“Ear plugs?”
I’m already shaking my head at Rylan’s suggestion. “A few years ago, one of his subordinates tried it. His magic might not work well over electronics or long distances, but normal means of muffling sound doesn’t seem to have an effect.” Logically, theyshould, but magic likes to play by its own rules.
“It was worth a suggestion.” Rylan gives my shoulders a squeeze. “We’ll figure it out.”
“We keep saying that, but no brilliant ideas have come.” I’m not being fair and I know it, but I can’t stop. I shrug out from under Rylan’s arm. “I’m going to wash the blood off.” I hold up a hand when all three of them tense. “Alone. I need to think.”
It’s only when I step beneath the water nearly hot enough to scald that my brain starts working properly. I close my eyes and let the worries and mental knots unwind. The men are here. That’s already a huge victory, and one that shouldn’t have been possible if my father had his way. He’ll have paraded them before the compound the way he always did in the past with his conquests. Losing them is a blow. Being the one to steal them awayisa power play that will help establish me as a leader if I manage to kill him.
What they’re asking for feels impossible, but they don’t have the same history with him that I do. No matter how hard I fight it, my father remains larger than life in my mind. The same isn’t true for my men. I need to stop letting my fear control me andlisten.
But the time I finish my shower, I feel halfway human again. I smile a little at the irony. I might feel halfway human, but I’m not human at all. There has to be some way I can use that. If the seraphim were so feared as a whole, there has to be a reason why. Surely it’s not just because when they have sex with vampires, they can bond with them. There must be more.
There has to be.
The men aren’t in the bedroom, which is just as well. We ruined another bed. I stare at the bloodstains and grimace. Someday, when this is all over and we’ve settled somewhere, we’re going to have to invest in plastic sheets on the bed we have sex in and have a strict no-biting rule in the bed we sleep in. I shake my head and pull on a dress from the closet. Like the fridge, it was fully stocked when I arrived. Once dressed, I follow the faint tug of the bond downstairs to the kitchen.
They all look up as I descend the stairs, their expressions varying degrees of wary. Malachi is the one that approaches me. He’s always the one who takes that first step, and I’ll love him forever because of it.
I clear my throat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped. I’m scared, but that’s no excuse. You’re trying to help.”
Malachi takes my hand and tugs me down the last stair and into his arms. “It’s nothing. A few sharp words are hardly enough to require forgiveness.”
“Still.”
He chuckles. “You’re forgiven, little dhampir.” After one last squeeze, he sets me back. “Shall we feed you?”
Instantly, my mouth waters at the thought of more blood, but he turns to the fridge and that feeling sours. I shake my head. “No. I’m good. I’m not hungry.” In fact, I feel the opposite of hungry. I want to fling myself away from the fridge and what it contains.
Malachi frowns. “When did you last eat?”
I start to say this morning, but that’s not true. No matter how good it felt to drink Wolf’s blood—and Malachi’s last night—it doesn’t change the fact that it’s noteating.I touch my stomach. “I’m not hungry,” I repeat. When all three of their attention sharpens on me, I sigh. “I ate… Um.” I can’t remember. I haven’t eaten since the demon deal, I don’t think. Maybe the morning after? I vaguely remember being sick. “A day or two.”
“Malachi.” Rylan says into the silence after my answer. “This isn’t outside the realm of possibility. We discussed this. We don’t eat. The…baby…is half ours.”
“Mina is not a vampire.” Malachi speaks softly but he might as well have yelled. “She is not going to be harmed by this pregnancy.”
Irritation flares. “For the last goddamned time,I am standing right here.” I march past him. “I feel fine, so we’re going to chalk this up to some combination of pregnancy, magic, and my strange bloodlines. We have bigger things to focus on. If, at the end of this, we’re all left standing, then you can worry and pester me about the pregnancy. First, we need to deal with my father.”
Rylan looks like he wants to argue, and I can’t see Malachi from my current position but I can feel his displeasure like a flame at my back. Wolf, of course, seems as relaxed as ever. He grins, flashing fangs. “I take it your shower helped.”
I nod. “My father has to be our priority. The rest of it can wait. I don’t know how we’re going to get onto the compound, let alone take him out, but you’re right. It’s our only option, and we need to do it quickly.” I clear my throat and sink down onto the chair next to Wolf. “I’m not going to pretend I have a brilliant plan, but I’m done running.” I place the map of the compound I drew for Grace on the center of the table.
It feels strange and a little uncomfortable to sit like this, all of us around the table, but better the table between us so no magic goes funky and we end up having sex for the next three days. I wouldloveto be able to do that, but the longer we wait, the higher the chance my father finds us. I don’t think there’s anything magical about this house. It’s location of being out of the way and entirely unconnected to any of the vampires is enough to keep us off the radar for a few days, but it won’t last forever.
We have to move now. The sooner the better. The vampires disappearing will have disconcerted my father and he’ll be desperate to reclaim them. It’s likely not enough to make him sloppy, but it’s better than nothing.
At least we’re not reacting this time. He is. That has to count for something. We have tomakeit count for something.
I quickly update them on the information that Grace passed on. From Grace’s information, it seems like not much has changed since I left, aside from increased patrols, and why would it? My father doesn’t see me as a threat. He’s not going to alter his world because I might be gunning for him.
It’s a mistake I hope we can exploit.
“I would wager none of the soldiers he has onsite are powerful enough to be more than a slight inconvenience for you.” I point to a spot just south of the main gate. “This is where Grace spent most of her time scouting the place. Because the compound is tucked into a canyon, there are vantage points here, here and here.” I touch each place with a finger.
Malachi takes the pen from me and marks them with a small X. “That will help.”
“If you say so.” The idea of storming the base with the men isworld’sdifferent than storming the base with just Grace. We should be able to get all the way to the heart of the compound without anyone stopping us.