Chapter 74

DEMETRIUS

Rose and I had been combing through the woods all evening after the official wedding ceremony had finished. We’d followed the trail of Eleanor’s dried blood to the riverbed.

Then we followed it into the closest town, into an underground parking lot where we found the cement floor on the last floor destroyed and a quickly made tunnel leading below.

It reeked of Eleanor’s blood and Aric. And a new scent. Not the scent of death. This gave us hope that Eleanor had survived the turn.

We’d just missed them. Rose was up and out of the parking lot within seconds, searching for a fresh scent.

She was still wearing the ridiculously long green gown she’d shimmied into earlier for the wedding. Her long hair was bursting from the braided updo, now matted and full of twigs.

Her eyes were wide when I caught up with her.

“I smell them, Demetrius!” she hissed.

“I’m right behind you,” I reminded her. She scowled at me and nodded, taking off into the woods again.

She had been perpetually pissed at me for over twenty-four hours now. From the moment we’d finished our conversation with my mother, she’d been giving me the stink-eye. It was understandable.

After almost four-hundred years of marriage, I never mentioned to her that my mother had raised Angus and me, telling us that the time would eventually come for us to take our throne back.

I didn’t imagine the time coming so soon. Although I had passed on the message to my children, I had always thought Aric and the girls would be more concerned.

I had been able to corner my brother a few hours before the wedding. Aleesha had been sulking in her room all day and hadn’t had any desire to attend the wedding, so Angus had been forced to attend on his own.

It was a good opportunity for us to discuss.

“We need to talk,” I had drawn him aside. Angus was always a hothead, which is why his marriage to Aleesha wasn’t a surprise for anyone.

“I agree,” he had said, a deep scowl etched across his face.

“We need to stop the feud,” I had told him.

He’d nodded. “I agree. Rose needs to apologize,” he’d answered.

“We both know that’s never going to happen. She won’t apologize for protecting her daughter.”

“She was protecting a blood bag,” he’d drawled.

“All the same. Our daughter Eleanor.” We’d stared at each other for a few long seconds.

“I can agree to convince her to stop going after the blood bag, now that she might be a turned vampire.”

“Good. We’ll let you guys have the Alaska Cathedral for a century.”

“Aleesha will want an apology. And I’m not discussing Eloise. She’ll want revenge.”

“Eleanor did nothing to her.”

“All the same, you and I both know she and Aric would have eventually ended up together.” I controlled my expression.

“I don’t think so,” Angus was stoic. “Our family needs to be strong, and we’re stronger together. Mother and I want to take back the throne.”

Angus had been quiet, then he nodded. “So do I.”

“Agreed. You can have it.”

“We’ll see,” he had eyed me. “It’ll come down to our children.”

I had nodded in agreement.

Now, standing in the woods, I watched Rose flying ahead of me, barely looking back, her nose almost to the ground as she tracked her children.

My conversation with Angus hadn’t calmed things for me. We’d been at odds for so long I no longer felt I could trust him. And I didn’t like giving him an incentive to harm my children.

But I had little choice in the matter. My mother was correct, we could never do it without Angus. As the firstborn, his claim was stronger than mine.

It would play out between our children, between Aric and Eloise, or Phoenix.

“Eleanor!” Rose bound into the air. I followed quickly behind her. We were practically at the castle, and I could just make out the sounds of the party and the scent of human blood being spilled.

The scent of Eleanor’s blood was thicker in the air. And…Alexander?

We burst onto a discreet pathway by the riverbed, and I could see our barn close by. I could see the partygoers.

Rose was a blur of movement. She threw herself forward on Eleanor, grasping at her viciously. I ground to a halt, quickly taking in the scene.

Aric was wet, his clothes stained with dirt and blood, Alexander looked immaculate and annoyed. Eleanor was locked in Rose’s arms, her ragged gown wet and covered in her human blood.

But she was alive. She’d survived the turn. Her gaze was bright crimson when she turned to me, twisting in her mother’s arms.

I let a sigh release from my body and wrapped my arms tightly around them both. Rose was shaking, her body heaving great sobs of joy. Even after I pulled back, she clung to Eleanor.

“Have you fed?” I asked Aric.

“Yes,” he hesitated. “But she’ll need more.”

“How do you feel?” Rose asked Eleanor, drawing back enough to stroke her cheek. I gazed into the crimson eyes of my daughter. She gave her mother a shy smile.

“Powerful,” she replied. “And restless.”

“That’s good,” Rose decided, casting me a small glance of utter joy before remembering she was pissed at me and turning back to our children. “Let’s get you both inside and cleaned up.”

She arched her brows at the destroyed clothing that was barely hanging to their frames.

“Let’s just wait for a second,” Alexander slurred. I frowned at him as he slowly scanned us, his lips pressed tightly together.

“Let’s not.” Aric pushed past him, grabbing Eleanor’s hand and pulling her along with him.

“How dare you?” Alexander sputtered with rage, turning quickly and grabbing onto Eleanor’s other hand. She let out a gasp and tried to pull away from him, but he held fast.

“Let me go!” she snarled at him.

“We have something to talk about. All of us,” Alexander insisted, pulling Eleanor toward him.

Aric pulled her back.

“Let me go now!” Eleanor growled, her crimson eyes flashing brighter, her fangs bared as she hissed. Alexander looked taken aback for a second, gazing at what had been a strong but frail human.

She seemed to be emitting a wild aura. The intensity in her gaze took my breath away. Alexander was frozen in place, his hand clamped around her wrist.

Suddenly she moved, whipping her hand up and sending Alexander flying into a nearby tree. It creaked and snapped in half, crashing down.

Alexander fell to the ground in a heap, letting out a pain-filled groan.

Eleanor was already stepping back from the shattered tree, her wide eyes flashing from crimson to her human blue-green color. She was gazing at her hands.

Aric was at her side. Rose stared at the tree. I stared at Eleanor.

At the same time, the barn door swung open, and I saw Phoenix and my parents racing out, staring at the shattered tree and Alexander’s body.

Purebloods came flocking from the castle.

Alexander was slowly getting up, wiping the dirt and leaves from his clothes, his gaze bright crimson with rage.

“What the hell are you?” he growled at Eleanor. She stared at him wide-eyed.

“Isn’t it obvious?” I glanced at my father as he spoke, dragging my mother’s new human treat with him. His eyes glinted. “She’s a pureblood.”