Primal Kill (The Order of Vampires #5)

Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

D ane should have anticipated someone stopping them before they even set foot on the farm. Immortals had noses for scenting other immortals, and the males were extremely predatory when it came to protecting their females.

“Who’s your friend, Dane?” Cain stepped out of the woods and eyed Lazarus with territorial challenge.

“Easy, son,” Lazarus said, not at all threatened.

Cain raised a brow. “I’m not your son. And you’re on my land.”

“Cain, this is Lazarus Schrock. Lazarus, this is Cain Hartzler.”

“Schrock?”

“He’s Adriel’s father. We came to speak to Christian.”

“First, you’ll need to ask the Bishop for permission. ”

“Seriously?”

Cain shrugged. “I’m not worried about you. But your friend here… I don’t know him.”

“Fine.”

They walked to the safe house where the Bishop lived. Though only a few months had passed since he left, everything wore the foreign unfamiliarity of a dream. It was then he realized, the farm hadn’t changed, but Dane had.

Lazarus was quiet along the journey, his sharp eyes taking in every detail as if mentally recording the property and noting any security pitfalls. Dane only wanted to get Christian and go. He hoped his half-brother could put their differences aside for once. This was about Adriel. If he couldn’t see that, he truly was the bastard the rumors claimed him to be.

As they crested the knoll, the safe house came into view. Cain led them away from the houses and took a detour, eventually leading them to the steps of their destination.

“Stay here. I’ll get Eleazar.” He left them in the public lobby of Council Hall.

Dane wondered if there had been any sightings of Isaiah or his sister, but he didn’t feel welcome to ask especially since Cain wasn’t being his usual chatty self in front of outsiders.

Lazarus scanned the farm from a window, his eyes narrowing at the sight of three females walking in the distance. He was no doubt drawing comparisons about their Amish lifestyle.

“He won’t be long. ”

Lazarus nodded, taking in the sign over the entrance to the main chamber where meetings were held. He frowned.

“Can you read Swiss German?”

“I cannot, but the message is implied.”

Dane didn’t know what the sign said, but he imagined it had to do with religion or submission.

Lazarus crossed the corridor, stopping just in front of the double doors. His stare dropped to the bench and his hand trembled as he reached out to touch the wood, exactly where Adriel used to sit.

“My daughter has been here in this exact place.”

“Many times.” It was her bench. The Bishop had put it there upon her insistence. “She liked to listen to the meetings. Females weren’t allowed inside unless summoned by the elders.”

Lazarus appeared confused by such a rule. “Why?”

Dane shrugged. “They have primitive beliefs.”

His frown deepened. “And my daughter accepted this?”

“Not really.” He chuckled. “She challenged them every chance she got.” He looked at the bench. “She was also good at psychometry.”

Adriel had a gift for tracing the ephemeral passing of living things, which was likely how Lazarus knew she’d been there.

He smiled. “She did?”

“Yeah. Guess she inherited that from you. ”

A wave of pride radiated from him just as the doors to the private offices opened. “Dane,” the Bishop greeted with guarded curiosity. Cain followed silently. The Bishop extended a hand to Lazarus. “Good afternoon. I’m Eleazar King.”

“Lazarus Schrock.”

“So it’s true. You’re Adriel’s father?”

“Yes.”

Eleazar looked at Dane. “Is she?—”

“Cerberus found her.”

The Bishop’s expression shuttered. “I’m sorry to hear that. I had hoped…”

“I appreciate your sympathy, but we haven’t much time,” Lazarus said, getting right to business. “My daughter’s in danger, and we require all the help we can get. I’m told she has a son.”

“Christian will certainly assist you. But if you’re enlisting help, I’d like to also offer myself. I’ve faced Cerberus before. Three won’t be enough.”

“We also have my mate and a kitsune witch.”

Eleazar frowned. “You’re working with a witch?”

“We are.”

“Is that wise?”

“Juniper is under my protection. As is Dane.”

“I see.” The Bishop studied Dane, but when he tried to probe into his memories, Lazarus stepped in front of him.

“Like I said, they’re under my protection.”

“Fair enough. I’ll escort you to Christian’s house. ”

Dane followed Lazarus and the Bishop only to get yanked back by Cain. “Who is that guy?”

Dane frowned. “You heard him. He’s Adriel’s father.”

Cain stared after the two elders. “He’s rogue.”

“That doesn’t make him bad.”

“I didn’t say it did.” Cain looked after them with a spark of awe in his eyes. “You don’t see many like that.”

“Not here. He says there are lots of free covens in Europe.” He smirked and plucked his suspenders. “No dress codes either.”

Cain scowled at him and then grinned. “You look like you’re doing all right on the outside.”

“I’m managing.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” He glanced at the large clock in the corner. “I have to get going. I told Destiny I’d be right back and that was a while ago.”

“Tell her I said hi.”

“I will.” He was gone in a blink. So were any signs of the Bishop and Lazarus. Dane sighed and headed toward Christian’s house only to pause when a soft female voice called his name.

“Dane.” Her voice shot through him like a bolt of lightning.

Grace appeared leaving the private estate connected to Council Hall and words failed him. She must have been visiting her sister.

Her expression hardened and she scowled. “Are you back?”

“No. ”

Her lips formed a fine line, and her jaw trembled. “Then why are you here?”

“We’re only passing through.”

“We?”

He debated how much to share, knowing Gracie often worried more than necessary about his safety. It was sweet, but also an emasculating reminder that she viewed him as weak. “I’m traveling with an immortal couple named Lazarus and Lilias Schrock.”

“Schrock? As in Christian and Adriel?”

“Her parents. We found them in Greece.”

“Greece? Is that where you’ve been living?”

“Well, no, not exactly. I was in New York for a while. Ithaca. But then we left.”

“We?”

He inwardly cursed. “I was staying with Adriel, but also Juniper?—”

“The witch?”

“It’s not like that, Grace. We’re friends.”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t you befriend the one person who destroyed my family.”

“She’s sorry for that.”

“Does she plan to fix my father?”

“She can’t. Not yet, at least, but she’s getting stronger. Her magick’s improving. You should see what she can?—”

“Spare me your gushing praise. That witch is dangerous and you shouldn’t trust her.”

“You don’t know her.”

“I know you.”

“What does that mean? ”

She looked away, but not before he caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. Was she jealous?

“We’re only friends, Grace.”

“Don’t you have enough friends ?” A tear slipped past her lashes.

“Hey.” He caught her hand. “Don’t cry.”

“I’ll survive.” She wiped her eyes and straightened her shoulders, but she wouldn’t meet his stare.

“Have you been…okay?”

She shrugged. “It’s been quiet here since you left.”

He tried to smile, but failed. “Bet you’re not getting as many headaches with me gone.”

She laughed, the sound watery and adorable. “Sometimes I miss them.”

“No you don’t.”

She finally met his stare, and a million secrets passed between them. “As much as a literal pain blocking you from my mind was, I got used to it. Without the headaches, I always feel like I’m forgetting something.”

She would eventually forget him. He released her hand and rubbed his chest. “Has there been any sighting of…”

“No.” Genuine remorse flashed in her crystal blue eyes. “No one has seen Isaiah or Cybil since the night you left.”

Dane thought about Lazarus. The immortal had so much knowledge about so many things. “The family I’m staying with is teaching me things they don’t teach you here. There’s a whole world of immortals out there, Grace. Covens that make their own rules. The females are treated as equals and have so much freedom.”

“I like my home. I feel protected here.”

“I’m just saying you have options if you ever want to leave.”

“I don’t.”

“Well…” Some things never changed. There was no point spiraling toward the same old arguments. “I should get going.”

“Why are you here, Dane?”

“Adriel’s in trouble. We’re picking up Christian.”

“Why?”

He didn’t want to worry her, but he also didn’t want to lie. “Our father abducted Adriel. He’s hurting her, and we have to save her.”

“You mean her mate.”

“He’s not her mate. He’s been lying to her. It’s a long story, but we need all the help we can get. The Bishop’s also joining us.”

“Eleazar’s going with you? Does Larissa know?”

“I’m sure he told her by now.” Mates typically communicated through a live mental link from what he understood.

Grace looked back at the house. “I should check on her.”

“Okay.”

She hesitated, her stare pulling between her sister’s house and him. “This is dangerous.”

“I’ll be careful. ”

Her breathing quickened as she prepared to argue, but there was no chance he was sitting this one out.

“I love you, Gracie.”

“Dane, don’t. We’ve been through this.”

“I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to say this again, so let me just get this out. I love you. I’m not mad anymore. I just want you to be happy, so whatever it takes for that to happen, do it.”

Twin tears chased down her cheek as she nodded at the ground. “Do you have to go?”

“You and I both know I can’t stay.”

“If you ask the Bishop to forgive your transgressions?—”

“That’s not why I can’t stay here, Grace.”

She sniffled and looked away. “Promise you won’t put yourself in danger.”

“I can’t.”

“Then promise me you’ll survive.”

Even that might be a tall order. “How about you make a promise to me.”

“What do you want?”

He closed the distance, unable to stand the sight of her tears. “Promise not to waste anymore tears on me.”

She turned her face away, unable to meet his stare. “I don’t want you to get hurt.” She wiped her eyes. “You’re only half-immortal.”

And just like that, she cut him down to size. He’d never be more than half a man to her. It was best she viewed him that way than realize what he really was, some mixed mortal draugr that hailed from an abusive psychopath.

“I know what I am. I also know I have to do this.” Leaving her was never easy, which was why he’d avoided the goodbye the first time. “No more tears, okay?” He wiped away the last of them, forced himself to turn away but her thoughts flooded his mind in a wave of soft images, each one tightened his chest like a vise around his heart.

“Dane, wait!”

He turned, and she threw her arms around him, her lips sealing to his. Heart thundering, he caught her waist, lifting her feet off the ground, and kissing her hard enough that the bonnet covering her hair fell to the grass.

“Grace…” The heady perfume of her desire sweetened the air like a soft rain.

“I don’t want you to go,” she said, her lips damp with tears as they pressed into his. “I know you have to, and this is for the best, but I hate it.” Her fist thumped over his heart, and a storm of emotion crashed over him.

“Shh-shh-shh.” He sank into the kiss, not strong enough to deny himself the final pleasure that would most certainly end in agony.

The heat of her palm on his skin sent his heart hammering. Knowing this would be the last time, his last chance to show her what she did to him, he held nothing back.

He pulled her closer, and she pushed into him as if trying to embed herself there. It didn’t matter that her kisses were untrained or inexperienced. Her desire ravaged him in ways that would haunt him for the rest of his life. No other female could ever compare.

She was perfect. In all of her charming imperfections, she was somehow flawless. Everything he wanted. Everything he needed. And the one thing he’d never truly have.

Breathless, he broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. Dark, damp lashes spiked around those stunning pools of crystal blue. His thumb brushed softly over her lower lip, and he smiled at the sight of her fangs.

For once, she didn’t hide her feelings from him. Her mind was open, but he read all he needed to know -- the truth in her stare. “You shouldn’t look at me like that, Grace. Not when there will inevitably be someone else.”

Her gaze turned away. “Eventually, yes, my mate will come. But you will always be my first love, Dane Foster.”

She was killing him. How was he supposed to let her go now, knowing some other man would eventually touch her like this?

With aching slowness, he lowered his mouth to hers one last time and whispered, “I may be your first love, Gracie Hartzler, but you will always be my greatest.”

The agony spread from his chest to his legs as he gently stepped away, caressing her cheek until his hand could no longer reach her. He bent to retrieve her bonnet and placed it over her hair. “Take care of yourself.”

She nodded, already breaking her promise about the tears. “Stay safe, Dane.”

His mouth formed an ingenuine smile. Guess they both planned to break their vows. “I will,” he lied then finally turned away.