Page 72 of Crimson Storm

“Mesmerize. Humans,” he said, choosing to address only the latter of the two.

“We can’t do that.”

“Some of us can. The Bloodbound can. Imogen calls it ‘the pull.’ I call it useful. Especially now that cars are checked at every state border. And we’ll be crossing quite a few of them in the next few days.”

“Are we going back to California? Do you know where Sadie is?”

“I don’t know exactly. But Imogen has a sense of where to find her. She’s not in California. She’s in Canada. Makes sense—they’re much more vampire-friendly there these days than the U.S. is.”

Reaching the throne room doors, Reece stopped, clearly intending to wait outside.

“She wants to see you alone. She specifically said she didn’t want me there.”

“Oh.”

Had Imogen changed her mind about me and decided to go ahead and end my annoying, disappointing existence? Maybe she worried Reece would try to intervene and prevent the execution.

The fear in my eyes must have been obvious because his tone softened considerably. “It’ll be okay. I’ll be right here waiting.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before nodding and going inside. The throne room was deserted except for Imogen. If there was to be an execution, she intended to do it herself.

As I got close, she smiled that beautiful, cold smile of hers. “How is your friend, Shane, doing tonight? Much improved, I hope?”

“Yes. He’s better,” I answered through lips stiff with dread.

“That’s good news. It would be a shame for an innocent human to lose his life over you.”

I decided to just be blunt with her. “Look, you don’t need the thinly veiled threats or even direct ones. I know you’ll kill Shane if I don’t cooperate.”

“Oh, that’s a given. What I want you to understand is, he’s not theonlyone who’ll pay the price if you fail. I’ll dispose of everyone you care about—including the one you care for most.”

The breath evaporated from my lungs. “Reece. You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t doubt it for a moment.”

“But... he’s your child. You said you hadn’t created a child in over a hundred years before turning the two of us.”

“That’s true,” Imogen said, drawing out the last word.

She lifted a hand and tapped her lips with one slender, manicured fingertip. “Have I ever told you what happened to the children I created in the past? No? It’s not exactly bedtime story material, I’m afraid. Might cause nightmares. Let it suffice to say you don’t want to disappoint me.”

“I’ll speak to Sadie,” I vowed. “And I’ll make sure she gives Reece an audience and considers your offer. All I can do is my best, and I promise you I will.”

“I’m glad to hear it. There’s one more thing before you go...”

She rose and came to stand directly in front of me. “Do not forget the promiseReecehas made—to me. He’s made an eternal commitment to serve me... and me only. He’s useless to me if he’s not loyal. In every way.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m not blind. He has a certain... weakness for you.”

I blinked hard, biting the inside of my cheek to suppress a warm, sweet rush of foolish joy. Her words shouldn’t make me feel that way, and Ireallyshouldn’t let her see the inappropriate involuntary reaction.

“You’re wrong. He hasn’t shown the least bit of interest in me since I’ve been back.”

“Be that as it may, I’m advising you—strongly—not to tempt him to violate any of the Bloodbound rules.”

Imogen gave me a coy smile and raised one perfectly arched brow. “If any vowsarebroken, Reece is the one who’ll pay the price—with his life. And I’ll make sureyoulive forever so you can fully appreciate his loss.”

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