Page 61 of Map of Pain
As they walked toward the door together, Nick felt something fragile but real growing between them. Not the easy bondthey’dhadas children—thatwasgone, broken by time and trauma. But maybe something new could grow in its place, built on who theywerenow, not who they used to be.
The door opened before they reached it, revealing Marcus and Luka standing close together, both looking likethey’dbeen having an intense conversation. Marcus’s amber eyes found Caleb, relief evident on his angular features.
“Everything okay?”Marcus asked, though his gaze included Nick in the question.
“Getting there,” Caleb said.
Luka’s green eyes met Nick’s, asking the same question silently. Nick managed a small nod, and some of the tension left Luka’s shoulders.
“Good,”Marcus said.“Because we need to talk. All of us.”His expression grew serious.“About Chicago. About the vampire who branded you. And about why we know who he is.”
Chapter twenty-four
Everyone's blood was full of cocaine...
Luka
The trailer felt impossibly small with all four of them inside. Luka moved around the cramped kitchen with careful efficiency, spooning what had to be four tablespoons of sugar into Nick’s coffee. His hands shook from the frustrated energy of needing Marcus to translate when he and Nick developed their own language of whistles and touches and understanding glances.
Nick followed him inside, looking confused when Luka gestured to the chair across the small table rather than beside him. The hurt that flickered across Nick’s features made Luka’s chest tighten, but this conversation required eye contact, required Nick to see his face while Marcus gave voice to words Luka couldn’t speak himself.
Luka settled into his chair and immediately began signing, pointing first to Marcus, then himself, then making the sign for talking. He pointed to his eyes, then Nick’s, trying to conveythat he wanted Nick to watch him even though Marcus would be doing the speaking.
Marcus translated:“Luka wants you to look at him while we talk. He’ll be signing, and I’ll translate everything.”
Nick’s scent shifted, confusion mixed with hurt and something that might have been betrayal. His floral undertones faded as sharper notes emerged.He thinks I’m shutting him out.
Luka signed quickly, and Marcus’s voice followed:“I don’t like doing this. I prefer our way. But this is complicated, and I need to make sure you understand everything.”
He picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, and blinked at the sweetness. Despite everything, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Luka took a breath he didn’t need and began signing. Marcus’s voice followed, measured and careful:“I know the old one who hurt you. Iwasn’tsure before, not until Marcus spoke his name yesterday and I saw how you reacted.”
Nick’s cup paused halfway to his lips. His scent sharpened further, fear bleeding through.“You know him?”
Luka nodded and continued.“I worked for him. We all did—Marcus, Vincent, Petrov, Matteo, and me. For about thirty years.”
The coffee cup clattered against the table as Nick set it down too hard.“Worked for him how?”
Thiswasthe part Lukahadbeen dreading. He signed slowly, letting Marcus find the right words:“Old ones. Vampires who are three hundred years or older—they control territory in major cities. It’s about survival. Safety in numbers, controlling hunting grounds, making sure younger vampires don’t draw attention from police or hunters.”
Nick’s eyes never left Luka’s face, but his body languagewaschanging. Shoulders squaring, hand positioning itself carefully on the table.
“Wewereenforcers,”Marcus continued translating.“We made sure the younger ones didn’t go on feeding sprees, especially in the eighties when everyone’s bloodwasfull of cocaine. Kept the peace. Maintained the territory.”
“For thirty years,”Nick repeated, his voice flat.
Luka nodded, fighting the urge to reach across the table and touch Nick’s hand. But the distancewasnecessary—Nick needed to see his face, needed to read his expressions.
“Did he...”Nick swallowed hard.“Did he hurt you too?”
Nick’s concern wasn’t for himself—it was for Luka. Even learning that Luka worked for his tormentor, Nick’s first instinct was protective worry.
Luka’s hands moved again, almost frantically and Marcus’s voice carried his urgency:“No. No, never like that. I maybe met him directly five times in thirty years. Most of our contactwaswith his lieutenants, other vampires who managed day-to-day operations. Hewas... administrative. Distant.”
Nick’s scent shifted again, this time toward something that smelled like relief mixed with confusion.“But Marcus—”His eyes flicked to the vampire across from Caleb.“You worked for him too. And now you’re with Caleb.”
Caleb’s hand found Marcus’s on the table, intertwining their fingers.“Nick, it’s not like that. Marcus isn’t—”
