PROLOGUE
“I need you to go to Arkadia and determine if Fate intervened for Rhys’s sake or Rebecca’s.” The gentleman studied the chessboard in front of him.
“Sir, how are we supposed to do that?” the wolf beta asked. Beside him the lawyer started edging away, as if sensing impending pain.
The gentleman turned to the wolf.
“Oh dear, you’re not too bright, are you? Are you sure you want to claim this one as family, Devon?”
The wolf Alpha stared at the floor, too scared to move or respond. Devon turned his face away unable to meet the gentleman’s eyes.
“I’m actually in a good mood today and don’t feel like having blood cleaned up in my office…again. So, it is your lucky day, pup. The answer to your question is, I don’t care. Push Rhys into a relapse, threaten his mate, do whatever you have to do to see if Fate steps in to assist Rhys. If not, then she was responding to Rebecca’s desire to protect her friend, and that is something I need to know.”
He walked back over to his chess game and began to stroke the small ivory pieces.
“If we get caught we could get banned from Arkadia,” Salsiby said hesitantly.
“True.” The gentleman sang out the one-word response.
There was silence as they stared at him. Heaving a great sigh, he turned from his game and leveled a cold look at them. They flinched.
“Are you waiting for a kiss good-bye? Because I can accommodate you.” The gentleman smiled, revealing his elongated fangs. The three men scrambled and left the office at a run.
“Payne.”
The man stepped forward from where he had been leaning against the wall.
“Fetch the smart hyena I liked from before, the one who used that boy to breech the perimeter. I have a feeling my little wolf pups won’t be assisting us much longer.”
Payne nodded and left the room.
Grinning, the gentleman turned back to the chessboard. He knocked over three pawns.
“Sacrifices are required to obtain the queen.”
Chapter One
Moe Jones stood on the wide wooden planks outside of his bar and watched as vampire after vampire streamed by carrying boxes that held his mate’s things up to the third-floor apartment.
His mate stood off to one side absently rubbing his hands up and down his arms in what Moe had come to identify as his nervous gesture. He knew that his mate was still uneasy about moving in, but they had come a long way in the past month. Rhys was the one who had told Moe that he was ready to move in and take his place beside him as his mate. At first Moe had been ecstatic, but watching Rhys this morning gave him doubts. Rhys was definitely pushing himself beyond his comfort zone in an effort to be a better mate. Moe was worried that maybe they were moving things too quickly for him.
“He is doing much better,” a regal voice said to his left.
Moe quickly turned to where the vampire prince now stood. Moe was beginning to think that the prince liked scaring the hell out of him. “He’s still addicted to shifter blood,” Moe said quietly.
Gabriel stared at Rhys for a second longer, then turned his brilliant blue eyes to him. Moe could almost feel the weight of the ages pressing down on him when the prince looked at him like this.
“He may always be addicted. The Shifter Council has him on a probationary status. No other has ever fought their way back from madness after consuming Shifted Death. This may be something that you will have to live with for the rest of your lives. He may always experience mood swings and anxiety. It may always be a roller coaster with him. Are you prepared for that?”
“You don’t have to explain withdrawal symptoms to me. All I’ve been doing for the past month has been reading aboutdealing with addiction, withdrawal and how to avoid relapses. I will do whatever it takes,bewhatever he needs to get him through this. He is my miracle.” Moe couldn’t keep the emotion out of his voice.
Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe Fate knew what she was doing after all. I had my doubts at Christmas. But, he may need every ounce of your strength to overcome this.” Gabriel patted his shoulder lightly and let his hand drop. “You know that Alpha Devon has been pressuring the Council to rule that Rhys is still a danger?”
Moe growled low under his breath. “Yes. Roman has been keeping me up to date.”
“Devon is saying that even though Rhys’s eyes have turned back to normal, his dependency on shifter blood makes him a liability. So far, Fate’s direct intervention and the fact that he is now mated has been enough for the council to lean in our favor. I just don’t trust that damn wolf or pathetic excuse for a lawyer.” Gabriel’s voice got icy.
Moe could tell he was remembering the lawyer’s insistence that Rhys be “put down” on Christmas Eve.
