"Not many can daywalk. A handful remain. I was part of a project your mother was involved in. Now leave it at that," Julien says, all matter of fact, like this isn't about the biggest shock of all.
"Wait," I say and grab his arm. "You can't tell me this is related to my mother's work and not explain."
"Why, yes I can."
I clench my fists and follow him outside. A driver opens the door to a limo and Julien motions for me to get in. I shiver in the cool air, too numb to even consider refusing. I sit inside and lean back, enormous fatigue filling me as if I've just escaped a death sentence – which of course I most likely have.
Julien leans over and clips on my seat belt, and I see him eye the cut on my breast. He takes off his coat and covers me with it, and I'm glad to have something against the chill.
"Why is Michel in Pittsburgh," I say again, tears once again blurring my vision. "Can I go to him?"
Julien says nothing while the driver speeds off.
"Julien, please, tell me!"
He turns to me and cups my cheek, frowning. I feel another wave of something sedative flow through me.
"Shh," he says. "Michel's gone and he's not coming back. He had to do this in order to get me back. It was you or him and he would never let Soren have you. You're mine now."
I frown at him, but my ability to argue is fading fast.
"I'm Michel's," I say in weak protest.
"Yes, and he gave you to me so get used to it. You said you'd obey him. Well, this is his order."
"I don't believe you. How do I know you didn't arrange all this just so you could take me?"
He turns back to me and now I see his anger in the thin press of his mouth but I also see pain there, emotion, as if he's almost at the breaking point.
"Idiedfor him, Eve. He wouldn't let me go. This is his wish. Now, just obey and honor his order."
"What do you mean, you died for him? Do you mean in return for Marguerite?"
He says nothing and I can only imagine what's going on between these two brothers. I lean my head back against the seat. Despite Julien's efforts to calm me, the pain is deep.
Michel'sgone.
"I have to go to him," I say, my voice breaking. Then, Julien leans close to me and takes my hand, looking in my eyes and he's so intense that my heart does a flip-flop.
"Eve," he says, his voice soft. "We're at war now. You have to get this obedience thing clear. Soren knows about you and he wanted you in exchange for my resurrection but Michel and I made another deal."
"What deal?"
He sighs. "We have to become everything we've hated the most."
"What do you mean?"
He just shakes his head as if he's unable to speak for a moment.
"Soren gave us a choice and we made it. Michel didn't want you to become Soren's property and neither did I. Both of us know what that would mean. He chose to stay with Soren instead."
"For how long?"
"A quarter century. Maybe more. It means nothing to a vampire, but to a human it's almost half your life. You have to just accept it."
"How can you accept this?" I say, my voice breaking. "We have to fight Soren. I'llkillhim."
Julien tries to calm me again, but I succeed in pulling my arm away