Page 65 of You Will Obey

I scoffed. “Whose side are you on?”

He chuckled. “I’m on the side of my King, Théoden. Never forget that. In fact, I’m glad you swore allegiance to Kendrick. He now has a vested interest in protecting you, even if he doesn't want to protect Ara or other vampires.”

I huffed. “There must have been a debate on whether or not he’d lend aid.”

Tylendel pursed his lips. “Can’t say, but I would assume. There was a meeting called by the Council. I wasn’t told what was discussed, just given orders. In any case, Kendrick is being honorable and I respect that.”

I nodded. “The fight has been leveled now.”

“With Kendrick’s dragons giving aid. Josef’s wolves are helping as well, but there’s not nearly as many of them in your other territories as there are here. Doesn’t he have over seventeen hundred wolves now? Why did he send only five hundred abroad?”

I looked at him. “Wolves are strongest when they are with their Alphas.”

Tylendel sighed. “Quite true. Just thought he’d send more.”

“Not how packs work,” I said. “But we’re doing what we can.”

Earlier, I’d prepared the vampires of New Haven as best as I could. Those who had room in their own safe shelters were ordered to take in more vampires. We also had facilities where vampires could go that would be safe from the sun and forcible entry. When you had a major disadvantage like vampires did, being dead as soon as the sun rose, you just had to take smart precautions. They wanted to fight, but couldn’t. The sun would be rising within the next two hours and our enemy still hadn’t shown his face.

“I had over three thousand vampires here at my command, but only twenty have the power to fight by my side when the sun rises,” I complained. That was the sum total of my six children and their children, with Dante having the most. “I have another hundred who are powerful enough to fight during the day, but they can’t be exposed to the sun. They are the ones I have guarding the safehouses and underground tunnels”

Tylendel whistled. “Yeah, this is a rough spot you’re in, my friend, but you have me and Vex with two badass battalions.” He winked.

I sighed and placed my hand on his shoulder. “A huge comfort, indeed. Although, Alexander gives me great concern. Just how powerful is he now? He decimated Ara’s vampires in Japan, killing my brother Titus instantly, along with thousands more, some over fifteen hundred years old. The attack was coordinated to strike at once. We all felt Titus’ death. The pain was crippling. I hadn’t felt anything like it since Ara killed my younger brother, Raphael, for his unforgivable betrayal so many centuries ago.”

I removed my hand, then turned away, staring down at the city below from one of the highest buildings in the city. It was once called the Sears Tower, then the Willis Tower. Now, it was called Haven Tower and was the second tallest building in the city, as Ara’s Palace Tower was the tallest, a beautiful building with expensive condos, theaters, businesses, and restaurants for vampires and humans alike. One of the many perks that the Outskirts didn’t offer. The city was beautiful up here and it looked so peaceful. I wondered what it would look like in a few hours? What did Japan look like after their attack? Was the territory in ruins, buildings still on fire? My poor brother, did he even have a chance to fight back?

“How are you feeling?” Tylendel asked me, then he wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin in the crook of my neck.

I leaned back against him, his heat and powerful form giving me the support I needed at this time. “In mourning. I’d known Titus pretty much my entire life. As long as I’ve known you. He was with me when I sired my first son. Though we weren’t as close as Karim and I, I still loved him and he loved me. He trained me, Tylendel, taught me skills that have helped me survive to this day and now… he is no more.”

I felt an ache in my heart and a tightening in my chest as I thought about our loss. Nolan and Titus were closer than I was to him, but he was still my brother. To be honest, I felt love for all of my brothers with the exception of Nolan and Miguel. But more importantly, I felt Ara’s pain. He loved all of his sons and to lose one was like snatching a piece of his soul away. And he had no time to mourn because he had to prepare for war and protect his other sons and his army. Even now, he was heading here and I know a great deal of that strategy was to protect me as well as meet Alexander head on.

Tylendel sighed and kissed my cheek. “I’m sorry for your loss, Théoden. And this war will bring more. You must stay focused.”

“Trust me, I am. I want blood for blood,” I said. “Tylen–Ahhhh!” I cried out and fell to my knees as the pain ripped through me from my core. I felt as though my heart had been yanked from my chest, much like it had when I’d lost Ryu and I knew… one of my sons had fallen. Tylendel was beside me, holding me, and I held on to his hand as the agony pulsed through every vein. I grimaced, tears flowed, and I gritted my teeth until the pain began to subside.

“What happened?” Tylendel asked. “Did Ara lose another son?”

I shook my head. “No… I did,” I said through my pants. “Wyatt.”

“Who?” Tylendel asked.

I held up a finger, because my other sons were all contacting me now through telepathy and with so many voices at one time, I had to concentrate. Tylendel kept quiet and allowed me time. I answered their questions, confirmed that it was Wyatt who’d been killed, his heart ripped out instantly. I warned them all to be safe and for my youngest sons to stay beside my eldest, or a dragon.

Yes, Father, they said, and I ended the link and sighed.

Ty helped me rise to my feet, which I could manage now that the pain was gone. “Wyatt, he was a human I’d turned several months back to send with Ara on his campaign. Wyatt, Marshall, and Jonah. Recently, I sired Austin to send to him.” Tremors ran through me and I was even more worried. A sensation like that, one that rendered me powerless, would be detrimental to me during battle if I’d lost another child or brother.

“I’m sorry,” Tylendel said.

I nodded. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to bond, the loss of Wyatt is more physical pain than emotional, but it still hurts. And it’s an inconvenience in battle to say the least.”

“A weakness, for sure,” Tylendel agreed. “So, I take it your other sons felt his demise?”

I nodded. “And all contacted me right away, wanting to know if I was okay and simply to confirm the loss they all felt.”

“And, do they care?”

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