Page 72 of The Tenor's Shadow

Chapter 23

Freddie

“The danger has passed. There’s no need to watch him sleep.”

Freddie looked up at his master from his chair at Anthony’s bedside, not releasing his grip on Anthony’s hand. Master Hughes waited in the doorway, dressed to the nines in a tan three-piece suit. His face was lined with exhaustion. This couldn’t have been easy on him, either.

“I’ve always watched him,” Freddie said. “That is my job. I won’t stop now.”

Master Hughes sighed. Freddie wasn’t sure where he stood with the coven-master. Anthony was safe, but in the process he’d been made a vampire. Charles Azarian was dead, in theory, a good thing, but Freddie didn’t know if the master harbored any guilt about his former lover. And Gabriela de Aragon was out there somewhere. Eventually, she’d have to be dealt with.

Most of all, Freddie had disobeyed Master Hughes’ command. He had a right to, according to the old law. But that just meant the coven master wouldn’t kill him in retribution. He still might demote him, or toss him out of the coven altogether.

Despite that, Freddie couldn’t bear to release Anthony’s hand and stand, even if it would be a sign of respect for Master Hughes. He wouldn’t let go of his sleeping mate. He’d come so close to losing him.

“Very well.” Master Hughes approached the bed, sitting down opposite Freddie, his muscular frame dwarfing the small wooden chair that his mate had been using during his own vigil with Anthony. Daniel had been by Anthony’s side for the first couple of days, but once Anthony had come through the change unscathed, he’d let him rest alone.

Freddie’s demon would not allow him to leave his mate by himself. He’d come too close to losing him.

“Where do you expect to live?” Master Hughes asked.

Freddie tensed. He had hoped that the coven master would give them some time.

“I…I don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Anthony travels, so it doesn’t matter too much. I’ll have to talk to him.”

“You disobeyed my direct order and put my husband’s nephew in danger.” Master Hughes’ tone was sharp, his gaze piercing.

“I don’t regret it.”

“No.” A small, sad smile appeared on Master Hughes’ face, and the man’s whole body relaxed. Freddie had never seen him look so unguarded. “I won’t hold it against you. I know what it is to have your mate under threat.”

“Oh.” The coven master wasn’t throwing them out? “What does it matter where we live?”

“Because I have a proposition for you, Freddie, although my mate will probably be quite angry with me. He has dreams of Anthony living here with us. But Charles Azarian is dead, and the once-enormous coven of New York is now a handful of young, directionless vamps. They need a coven master.”

Freddie stared at the man who’d saved him, who’d given him a home and a purpose when he was desperate for one. He couldn’t be asking what Freddie thought he was asking.

“I thought you wanted me to be your First…”

“That was my plan. But I need someone in New York, someone I can trust, with a strong enough hand to bring the wild ones to heel or dispose of them. Someone who can also be diplomatic if the situation requires.”

“Me?” Freddie shook his head. “I’m no good at diplomacy.”

“You’ve changed, Freddie.” Freddie could hear the pride in his master’s voice, and it warmed him. “You are more open now. Anthony will be the perfect coven master’s mate. When you get too grumpy, he can help smooth things over.”

“Grumpy?!” Freddie grimaced.

“Yes, my friend. You can be a grumpy old man. Anthony will help keep you from committing too many faux pas.”

Freddie looked down at Anthony’s face, snoring, angelic in repose. “I’ll have to speak to my mate. I don’t know if he’ll want to be a coven master’s mate. He may not want to live in New York.”

“Of course.”

“What of Gabriela?” Freddie asked. His demon was uneasy that the one who had hurt his mate was still out there, rather than dead by his hands.

Master Hughes stood. “She’s left the US. Beyond that, I can’t say. We can’t trust that she’ll leave us alone.”

“No.”

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