My boots clomped with each step I took as I circled around the worn-out couch.
“Go to sleep,” Nicholas moaned through his pillow. He pulled the sheets and blanket up over his head.
I couldn’t stop walking. I had to do something with my nervous energy. “I can’t. I’m too anxious. When is sunset?”
“Never if you keep up this noise,” he grumbled, and then sat up in bed. “Can you at least do something quiet to pass the time? Read, think, anything that doesn’t involve stomping around like an elephant.”
I purposely stomped harder as I took my last two steps toward the couch and then flopped down on the cushions. “Sorry, some of us are worried. You wouldn’t understand that concept, but when you care for other people, and they are in danger, it keeps you from things like sleep.”
“Is that what you think? I’m some uncaring ogre?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “You should know better than that by now.”
“Well, I don’t see you acting like you care. Look at you, snoring away while who knows what is being decided by the wolves. They could have killed Santino by now. They could decide we’re not worth having around either. Maybe they’ll turn us in to the Acta Sanctorum next.”
“Alyssa, listen to yourself. You’re talking crazy. The wolves would never be so stupid as to deal with the Saints. And just because I am not wearing a track into the wood floor over our situation doesn’t mean I have no feelings on the matter. I don’t particularly like Santino, but nothing can be done about him at the moment. If anything, saving my strength for when it is needed is the best way for me to care.”
Male logic. I do nothing because I care
. I huffed.
“Who do you think is going to have to go toe-to-toe with Connor? You, Little Warrior? Do you think you could take on the Alpha if need be?”
“Who says it will come to that?” I said stubbornly, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
He stared down at me, as if determined to make his point, but softened his tone. “These are wolves, Alyssa. They only understand strength. If I have to flex my muscles to get them to listen to us, I’d best do it well fed and rested, don’t you think?”
I didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. Nicholas was always right, as much as it annoyed me.
“But doesn’t it bother you at all that they put us into this situation? I mean, why couldn’t Santino stay with us?”
“First of all,
they
didn’t put us in this position.” He pointed an accusatory finger at me. “You did, by coming here. Then you vouched for Santino.”
“But—”
“Honorable as your intentions were, you dragged the wolves into this. They have their own ways of doing things, and while we’re under their rule, we must follow their laws.”
I groaned in frustration. It aggravated me how calm he was about the whole thing.
“The wolves won’t do anything until after we’ve met with them. Connor’s an ass, but he’s a good and just leader.” He tossed one of the pillows at me. “Nothing will happen if you get a few hours of sleep.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said reluctantly, and settled down on the couch in front of the fire.
“I’m always right,” he chuckled. “Now go to sleep.”
CHAPTER 14
Immediately upon waking, Nicholas and I left the cabin and headed toward Connor’s office. The door had been left open, and inside we found Drew and Crystal waiting.
Crystal appeared to be back to her old smiling self. She’d been leaning against one of the many bookshelves that lined the walls, but as I entered she pushed away and stepped confidently toward me.
I rushed forward and threw my arms around her. “You’re all right!” I was glad to see she wasn’t limping anymore. Her leg had looked pretty bad the night before.
“The same can be said for you too. I’m so sorry I couldn’t go with you guys. But I needed to heal.”
“Don’t even think about it. Besides, Ariana and her magic really came in handy.”
“So I heard.” She pulled back and smiled so wide I could see the tips of her fangs.
“Yes. I’d have liked to see Ariana in action.” Drew put away the book he’d been thumbing through. He hugged me and then gave Nicholas a friendly pat on the back. “Good to see everyone back in one piece.”
“There’s still trouble ahead, though,” Nicholas said in almost a whisper.
“More than you know,” Drew replied quietly. “The wolves are not happy.”
“I expected as much,” Nicholas said with a curt nod.
“How’s Ian? Where is he?” I asked.
Crystal’s smile faltered. “We’ll go talk to him later.”
Before I could say anything else, Connor marched in. His mouth was set in a solid line. Anger surrounded him like a cloak. He shot us a menacing glance as he passed me on his way to his large desk. Aiden and his brother Brady followed in Connor’s wake. I sensed the same animosity from them as well. That set the hairs on the back of my neck standing straight up and quickened my pulse.
Both brothers held onto thick chains like leashes. Attached at the end of those heavy chains, clanking as he entered from the hallway, was Santino. He seemed sluggish and was barely able to move his legs to walk. He’d been bound and gagged. His scarred face was swollen with yellowing bruises. Where he wasn’t bruised, his skin was ashen and clung to his bones. Knowing how fast vampires heal told me these wounds were recent, and worse than that, Santino must have been bled out to make him weaker.
How could they do that to him?
Anger and rage began to boil inside of me. “Let him go,” I shouted before I realized what I was saying and who I was speaking to.
“Excuse me?” Connor said. He lowered himself onto his chair and folded his hands neatly on the desk.
Nicholas was right—I couldn’t challenge Connor to a fight, and that would be the only way he’d let me get away with shouting. No matter how angry I was, I knew if I wanted them to listen, I should try the nice approach.
I cleared my throat and attempted to sound as calm and businesslike as possible. “Sorry. What I meant to say was, why is he in chains? I vouched for him, for his safety and ours. Your son Aiden accepted my word and assured me all was well.”
Neither Brady nor Aiden acknowledged me or what I had to say. They silently went about attaching the ends of the chains to the wall next to the desk, then pulled them tight, strapping Santino to the wall. Santino made no effort to struggle. I’d seen him break through chains before. Why wasn’t he trying to get out of them now? Had they really weakened him that much?
Connor looked down at his gold wrist watch, and then smoothed a hand through his hair. “Let’s try and wrap this up quickly. I have a hunt to get to with my younger wolves.” He was all business. His eyes trailed up to meet mine. “Alyssa, you’ve done me a service and saved my life. For that I am grateful, and I’m happy to honor you and yours as members of the pack. But this man.” His calm voice hardened. He jabbed his finger at Santino. “This …
Saint
,” he spat the word. “He’s killed more of my kind than I could possibly count. His life is not yours to vouch for.”
I wanted to say something in protest but couldn’t find the words. I wished Lysander was there with us. Diplomacy was his thing. He always knew the right way to mellow out a situation. I turned to Nicholas, eyeing him, silently pleading for help.
“What is to be done with him?” Nicholas’ tone gave no hint as to how he felt about what Connor had said.
Connor returned to the calm, businesslike tone he’d used previously. “He’ll be set out at dawn to burn in the sun as punishment for his crimes against our kind. If he survives the day, what remains of him will be cast into the bonfire before our final moonlight hunt.”
My breath caught in my throat. I glanced up at Santino. He struggled against the chains, rattling them, but they did not give. In his current condition, he was just too weak.
“Silence, vampire, or I will silence you myself,” Connor growled the words.
My heart pounded in my chest. I balled up my fist in anger and opened my mouth to speak, but before I could make a sound, Nicholas beat me to it.
“Sounds like a fitting punishment, but I can’t let you kill him just yet.”
“What do you mean, ‘just yet?’” I blurted the words out.
“Quiet,” Nicholas snapped at me. He turned his attention back to Connor. “This vampire, Saint, whatever he is, has information that is invaluable to us. He can help us.”
“Really?” Connor’s eyebrow quirked up. “What kind of information?”
“The Acta Sanctorum is active again in Boston. Santino knows how they operate as well as where they operate. Since they obviously know about all of us here, we’ll need him to help us prepare for any attack they might bring.”
“Why they are active is the bigger question.” He stared down his nose at Nicholas. “How is it they know about… us? We are careful here. We do not bring attention to ourselves.”
Brady cleared his throat. “Wasn’t it Alyssa who brought the problem to our den?”
My jaw dropped. I was outraged that he would dare to blame me like that.
“She’s a member of this pack,” Aiden said with a growl. “That is all that matters.”
At least he had some sense, though I had a feeling he only cared for me as far as Fallon was concerned. Either way, I was glad to hear him speak in my defense.
“Honorary member,” Brady said with a snort. “And she’s brought nothing but problems to our pack.”
“We had no choice but to come to you when the witches sold us out to the Saints. We’re supposed to be part of this pack. That means we help each other out, like family.” The anger inside of me threatened to boil over. “Besides, these problems would have found you anyway, without my help. The Acta Sanctorum are killers of our kind. Unnatural creatures. All of us, not just vampires, not just werewolves. If they hadn’t found you today, they’d have found you tomorrow or the next day. Don’t blame me because they finally showed up on your doorstep.”
“If you’re to place blame, you have to look to all of us, not just to Alyssa.” Drew stepped up to my side.
“Exactly. We’re family. That means we’re all in this together.” Crystal joined me as well.
Connor held up his hands in peace. “No one is laying blame… at this time. Both of my sons do bring up valid points though. Since you have arrived, there have been more problems. If it is deemed that you are the cause of these problems, it will be dealt with; but not until we have taken care of the issues with the Acta Sanctorum.”
His words surprised me, but gave me hope. We needed the werewolves and the witches as much as we needed Santino. If we could all work together, we might just pull off the impossible and get rid of the threat of the Acta Sanctorum. At least what remained of them in the U.S.
“So, does this mean you’re willing to help us fight against the Saints?” Nicholas asked.
“It seems we have no choice,” Connor said with an impatient sigh. He looked down at his watch again, then pressed his palms into the desk, pushing himself up.
“And what of Santino?” I asked. I wasn’t letting up that easily.
“His fate is in our hands,” he said sternly.
“He’s of no help to us in this condition. Look at him. He can barely stand.”
“I’m not convinced that he is an asset to our cause. My wolves can handle whatever the Saints bring.”
“We thought so too. Until we saw what happened to Ian,” Drew said. He moved to the doorway to block Connor from leaving.
Connor growled as he came face to face with Drew. I was never more thankful for Drew’s stature. He stood a full head taller than the Alpha and had the bulk to fill in the doorframe. Connor, a formidable man and wolf, seemed somehow less intimidating standing next to Drew.
“They ripped a vampire apart,” Drew said poignantly. “If they could take down one of ours from a distance, think of what they can do to your pack. Silver weapons would hurt your wolves, would they not?”
Drew may not have liked Santino, but he made a great argument to keep him alive. Connor had to listen to reason where his pack was concerned.
Nicholas approached Connor from behind. He whispered in the Alpha’s ear, but I could still hear his words. “I have no love for this killer either, but he can be useful to us alive. Spare him for a little longer. When we’re done, have your way with him.”
Those words ruined the moment.
What an asshole
. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What’s wrong with you all?” I shouted, and I didn’t care who heard me or who I was going to piss off. Crystal grabbed my arm as if to stop me. “No,” I shot back at her as I pulled out of her grip. “I’d expect as much from you. You’ve hated Santino from day one. But you,” I turned to Nicholas.” I thought better of you. And you as well, Drew.”
I stormed over and tried to push Nicholas out of the way to get better access to Connor. “You’re all no better than he is, but at least Santino is trying to do the right thing. All you care about is getting rid of a problem. I thought your kind were more honorable than that.” I stared up into Connor’s eyes. I knew better. Never try to stare down a wolf. It’s a sign of aggression and dominance.
“Hush, child,” he growled at me. I heard the echoing growls from Aiden and Brady as well, but they didn’t approach. They shouldn’t either, that much I knew about werewolf politics. A challenge made to one wolf must be answered by that wolf only.
Either way, it was stupid of me to try to challenge the leader of the pack. At that moment though, it didn’t matter. Rage had taken over and I wasn’t backing down. “No,” I growled right back at him. “I will not hush. You will let him go. He’s under my protection. I vouched for him.”
“Alyssa, enough,” Nicholas yelled at me.
I felt his hand on my shoulder and shrugged it away. “Stay out of this.” I maintained eye contact with Connor, not blinking, not looking anywhere else but his eyes.
Connor’s rumbling growls became louder. His lip curled, revealing his own set of sharp teeth. Not fangs like mine, but certainly sharper than a human’s. He turned his whole body and towered over me. Still, I maintained eye contact. The eyes are the windows to the soul, and for a vampire, they act as the doormat to the mind. I’d never tried to make a connection with a wolf before. I wasn’t even sure it was possible, but it was worth a try. I reached out through my eyes and into his. Connor’s mind was black. Not empty, but dark and hidden. I couldn’t penetrate through the thick veil he held there.