Elena’s favorite way to pass the night was dancing with Drake. She loved being close to him, reveled in the sense of wonder she felt whenever he was near, the way he looked at her, his dark eyes filled with love and longing. And a distant sadness she often saw reflected in her own eyes when she looked in the mirror.
She tried not to think of the future, of the time when Drake and Katiya would have to return to the Fortress, but it was always there, in the back of her mind, a nagging worry that Rodin would somehow discover the truth, that he would torture Drake again, or worse, execute him.
It seemed the harder she tried not to think about the future, the more often it popped into her mind, and when she was successful at keeping her worries at bay during the daylight hours, they turned her dreams into nightmares. Nightmares that became increasingly more real, more vivid.
In her dreams, Drake was again locked in the tower. Only this time there was no reprieve and Rodin left him there, to be slowly burned alive, until nothing remained of the man she loved but a pile of gray ashes. Night after night, she woke screaming or in tears.
And then, all too soon, the night she had been dreading arrived.
Elena and Drake were sitting in front of the fire, taking turns reading Wuthering Heights aloud, when Stefan appeared. One look at his face, and Elena knew he had brought bad news.
“You are needed at the Fortress, immediately,” Stefan said. “Gerret has challenged Rodin for leadership of the Coven.”
“Gerret!” Drake exclaimed, rising. Gerret was the Master of the Irish Fortress. “I do not believe it.”
“It is true, nevertheless. Liliana sent me to bring you back.”
Drake swore. If his mother wanted him home, she must be apprehensive about the outcome of the battle. He could understand that. If Rodin lost, she would have to leave the Fortress, as would all the vampires who lived there. As for the sheep, they would become prey for Gerret and his Coven. He doubted Liliana cared one way or the other what happened to the sheep, but she considered the Fortress home.
“What brought this on?” Drake asked. “Gerret has never shown any interest in acquiring more land or more power.”
Stefan shrugged. “Who can say? The meet is set for the day after tomorrow at midnight. Gerret’s second-in-command is already at the Fortress. Rodin has named you as his second.”
Drake uttered a short, pithy oath.
“What shall I tell him?”
Andrei materialized in the room and took his place beside Drake. “I do not like this. I smell treachery.”
Drake nodded.
Elena’s gaze darted from one man to the other. “What kind of treachery?”
Andrei shook his head. “Something is off. Gerret has never expressed any interest in expanding his holdings.” He looked at Stefan. “Who did he send as his second?”
“Florin.”
Andrei and Stefan exchanged glances.
“What?” Drake asked sharply.
“If you spent more time at the Fortress, you would know what is going on,” Stefan said, a faint note of accusation in his tone. “This is not about territory. It is about revenge.”
“What kind of revenge?” Elena asked.
“Florin is the son of Rodin’s fourth wife, Nadiya Korzha,” Andrei explained. “He got into a fight with Olaf over one of the sheep and Rodin banished Florin from the Fortress. Nadiya has never forgiven him for that. Gerret took Florin under his wing. Florin does not care who wins the upcoming battle. All he wants is a way into the Fortress. If Gerret destroys Rodin, so much the better. As far as I can tell, Florin’s only interest is in avenging himself on Olaf.”
“Which will cause more tension between Liliana and Nadiya,” Stefan remarked.
Drake raked his fingers through his hair. “All this because of one of the sheep?” he muttered irritably.
“There is more to it than that,” Stefan said. “Rodin gave the sheep to Olaf. Rather than stay with him, she killed herself. It is said that Florin was in love with the girl.”
“In love?” Drake exclaimed. “With one of the sheep?”
“Like I said, if you spent more time at the Fortress, you would know what is going on. Many of the younger ones are not happy with our current laws. Our young men and women do not like being told who to marry.”
“I can understand that,” Drake muttered.
“Our men and women often want more from the sheep than nourishment.”
Drake swore under his breath. “Why tell me all this? It is Rodin who should hear your complaints, not me.”
“He will not listen.”
“Back to the matter at hand,” Drake said, glancing at his brothers. “Who else knows about Florin’s plan for revenge ?”
Stefan shook his head. “No one.”
Drake glared at Stefan. “And you left Olaf there, with no one to protect his back?”
“I told Ciprian that I did not trust Florin and ordered him to shadow the intruder’s every move until I return.”
Drake nodded. Ciprian was another of his half brothers.
“Something troubles you,” Stefan said.
“Florin is not the type to risk his life over a woman.”
Stefan frowned thoughtfully. “You think he intends to challenge Rodin for banishing him from the Fortress?”
“Florin has no chance in battle against Gerret and even less against Rodin, but if Gerret should win, Florin would again have access to the Fortress. Gerret might even put him in charge of the Fortress and its people.” Drake shook his head. The odds of Florin besting either Gerret or Rodin in battle were slim to none.
“Stefan, stay here with Elena. Andrei, you and Katiya will come with me.”
“Wait a minute!” Elena said. “I’m going with you.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
“Elena, be reasonable,” Drake said. “I cannot take you to the Fortress with me.”
She bit back her protest. He was right, of course. If Rodin saw her with Drake, it would give rise to questions they dared not answer. But how could she stay here? “Are you going to fight?”
“I am going to watch Rodin’s back while Andrei watches Olaf.”
“What if Rodin loses?” Elena asked. “What then?”
With a reassuring smile, Drake pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Pray that does not happen.”
Rodin demanded an audience the moment Drake and Katiya returned to the Fortress. After spending time with Elena, Drake found it difficult to go back to pretending that he and Katiya were happily wed and joyfully anticipating the birth of their first child, but both Rodin and Liliana seemed convinced.
After the initial greetings were over, Katiya and Liliana left the men to converse alone.
“So,” Rodin said, sitting back in his chair. “Married life agrees with you.”
“We get on well together.” Drake sat in his mother’s chair, his legs stretched out in front of him.
“Stefan told you about Gerret?”
“You are not worried about the outcome of the challenge, are you?”
Rodin snorted. “The Irishman is no threat. It is obvious that Florin set this up to accomplish his own agenda.”
“I will take care of Florin.”
“If I lose the fight, you must challenge Gerret. I do not want your mother to have to leave the Fortress.”
“Of course,” Drake said, frowning. “But that will not happen.”
“I cannot control this Coven and the Irish territory, as well. When I have defeated Gerret, your mother and I will move to the Irish Fortress temporarily. She has always wanted to visit Ireland. You will take over the Coven here until we return. It will make a good home for you and Katiya and your child.”
“No.” Drake shook his head emphatically. “No. I do not want to live here. Nor do I wish the responsibilities of being a Master Vampire.”
“You are the oldest and the strongest of my sons. You have pledged your life and your allegiance to me, and you will do as you are told.”
Drake sat back, his mind spinning. “And if I refuse?”
“You will not.”
With Drake gone, Elena couldn’t sit still. She moved from one thing to another, unable to concentrate on anything. She tried to watch a movie, she tried reading a book, playing solitaire, baking a cake. She couldn’t concentrate on the movie or the book, she tossed the cards on the floor, she burned the cake.
She talked Stefan into helping her rearrange the furniture in the main hall, but quickly lost interest.
“I can’t stay here,” she said, arms akimbo. “It’s killing me, not knowing what’s going on!”
“What do you want me to do?” Stefan asked.
“Take me to the Fortress.”
“No way. Drake would have my head, if Rodin did not take it first.”
She dropped down on the sofa, which was now in the center of the room. “How do vampires fight, anyway?”
“With swords.”
“Swords! How positively medieval.”
“You have no idea.” He took a seat on the nearest chair and stretched his legs out in front of him.
“Drake said they fight to the death.”
Stefan nodded. He had seen a few challenges in his time. Some were quickly over. Others turned into blood baths. Either way, they were not pretty.
“Will Rodin win?”
“Undoubtedly. There is no one better with a sword except perhaps Drake.”
“Swords,” she murmured.
“What did you expect?”
“I don’t know. Something otherworldly.” She paused a moment. There had been no swords involved when Drake killed his brother. “How did Drake kill Vardin?”
Stefan leaned forward, his expression solemn. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“I think so,” she said, then frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“It was not as quick as a sword thrust, or as merciful.”
