As a relatively new sireling, Erin still technically needed my permission to change jobs, residences, or any other number of things, though as the decades had gone on, the rules of the Vampire Nation had evolved and changed. But with Blood Wyne’s reemergence into mainstream vampire society, I had a feeling we were headed back into a more regimented manner of decorum.
“I’m just glad it agrees with you. Listen, Erin—I have to cancel our plans next week. I can’t tell you exactly why, but trust me, I’d rather not have to bail on you. But right now, my sisters and I are into something pretty deep and we need all our focus.” I had recently begun instituting a weekly get-together with Erin. I didn’t want her to feel like I had just left her to fend for herself, and since she had moved to the Seattle Vampire Nexus to work, chances were I was going to run into her more and more.
She nodded. “No problem. We have exams coming up next week, anyway. It will give me more time to study. I want to make you proud.” Simply put, but plain and poignant, nonetheless.
I smiled. “You already do. But yes, study hard. If you’re going to rise through the ranks here, you’ll want every advantage you can get. I’ll call you later on and we’ll reschedule.” As I turned to go, another one of the security officers dashed up.
“Lord Roman is asking for you, Lady.”
“I’m on my way.” I nodded as he bowed. Glancing at the clock, I took the stairs two at a time. It was already close to four thirty and I had less than an hour before I needed to be home. I could always sleep here, no problem, but I preferred my home base. Though I was probably safer here than at home, if I was honest about it.
Roman was behind his desk when I entered the room. He glanced up at me. “You talked to Erin?”
“Yes, she seems happy and I’m grateful you took her under your wing.” I meant it. Roman liked overseeing people. I didn’t mind at the Wayfarer—after all, it was my bar—but that was about the extent of my desire to be any sort of a leader.
“She’s going to go far here. I’m assigning you twenty of my elite guards. They can patrol the streets for you and fight with you. They’re all trustworthy—they’ve been through loyalty tests.” His emphasis on the last gave me an involuntary shudder. From the little I had seen, Roman’s “loyalty tests” were brutal and harsh. They were far better than a lie detector and only one step down from a truth serum. “Be here as soon as you can after sunset tonight in order to explain their duties and your expectations of them. I have given explicit orders that your voice is my voice in matters of authority on this subject.”
I nodded, grateful for the extra help. “We need all the help we can get.”
“I agree. Which is why I am going to make a trip to visit my mother again. She needs to know about this development. I’ll go as soon as I wake up this evening, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. We may be able to reach some of the vamps over in Otherworld to go up against Telazhar, but to be honest, I have my doubts about that. They do not kneel to my mother.”
“No, they don’t, and they’re far more loners than team players.” I shook my head. Once they had kicked Dracula over Earthside, it was every vamp for himself, and while certain city-states and lands had rules regarding vamps, truth was, they were hard to enforce. In fact, vampires got along with general society over here much better than they did in Otherworld. Yet one more odd disparity. I glanced at the clock. “I’d better get home or they’ll be worrying.”
Roman stood then and held out his arms. “Menolly . . .”
I slid into his embrace, the cool chill of his skin mirroring my own. When he stood still, he reminded me of an alabaster or porcelain statue, he was so pale. How he had managed to keep his mind from careening into madness over the centuries, I wasn’t sure. And I wondered about his mother, as well. Blood Wyne was formidable and—in so many ways—terrifying, but she was as sane as I was.
“Thank you. Thank you for wanting to help.” I leaned my head against his shoulder, wishing I had time to stay and play. I could let go fully with Roman, in a way I never could with Nerissa without fear of hurting her. Roman was my fail-safe. We could get rough and dirty and feed on one another when the hunger overwhelmed us. But there was one little problem. Roman had fallen in love with me. And I didn’t love him. Oh, I did, in a way. At least, as a friend. And we had incredible sexual chemistry together. But I would never love him the way I loved Nerissa.