Betrayed in Blood (Of Blood & Dreams #6)

Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep until Devon opened the door, and I fell into his arms. “I don’t know why I’m so sleepy.”

“The dream construct must have sapped your strength. Maybe you should drink a glass of Colantha’s juice the next time we go on a mission.”

“I did.”

His lips skimmed my ear, his voice too low for anyone else to hear. “Perhaps the emotions of the evening have simply caught up. You’re not invincible, you know.”

“Says you.” I could have stayed in his arms until he carried me to bed, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not tonight. “Put me down. I’m not returning home from a mission with you carrying me.”

He chuckled as he released my legs, but he kept his arm around me. “You know, just because you’re coming home without being drenched in blood or sporting a physical injury, you risked a lot by dreamwalking in an unsecured environment. You were lucky I was the first one in that hallway rather than one of Jasper’s vampires. I would hate to think what I would have found.”

I turned to him, understanding his concern and his fear. After the evening we’d had, he didn’t deserve one of my platitudes. “All I saw was that gun. He was going to shoot me, and I wasn’t sure if the armored vest would be enough. I could have returned us sooner than I did, but I knew you’d be there. I didn’t question it.”

He leaned his forehead against mine. “I’ll always be there.”

“Are you going to continue to make dove eyes at each other or come in and update me on the mission?” The Wolf stared down at us, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Not that it isn’t good to see you, but why are you here?” Devon asked. “I know you’re concerned about your wolves, but they’re fine, and they’ll be here soon.”

“I’ve already heard from Elijah. Thanks to your healer, Rachel’s injury to her leg is almost healed. She’ll have full motion once she returns to training.” He ran a hand over the back of his neck, his expression turning rueful. “I’m sorry for the mess they left behind. The wolves, well, once they’re in wolf form and one of their own is attacked in such a cowardly fashion, they tend to hunt on instinct.”

Devon shook his head. “What happened to the days of swords and hand-to-hand combat? When you looked your enemy in the eye? When you knew you were taking a life? Now we kill people with drones, never seeing their faces.”

“We have made war more civilized.” He paused, seeming to lament how easy war had become. Then he clapped his hands. “Enough of that for now. I have much to show you, but I realize this might not be the best time. Though, I’m not sure how long it can wait.”

Devon turned to watch another SUV drive up. “We’ll need a few hours rest. Can I offer you a room until then?”

“He’s already been given a room, brother.” Lyra stepped out with Colantha behind her.

Colantha was holding a glass of juice and handed it to me after I dragged myself up the steps. “Drink it all, and don’t ask questions.”

“How did you know I’d need this?”

She rolled her eyes. “I just said don’t ask questions, and it’s the first words out of your mouth. Drink, and we’ll talk after you’ve slept at least four hours.” Then she turned and touched Remus’s arm. “We have more to discuss while they rest.”

Remus nodded. “I’ll be in as soon as I see to my wolves.”

I drank the juice as we entered the manor and turned for the hall to return the glass to the kitchen when Devon took it from my hand and gave it to Lyra.

“Do you mind?”

Lyra laughed and took the empty glass. “Not at all. I need to talk to Cook about a late breakfast. We’ve been up all night waiting to hear about the mission. I think a hearty meal will be in order once we’ve all rested.”

I almost made it to the second floor but missed the last step. Devon instantly lifted me into his arms and turned for my room. I wrapped my arms around his neck and laid my head against his shoulder, unable to keep my eyes open. The juice should have restored my energy.

I lifted my head, but it fell back. “Damn her. She drugged me.” My eyes, apparently with a mind of their own, refused to stay open.

His breath was warm against my forehead. “You should have known better. She knew you dreamwalked.”

“Yeah.” My voice was sleepy. “She must have been checking on me.”

Devon sat me on the bed, and I fell back as he removed my shoes and clothing. He repositioned me on the bed so my head hit the pillow. His kiss was soft against my lips before he threw a blanket over me.

“We need to talk,” I managed to slur. We needed to settle things between us.

“Soon.”

Devon shut down his computer and swiveled his chair to stare out at the early dawn, the sun’s rays barely touching the tips of the sycamore tree. He leaned back and closed his eyes. A blood donation had revitalized him, but there was still so much to do.

Once he’d put Cressa to bed, he checked on Simone, who was still unresponsive. He stopped by Rachel’s room next, where he found Elijah.

“I just wanted to check on her.”

Elijah rubbed his face, and his eyes were shadowed. “She was overly feisty and refused to settle down.” If Devon had to guess—and based on his own experience with the vampires in his Family—Elijah was probably as irritated as he was proud of his beta. “I had to call in Remus. Then I asked the healer to give her a sleeping potion.”

Devon chuckled. “She’s not one to typically give a sleeping potion to someone who simply refuses to rest.”

Elijah’s smile was slow. “She changed her mind after Rachel scratched her.”

“That would do it. Let me know if you need anything. And thank you again for your help.”

“I’ll remember that if my pack ever needs a hand.”

Devon shook his hand. “Any time.”

When he returned to his office and met with the blood donor, he checked on other Family business. After finding nothing that couldn’t wait, he took a moment for himself. He must have nodded off because the knock startled him.

“Do you need more time?” Sergi asked.

“No. Just resting.” Devon turned back to the office.

Sergi dropped into his usual chair and shuffled through the folder of paperwork. “I’ve taken a quick glance over the files Harlow pulled from Underwood’s mansion. I need to read them more thoroughly, and I haven’t opened the computer or tablets we confiscated, but I think we’ll have enough to tie Underwood, April, and Jasper to Venizi.” He lifted his gaze to Devon’s. “I did check the phones, one of which was a burner. We have the Rasmussen texts that were sent to Cressa.”

“As we expected. At least that’s one issue resolved.”

“I’m curious why they delayed so long between responses.” Sergi sat back and rubbed his chin. “The best I can come up with was that they were running Cressa’s responses through Venizi.”

Devon walked to the espresso machine. “That makes sense. Do you want one?”

“Please.”

A knock on the door brought the rest of the cadre. Once Devon returned to his chair and took a sip of the espresso, he nodded to Lucas to begin the reports.

“Everyone on the mission has received another blood donation.” Lucas opened his tablet and reviewed it. “We only have a handful of donors who can donate in an emergency until the others have rested.”

“What about for Simone?” he asked.

Lucas shook his head. “Michael gave her some blood, and Madame Saldano said that was sufficient for now. She wants to see how her potions do before any more blood is given.”

“I’m not expecting any more raids unless Venizi has another surprise for us. I doubt anyone had time to contact him once the fighting started, but either way, he’ll need to regroup. If we need blood, we can ask our human staff for small donations. See that Madame Saldano provides elixirs for the donors to help rebuild their blood. And no work for them, even if they feel up to it.”

Lucas nodded.

“I’ll also need you at Oasis to monitor security and see if there’s anything pressing. And take Ginger with you. I’d like her to work with the human staff and extend their training. Let’s make sure the shifters, especially the new ones, are introduced to the entire Family. After tonight’s experience with the wolves, let’s make sure our rogues know who they’re guarding.”

He turned to Bella. “Where’s Willa?”

“She’s in the room next to Cressa’s. According to the healer, who, by the way, could use some rest of her own, Willa has been heavily medicated rather than mesmerized. But she won’t know for sure until the drugs are out of her system. We also don’t know what kind of drugs were used, but we could go back to the mansion and look for them.”

“Duly noted on the healer needing rest,” Devon replied. “Let’s hold off going to the mansion. The cleaners are finishing up. Let’s see if they find anything. Did Madame Saldano give any indication of when Willa might wake?”

Bella shook her head. “She gave her a potion that should help ease her out of the medication.” She leaned against the coffee bar. “Time will tell. I can monitor her until Cressa wakes.”

Devon nodded. “In case anyone asks—especially Cressa—April, Jasper, and the other surviving vampire were taken to the coastal safe house. Interrogations on the vampires have already started. Sergi and I will go over later this afternoon. I was informed April has undergone an initial examination by the healer and then sedated. It’s been confirmed that she’d been mesmerized and probably over a long period. It will be a difficult recovery. Madame Saldano has an interesting idea on a path to recovery, but we’ll wait for Cressa and Willa before we discuss it. Anything else?”

With nothing left to report, the group left. Devon finished his notes from the meeting then turned to stare at the sycamore. It was time to see what Remus brought him.

Devon found Remus in the library, and he closed the doors behind him. Locks weren’t required in the manor. If doors that were usually kept open were closed, it was for a reason, and no one intruded—except for cadre in cases of an emergency.

Remus sat in a far corner in one of Devon’s mother’s favorite wing-backed chairs. A stack of papers Devon knew to be the De f?rste dage translations sat on the cherrywood table positioned between the chairs. Remus reviewed a page before turning to the next. A manila folder sat next to the stack, which was most likely the lab results. Next to that was a decanter of an amber liquid with two accompanying glasses, one of which was partially filled.

“How many times have you read it?” Devon took a seat opposite him at the table.

“This is the fourth, not counting my review of the original text.” Remus sat back, refilled his glass and poured another one that he slid to Devon.

“A bit early for scotch, isn’t it?”

“After reading this and what I’ve seen of the lab results, it’s never too early.” Remus slid the folder toward Devon.

He let it sit. “What do you make of Colantha’s thoughts on the two languages and the Blood Poppy?”

Remus savored a sip as he considered the question. “I’ve tried reading the translation from a number of views, but it all comes down to the same thing. The exchange between vampiric to Drakrotian is smooth, as if someone picked up a pen and simply carried on with the information, just in their own language. I assume the two languages were a built-in safety mechanism to ensure both sides understood it was both species who wrote and agreed to this. I would have preferred signed signatures so we had the names of the authors.”

“Or a House or Tribal symbol.”

“Perhaps they’re in the original book and no one understood the importance.”

“I’ll have Lucas reach out to Philipe or Fiona and have them take a look. We could only hope. I agree it would give more credence to the text.”

“As far as the Blood Poppy, I’d agree with her assessment.”

Devon wasn’t surprised, but it still created a mix of emotions—fear and hope. Then, anger pushed everything else away. He pulled the folder close and flipped it open. He spent the next fifteen minutes reviewing graphs and the researcher’s summations.

“I don’t understand. This shows that the marker that was in Cressa’s blood, the marker we associated with the dreamwalker species, matches one of the markers in the three samples Aramburu supplied.” He scanned the graphs again. “How is this possible? It also appears similar to the results from the Blood Poppy. So is this marker dreamwalker or Blood Poppy?” He also noted but didn’t mention, that the Magic Poppy results reflected a mere blip of the same marker.

“My researcher was beside himself with ecstatic enthusiasm. I don’t see that often in vampires.” Remus chuckled as he stacked the translation into a neat stack. “He was already comparing the results of the blood work with his work on the decline of vampire fertility rates. He can’t be sure, but at first glance, he’s seeing a correlation. But whether that has to do with dreamwalker blood or the Blood Poppy, without deeper analysis of this particular marker, he can’t make a final determination.”

Devon wanted to punch something. How much of this did Venizi know? He, like Sergi and the cadre, believed Lorenzo was behind the Magic Poppy, but considering the other revelations, further investigation on that could wait.

“Have you spoken to Colantha about this? I know you’ve spent time with her on your visits here.”

Remus finished his drink. “No. We’ve mostly discussed the translations and what she knew of shifters during those times. And before you ask, she has little knowledge of shifters. She believes the dreamwalkers didn’t condone what the vampires were doing, keeping us enslaved, but her species were fighting for their own survival.”

“Cressa mentioned that an orange potion she received from the healer at Aramburu’s compound tasted similar to Colantha’s juice. I think it’s time to understand why that is.”

“If we could get some of that juice, we could test it.” Though Remus’s comments were conciliatory, the yellow glaze of wolf shone through.

“But if we’re all truly partners in this?”

“Then she would simply reveal the truth.”

Devon nodded. “She’s been cagey from the start. I understand why. Their species is more threatened than either of ours.”

“Then, perhaps it’s time to ask her.”

Rather than have someone search the manor for where Colantha might be, Devon led Remus to Lyra’s room. Lyra had taken a liking to Colantha, and perhaps she could provide a balance between the parties. He didn’t think Colantha was fearful of him or Remus, but it wouldn’t take her long to pull them into a construct if she felt threatened. Besides, it felt right to include Lyra.

Devon knocked on the door and waited.

“Come in, brother. And Remus is also welcome.”

Remus lifted a brow, and Devon shook his head. “Don’t ask. I don’t know how she knows.”

Remus grinned and nodded as he followed Devon in. Devon wasn’t surprised to find his sister on the divan facing the western windows as the sun lit the ocean. Nor was he surprised to find Colantha sitting next to her.

Frederick was placing a pot of tea and two cups on the low table in front of them. Jamison stood against the eastern window, hands behind his back. Colantha’s guards were on duty as usual.

“Were either of you surprised by our visit?” Devon asked as he took a chair next to the sofa while Remus took the one across from him.

Colantha chuckled. “I’m not a mind reader. I was here to facilitate a dreamwalk with Hamilton. But this is the next logical step.”

“I thought Hamilton was able to create his own constructs.” Devon eyed Lyra, but she didn’t seem upset. In fact, she had that dreamy look whenever she thought of Hamilton.

“He can, but he wanted to try without his medallion. A test, if you will, of his growing powers as he heals.”

“And?”

“He’s able to call us into his construct, but he’s not capable of controlling those he brings in.”

Remus shifted in his seat, crossing a leg over his knee, appearing comfortable, but Devon sensed he wasn’t anywhere near settled. “And this is something you’re striving for?”

Colantha chuckled. “Not normally, no. But we’re preparing for war, are we not? From what I’ve been told, Cressa created a construct during last night’s raid to save herself from a bullet. And, no, I haven’t spoken with her—she’s still sleeping—but I felt her presence in the Nexus. I didn’t know why until I read Sergi’s preliminary report, which he shared with me.”

She sipped her tea and appeared to be formulating her next words. “What if Cressa hadn’t been wearing her medallion? Would she have been able to call forth a construct to save herself? I don’t think so. She has the power but not the training.”

Devon considered this, and while he agreed and understood the need, something wasn’t connecting. “When Cressa was in Spain, she said she was able to override the dreamwalkers who’d created the construct.”

“To a point, yes.” Colantha leaned forward, her gaze bright. “And that’s the perfect first step. But she didn’t create the construct. Someone else was holding it together. She used her power, and I imagine her anger, which we know is a powerful stimulus, to take over. That only happened because the dreamwalkers were weak. She’d mentioned she’d felt several dreamwalkers holding the construct together.

“It happens at my training compound all the time. Most dreamwalkers only have the power for a simple construct, typically with a location they’re already familiar with, and only bring one or two other dreamwalkers to it. In order to build something more complex or have more people included, the dreamwalkers must pool together. If one weakens, so does the construct.

“This is something I need Hamilton and Cressa to practice together. Both must be able to defend themselves should they not have their medallion or if it’s taken from them. Hamilton’s life would have been quite different if he’d had that skill when Venizi took him from this House.”

Devon sat back, absorbing her words. It tracked with what he’d learned before from Cressa and Colantha.

“But that’s not what you came here for,” she continued. “I suspect Remus has lab results to share.”

That broke Devon out of his musings, and he smiled. “You have an uncanny ability for someone who doesn’t read minds.”

“You’re both logical men. Nothing more is required.”

Remus chuckled and leaned over to hand her the folder. Lyra scooted closer to Colantha to read over her shoulder. Devon was surprised when Frederick handed him and then Remus an espresso. He’d been so enthralled with Colantha’s additional explanations into dreamwalker psyche he hadn’t heard the espresso machine.

Fifteen minutes went by before she handed the folder to Lyra to peruse. “I suspect you want to know about the similar markers between Cressa’s blood, the Aramburu samples, and the Blood Poppy.”

“It does seem some explanation is in order.” Remus sipped his espresso, looking all the more like a college professor than the leader of the shifters. “Especially since Devon’s blood only reflected the marker after taking Cressa’s blood to put the beast to rest.”

She nodded as she considered his words. “You have questions regarding the juice.”

Devon was no longer surprised by her ability to know where the conversation was headed. And now that she stated the summation rather succinctly, it was apparent the juice must play some part in everything.

She refilled her teacup and added a sugar cube she hadn’t added before. When she noticed Remus and him watching, she shrugged. “I’m diabetic. My vampires monitor what food I eat, what I drink, and how often I consume the juice.” She slid her bodyguards a glance with a sweet smile. “Worse than mother hens, but they only have my best interest at heart. I believe this discussion allows me some discretion.”

She stirred the tea and leaned back. “I’m not a scientist, but based on the lab results, I would say the marker you’re seeing is definitely the Blood Poppy. And yes, the juice has Blood Poppy in it. Not in a large amount, but in combination with other herbs meant to strengthen the mind and focus our natural mental energy.”

It was beginning to make sense, but Remus spoke first.

“This is what you explained about the Blood Poppy being the bringer of life. It’s the missing piece to the vampire’s fertility.”

She nodded. “And dreamwalkers as well, as it turns out. However, we didn’t know for sure until the vampires destroyed most of the poppy fields. Our own birth rates dropped except for those Tribes who still had access to the Blood Poppy. Isn’t it strange that the vampire and dreamwalker species both require the Blood Poppy for its survival as a race, yet the shifters don’t?”

“It seems that makes the shifters more kin to humans,” Remus offered.

“Or another species without the dependencies,” Colantha agreed.

“You said the juice was addictive.” Devon sat forward, remembering the taste of it and Cressa’s withdrawal symptoms.

“It’s quite addictive. That’s why I only use the bare minimum of Blood Poppy and why the juice can’t be drunk for long intervals.”

“I’ve suspected that Magic Poppy was derived from the Blood Poppy, yet there doesn’t seem to be much evidence to support that theory based on the lab results.”

“I noticed that.” Colantha set down her teacup. “I agree the two are linked, but we need a sample of the Magic Poppy to validate those assumptions. Something else would have to have been added to the Blood Poppy. That alone, regardless of the amount, wouldn’t create madness in a vampire or force the beast to take control. There must be other chemicals involved.”

Remus ran a hand through this hair. “There were other unidentifiable markers in the blood sample of Devon’s beast. They could be anything. I agree we need a sample of the Magic Poppy to determine any connection to the Blood Poppy.”

“We need to find Venizi’s lab.” Devon was positive all the answers were there.

“That was something I wanted to share with you,” Remus said. “We have a strong lead regarding the lab, and I’ve sent a team to investigate.”