Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 48827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
“Thank you for coming,” Alek says, smiling softly at Talia.
That smile from any unmated male would send me into a frenzy, my instincts still very much begging me to complete the bond with my mate.
For instance, if Dagon looked at her with such kindness, such softness, and respect, I fear Ajax would have to stop time to keep me from coming across the table at him. And Saint, who mercifully wasn't here, because he's just mad enough to tempt it.
“I appreciate the invite, your majesty,” Talia answers.
“This mission is as much yours as it is ours,” Alek says, then glances at Dagon. “Dagon, you called this meeting, ensuring that you had information that was vital to all of us. The floor is yours.”
Dagon nods to the king, then glances to me and does his best to not even turn his head Talia’s way.
I've always loved my brothers, but he earns my deepest respect at that move alone, and I flash him an apologetic look.
“I hope the first thing out of your mouth is that you're going to help my mate’s niece,” Ransom interjects.
The highlander next to the king laughs, while Hawke, next to Ransom, seems utterly bored as he plays with a knife, flipping it end over end, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else than here.
“Like I've told your mate,” Dagon says, clearing his throat to rid it of his normal dickish attitude as he looks at Ransom, who seems like he might unravel at any second. Poor bastard, bringing new vampires into the world the way they are is certainly stressful. “I will help her niece if there's any real evidence of her being an elemental. I've got a few tips, but neither one of them have shown me any real inkling that she actually has those powers. Our time is divided enough, and she isn't at risk or in danger. If that time comes, I assure you I will help.”
Ransom digests the information, then gives Dagon a nod.
“Okay,” Dagon says, blowing out of breath. “I spoke with Gunther earlier this evening,” he says, referring to one of those acquaintances from our past. “And he told me he heard a rumor that Conrad is collecting ancient remedies that make transitioning half-bloods more successful. I'm sure we can all assume this is to increase his numbers, and as much as I hate to say it, likely Samuel's numbers as well. The two of them have likely found a common cause and have teamed up. I don't have any hard evidence to suggest that, but I don't mind speaking my assumptions out loud.”
“Holy shit,” Talia says, almost more to herself than the room at hand. She sits up a little straighter. “It makes sense,” she says. “I’ve tracked him all over the globe, and I knew he was stealing artifacts from ancient bloodline households, but I didn't know why. I thought it was just to open doors of conversation to try to get more wealthy bloodlines on his side. Or to piss them off. I had no idea that the artifacts contained properties that would help him create new vampires.”
“And he's not interested in creating vampire allies,” Lachlan says from the king's right. “He's transitioning these half-bloods and then starving them, intentionally creating bloodmads. Why?”
“My guess?” Talia says as the highlander dips his head. “He doesn't want an army of vampires with their own conscious choices. He wants an arsenal of weapons, grenades that he can throw and unleash and dispose of without a second thought.”
“It also keeps us busy,” Ajax offers, and I nod thinking the same thing.
“He's certainly stretching us thin,” Talon agrees.
“And with half of our focus on containing the bloodmad threat, and the rest of us focused on finding Samuel or Conrad, we’re divided,” Dagon finishes the train of thought.
I rub my palms over my face at almost the same time that Alek does, the two of us wearing the heavy crown of leadership in both of our roles, although his has more jewels in it than my imaginary one does.
“What about your mate’s brother? Dagon asks Lachlan. “Has Kyle Moorehouse been tracked down? If anyone had the full list of half-bloods they're pursuing, it would be him, correct? We've already exhausted all of the resources from Mrs. Zorin.”
I cringe a little bit at that, hating every minute we’d spent interrogating Mrs. Zorin. She was the epitome of everything I hated about supposed pure blood vampire aristocracy. She was an evil creature but had a survival instinct that assisted us when we needed information.
But both Saint and Grace had already been traipsing through her mind, extracting every useful ounce of information she had. She only had fourth of the knowledge of the half-bloods the greater unit of the Sons of Honor were pursuing. There were still more out there at risk.