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"Remind me why we have to do this again?"

It was like Paul was a broken record, asking the same questions over and over, day after day, but strangely, none of his brothers called him out on it. Paul wasn't as dumb as he pretended to be around strangers; if he was repeating himself, it either meant that the situation was beyond even his considerable, if hidden, intellect, or he was stressed out. Given the events of the last week, especially last night, it was definitely the latter. Dwayne was just glad that Paul hadn't said it out loud this time, given the delicate position they were all in now. He didn't turn away from Nash, instead answering his brother with a thought.

"Because it's part of the plan, Paul. This was all put together months ago, and if we don't want to look weak, we have to follow through. If we change things now, everyone will know it's because of them." The last word was said with so much contempt that Paul shuddered across the room.

"Oh."

"You'll be all right, Paul. I promise. Just hang around Lee and Murtagh. You guys get along, right?"

"You know we do."

"Then stick with them and just try to ignore the fact that they're here."

"Okay. Got it."

"…And if you need me, I'm here, brother. I'm not going anywhere."

"…Thank you, bro."

"You zoning out, boss?" Nash grinned, although his eyes darted around the room, always looking for a threat or a security breach.

"Nah, just talking to my brother. Everything set up?" Dwayne gave himself a mental shake, looking around the warehouse.

"Yeah. I brought in everyone, and I mean everyone. I'm not risking anything tonight." Nash growled. "Some of the younger ones are raring to fight, though. Kai, for one. Red and Sparrow having been huddling together ever since they got here, and that's never a good thing."

"I'll have Marko sort them out. As for Kai, send him over to Jamie. She's good with kids."

"He'd be so mad if he heard you call him that!" Nash laughed, his posture relaxing by a fraction or two. Dwayne's lieutenant was usually quick with a smile and a laugh, but tonight he was glowering so darkly that a few fledglings had nearly pissed themselves just from the sight of him.

"It's the truth and we all know it. The kid's the baby of bunch, now. Paul's so happy that he's got someone to lord that over now." Dwayne grinned at Nash, who remembered how much teasing Kai had gone through once he'd joined the coven. Mae had shut down Paul's 'big brother' talk ages ago, so he'd been in need of a new victim for years.

Their laughter died out all too soon, though, and Nash pulled his hair back into a ponytail, needing the long locks out of his face, just in case there was a fight after all. Dwayne left his loose, as always. The coven was once again dressed in military style, the soldiers in matching jackets with the laughing skull, while Mae had bullied her brothers into more refined versions of their usual outfits. Dwayne cast an appraising eye around the warehouse one more time while he sent Nash off to check the perimeter again, taking in the crowd and all the possible threats to his family's safety. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he headed for the small stage that had been set up towards the back of the space, somewhat reminded of that fateful night decades ago when they defeated The Widow and her children.

Tonight was the night before the wedding, and Túlio, Casper, and their party were due to arrive at any moment. It was kind of like a rehearsal dinner, if rehearsal dinners involved cups full of blood and thinly-veiled threats instead of pasta dishes and nosy in-laws. Instead of meeting them at Pandemonium, Mae had arranged for one of the nearby warehouses to be turned into a makeshift banquet hall, complete with bar, stage, dance floor, and tables. If they'd tried to welcome Túlio and Casper at Pandemonium, the place would've burst at the seams from all the bodies trying to fit inside. Every one of the visiting delegates were in attendance, milling around as they waited for the guests of honor. The warehouse felt like one of those stuffy parties that the rich put on to mix and mingle, trying to form alliances and destroy each other in the same breath. Dwayne was sick of it already. He wanted nothing more than to throw everyone out and be done with it, especially now that he knew that one of the visiting covens was harboring his murderer. He held back a growl, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself as he neared the dance floor, where his brothers and sister were waiting for him. Nothing could be done, or they'd risk losing everything they'd built.

Fuck the laws, and fuck everyone who'd ever wrote them.

"You look like you just ate a rotten lemon, brother." Mae's voice whispered across his mind, drawing Dwayne out of his thoughts. He looked up to see her giving him a knowing smile, although the tiredness in her eyes soured the affectionate gaze.

"And you look like you haven't slept in years." He replied, taking his place by David's side, scanning the crowd yet again as Sato, Aminah, and Murtagh formed a line in front of the ruling family, making it clear to all that they weren't to be approached.

"Technically, vampires don't sleep. We wait."

"…That's the worst fucking joke I've ever heard, and I'm ashamed to call you my sister."

Mae hid her laughter behind a cough, drawing the attention of her boyfriend, who merely gave her a withering look at how terrible her cover up was before turning back to David. The two were whispering about an argument Calpurnia had overheard last night between a vampire from the Cape Town coven and a vampire from the coven in Mumbai. It seemed to be just petty insults, but you could never have too much information, or so Marko was saying. She turned her attention back towards the doorway, where Sparrow was lingering, ready to signal the approach of Túlio's entourage. Her eyes studied the guests milling about the bar, where Lukas was entertaining a sizable crowd with his cocktail juggling.

Under normal circumstances, if her eldest brother came to stay, he'd travel straight to Mae's house, bypassing Pandemonium altogether. Túlio, Casper, Dollar Fifty, and a few other members of the Los Angeles coven had standing offers of invitation from David, meaning that they didn't have to ask permission to stay in town for more than one night. Of course, David always knew when they were coming anyway, since Mae was always in a good mood when her brother came to visit. She kept the attic as a guest room now, with enough bedding and comforts to make the admittedly cramped room seem like a four-star hotel. Túlio would simply knock on the door and be welcomed in like he'd never left. He'd become fast friends will all of her brothers, as had Casper, although the latter seemed to get along with Paul the best. Weed was easy to bond over, apparently.

Tonight, though, was once again about seeing and being seen, which meant that Túlio would have to make a grand entrance, and how can you have a grand entrance if there's no audience to witness it? Thus the converted warehouse. Mae wished that they could at least meet at her place first before coming here, but that would apparently insult the entirety of Europe and most of Africa and Asia, so she had to hold herself back from just flinging herself into her brother's arms like she usually did. It sucked, but it was all part of the game. Like her other brothers, she was tired of all the posturing and politics, and that wasn't even counting the gigantic elephant in the room.

Mae dragged her eyes away from the bar, where Lukas was currently lighting tequila on fire, and combed through the guests, searching for her targets. Ah, yes, there they were. Michael, no…Emilian and his masters had taken over a few tables close to the dance floor, drinking wine and whispering the latest gossip like a high school clique at prom. It took all of her willpower not to roll her eyes. Cosmina seemed to sense her gaze, though, and before Mae could look away, their eyes met. The Romanian sent her what would have been a gentle smile, if it weren't for the cruelty lingering in her eyes. She was sure that Cosmina had already ruined a few lives before her first drink was even finished.

Ugh.

A silvery gleam by the door drew her attention away from the Romanians; it was Sparrow, angling her bracelet just so to alert her captain that Túlio's entourage had been spotted. Paul whispered something to David, who nodded and signaled Lukas, who began directing the crowd away from the bar and towards the dance floor if they wanted a chance of catching the guests of honor. In a matter of seconds, most of the room's occupants were crowded around the edges of the dance floor, drinks in had as they whispered to one another. The volume was lowered on the music as the sound of cars grew louder in an almost comical repetition of the previous night. This time, though, Mae wasn't waiting on the sidewalk for her guests. She knew her brother's ego wasn't that delicate. If vampiric ears listened hard enough, Sparrow's quiet voice could be heard greeting their guests before asking that the doors be held open. About ten vampires in various levels of formal dress entered the warehouse, the very air around them heavy with power and confidence. Sparrow led them up to David, giving a small nod at her king before stepping to the side.

"…Túlio." David murmured, still as a stone.

"…David." Túlio replied, the two seeming to stare the other down.

The room was heavy with anticipation, before…

"It's good to see you, brother!" Túlio grinned, his eyes bright with laughter as he stepped forward, clasping arms with David like the old friends they were. The tension disappeared, and the music and chatter resumed as the guests let themselves believe that politics weren't important tonight.

"And you, brother." David returned Túlio's smile, taking in the other man's appearance. Túlio, like many of the vampires in attendance, was in an impeccably tailored suit, the dark red of the fabric complimenting his bronze skin, while the black details spoke of taste and culture. Casper stepped up next, taking David's hand just like Túlio had.

"Hello, brother." In recent years, Casper's lucidity had come more and more often, much to Mae and Túlio's joy. Hopefully it meant good things, although they weren't sure what brought it on. Still, they were enjoying it while it lasted.

"Hello." David was fond of Casper as well, appreciating the man's keen eye for detail. He was like Marko, and the two made a formidable pair when they worked together. Casper was dressed a little more casually than his soon-to-be mate, his shirt, tie, and pants fashionably rumpled. It looked like a little bit of rebellion against the enforced dress code, which helped brighten David's day just a little bit. At least he wasn't the only one who hated all this dressing up.

"Hermanita!" Túlio laughed as he swept Mae up into a hug, forgetting propriety for a moment to show affection to his beloved sister. The entire room already knew how important she was to him, so it wasn't like he was giving away his hand by being so open about it.

"Mi hermano. It's good to see you." Mae murmured, holding him tight for a moment before letting go, looking him over. "You're looking good, too."

"Thank you. I had it made just for the occasion." He winked at her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. As he did, he took the opportunity to whisper so quietly in her ear that she almost didn't hear it herself. "Be careful. Something strange is happening. Tell the others. We'll talk about it more later."

Mae smiled, using that in place of a more obvious movement like a nod. "Casper! Come here!" She pulled her future brother-in-law into her arms, keeping up her smile even as he too whispered in her ear.

"Conspiracies, Mae. Conspiracies everywhere. Keep your enemies close."

"Would you like a drink?" She asked, keeping the unease out of her voice with a supremely taxing effort. Shit. Nothing could ever be easy, could it? With a quick thought, she alerted her brothers to Casper and Túlio's suspicions, feeling their frustration through their bond. Just what they needed, more problems.

"Yes, please. I…" Casper began, before being all but shoved out of the way by a familiar form.

"Mae!" Dollar Fifty let out a deep laugh as he all but lifted Mae into the air, ignoring her grumblings about being in public and that he was wrinkling her dress.

"Yeah, yeah, it's good to see you too, now could you please let me down already!" Mae hissed, shaking herself out when her old friend finally complied.

Further greetings were exchanged under the watchful eye of all the delegates, most of whom didn't care one way or the other about the exuberance of the various parties involved, although some of the older vampires were either confused or outright disdainful. They could go fuck themselves for all the Santa Carla coven could care. The only reason they were putting up with all of this bullshit was the years of trust that had built up between the L.A. coven and their own family. Still, this was all part of the grand game, and soon enough, they'd schooled themselves back into their more formal personalities. David took Túlio's arm again, gripping it firmly.

"Welcome to Santa Carla, brother. Be welcome for as long as you like."

"Thank you, brother." Túlio gave a little bow as David let go of his arm, turning to Casper and slipping his hand into his fiancé's.

"Lukas! A round for everyone!" David called out, signaling the beginning of the party. A few cheers went up from the American vampires, but the Europeans merely made their elegant way towards the bar. Some things were the same no matter where you were born, and free booze was free booze. Music began playing, most of it distinctly Latin in flavor, as both a nod to Túlio's heritage and the culture of Los Angeles. Soon, the floor was full of dancers with varying levels of skill, while others gathered around either David or Túlio and Casper, either offering their congratulations or trying to talk business. Paul wandered off with Murtagh and Lee, while Dwayne stationed himself near the DJ, where he had the best view of the room. He ordered Aminah to stick with David, knowing that any attackers would either underestimate her because she was a woman, or they'd think twice because of how tall and broad she was. Aminah was the top choice if you wanted the best of both worlds in a guardian.

Marko took the opportunity to lead Mae off to the side of the warehouse, the two of them sitting at the table reserved for the ruling family and their guests. No one was sitting there yet besides them; most of the Los Angeles coven were either drinking, dancing, or guarding their liege lord. No one was lingering nearby, but Marko kept on guard anyway, speaking to his girlfriend telepathically. After all, any spy worth their salt would know how to read lips.

"кохана, what exactly did your brothers tell you?" Marko asked, sitting down and pulling Mae onto his lap. She perched carefully on his legs, the two of them looking like any other pair of lovers who just wanted a moment alone. Her lips brushed his in a gentle kiss before she leaned her head against his shoulder as she told him what Casper and Túlio had told her.

"…When we get home, I'll tell you everything I've heard, but you know those premonitions you've had lately?"

"The nightmares? Yeah."

"You might be onto something. We've heard rumors of an attack, but we can't find out who or when it will be, just that something might happen while Túlio and Casper are in town."

"Shit."

"…That's one way to put it, yeah." Marko's mental laugh was like a warm blanket on a winter's night, comforting Mae as she tried to sort through her vague suspicions. His thumb stroked her hip as the two watched Kai get pulled onto the floor by one of Túlio's counselors for waltz. His almost helpless look pulled a real world laugh out of both of them.

"Darling…I got so used to peace. Sure, nothing was ever quiet around here, but I don't want to fight another war. Not so soon."

"It's been thirty years, Mae. It was bound to happen. Something was going to give."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it." Mae's psychic voice was gruff with frustration and helplessness. "At the very least, I wish it wasn't during my brother's wedding. I wanted everything to be perfect. He deserves it. He deserves happiness."

"He does, but he knows how our world works, кохана. I'm sure he knew that this could happen." Marko pressed a kiss to her neck, delighting in her quiet moan. Gentle displays of affection were still something he kept to their private life, but he could never pass up the chance to tease his lover.

"Still…" Mae huffed, leaning into him once again. "Weddings should be perfect. One of the moments you remember forever because of how happy you are. Two souls bound as one. It's a beautiful thing."

"…Not all weddings are beautiful, Mae. Most of them never even work." Marko mentally rolled his eyes, remembering his own mother and father and how that marriage worked out.

"Not every marriage is doomed to fail, darling."

"It's an archaic tradition that was originally for cementing alliances and trading land, nothing more. It's not sacred." Marko huffed, raising an eyebrow at his girlfriend. "What, you jealous or something?"

Mae's silence was answer enough.

Just as Marko was about to continue his argument against marriage and all that came with it, Túlio sauntered over with a delighted grin on his face. Saved by the bell, it seemed.

"Mae! I got them to play some Santana. Care to join me?"

"Totally! We haven't done this in years!" Mae laughed, taking Túlio's hand and sliding out of Marko's lap. She blew her boyfriend a kiss as Túlio led her away, acting as if their conversation had never happened. He might act otherwise, but Marko was sure that Túlio had come over after sensing his sister's distress. Shit. They were losing their touch.

But why was Mae so hung up about weddings, anyway? Ugh, women.

At least, that's what he told himself.


"I swear to all that is holy, I will cave that boy's head in if he doesn't get the picture soon…" Túlio half-sighed, half-growled into Mae's ear as they moved back and forth to "Evil Ways". He spun his sister in a circle, their hips swaying like they were a pair of professional dancers. Both had experience with dancing, and since Túlio had taught her everything she knew about Latin dance, they could reach each other with stunning accuracy on the dance floor. Half the couples had stopped just to watch them as they commanded the entire space.

"If he doesn't want to, I'm not going to force him." Mae whispered, glad that the song hadn't gotten to the fast part yet.

"Have you ever thought of proposing to him?" Túlio grinned, snickering at the sour face his sister gave him.

"That would be even worse, Túlio."

"Oooo! Using my full name now, are you? I must be in trouble."

"You're lucky you're getting married tomorrow, or I'd smack you in front of all of these people." Mae huffed, but she was already losing her anger as the song neared its peak.

"You wouldn't. You love me too much." Túlio laughed as he spun her again.

"…Ass."

She could feel the eyes of the vast majority of guests on them as the drums picked up, the two moving lightning fast, but not quite vampire levels of fast. Their footwork was perfectly in sync as they lost themselves to the rhythm, just letting loose in the only way they could while surrounded by a crowd of strangers. Mae let herself laugh when she realized that Túlio was showing off, swaying his hips just a little too much, his movements just a bit too striking. She followed his gaze, seeing Casper staring riveted as his fiancé ended the song by dipping Mae back. Her brother was nothing if not a flirt, so she wasn't too put out when, after the applause died down and more guests shuffled back onto the floor, Túlio left her behind to go "speak" with his lover. Mae only laughed and waved him off, hearing the music slow down into another waltz.

"May I have this dance?" An unfamiliar voice came from just behind her.

When she turned, she came face to face with Michael, the murderer of her coven. Time slowed for a moment, everything but the sound of her own unnecessary breathing reaching her ears. It took everything Mae had not to scream at him, to rip his throat out with her teeth, to tear at his chest and pull out his heart and eat it in front of him.

"Emilian."

"Mae."

No, she couldn't kill him. Not now. Instead, she grit her teeth and took his hand, watching as Michael pulled himself up from his half-bow. His hand slid around her waist as he began to slowly lead their dance, his movements practiced, but somewhat stiff. It was nothing like dancing with Túlio, and all she wanted to do was run back to Marko or whichever one of her brothers was nearest, but she had to play the game, and refusing him would lose them precious ground. Damnit. The anger and worry of her brothers reached her mind as they saw just who she was dancing with, and Mae sent a mental plea to her brothers to keep their calm. She could handle herself, goddammit!

"I trust you're enjoying the party?" Mae began, taking in his sharp features, disguising her movements as merely watching for other dancers moving towards them.

From what David had told her, Michael was in his late teens when he'd come to Santa Carla, but the man before her was in his mid-twenties. Physically, he was older than everyone in her family, except maybe Túlio, who couldn't remember exactly how old he was when he was turned. His features were strong, his jawline sharp, and his heavy brows gave him a grim and moody aura. Michael's body was toned, his outfit obviously expensive and designed to show off his best features. Like most of the Romanians, he was dressed in a finely tailored suit, although he'd left the jacket behind at the table. She could smell sandalwood and gun oil, although she was fairly certain that he hadn't chosen those scents for himself. Teodor and Cosmina struck her as the type to treat their followers as playthings, nothing more.

"Seems like a good time." Michael replied, shrugging slightly as they narrowly avoided a rather drunk pair of Frenchmen.

"I'm sure you've been to nicer parties than this, of course." Mae raised an eyebrow, allowing him to dip her back when several other pairs did the same, following the trend like a good little soldier. Hm. Interesting.

"Maybe, but each one has it's own unique…flair." He grinned, laughing at some distant memory.

"I'm sure you didn't ask me to dance out of the goodness of your heart, Emilian." Mae stressed his new name, reminding him that she knew what he'd done, and that she wasn't the forgiving kind. "What do you want?"

"…A few things, really. To see who David replaced me with. You don't seem so special." Michael's smile turned patronizing.

"Wow. Really earning yourself points there, pal." Mae snarled, hiding her disdain behind a sweet smile. "This coming from an elder vampire's pet. You're not even your own person anymore."

That seemed to strike a nerve, and Michael spun them harshly through their next turn. Mae refused to do more than glare at him for the harsh treatment, ignoring the twisting pain in her ankle. It would heal itself in a minute anyway.

"I'm better than I ever was before. I have power now. I've seen the world. Your precious David couldn't give you half the things I have. Leaving Santa Carla was the best thing I ever did." Michael growled.

"Then why did you come back?" Mae countered.

"No one told us where we were going, just that Teodor and Cosmina had an engagement to attend in California. That, and I thought all of them were dead, so I said nothing when we arrived here."

"Oh yeah, I forgot the attempted murder. Whoops." Mae deadpanned, hoping the song would end soon.

"We were ridding this place of its filth. We were freeing Star and Laddie from the life David forced them into. Or did he not tell you everything?" Michael acted like he had the upper hand, but Mae only laughed.

"I know everything, Michael. The good, the bad, and the ugly. David has been nothing but honest with me. He's changed, for the better, as you would say. Better than you and your precious brother and girlfriend. We don't need sugar daddies and pretentions at power. We have real power. Oh, the things you could have had if you'd only stayed…and you could have gotten them without whoring yourself out to the richest vampires you could find. Oh, well." Mae shrugged, pulling away from him as the waltz finally came to an end.

"I do have power, Mae. You'll see it someday, if you ever leave this godforsaken town." Michael stepped closer, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"I've got nothing against you, Mae. You weren't here when the fight went down. Why are you so desperate for revenge? Besides, there's nothing you can do to me. Your hands are tied. Still, it's fun watching you squirm." He pulled back, throwing her a wink before sauntering back to the Romanian table.

"Have a good night, Mae."


"What an absolute son of a bitch!"

The welcome dinner had ended an hour ago, and all of Mae's family was finally back in her home, safe and relatively unscathed. Paul, however, was taking Michael's taunts exceedingly hard, not that anyone could blame him. While Dwayne's resurrection had been the worst, Paul's death had been just as traumatic, and he handled things much more vocally than his brother. He was pacing across the living room, wearing a hole in the floor, as one of Mae's foster mothers would say. David had dismissed his soldiers back to their posts or their homes; none of them lived at Mae's house, although they were all welcome to stop by whenever they needed something. The rest of the party, which included Túlio and his entourage, were spread around the room, sipping their drinks and trying to calm down enough to finally get to sleep. Luckily for Mae, most of her brother's councilors and followers didn't mind sleeping suspended on the bars Dwayne had installed in the attic just for the occasion. In fact, they were all rather amused that the Santa Carla vampires preferred to sleep in beds now after decades of habit. Mae wished that amusement had lasted, but even though Túlio's men weren't as emotionally attached to the situation as their master was, they still felt anger on their lord's behalf.

"Paul, take a seat, okay?" David gestured to one of the free chairs, a hint of command laced beneath his words.

While he was doing this partly because Paul's pacing was getting annoying, it was mostly so that his brother would stop working himself up any further. It wasn't helping. Once the blonde was settled down, David turned towards Túlio and Casper, who were curled up on the couch next to Mae, who was in turn leaning into Marko. It would have been a nice, cozy picture if it weren't for the worry in everyone's eyes. Túlio and Casper's warnings earlier that night had David's brother and sister on edge, and it was about time that they got to the bottom of it.

"So, Casper…what have you heard?" He began, wishing he could light a cigarette, but he didn't have the energy to make his way over to the window.

"Suspicions, mostly, and a lot of omens, if you believe in such things." Casper's deep, rough voice was quiet, and he took a moment to think over all that he knew. Túlio's cheek was pressed against his fiancé's shoulder; here, in the old Comstock place, no one had to pretend to be strong. Here, they were safe…for now.

"It's not so much that some vampires have extra…powers, you might say…but we're no longer human. We're more like animals. We can feel things before they happen, like birds that fly away before a lightning storm can burn down the forest." Casper rambled a little, stopping when Túlio gently nudged him in the side. "But yeah, I've heard things. Rumors of a conspiracy. A coup. The king is dead, long live the king." His voice frayed at the edges, and his mind seemed to wander elsewhere for the moment, the old injury acting up again.

"Casper's been getting premonitions that something terrible is coming. He's usually right, so we looked into it." Túlio continued. "Europe is never stable, and the covens are always fighting a cold war, but this…this reeks of an attack. We're not sure who's planning it, but someone is trying to kill off the heads of a coven. Again, we're not sure which one. While things like this happen all the time over there, I wouldn't give a shit…if it wasn't about to happen here, in your city."

"It sounds like no one coven is behind the conspiracy, which is something new." Dollar Fifty chimed in, taking another drink of his beer. "Of course, that makes things really fucking difficult for us. Without a specific coven to watch out for, we don't know who to track, and there's too many people for all of us to cover. I think we can trust the American covens, and the Australian and New Zealand covens. They don't play politics like that. I'm not too sure about the Asian or African ones, but I would bet good money that this is a European deal exclusively."

"Great. That's only, what, eight covens to watch out for? Shit." Marko growled, already thumbing through his mental tally of which vampires belonged to which coven. "That's almost 100 people!"

"Well, they can't all be part of this conspiracy, or else we never would have heard about it." Dollar Fifty reasoned, finishing off his drink. "All we can do is wait. It might just be rumor, or a plan that fell through before we got here. As it is, all we can do is look out for ourselves first, then worry about everyone else."

"We're responsible for everyone who enters our borders, Dollar Fifty." David glowered at the taller man, but his venom wasn't really meant for his friend. "If someone dies under our watch, that wouldn't look very good for us."

"Fuck politics! They all have their own security, their own defenses! Let them have a go at each other, and be done with it!" Paul sneered, absentmindedly tearing at the label of his beer bottle, unable to vent his frustration in any other way.

"Isn't the whole point of this bullshit to make sure we don't look weak?" Dwayne shifted against the wall by the door, his jacket rustling as he stretched his arms out. "And if someone dies, they could blame us, not just for letting them die, but for planning to kill them ourselves."

"…You have a point there." David admitted, turning his gaze towards his lieutenant. "Someone could be trying to set us up."

"But who? And why?" Mae asked, speaking for the first time since she's told them about her encounter with Michael. "If it's the Europeans, they have nothing to gain from it. We're just one Way Station way off in America. We have no stake in their stupid games. Nah, it's something else. I don't think we have anything to do with their plans."

"Then why would they stage an attack here?" One of Túlio's councilors, Reina, spoke up from where she was sitting on the stairwell. "It would be easier to cover things up back home."

"Isolation, maybe? Strand everyone far from their power bases, and they can't do much to defend themselves." Túlio answered.

"I still think we're missing something." Mae mumbled, rubbing at her forehead.

"What are missing?" David raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know." Mae sighed. "And that's the worst part."


The sun was an hour away, and everyone had retreated to their rooms for the day. Mae had refurbished the room Aunt Lydia's nurses used to sleep in as yet another guest room, and she'd given it to Túlio and Casper for the night to give them some privacy. Most of her brothers were in their usual room, and the L.A. vampires were in the attic. Which left just Mae and Marko in the master bedroom, the door shut and the curtains drawn tight as they lay in bed.

Marko hadn't forgotten their conversation earlier that night, Mae's obvious jealousy of her eldest brother evident in her silence. So…she wanted to get married? She'd never mentioned that before, although he knew that he'd never brought up the idea himself, either. Marko was still very much against the institution; he didn't want to be bound. He liked his freedom, and even though he was loyal to his girlfriend, he didn't need a contract and a ceremony to declare that they were together for as long as they lived. Yes, he loved her, and to be honest, he couldn't see himself with anyone else. They weren't a perfect couple, but he'd seen perfect couples before, and they always ended in tragedy. Still, while he was dead set against marriage, mating on the other hand…

For a few years now, Marko had been considering asking his girlfriend to be his mate. The difference between a wife and a mate was drastic; a wife would only be bound to him on paper, but a mate would be bound to him in every way, body and soul, and he would be bound to her, too. If she accepted his bite, Mae would hear his thoughts, sense his feelings, and feel any wounds or pain inflicted on him. It could only be undone by death, and rumor had it that mates that were parted by the final death often died within days of each other. Why was she so hung up on a wedding when they could be mated? Marko did his best not to think about the fact that he was willing to bind himself permanently to another person; even though it was Mae, the one person he loved and trusted above all others, the idea of being bound by any kind of chain frightened him.

He wouldn't be like his father. He wouldn't settle down. Never.

Or would he?

Mae seemed oblivious to his tumultuous thoughts, although that was probably because she was lost deep within her own fears and worries. Marko pushed his troubles aside. They could wait for another time, when worse problems were ahead of them. He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her in to lie against him, their bodies pressed together under the covers. Her hair was still a little bit damp from her shower, but not unpleasantly so, and Marko pressed his lips to the crown of her head, letting her come up from her mind in her own time. It took a few moments, but Mae finally seemed to realize where she was, and her hand came to rest on his chest, just below his collarbone.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, his voice muffled in her hair.

"The conspiracies, mostly. I'm trying to pin down what we're missing. I'm sure that we don't have the whole picture, and that's not counting the fact that we don't know who's attacking, or when. It all seems too…easy, I guess."

"It's almost sunrise, кохана. Save your worries for the sunset." He hooked his finger under her chin, tilting his girlfriend's head back so their eyes could meet. "There's nothing we can do about it right now. Just be here with me."

"…When we first met, I never knew you could be so sweet." Mae's smile was slow to build, but it was bright and soft.

"Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain." Marko laughed, leaning down to kiss her. "Only for you, кохана."

"Promise, darling?" Mae giggled, kissing down his jaw and to his neck.

"…Promise." Marko sighed, tilting his head back to let her explore. Her teeth worried at a sensitive spot on his neck, the sensation shooting straight to his cock. "Fuck…"

"Did you see the way some of our 'guests' were looking at you tonight, darling?" Mae purred, sliding her hand down to tease his nipple. They were both in t-shirts and their underwear, nothing else, so access was incredibly easy. Her smile turned wicked as Marko let out a soft moan. "Sssshhhh…they're still awake, darling. Someone could hear us…"

"Let them…fuck…!" Marko gasped, his hips thrusting upwards as Mae expertly teased him. They both needed the distraction, but sunrise was swiftly approaching, so they didn't have time to be slow. He felt her hand slide down to his waist, her fingers slipping under the waistband of his boxers to stroke delicately along his cock. "Fucking hell…"

"You're mine, Marko. I wanted to tear their eyes out so they wouldn't dare to look at what's mine…but I thought better of it. Let them look." She growled, wrapping her hand around his length and pumping, his precum slicking his skin. "Let them see what they can't have."

The thought of his lover ripping her rivals apart was incredibly arousing. Marko's lips stretched into a sinful grin, the image of his beloved bloody and victorious driving him towards the edge. Still, he could be a very generous lover when he wanted to be, so he opened his eyes and rolled over, pinning Mae to the bed. He trapped her lips in a rough, biting kiss as he pulled her panties off, shimmying out of his own underwear before grabbing her thighs and spreading her legs open.

"When Michael had his filthy hands on you, I wanted to kill him right then and there, consequences be damned. I'd rip out his throat and watch him choke. I'd stake him and watch his body destroy itself before taking you right there in the blood and ashes. Everyone would know you're mine, кохана. And all the others who were looking at me would know that nothing could tear us apart." Despite the violent nature of his words, there was genuine love beneath them, and even though he didn't realize he was admitting it, Mae could hear the pledge loud and clear.

Before she could say anything, though, Marko sank his cock into her heat, growling at the slick tightness surrounding his length. He dived down to kiss her again, not trusting himself to keep quiet unless his mouth was occupied. Mae wrapped her legs around his waist, meeting him thrust for thrust as they fucked, the movements wild and graceless. Whether it was the leftover nerves from the past night, or if they were just so desperate for release that all bets were off, both of them could feel their end rocketing towards them. When Marko let go of one of her legs to tease her clit, Mae had to choke back a scream, her channel clenching around him as she came. Marko followed her soon after, giving himself over to the sensations as he buried himself as deep as he could go.

They lay side by side in the aftermath, both catching their breath, metaphorically speaking, not saying a word. If they had still been human, they would have been sweating and uncomfortable, but as it was, they were just tired. Mae bit her lip as she felt his spend slowly drip from inside of her, probably staining the sheets as she lay boneless. She moaned at the feeling, prompting Marko to sit up enough to lean over her, kissing her deeply before getting up and heading for the en suite bathroom. The sink ran for a moment, then he returned, a washcloth in hand. In a matter of minutes, they were both clean and comfortable once again, the bottom bed sheet tugged off and tossed aside. They were too tired to replace it that night. The two lovers curled into each other, the stress of the past week a distant memory…for now.

"Marko?" Mae whispered.

"Yeah?" Marko's voice was equally quiet, his eyes closed as he felt sleep tug at his body.

"I love you."

Her words were simple, a statement of fact, but even after thirty years, to Marko it still felt like the first time he ever heard it. Elation, warmth, affection, protectiveness…they all flooded through him at lightning speed, amplified by the post coital haze. They weren't said to control him, to manipulate him. They weren't dangled over his head as a prize to be won if he was a good little boy. No, when Mae said those three words, she said them simply because she loved him, and she wanted him to know it. After years of being together, she said them freely, sometimes for no reason at all, and there were days when it still surprised him that she was his, and he was hers. It didn't feel like a cage, like a sham, like playing pretend. No, it was real, organic, almost…freeing.

He still had no intention of marrying her, but she'd changed his mind about things before. Whatever happened, though, he knew one thing to be true: he wasn't letting her go, and he knew that only death would ever take her from him.

Not that he'd ever let Death have her. Nor would she let Death have him.

"I love you too, кохана."


"Is everything ready?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then we can begin."

Footsteps in the dark, and then…

"…My love, are you sure this will work?"

"Of course it will, baby."

"Promise?"

"Promise."