The vampires guarding Jonathan pouted, the woman in front snarling, “Not even a bite? A drop of demon hunter spouse blood should give a hell of a rush.”
“An undamaged dad is much more persuasive than half-dead father.” He nodded toward a sectioned-off room on the far side of the warehouse. Adair had always thought him handsome. Dark eyelashes and dark hair contrasting his smooth skin, accented by the light dusting of freckles across his cheeks and the creases at the edges of his eyes that hinted at his rough history.
Like recognized like, and having endured a violent history himself, and he had always been her confidante. Friends from the start, she had never desired him as more. But she could easily see why so many women of the clan had. And why her husband had accused her of fucking him.
The familiar rush of panic clenched in her chest, recalling Richerd’s fist slamming into her abdomen as he railed on her for accepting the seed of another man before providing him with an heir. Joke was on him; their unborn child didn’t survive that fight. But she did.
“Hey,” Blayk murmured, bringing her back to the moment, as he had so many times before. His eyes flashed with the darkness she’d known even then.
“Hey.”
His troops were on the move, setting up a perimeter in case Bennett found them. The corner of her mouth quirked up as she sensed the fear quaking through them. And enjoyed the idea of telling Bennett about the impact his very name struck on his enemies. He’d appreciate it. “What’s the plan? Manipulate Bennett into releasing Tromos? Weak, but I suppose you have little choice.”
Hands resting on his hips, the corners of Blayk’s lips twitched up. “Calloway thinks sentiment is the only way to get to him.”
“And you disagree?” She glanced to the clock on the far wall. “I’d say you have about an hour before he arrives. Oh, and don’t forget that his mother will come too; she seems to really like her husband. Others of Bennett’s team can be here within hours, so he might wait, but so far, I haven’t witnessed him having a shred of patience. Or mercy.”
Glancing around, Blayk took a breath and silently shook his head and nodded to the stairs. His brow was furrowed, but he exuded a calm defiance as usual. He cleared his throat and pasted on an awkwardly lecherous expression. “I’ve got a better idea.”
What was he getting at? She drew her eyebrows together and shook her head. “You’ve seen him. He’s changed, and I’m not just talking about the fangs. Bennett is the ruthless killer you wanted him to be.”
“That may be, but he’s still a sap,” he hissed, the derisiveness unnatural.
“And you think he’ll roll over and do Calloway’s bidding? That he’ll risk the fate of the world to save his father?”
“What about you?” Blayk’s voice lowered. “He won’t fight for you?”
Her gaze softened, a sappy smile taking over before she could mask it. Quickly adjusting her expression, she said, “He’s gotten what he needed from me. Trust me, he’ll be glad to be rid of the baggage.”
Blayk knocked his knuckle gently down the slope of her nose and grinned, “Trust me. He’ll come for you.” He abruptly shifted his hands in her hair and tugged her close. Tongue down her throat, he gripped his hands around her arms as he made his point. Breathless, seething, he fumed in a raised voice, “I knew he wasn’t the hero you claimed. But you might be a romantic after all. Upstairs, or I’ll rough up the bait a bit.”
“Leave him alone.”
Hand clutching firm around her arm, his fingers dug so tight her arm went numb. He dragged her upstairs to the main office. Blayk glared at the vampire inside and gestured toward the door. “Out.”
“But Calloway said–”
“Isaid out.” Adair had never heard the terse ferocity in his voice before. The sound was unnatural, wrenching her gut at the change. It had been a few centuries, but can his personality have veered so far from the man she knew?
As the woman slammed the door and tromped down the steps, Blayk said loud enough for others to hear, “On your knees. You owe me.” He moved to the desk and blasted music from the stereo. Moving close, his gaze softened, and he whispered, “I’m so sorry about that.”
Adair shook her head. “You had me going there. I was trying to decide when to drive that letter opener into your eye.”
“Really, you know I would never treat you–”
“I know. You got me out of Richerd’s reach and delivered me to my brother all those years ago. I will always be grateful.”
“And you saved me right back when Richerd was stringing me up for it.”
“I wish things were different.”
“Me too. You were right all along. I should have seen Calloway’s crazy sooner.” He exhaled and dug his hands into his pockets. “Not going to pretend I didn’t have a hell of a time. But when you left us? I was pissed at first. But I settled, went off on my own, and until Calloway returned a few years ago, I was enjoying the quiet life. On top of the world, having the ultimate plan, he promised excitement and glory like the old days, plus all the human you could drink.”
“I had no idea. If you’d said something sooner–”
“Look, Adair. I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t thrilled to get back in the thick of things. The challenge of changing a demon hunter? Fucking epic. Had I known he was yours… well…” he chuckled, “I might have at least had an inkling of remorse about it.”
Her brow drew together, trying to read him. “What now?”
