Page 24 of Vampire Visions

“I know, Lucy. I don’t know if the angel has given any power away. I’m guessing yes, but probably not to Kadence. It’s her half-brother, who we can’t find, that would hold it. He’s the fae-mage hybrid I mentioned a few minutes ago. That’s all we really know about him.” I grimaced again when Lucy gave me his you’re in trouble look.

He sighed. “Is there anything else you’ve left out?”

I rocked my head from side to side. “Not intentionally,” I muttered.

“And which of these males are your mates? You skipped the introductions.” My stomach flipped. I thought I’d made it safely out of the awkward territory, but leave it to Lucy…

“All of us except Levi, sir,” Stone summed up. “I’m sure he belongs to another.”

“Ohhh,” I breathed out. “I believe he does, too. Sarge mentioned feeling a strange connection to him. He said his mate was a fae, and he thought maybe she was Levi’s mate as well.”

Vaughn whipped his head in my direction so fast I thought he was going to break his neck. “The dragon's mate is fae?” He questioned me with wide eyes.

“Uhm,” I paused, unsure of where he was going with this or what the right answer was. “Yes?” I replied tentatively.

“Oh my gods,” he whispered and looked down at the table.

“What’s that about, Vaughn?” Palmer asked from beside him.

“I didn’t even think about it, but I should’ve known.” He didn’t look up as he spoke, shaking his head and scrubbing his hands through his dark hair.

“What are you talking about?” I had no idea what was going on.

“He’s my sister’s mate,” Vaughn whispered.

11

Palmer

Wednesday Midday

“So, do you want to elaborate on that?” Stone questioned Vaughn after a tense few minutes of silence.

Vaughn’s answer was short and clipped. “No.”

We were used to him not talking about his family and all their problems, but Sloane was not. From the look on her face, she’d be interrogating him when she could find him alone. I hoped that she wouldn’t pry too much. He tended to get angry when it came to his family.

“Right, then…” Briggs looked at everyone, “Should we talk about going to Baton Rouge or not? Because if we’re not, then I’m going to go upstairs and make some lunch.” He widened his eyes at me like I was supposed to jump to it. I shrugged my shoulders slightly at him.

The tension was thick and suffocating. Everyone was confused about Vaughn’s behavior, but none of us wanted to ask him about what was going on. Sloane eventually sighed and dropped her hands onto the tabletop. “Okay. Levi, you’re staying here when we go to Baton Rouge. So, if you want to go back upstairs now, you can.”

“Thank gods,” he whispered. “You guys got awkward real quick.”

I covered my mouth to keep from chuckling. Over the last two or three days, I’d grown to like Levi. He was quiet and funny, and he never seemed to be put out by a serious mood. He sat silent, listening intently, and only spoke to break the tension. Like he just did. A couple more weeks of knowing him, and I might start calling him a friend.

“I agree,” Sloane’s grandfather said as he pushed his chair back. “Before I leave, I’d like to talk to all the gentlemen who share my granddaughter's bed. I’m not ready for great-grandchildren.” He looked at each of us with a barely contained grin as Sloane groaned and covered her face with both hands.

“Oh, Devil help me,” she complained under her breath. “Just go already. There are some Alec Bradley cigars in the library. You can have them all when I die of embarrassment.” We all laughed when she glared at her grandfather.

I stood and extended my hand to him when he walked by. “What should we call ya, sir?” I asked.

He smiled and shook my hand. “Seeing as how you guys are all fucking my granddaughter, Lucy will be fine. Lucifer seems too formal.” He nodded his head at me when I choked a little. “I’ll see you all upstairs in a bit.”

After he shut the door behind himself and Levi, I turned my attention to Sloane. She had her left hand pressed against her forehead and her cheeks were a rosy pink color. “Did ya get a bit of sun while we weren’t lookin’, Love?”

Before she could answer, York spoke up. “That was…” he trailed off as he bounced his head around, looking for the right word.

“Interesting,” Briggs supplied with raised brow and a grin.