Page 170 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

“And why would that matter? You came back to life,” he pointed out.

“But that’s not...” My mother spun to me. “Your tether. It broke upon your deaths?”

Thea’s chest heaved, her eyes apologetic as she looked at me. “I thought so, but...”

In London? It wasn’t just the mating bond?

She nodded, apology written in her eyes. Diana said a tether is linked to the soul. I never considered…

“Let me be clear, you lay one hand on any of my children, and I will make you suffer in ways the world has never seen,” Sabine snarled.

His shoulders shook with suppressed laughter as he circled the room. “I don’t have to lay a finger on Camila. One command and she’ll do anything I say. Gut herself. Jump from the roof. Kill that lovely companion who clings to her.” He paused and regarded her. “Is she the one... the one that kept you from ever giving in and truly loving me despite my orders?”

“Why would I have ever loved you?” Camila snarled.

“Come. Here.” The demand roared from his lips, and Camila lurched against Jacqueline’s hold. When my best friend didn’t release her, Camila screamed in agony.

“Let her go,” I said to Jacqueline, the words little more than a hoarse whisper, and I took a step, burying a wince at the splintering pain in my healing ankle. “You can’t fight it. If you do...”

I had not forgotten the price of fighting a tether. Resisting was as dangerous as complying. If Willem thinks he’s leaving here with her…

Thea’s hand found mine, our fingers twining tightly together.

We have to do something.

My mate was right, but we had to wait for the right moment. Jacqueline sobbed as she released her, and Mariana moved swiftly to her side, murmuring quiet words in her ears.

Camila fought every step of the way, and when she reached him, she hurled herself at his feet. He bent and lifted her chin with his index finger. “If I wanted to kill you, I could have done that decades ago. Do you think the Mordicum found you? Saved you? I let you go because you were useless to me.”

Hated sparked in Camila’s eyes. “I could say the same.”

“So, you are behind the Mordicum.” Our mother shook her head, studying the blade of her sword like she was deciding on whether to run him through or take his head as well.

“I’m a fan of their work,” he corrected her. “A patron, of sorts.”

“But they aren’t pureblooded,” I said. “You wouldn’t even marry a familiar.”

“I never said I accepted them, but, at least they act like vampires,” he spit the word at me, glancing at Thea. “And as your mate’s existence proves, I’ve become more open-minded. But that is neither here nor there. I only want one thing and then we can go our separate ways.”

I angled my body in front of Thea.

“I’m not here for your mate, especially now that you’ve...” He wrinkled his nose. “I can see that my experiment failed. She remains a siren. Keep her and your child.”

I didn’t shift from my protective stance.

“Stand up,” he ordered my twin. She bellowed with rage as she rose. Willem gripped her chin, bringing his face a breath from hers. “Since Thea turned out to be a disappointment, I’m here for our pureblood children. Where are they? Where are Hadrian and Laurel?”

Camila went utterly still, save for the muscle that tightened in her jaw. It beat against his hold as she lied, “They died in your fire.”

“That’s not what you told our friends in the Mordicum.” He tutted at her. “Tell me the truth.”

“I don’t know.”

Not a lie, but the truth. Thea’s face whipped up to mine. Your mother was right. She knew not to tell Camila.

It’s better if you don’t admit that to her.

“Someone knows.” His hand slid from her face he yanked her body against him, bringing his blade to her throat. “Sabine? Julian?”

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