Panic tried to seize him, but Ethan was already saying, “I didn’t look at his file to find out how old he is and by relation, Aiden. And even if I did find it, I’d bow out of the bet.”
“But there is a file,” Ronan said softly, the words nearly getting caught in his throat.
Ethan lifted large eyes up at him and winced. “Sort of. Not much on your background or anything to give a hint of your age. Mostly it’s just jobs. A lot of jobs. Vampires you’ve hunted down. They also had the complaints and charges against your targets. It reads like a freaking list of demons and monsters.”
“Okay. Thanks,” Ronan murmured. He dropped his gaze to Aiden’s shoulder rather than looking at everyone in the room. Discomfort churned in his stomach, and he could feel their eyes on him.
“No, thank you. I know you were doing a job, but you likely saved lives by getting rid of those monsters.”
He grunted but couldn’t bring himself to say more than that. He was no hero. He’d just been doing a job, passing the time. It hadn’t been about saving innocent lives.
“What about the other one with Mara?” Sofia inquired.
Ronan shook his head, relieved they were moving on from his past. “Michael barely has more than a century on her, but he’s nothing more than muscle. He’d attack if the Ministry told him to, but they would know he had no chance of making a dent. After everything the Variks have survived, they have to know that they can’t fuck up their first attempt on Aiden’s life. It will just force you to strengthen your defenses. Each attack will become progressively more difficult.”
“Why not send an entire army of vampires from Europe against us?” Wyatt inquired.
Ronan grinned. That was such a shifter thought process. They were all about brute force and power through numbers.
“One reason is that the Ministry has no army to send. It relies on the agreement of the various clans, and there are very few clans who would be willing to send most of its members overseas to deal with a Ministry problem, thus leaving their own clan and territory vulnerable to attack by another rival clan.”
Sofia suddenly hummed. “I suddenly wish they would.”
“What?” Bel squawked.
She chuckled, her dark eyes sparkling with her mirth. “Can you imagine a faster way to unite all the various clans in the Americas under Aiden’s banner? Announce that the European Ministry is trying to take over the Americas and kill their king.”
“Hating a foreign leader trying to steal power will always trump hating the leader you have,” Winter added.
“Your faith in my ability to win over our fellow vampires is so touching,” Aiden grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He rested against back of the couch, and Ronan slid a consoling hand over his shoulders while still smiling.
“You will win them over, but it’s a long process,” Ronan said.
“And we’re short on time,” Sofia added. “I have members of my clan watching the emissaries at the hotel to make sure they don’t go anywhere but the airport. Jake has offered up a couple of wolves to take over if they’ve not left by sunrise. Do we still want them to leave? Should we try to hold them here?”
“No, we let them go,” Aiden answered decisively. “I want them gone as soon as possible rather than risking them stirring up trouble here.”
“What about anyone else in the area who might be working for the Ministry? You know, besides Ronan,” Winter tossed out.
“Is it because I called you kid?” Ronan teased. Winter glared back at him, but it was Rafe who spoke up first.
“Wee One gets touchy about nicknames.”
“Bastard,” Winter snarled.
“Wait, he still calls you Wee One?” Fox asked.
Winter wrapped an arm around the witch, pulling him in closer. “He had stopped for a while.”
Rafe sat up and gave a little shake, a wicked grin spread across his lips. “Tonight feels special. Little Varik has turned into a hacker. We’ve got a whole new Ministry trying to kill us. Father is finally getting laid and planning out his sex dungeon.” Winter groaned while Bel snorted, trying to hold in a laugh. “And I’ve found a brand-new way to torment Wee One. It’s a wonderful night.”
“Bite me, Rafe,” Winter snarled.
“Behave,” Marcus moaned. “Sofia and David are accustomed to our brand of insanity, but Ronan isn’t yet. I’m sure Father would prefer if we didn’t send him running out of the house screaming.”
“Well, isn’t it better that he learn now rather than be surprised later?” Bel inquired.
Ronan leaned down, laying his head against the top of Aiden’s, and said in a stage whisper, “I love your clan.”
Aiden chuckled softly. “They are always entertaining.”
“And loyal,” Sofia added.
“And protective of what’s theirs,” Ryder grunted, breaking his silence at last.