“But no one knows what happens after the Medics perform their operation. It was literally a dead end. There was nothing, no trace of anyone or anything. My Sire suggested that I let it go, but I couldn’t. One day, I was at home watching T.V., and half a dozen Pagori vampires just burst into the apartment. I was warned to stop asking questions, to stop poking around; that if I didn’t, they’d be back and I’d be dead. All I can think is that they thought I knew more than I did. Until that moment, it hadn’t even occurred to me that my own kind was involved.”

“Janine, the human, was shocked at the sight of us,” said Jared, who had his arm hung around my chair and was playing with my hair. “She clearly believed humans were running the organisation. I have to wonder when the human roles end and the vampires take over.”

I pursed my lips. “It might be reasonable to think that the Medics are definitely humans. The operations they perform cause a lot of bleeding. Surely that would be difficult for vampires, so maybe it’s after then they take over.”

Antonio nodded. “Yes, that’s a good point. It would also explain why the trail of information is stale after that.”

“It would also explain why the women are simply being dumped, left to die,” said Sebastian. “Vampires would never be so sloppy.”

“Who Turned you?” Antonio asked Jude.

“My Sire calls himself Kingsley, but that’s his surname. I don’t know his first name.”

Antonio shook his head a little. “I cannot say I know him. Does he know what you’ve told us?”

“No. I knew he’d tell me to stop searching. I can’t. As much as I respect you, I won’t be able to stop if you ask me to.”

Antonio held her gaze for a moment before speaking. “I won’t ask you to give up. But you must understand that it is my responsibility to ensure that this organisation is shut down. That means sending Sam, Jared, and the members of their squad to further investigate and to deal with it appropriately. You may accompany them only if you are prepared to follow whatever orders they give you.”

“I will,” Jude vowed.

“If at any point you attempt to tamper with their memories, you will be sent back here, and you will be punished. Do you understand?”

She nodded. “I get it. I’m not interested in hurting anyone except for those responsible.”

“No one will rob you of that opportunity,” I assured her, “as long as you follow what orders we give you.”

“I’ll show Jude to one of the rooms in the Guest House,” announced Sebastian.

“When Janine’s partner returns from his trip, we’ll pay him a little visit.” Jared threaded his fingers through mine. “Until then—” He cut himself off midsentence and suddenly stiffened beside me.

Automatically tensing just the same, I asked, “What is it?”

His eyes shut as a shudder travelled through him. When he opened his eyes again, he locked them with Antonio’s huge dark ones. “She’s here.”

“Magda,” I uttered under my breath.

Jared squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she leaves soon.”

Oddly enough, a part of me wanted to meet the bitch, to see her just once to satisfy my curiosity. But another part of me wanted her to keep the hell away from Jared − particularly if she still wanted him. In any case, I’d most likely have to meet her before she’d be willing to leave without attending the ceremony. That was if she would be willing to leave. Somehow, I doubted it. My luck didn’t stretch that far.

CHAPTER FOUR

(Sam)

Coaching. I was good at coaching, and leading, and fighting. I was not good at playing the hostess. Of course Jared, with his enviable charisma, was at total ease with greeting each of the guests as they arrived at the informal gathering that preluded the week’s Binding festivities. Sod.

It was being held in one of the many grand parlours in Antonio’s mansion. Soft music was playing on the piano and waiters were strolling around with trays of either tiny appetisers or flutes of champagne-flavoured NSTs. As these Nutritive Supplemental Tonics – a mix of blood and other vitamins – were only available at The Hollow, many of the guests had eyed them suspiciously, but eventually they all tried one. Personally, I quite liked them, but although they were quick to answer thirst, they didn’t hit the spot like pure blood did.

In truth, this gathering wasn’t particularly my scene. I wasn’t comfortable with ‘posh’, because it wasn’t what I was used to. I was an active girl. I liked combat, paintballing, fairgrounds, and anything that would provide a good ole adrenaline rush. All this just wasn’t me. If all the entertainment scheduled for the upcoming week was like this, I doubted that I’d particularly enjoy any of it. I didn’t feel that I ‘fit’ in this room, didn’t feel that I was truly celebrating my own Binding. Instead, I was following the same customs as all those vampire couples who had come before me…and I was bored.

Also, it wasn’t sitting well with me that here I was, hosting an informal gathering – even if it was for my own Binding – when it was extremely important to further investigate the foetal abduction operation. I was particularly worried that Janine’s boyfriend might become concerned about her absence and decide to do a runner. But Antonio had pointed out that it was unlikely, considering that she hadn’t been dead for long and her boyfriend was out of town anyway. The members of the legion who were watching over the apartment building had confirmed that he hadn’t yet returned. Though it was difficult for Jared and me to pass on an assignment to another squad, we had both agreed that if Janine’s boyfriend returned before the end of the gathering, another squad could deal with the matter. We didn’t want to put our job before our relationship.

Pulling me from my thoughts, two familiar vampires waltzed into the room with their consorts. The two High Master vampires were the first of the five to arrive. Originally, there had been nine, but the other four High Masters had been executed for the parts they had played in the attack on The Hollow. Antonio hadn’t yet appointed vampires to replace them.

The two High Masters that had just entered couldn’t have been more different from one-another. Whereas Kaiser always wore a grim expression and had a militant way about him, Connelly had the friendliest face and a personality to match. Both of them had supported and fought alongside our legion during the attack on The Hollow.

“Jared,” Connelly practically crooned after adding his gift to the mountain of others on the table beside the doors. “I must say, it’s wonderful that you have chosen a life-partner. And such a beautiful one, too.”

“Thanks,” said Jared as he flashed me a proud smile. “I’d have to agree with you on that one.”

Connelly turned that jovial grin on me as he took my hands in his and kissed both cheeks. “Samantha, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

“You too,” I said simply. See, I was no good at the hostess thing.

Kaiser, having also added a gift to the pile, gave both Jared and I a deferent bow of the head. “Congratulations to you both.”

“Ah, I spot Antonio,” said Connelly a little excitedly before waltzing off. Yeah, he was a bit of a ‘kiss-ass’, as Jared called him. His consort gave me a genuine smile before trailing after Connelly. Kaiser’s consort was a little cool, but that was most likely just Kaiser’s personality rubbing off on her.

Next to arrive was another High Master, Ricardo Maxwell – one who I knew Jared disliked. Still, Jared courteously accepted the vampire’s gift and also his not-so-heartfelt congratulations. Ricardo’s eyes slid to me, and although he bowed his head respectfully, that respect wasn’t in his eyes. It hadn’t been in the eyes of many others tonight, actually.

Not that I was surprised. The widespread view that Sventés were the lower breed was always going to be an issue. But it wasn’t simply a prejudice thing in this case. Connelly and Kaiser had both witnessed me Merge with Jared during the attack. They both knew how powerful I was, and they would have no doubt relayed this to others. Still, as the large majority of the vampires here hadn’t seen this for themselves, a lot of them would have come here with their minds already made up − believing a Sventé could never protect them.

Well they could go jump up their own arse holes for all I cared. The only reason their behaviour bothered me was that I knew it was agitating Jared. The tension and edginess caused by last night’s events hadn’t totally left him, and the last thing I wanted, or needed, was for something to set him off again.

Unfortunately, I received a similar greeting – or lack thereof – from Rowan Murdock, another High Master, and his life-partner Marcia. Sensing that Jared had just about had enough and was tempted to comment, I placed my hand over his clenched one and gently relaxed his fist. Ordinarily, I’d give him a discrete pinch in warning, but I felt a bit shitty doing that when it wasn’t that he was being an arse; he was being more overprotective than usual because I’d been hurt by the brothers. It was pretty understandable, and I’d have behaved exactly the same way.

My mood improved somewhat when the squad, as a whole, arrived. Of course, each of them passed on genuine congratulations before heading for the champagne. I noticed that Jared had been a little stiff with Max, who found it as amusing as always. I doubted that I’d ever be able to convince him that Max no longer had any interest in me. But, then, I’d probably never be totally comfortable around someone who’d once pursued Jared, so who was I to judge?

Evan then entered with the last of the High Masters, Bran, and one of Bran’s consorts. Immediately Evan enfolded me in a hug. I saw that Bran’s consort, Alora, stiffened at that and I knew it was jealousy. Her body went even more rigid when Evan very subtly moved close to her. Although she wanted him, she had been resisting him. Maybe Evan would have let the matter go if this was just any woman. But the redhead wasn’t just any woman. She was the vampire that he’d seen in the vision he’d had through Luther; she was the one he had been waiting for – and it had been a fairly long wait – she simply had no idea of that.

Despite all of the female attention Evan received on a daily basis, he had always been indifferent to it. Well, not always. Apparently he had seriously enjoyed himself in his first years as a vampire, but it had come to an abrupt halt when he saw her in the vision.

There was utter determination in his eyes whenever he looked at her. He fully intended to have Alora and he was ensuring that she knew it. If the way she was averting her gaze was anything to go by, she did know it, and she was a little uncomfortable with his attention. Of course she was uncomfortable. Evan was pretty easy-going, centred, and even-tempered, but he had a presence about him that made people take notice. He could be very focused and persistent, and if that focus and persistence was directed at a woman, it would undoubtedly have her squirming.

Bran had obviously noticed Evan’s interest in her, but he didn’t care. From what I’d heard via another of Bran’s consorts, he actually batted for Fletcher’s team. Whereas Fletcher was open about it, Bran – a very reserved, private, quiet man – clearly had no intention of being so open. Having female consorts was merely a smoke screen. I knew that was the only thing stopping Evan from taking Alora away from the High Master.

Considering that Bran wouldn’t object to leaving her with Evan, I had to conclude that if there was some kind of resistance, it was coming from Alora. Apparently Evan was intent on crushing her defences. See, persistent.

“I haven’t put my gift on the table.” Evan’s hazel eyes – so like Jared’s, yet not – were twinkling in amusement as he spoke to me. “You’ll get it soon.”

Jared frowned. “The Binding gift is supposed to be for both of us.”

Evan waved his hand dismissively, making Jared snort. But a smile quickly appeared on Jared’s face when two more guests entered. A very tall, silver-haired Keja with a very regal air had strolled into the room with an elegant platinum-blonde on his arm. I didn’t have to ask who they were. I’d heard that Antonio’s Sire, Wes – who was also Bran’s Sire – was attending with his life-partner, and I knew that Jared cared about Wes and was looking forward to seeing him. He basically thought of him as a grandfather. As such, he was the only person who I particularly wanted to accept me.

He was also the only person who had a snake draped over his shoulders. I mean, come on, what was that about?

Wearing the hugest smile that was filled with pride and affection, he patted Jared’s upper arm. “It has been a while. Too long.”

“That’s your fault for not visiting more.” Jared regarded the snake warily, making me smile. He then went to introduce me, but Wes dived into a conversation with him about something or other. Oh, nice. I chose to believe that it hadn’t been a snub, but I still couldn’t help feeling a little awkward just standing there.

As if sensing my awkwardness, the Pagori female on his arm untangled herself from him and came to my side. “I can only apologise for Wes’ awful manners. He’s simply very excited to see Jared again. He’s just as excited to see you…although you wouldn’t think so,” she grumbled, shooting him an impatient but playful scowl that he didn’t see. “I’m Lena.”

I shook the hand she offered me, glad when she didn’t bow her head. It freaked me out whenever people did that. The way I saw it, I was just little old me − powerful vampire or not, the Heir’s chosen or not. “Sam.”