Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
“I have a feeling I’ll be needing to stand.” I get up from my seat to join him. We stand side by side watching the water flow over the small rocks. “Which one is it?”
“Which one?” I know what he’s hinting at, but I’d rather he say it.
“Which one didn’t you want to hear?” His hands are fisted and the balmy air around us stirs with irritation.
“Natalia.” I answer honestly.
“Why is that?” His eyes darken, as does the sky. His anger isn’t directed at me but I have to remind myself of that as I continue. I’m aware I’m one of a handful whom Alec shows this side to. The emotional, the part of him not ruled by logic. He doesn’t need to hide in a cloud of comfort around me. He knows that. The sunless sky and chilled breeze are oddly comforting.
He echoes what stirs inside of me.
“What do you know about the blood you sell to the covens?” I’m relying on the last words of a dead man, but I have no doubt there’s truth in what he said. And I trust Veronica’s word.
“What blood?” Genuine confusion laces his question.
My fists clench at his ignorance. How the hell could they be conducting business right under his nose without him knowing? A tic in my jaw spasms with anger.
“The blood she’s pushing on the covens.” My hard words come out low, reflecting my disappointment with him. The clouds turn dark gray and thunder rumbles in the distance.
“She isn’t—”
“She is,” I say, cutting him off, and the seriousness of the accusation stretches between us.
He scowls and cracks his neck. The wind picks up and the water of the creek seems to heat, the steam rising.
“How did she get that by you?” I stare at him with disbelief. Alec is not a force to be taunted and that’s exactly what Natalia’s doing. It’s not wise of her, yet she’s getting away with it.
“Things have been distracting me lately.” He slowly regains his composure as he closes his eyes and controls his breathing. His fingers flex, the clouds slowly parting to reveal the sun again and the simmering water cools.
“Things? What kind of things?” He glances at me before settling his eyes back upon the free-flowing water. Whatever is bothering him needs to be taken care of immediately. His position as head of the Authority is one that many covet, and they would all kill to have his place. He’s all too aware of that fact, as many have tried before.
“Another time for that tale, old friend.” He’s never hesitated before to confide in me. I square my shoulders as I face him and wait for his eyes to meet mine. A different anxiousness settles through me as doubt creeps into my thoughts.
“We are friends, aren’t we, Alec?”
“We are.” He smiles warmly at me. It eases my discomfort. “Friends and allies.”
“You have many friends.”
“No, I have few friends and many allies. They’re quite different. You are a friend who happens to be my ally. I have few allies who happen to be my friends.”
“That doesn’t sound reassuring.” He grunts a laugh before sitting on the grass, fiddling with his tie as he stares across the creek. I follow suit.
“It’s not. Allies will only stand by you while you have something for them. While you hunger for the same.”
“Out with it, Alec. I don’t speak in code.”
He smiles at my impatience. “Another time. Now, back to Natalia. You’re sure of this?”
“I am. She seems to have the backing of the vampires in the Authority.”
He nods in understanding.
“I figured; they all work together. It’s no matter. They’ll face the same consequence.” Absently, he plucks two blades of grass and twirls them between his forefinger and thumb. I watch as they lengthen in his grasp, their pale green hue turning more vibrant as they grow.
“They’re tainting the blood. I’m thinking they’re behind the abduction of the vampires who have gone missing recently. I’m sure they need test subjects.”
His breathing stills and another round of thunder booms through the air. He crumples the grass in his fist and the stalks wither, turning brown, dying before my eyes. “Tainting it with what?”
“According to the shifter from Sarin’s pack, Natalia made a deal with them. Drugs in exchange for control of Shadow Falls. She wants the blood bank so she can taint the blood she’s forcing other vampires to drink. It’s a new drug that voids their immortality.”
Alec stares at me with disbelief evident in his expression. “I knew she was overstepping her boundaries with the vampires. But I had no idea she’d take it that far.” His pale blue eyes search mine as he questions with a single breath, “Are you sure of this?”
“The shifter had nothing to gain and everything to lose by telling me this.”
“We need to be certain, Devin. I can’t get the backing of the rest of the Authority without irrefutable proof. This needs to be done quietly. No one can know. Not shifters, or vampires. And absolutely not the humans. There would be widespread panic.” I already knew that would be his decision, but his sense of urgency regarding the matter is reassuring.