus far, yes.”
“Does it happen immediately, or is it something that they develop as they get older?”
“It can happen either way. Each individual is different.”
Touching her phone in her pocket, she fought the urge to look at the time again, “Emery doesn’t seem to have one yet.”
Leontes grinned, “you mean aside from being able to get up in the sunlight when elders can’t…”
Her eyes widened. “Is that his? Will it increase as he gets older?”
“Most likely, or it could turn into something else as he ages.” He gave her a bright smile. “Maybe he’ll be able to walk in the daylight.”
Biting her lip, she considered that for a moment. “If he has ended up that way because he bit me, I hope it doesn’t develop any further.”
A noise that sounded almost like a chuckle came from him. “I can see that being a problem indeed.”
Remi swallowed nervously. “Yeah, Remi on tap isn’t happening.”
He laughed out loud at that. “I dare say your abilities would give you the power to stop that.”
Hopefully, he was right. How long had they been gone now? It was starting to feel like hours. “I guess you have some superpower also.”
“I do.”
A typical male answer, she thought.
A hard look appeared in his eyes, “I have the skill set for interrogation and intimidation.”
“So, I guess it was your job once the demon was found, or would have been?”
“Yes. It is unfortunate I wasn’t able to question him.” He waved a hand at the window, “It would have saved a lot of time.”
“Speaking of that, shouldn’t they be back by now?”
Cait came rushing into the room. “They just went in through the back.” She spun around and raced back out.
She had hoped to walk in and see looks of retribution, ones that told her it was soon going to stop and go back to normal. Remi had never been as shocked as she was when she saw Pascal with red eyes, elongated fangs, and utter hatred on his face. Attis, who normally would be reining him in, didn’t look anywhere near his calm self. His expression was a few notches below Pascal’s but still just as lethal.
“The damn trail led almost to her doorstep!” Pascal hissed in a voice filled with venom.
Vie nodded, then shook her head, “I can’t believe it’s her. I knew she was a drama queen…”
“…and chronic liar…” Finn added.
“…not to mention a bitch, but this?” Attis stomped behind the bar and reached into the fridge for blood.
Remi looked from one to the other. Were they trying to drive her insane? “Who?” She said loud enough that everyone paused and looked at her.
“Margo,” Darien said with a growl in his voice.
Her heart jumped. “Margo, is the reason people are being slaughtered? The reason Emery was attacked?” She clarified, looking around, hoping someone would tell her no.
“Well, if she’s not at the high end, why would the trail lead to her?” Hope asked, looking at Brome.
“You’re sure?” Remi was feeling numb. She glanced at Pascal.
He nodded.
“What could she possibly gain from all of this? I mean, we resolved our differences over a year ago. She comes in here…”
“She must have some end game in mind.” Garrett offered.
“Did she show up tonight when I called demons here?” It had been such a draining night for her. Remi couldn’t remember half the faces she had seen.
Vie shook her head. “I didn’t see her.”
“Me either.” Finn shrugged.
So much for this all wonderful ability. “Why didn’t it work on her?”
Brome sighed, “That confirms it. They obviously have a mage of their own. A mage could. I know I could place a protective barrier around someone, so it wouldn’t work.”
Remi frowned. “And that would work? I thought what I could do worked on all?”
“It does to those within the range of your request.” Brome glanced at Hope, who nodded her agreement with his statement.
“So it’s big magic that prevented her being affected?” Remi wished for a manual or at least a cheat sheet of instructions for all of this.
“It’s the only answer.”
“Great, just what we need.” Turning, she went behind the bar, heading toward the coffee maker, then changed her mind and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. A few shots and maybe things would be clearer.