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“I think a couple of days alone is what you need,” Kyson says darkly. “Maybe we can have a decent conversation then.”
He pulls away, strides toward the door, and leaves without even looking back. My bravado deflates. I shouldn’t have pushed his buttons. I needed to get as much information out of him as possible and now I’m all alone again.
What the hell am I going to do now?
Chapter Two
Kyson
Stubborn Beauty
I scrub a hand down my face to suppress a growl. I had known going into that room that Scarlet would be on edge and defensive. I had told myself to be patient. But that smart little mouth, and the scent of her already permeating the room … I push myself away from the door and the temptation of her before I can go back on my word.
Two days of confinement? What had possessed me to say that?
My body calms as I move away from the Consort Suite, my head becoming clearer. We had been warned by the Oracle that she would be difficult to convince. Leaving her alone in that room didn’t mean I couldn’t see her.
I pause by a large picture window half covered with heavy drapery and take a moment to look outside, scanning the grounds around the estate for anything that doesn’t belong. It’s an ingrained habit after so many years. With the advancements of modern technology I can see more than ever before, even with my keen eyes. I know the security system is up and running and I know it would notify me if there had been a breach, but with my destined consort now also under my roof, I feel an even stronger compulsion to be absolutely certain we are safe. That the coven is secure.
“How’s she doing?”
The quiet voice pulls me immediately from my perusal and I turn in place, inclining my head automatically as a show of respect. I am good at what I do, but it’s no surprise I didn’t hear Aziel’s approach. He is significantly older and in all ways more powerful than any other vampire in our coven—as he should be—for he is the Maker of the Thanatos Coven.
“She’s as feisty as promised,” I say. “The sedative seems to have entirely worn off, right on schedule.”
Aziel’s eyes crinkle at the corners as if he’s momentarily amused by what I’ve said. “No ceremony tonight, I take it?”
I can’t stop the bitter chuckle that rises from my chest. It isn’t as if we had expected differently. “Give me two weeks. I’ll convince her to accept me within that time.”
I recall the flush of defiance that had spread across her face and heated my palm when I covered her mouth. The way her brow furrowed and her nostrils flared, her entire upper body heaving with a single, powerful breath. Two weeks might be pushing it.
Aziel nods. “Do what you have to, Kyson.” He turns back the way he’d most likely come. “Just get her on our side. The coven needs her.”
I say nothing more as my Maker vanishes into the darkness of the unlit hall. I know he’s right. I also know, now that I’ve met her and breathed in the aroma of her scent, the coven’s need for Scarlet pales in comparison to my own.
I need to figure out how to convince her I am not an enemy.
While I attempt to mull over a strategy for that, I make my way through the house to the command center. It’s Mateo’s section, as he’s the one who insisted on incorporating the advancements I’ve become so fond of. But I understand only a fraction of what he does. Humans would call that “job security.”
“Mateo,” I say by way of greeting as I tap my knuckles on the doorframe. It’s not as if I have to wait for an invitation, but with the equipment he’s surrounded by being so fragile, I’d rather not startle him.
The other male looks up from one of the too many monitors and offers me a crooked grin that adds deceptive youth to his face. “You definitely did not get laid.”
I scowl at him. “That’s none of your business.”
Mateo shrugs. “You’ve been grouchy for months and some of us have to live with you.”
I grind my teeth until my fangs dig into my gums, stalk forward, and drop my phone onto the desk in front of him. The row of monitors wobbles from the force of my hand following the phone onto the desk. “I need that update you mentioned, and I need to know if anything suspicious has happened.”
Mateo lets out a disappointed sigh and straightens. “Okay, okay. Don’t break my stuff.”
I step back and fold my arms across my chest. My gaze drifts to the monitors, two of which have split-screen displays of the entire property. I don’t see anything out of place, of course.
“Seriously, Kyson,” Mateo says as my phone restarts, “how are you going to get her to accept you? Does the pull work both ways?”
I feel the instinct to snap at him again and fight it down. I’ve never been so territorial about anyone or anything aside from the coven before. That must be the pull he’s referring to—the force that draws a vampire toward their consort over anyone else who might also be accessible.
I can see how such a feeling could have caused problems for those who didn’t understand. But I keep all of that to myself and instead focus on answering Mateo’s questions. “I can’t yet say what she feels, but there’s no need to worry. I have a plan.”
