Betrayed in Blood (Of Blood & Dreams #6)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

I gripped Devon’s hand as we walked through the manor toward our suite. The farther we walked, the more he leaned on me. I released his hand and grabbed him around the waist to provide more support.

I had no idea what was going through this head. The school had been a shock to me. A gaggle of baby vamps. Kids who would mature at a normal human rate until they reached puberty. At that time, their aging would begin to slow until they reached their late twenties to early thirties, when the process would decrease further, moving at a barely measurable rate.

From the first mention that the children were vampires and all through Devon’s interactions with them, I’d kept an eye on him. His voice had shaken the first time he’d said hello to a young male. It grew stronger as he smiled and laughed with them. He maintained his cheerful attitude until their walk back to the golf carts, when his smile collapsed, and a tic formed along his jaw.

How he’d held it together for this long was beyond me. He’d always suspected more was going on with the vampire Council than just the purge—the attempted genocide of an entire race of people. Devon had always been concerned about the fertility issue within his race, but he’d never mentioned suspicions that the Council might be hiding something so crucial to their sustainability.

I opened the door and, once inside, immediately closed and locked it. We barely made two steps before Devon crumpled to the floor. I dropped next to him and wrapped my arms around him.

He leaned his head on my shoulder as his body shook. Then the sobs came. Never, not once through his addiction, or when he found the car carrying me to the manor nothing more than a burnt husk, or during my escape from Shadow Island, had I ever known him to cry. I’d never witnessed him broken.

No words were spoken as I held him until the crying stopped, and his arms came around me.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.” I kissed his cheek, but when he didn’t move, I nudged him. “I can’t properly hug you like this.”

He lifted his head, and the air caught in my throat. A tortured soul stared back at me. He must have been thinking of his family and friends. All the vamps in his life who’d spent years—decades—trying in vain to have children, not knowing that somehow, the game had been rigged.

What else could it be? Somehow, the infertility problem within the vampire species didn’t exist at El Recinto. Gregor hadn’t elaborated on how this came to be. Maybe he didn’t know. Maybe he understood how much this would impact a House leader—how much it would impact Devon.

I tugged on his arm, finally getting him to rise, and with my help, he removed his clothes before falling into bed. I threw the covers over him before I quickly undressed and crawled in next to him. His skin was ice cold, and I nestled next to him, sharing my warmth.

While I waited for his breathing to slow, I laid in the crook of his arm and stared at a spot on the ceiling. It was questionable how much Gregor knew of the fertility problem or, if he did know, how much he’d be willing to share. He’d allowed us to visit with dreamwalkers and baby vamps, but how much more was he willing to risk for his Family—his House?

It was time to leave, yet I wasn’t convinced Devon was ready to go home. His discovery that El Recinto didn’t have a fertility problem was something he’d need to come to terms with. The beast would rise, and it was only time before its rage would spark a light in Devon.

A soft tap on the door woke me, and I stole a quick glance at Devon. His eyes were open, and it was his turn to stare at the ceiling. I rose, grabbed a robe, and answered the door.

A maid stood outside with a tray. “Mistress Sonja thought you’d prefer a light meal in your room this evening. She wasn’t sure if coffee or wine was preferred, so she asked me to add both.”

“This is perfect.” I took the tray from her. “Thank your mistress for me. I’ll contact her later this evening.”

The maid nodded and waited for me to back up before she grasped the door handle and shut the door.

I set the tray down. The coffee was in a thermos to keep it warm, and the bottle of wine had already been decanted. I lifted the dome lids to find huge roast beef sandwiches, what looked like homemade potato chips, a tossed salad with dressing on the side, and oatmeal cookies for dessert.

Then I noticed the vial between the linen napkins. It was purple. A sleep potion. I glanced at Devon, who was still staring at the ceiling, his face a blank slate.

I closed my eyes, thinking back to how many doses I’d given to my vamp guard during my escape from Shadow Island. I added two drops to a small glass of water, surprised at how easily Devon drank it down without question.

He was either really thirsty or trusted me to do what was best. Yeah, he was out of it.

I laid with him for another hour, finishing my thoughts around a plan. Once I’d made up my mind, I got out of bed and searched for my cell.

I punched the third number on my contact list and listened to the ring.

“What can I do for you, Cressa?”

When I couldn’t get any words out, Simone asked, “Is everything all right?”

“There’s no emergency.” I paused. “But, no, we have a problem. Have Lucas and Ginger returned yet?”

“Sergi tells me it will be three or four more days.”

I sighed. Perfect. “This needs to stay between you and me. Well, maybe the cadre, but I’ll let you decide that. I need a huge favor, and I’m hoping you can help us.”

I woke to icy blue eyes that warmed as I turned to face Devon. I ran a hand down his cheek and snuggled closer.

“You drugged me.”

“How do you feel?”

“Amazed. Angry. Disillusioned.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s early.”

“Did you just wake?”

He nodded. “No headache. Physically, I feel good.”

I sat up and glanced out the window. Based on the soft rosy glow, the sun was just rising. I rubbed my face and stretched. “I spoke with Sonja last night, and they understood that we would miss dinner.”

“I vaguely remember eating.”

I grinned. “You woke for a short time. Ravenous, I might add. You ate a sandwich, potato chips, and an oatmeal cookie.”

“The chips were homemade.”

“You drank a cup of coffee?—”

“Which you drugged.”

“I did not drug your coffee.” I smirked. “It was in the wine.”

He rolled onto his back, rubbed his eyes, then pushed his hands through his hair. “I only remember bits of it.”

I stood so I’d be out of his reach. “That’s because you were still groggy from the portion I’d given you earlier.”

He sat up then put his arm out to steady himself. “I guess I’m going to need time with this latest revelation.”

“As Ginger would say—well, duh.” I went to the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth. Devon came in as I was finishing to do the same.

I sat by the window, watching how the garden changed hues as the sun rose. It was a peaceful setting. I hoped one day we’d return when Devon didn’t carry such burdens, and we could take the time to enjoy Aramburu’s hospitality.

Devon strode out with a towel around his waist, his hair still wet. I hadn’t even heard him turn on the shower.

“We need to leave today.”

I nodded. “Sonja is expecting us for breakfast, then she’d like to take a dreamwalk one last time with the same group as yesterday. She said the healer would give me another vial of the orange potion to take with me.”

“Do you think another dreamwalk is necessary?”

“Not everyone saw what I could do. This one will be shorter. It’s important they understand the possibilities and not fear them. And Gregor wanted to spend more time with you. A car will be waiting after a quick lunch.”

“You already worked it all out?”

I shrugged. “Based on what he’d heard about your temper, or at least the rumors of it, Gregor had prepared his Family for you to rage while at the community center. He was impressed by your, what did Sonja say?” I glanced at the ceiling, remembering the words. “Your resilience and even temper. They were both surprised by your interaction with the children. So was I.”

He’d stepped next to me while I spoke and gave me an odd look. “You thought I would take it out on the children?”

“Never.” My response was immediate, and I grabbed his hand. “I’ve just never seen you around children before. It never occurred to me you’d do them harm. I wasn’t expecting how quickly they would take to you or your tenderness with them.”

“My reputation could still use some work.”

I pulled him down next to me and took both his hands. “Your reputation is solid. And with each House you interact with, when they see your compassion, your fight for the future of vampire society, and common ground with other races, it only strengthens how your allies perceive you.” I gave him a cheeky grin. “I can’t help it if I couldn’t picture you with children.”

He gave me another odd look. “I suppose it’s something akin to watching Simone become closer with humans.”

I laughed. “I think you’re much further along than that, but I have to give Simone credit for trying.” I stood, took his face in my hands, and gave him a slow kiss. “Let me take a quick shower, and then we can take a stroll through the garden before breakfast.”

When he stood, I grabbed his towel, gave his ass a spank, and dashed for the bathroom before he knew what happened.

Once we were dressed in our traveling clothes—Devon in his linen pants and shirt and me in a sundress—we strolled hand in hand through the garden. We finished at the terrace and found Gregor’s immediate family, along with Erik and Ulrik, already sitting at the table drinking coffee and chatting.

“Devon and Cressa, I hope you slept well.” Gregor stood and held out his hand. “And I hope I’m forgiven for the shock you received yesterday.”

Devon took the proffered hand and shook it. “Nothing to forgive. I’m honored you’ve entrusted your secret with me. I apologize for my reaction to it, but I’m afraid it’s raised more questions than answers.”

Gregor waved us to our seats. “And I’m afraid I can’t tell you more than what I’ve already shared.” He took his seat, passed the coffee pot around, and called out, “More coffee, please.”

Within a minute, a young man scurried out with two fresh pots. “Are you ready for breakfast?”

“Sí, Louis. Thank you,” Sonja answered. “I’ve arranged for a lighter breakfast before our morning plans, then another light lunch before your trip back to Madrid.”

“We appreciate it.” Devon laid a napkin over his lap. “I don’t know about Cressa, but I’m starving, and all our meals here have been excellent.”

“Can you share with us what your plans are with Venizi?” Gregor’s quick change of subject didn’t seem to bother Devon. But I was curious how much he was willing to share with Gregor, at least in front of his family. I surmised he’d share more when the two of them were alone.

Devon considered it as he sipped his coffee then waited when two servers came out with platters and bowls. Once the servers left and the food was passed around, he did what Devon always did with his allies. He’d already told his House that we were at war. This was the time to go all in with the other Houses and seek a firm commitment of support.

“I began my investigation some time ago with a specific mission in mind—to remove my censure with the Council so I could have a voice in the future of our race. My digging was also personal and involved my sister.” He glanced at me. “Then fate, or however one chooses to look at it, brought me a thief to accomplish my mission. When I discovered…when we discovered Cressa was a dreamwalker, it was my first indication that the Council and the ones before it had been lying to us. Perhaps they all don’t know, but Venizi knew. The Magic Poppy, the censure, even my parents’ deaths were all lies to hide a horrible decision made a millennium ago.”

He sipped his coffee, then glanced around the table, all eyes were on him as their food grew cold. “I’ve always suspected there was more to it, and after yesterday, the truth is darker than I thought possible. My plans are to expose it all.” He cut a sausage in half and stabbed one with a fork. “I need to gather a few more documents to expose the Council’s deception and officially declare war against House Venizi.”

He bit into the sausage and grinned at the gasps of surprise and mumbled words.

“Hush,” Gregor whispered, but it was enough as the table fell silent. “This is a dangerous game. I don’t want the children exposed.”

“I would never endanger the children, and their existence won’t go beyond these walls without your express consent.”

“You’ll require many allies if you want to prevent a civil war.”

“Which is one of the reasons I accepted your invitation.” He swallowed a bite of eggs and grinned before picking up his cup again. “The allies I’m gathering aren’t just vampire Houses, though I’m gaining support with many of them. The Wolf has given his pledge to stand with House Trelane, and while I won’t mention her by name until she gives permission, we have a very powerful dreamwalker who is tired of their race living in the shadows.” He sipped the coffee then set it down, glancing around the table before landing on Gregor. “I spent centuries as the general of my Father’s army. I don’t go to battle unless I’m prepared to win.”

Gregor gave Devon a long look before he shifted his gaze to his family. I watched the interaction between him and Sonja and then his children. I didn’t know them well, but I caught the fire in their eyes.

Gregor stood and walked to Devon, who rose as they met. Gregor held out his hand. “House Aramburu stands with House Trelane.” The two shook hands. “While I won’t sacrifice the knowledge of our children, I will devote what I can to the search for truth and your war against House Venizi.”

Later that afternoon, Devon stretched back in the leather seat as the private jet rolled toward the runway. He turned his head to look at Cressa. Her eyes were closed but not in nervousness about the takeoff. She was sleeping off the vodka.

He glanced at the small cooler strapped into the seat across from them and closed his eyes. It had been a bold move to ask one more thing of Gregor, and it required the House leader to have faith in The Wolf. A shifter he’d never met.

The two of them had a good conversation while Cressa and Sonja met with the dreamwalkers. They’d discussed the old days like two old men sitting in rockers on a front porch, though they’d lounged on the balcony of Gregor’s office that overlooked the front of the manor. Devon hadn’t been sure of Gregor’s response until after lunch when he and Cressa had reached the limo before leaving.

“I’ve thought about your request and spoke with Sonja and the healer.” Gregor scanned his domain before turning his stern dark eyes on him. “I’ve heard many things about Remus over the decades since taking on the mantle of The Wolf. I only have your word that he can be trusted with this gift.”

“You have my word.”

Gregor’s smile was wide, and his laugh deep. “And I believe the son of Guildford Trelane to be as trustworthy as his father. I hope it provides what you need to bolster your evidence for the Council.” Then he’d shaken Devon’s hand, kissed Cressa on the cheek, and walked up the steps to meet his wife and children as they watched them drive away.

When Devon slid into the limo after Cressa, he noticed the cooler next to Ulrik’s feet. He couldn’t imagine what Remus would think of another surprise. As if the Blood Poppy hadn’t been enough.

He should have contacted Sergi on their way to Madrid, but Erik and Ulrik had engaged them in conversation the entire way. Surprising for Ulrik but not Erik. It might have had something to do with the vodka they kept pouring as they asked for their impressions about the Aramburus, El Recinto, the village, and the people.

Cressa laughed with them, and Devon couldn’t help but smile. It took his mind off his problems, at least for a little while. He’d shaken hands with the twins when they were dropped off at Barajas airport in Madrid that catered to private jets.

“It will be good to continue working with you,” Erik said as they shook hands.

“I wasn’t aware we had been.” Devon grinned at the twin. The vodka had mellowed him.

“Of course,” Erik laughed. “But we couldn’t let Venizi believe it was so.”

“And is that what we can expect in the future?”

Erik shrugged. “Until you declare war against him, it’s better if we continue our ruse and collect what information we can.”

Devon looked to Ulrik, who simply smiled in return. “House Trelane can work with that. Thank you for watching over Cressa.”

She elbowed him in the side before hugging both brothers. “See you on the other side.”

They had watched the vampires return to the limo and waved as it pulled away.

He’d settled into his seat, planning on calling Sergi as soon as they reached altitude. The ding of the bell signaling they had leveled off woke him. Cressa was awake, munching on nuts, sipping ginger ale, and flipping through a magazine.

She glanced over. “Hey, you.”

“How long have I been asleep?” Devon straightened and glanced out the closest window.

“About half an hour or so. I’ve only been awake fifteen minutes myself.”

Something didn’t seem right, and he glanced out the window on the other side of the plane. “That’s strange.”

“What’s that?” She never looked up from the magazine.

The sun was moving toward the horizon to their right. “It seems that we’re flying south. We should be flying toward the sun.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, then set the magazine aside. “We’re not going home. At least not immediately.”

“What are you talking about?” He must have drunk more vodka than he thought.

She turned in her seat, bringing her legs up to sit cross-legged. “You were pretty out of it yesterday when you found out about the baby vamps.”

His brow lifted. “Baby vamps?”

She shrugged with an infectious smile that tugged at his heart. “I checked in with Simone while you slept to see if Lucas and Ginger were home yet.”

“You mean when you drugged me?”

She ignored his comment. “It will be another three or four days before they return, and you need time to consider everything we’ve learned at El Recinto. I thought it would be best if you did it someplace where you could relax and not worry over House business.” She held up her hand. “Simone knows where we’ll be and promised to call if anything important comes up. For now, all the orders you left with her are underway, and they’ve made excellent progress on the safe houses. Colantha and Hamilton returned to New Orleans, but she promised to come back once we’re home.”

A flare of irritation hit him at someone making all the decisions for him, but it dissipated as quickly as it came. He admitted to himself that the discovery of the children had thrown him. After his readdiction and recovery from the Poppy, the dreadful episode had taught him one thing. If he was going to survive the war, he had to pay attention to his health—both physical and mental.

Baby vamps. He held back a snort, wondering what Simone would think of that moniker. Or any of his cadre, for that matter.

He wanted to be home, but Cressa was right. It would be a distraction. The news of House Aramburu having no fertility problems was a major development and required time to reconsider his next move. He had gained Gregor’s agreement that Devon could share the information with only his most trusted cadre and The Wolf.

“Where are we going?”

“Simone found us a private house in Cádiz. Sand, surf, an infinity pool, and plenty of wine.” She smiled and reached for his hand, glancing over her shoulder before lowering her voice, apparently in case the flight attendant returned. “And hours and hours of sex.”

He grinned. “You should have led with that.”