Betrayed in Blood (Of Blood & Dreams #6)

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Simone immediately called for a motorcade, but Devon took his time. With the House on lockdown and the focus on securing their defenses, there wasn’t any reason for the Council to request his presence. They shouldn’t know anything about the case Devon was building against them and Venizi.

After the raid on Shadow Island, he’d expected an immediate attack from Lorenzo. The vampire either couldn’t find a weak point, was planning a larger attack, which was unlike him, or would try to use the Council against him. Since no attack had come in the four weeks since rescuing Hamilton, it appeared the Council would try to rein Devon in.

Was it possible Venizi had changed his strategy, finally understanding his hit-and-run attacks didn’t work against House Trelane? What was he up to?

Devon ran up the stairs to Lyra’s room, where he found the women. He only took a few steps in before waving for Cressa to join him.

“What’s up? We were getting ready to come down.”

“A change in plans. The Council has requested my attendance.”

Her brows drew together. “The timing seems suspect.”

“I agree, but I don’t have a choice. And it’s better to know what they’re up to.”

“This is Venizi.”

“Most likely.” He lifted her chin so she’d meet his eyes. “Don’t worry. I just wanted to tell you rather than you hearing it from Simone.”

“She’s not going with you?”

“No. I need her to remain in charge, just in case the Council does something stupid.”

“Do you need me to go with you?”

“I need you to help with security should Venizi decide this is a good time to attack.”

“Then who’s going with you?”

“The motorcade is waiting for me. Lockdown procedures. Bella and Sergi will be coming along with twelve others. We’ll be fine.”

She hugged him, her cheek against his chest. “You give them hell and then come home.”

He closed his eyes. What would he do without his thief? He kissed the top of her head. “That’s my plan. I need to ask you one favor.”

She pulled back and gave him a wry smile. “Stay out of trouble.”

He grinned. “That should go without saying. I need you to call Colantha.”

She nodded. “I was already planning on doing that. A second language.” She stared off to some distant point before meeting his gaze. “But it makes sense, right?”

“It does.”

“Consider it taken care of.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Watch your back.”

“Always.”

He was almost out the door when he turned back to her. “I almost forgot. You’ve been cleared of Underwood’s murder. They’ve closed the case and put out a warrant for Gheata.”

“They’ll never find him.” Her words didn’t hide the tension that seemed to roll off her. She’d never said a word about the investigation, but it had to have been bothering her, even if she refused to talk about it.

“No. But the important part is that you’re cleared. Maybe you should call your mother.”

She bit her lip then grinned. “I think I will. Come back soon.”

He smiled as he walked down the stairs, not in any particular hurry. His agenda might be growing, but it had been a relief to know the SBPD had closed the case on Underwood. It was one item off his list.

He met his cadre in the foyer. “Simone, contact Decker and see what you can do to shore up defenses at Oasis as quickly as you can.”

“He’ll be here this afternoon.”

Devon turned to Lucas. “Cressa will reach out to Colantha today. Can you share a couple passages from the book with her?”

“I have them ready.”

He turned to Sergi and Bella. “Let’s see what has the Council worried this time.”

The motorcade, three vehicles total, included two SUVs and one limo. Sergi and Bella were in each of the SUVs, along with four other security personnel. Devon rode in the limo with four guards. He stared out the window for the entire drive, his mind on what the Council could possibly want. The only thing he could think of was the raid at Venizi’s party. And that was none of the Council’s business.

He pushed the meeting aside. Rather than review the long list of things still needing to be done, he returned to his days with Cressa and their time spent in the infinity pool. He was lost in the memories until Mateo cleared his throat.

“Sorry, sir, but we’re here.”

Devon refocused on the view outside his window and glimpsed the Council building as the limo drove up the circular drive and stopped at the front steps.

“Thank you, Mateo. I’d like your and Sergi’s teams to join me. Bella’s team will remain behind to give us cover if required.”

“Very good, sir.” Mateo exited first and scanned the area for threats before nodding to the rest of the team, who covered Devon’s exit from the limo.

Sergi’s team was already on the steps leading to the front door in a defensive posture. Devon nodded to Bella, who had her team spread around the entire motorcade. The drivers remained in their vehicles in case a quick escape was required.

Sergi followed him up the steps with the security force trailing behind and Mateo taking up the rear position. Once inside the building, they strode two abreast with Sergi at his side.

“I didn’t see Venizi’s limo.” Sergi’s gaze moved left to right as they marched toward Council Chambers.

“That’s interesting.”

A lone Council page stood at the doors to the Chambers. The page lifted his head when the sound of boots on stone reached his ears, and he turned to face Devon. There was no expression on the older vampire’s face. Everyone in this place was excellent at retaining blank expressions.

“Master Trelane, your presence is requested in the solarium. If you would follow me.”

This rang déjà vu bells from several months ago when he met Isabella Stanton under similar circumstances. That time had been a Council warning regarding his actions to clear his censure, which had been unsubstantiated rumors from Venizi.

Sergi and the security team followed Devon as the page led him to the solarium, taking positions on both sides of the door as he entered. The solarium, like so many other things with the Council, hadn’t changed in centuries. The room was filled with giant ferns, various other potted plants, and a mass array of orchid species. The page had left him at the door, so he wandered down a path that curved through the lush garden and stopped at an eight-foot-tall palm tree.

Isabella stood next to a wicker chair with a high oval back that would give the impression of her sitting on a throne. It wasn’t unwarranted for the most powerful vampire on the Council and, up to now, a friend.

She wore a gossamer emerald-green gown that flowed to an inch above the tips of her shoes. Her dark hair was drawn back in a single braid that hung over her shoulder and down to her waist. She was misting an orchid, her fingers softly brushing the tips of its leaves as if she were embracing it.

He waited for her, knowing she was quite aware of his presence. She set the mister down and picked up snippers to cut off a dead leaf. After she dropped it onto the side table, she placed the snippers next to the mister.

She turned to him. “You’re late.”

He bowed his head. “Apologies. I’d been in a meeting when they called, and it took a while to organize my motorcade.”

She lifted a lip in disgust before settling into her chair. “Yes, I heard House Trelane was on lockdown.”

It was his turn to sneer. “News travels fast.”

Her mouth relaxed into a tentative smile, but with her sitting in the shadows of the sunlit room, it was difficult to see much more. She’d always been sensitive to light, preferring, like many of the ancients, the darkness. She wore light-colored shades, which made it difficult to read her true expression. But he knew her eyes were the color of soft caramel—an arresting color against her black hair and ivory skin.

“Perhaps if a House didn’t raid another, such a dire action wouldn’t have to be taken.” She ran a hand down her gown and brushed off debris that might or might not have been there.

“And in these current times, a House shouldn’t be driven to such actions to take back something stolen from them.”

Her brow lifted just enough for him to know that whatever Venizi had been telling the Council wasn’t the full story. What a surprise.

“This conflict between House Trelane and House Venizi has been going on for generations. Long before either you or Lorenzo were the House leaders. The Council, as you know, stays out of House conflicts, but actions on both sides are now becoming dangerously close to human notice. The other Houses are becoming distressed over the situation to the point it appears Houses are beginning to take sides. This is not the vampire society we have strived for.”

He used to know what type of society the Council hoped to embrace, but now it was murky with deception. “I’m guessing the aristocracy was upset at the interruption of Lorenzo’s fantasy ball.”

Her eyes flashed with the yellow glow of her beast, dimmed behind her glasses, then it was gone. No one on the Council wanted the aristocracy upset. No one wanted to rock the boat. “The Council simply wants the tension within the Houses to ease. It would be to everyone’s benefit if the two Houses would simply call a truce.”

“A truce? You want House Trelane to forgive and forget everything House Venizi does to keep my censure in place? You want House Trelane to forgive and forget House Venizi’s kidnapping of my Blood Ward? You want House Trelane to forgive and forget the imprisonment of a member of my Family for the last century? That is a difficult, and in my mind, an unreasonable request of the Council, who prides itself on remaining neutral in House conflicts.”

Isabella gripped the arms of her chair, and for a moment, Devon thought she might crush the wicker. Then she took a deep breath and turned her focus on her orchids. The events he’d shared seemed to have surprised her, and he was curious about what other stories Venizi had been telling the Council.

He didn’t envy Isabella. It didn’t matter what she thought. There wasn’t a specific leader in the Council. She presided over the meetings because she’d been on the Council longer than any other. She might have the last vote, but rarely was it the deciding one.

The Council had simply used her to deliver their message because they were aware of Devon’s long friendship with her. One that might end up destroyed over the actions Devon was planning.

“Will you make peace with Venizi?”

“No.”

She appeared weary. Whether it was with the Council, this never-ending topic, or the knowledge of how far this could still go, he didn’t know. “You must see this can’t continue to escalate. If tension between the Houses continues, the Council might have no other course of action than to add to your censure.”

He snorted. “Add to my censure. What about Venizi? Will the Council simply take his word for our dispute without even listening to my side?”

Her gaze shifted away. “You know the word of a Council member tends to be taken more seriously than one who’s been censured.”

His laugh was cruel. “Oh, I’m quite aware that once a Council member has been censured, it’s almost impossible to have it removed for that very reason. But I’m as weary as you. Tired of Venizi steering the Council to the old ways. Of conveniently doing one thing while telling the Council something different, never concerned about restrictions being placed on his House or Council seat.”

“You have a successful House with profitable businesses. You’re a leader in your community. Can’t you leave well enough alone?”

He’d had enough of this cat-and-mouse game, and though his next words wouldn’t help him, he could no longer hold them back. She must know the truth, maybe not all of it, but she’d been on the Council for a long time. His tone was brusque.

“Don’t you see, Isabella? This Council and those before them have betrayed us.”

“Watch your words, Trelane.”

“And what will you do? I’ve already been censured. I’ve broken no Vampiric Law. I’ve done no business with vampires, and there are no rules against doing business with humans or shifters. Will the Council bring me in without charge? If you’re so concerned about civil unrest, what do you think would happen if I were arrested without formal charges?”

“Venizi claims there is evidence to support charges against you and House Trelane.”

He laughed. “If he had proof of any wrongdoing, he’d be parading it in front of the Council, and I’d already be in chains.”

Isabella glanced down, but he caught the twitch of her lips. She knew the Council had nothing on him. All they could do was intimidate him. But they were in a tight spot. After their swift move against House Trelane when Boretsky was murdered and the eventual dropping of all charges, the Council couldn’t make another false move against him without starting the civil war they were attempting to avoid.

He felt like shouting out the list of lies and cover-ups, but he held his restraint. His Father had taught him better than that. After decades as the commander of Guildford’s army, leading thousands of warriors in hundreds of successful battles, he understood patience. He’d studied Sun Tsu and lived by his tenants of war.

He had to bide his time and gather his evidence and allies. Then he’d face the Council and Venizi and shout to the entire vampire society the betrayal committed against them.

Then he’d see where the chips fell.

He gave Isabella a cold stare. “Take this back to the Council. I will not back down. I will not make peace with Venizi. If he comes at me, my House, or my Family, I will retaliate, as is my right under Vampiric Law. This is the time to take sides, Isabella.”

Then he turned and stormed away. The polite thing would have been to wait for Isabella to dismiss him. But they weren’t in Council, so it wasn’t required.

And he was damned tired of being the only one playing nice.