Chapter 140

"Let's get down to it," Kadeem said. "Where are your vampire relatives?"

The autumn night was crisp. The air was filled with the croaking sound of bullfrogs in the pond and reeds swaying in the light breeze. Ardal was just out of ear-shot, trekking back to the cabin.

Kadeem faced Rayburn square-on, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"They're staying at my house on Canyon Lake," Rayburn said. His face was turning pink and he squirmed uncomfortably in Riley's grasp.

Kadeem sighed and shook his head. "We're not off to a great start here. No one's been at that house for at least a few days - or at your condo for months."

Rayburn's eyes darted away, locking onto Kadeem's boots. His blond hairline was beginning to show a glistening of sweat beneath the moonlight.

"It's a straight-forward question," Kadeem pressed casually, his voice echoing in the night air. "I don't know why this is so hard for you."

"I don't trust that you won't - do something," Rayburn stammered.

"To your family? I do, generally, honor my promises, and I made a deal with your mom."

Kadeem stepped closer and folded his arms across his chest. "I also know when to break a promise if necessary." He paused to let it sink in. "And Ardal would forgive me for it in the end."

Contempt transformed Rayburn's soft features into hard lines. "Don't be so sure," he spat out.

Riley raised her eyebrows while Kadeem fixed him with an icy stare.

"This brings me to my main concern." He didn't hide the snarl in his voice. "What have you done to her?"

Rayburn's eyes went blank. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cut the bullshit and listen up," Kadeem commanded, his tone razor sharp as he leaned in to make his point. "Something's going on with her and I believe you're behind it."

Rayburn furrowed his brow.

God, he really could put on the confused, innocent bit.

Kadeem smirked in response and wiggled his fingers like he was a magician on stage. "Ah, that little voodoo-you do."

"Just because I can do a few runes," Rayburn hissed, "Doesn't mean I'm powerful enough to cast a spell on her!" He forced out a sigh as an owl hooted overhead. "You're onto something - Ardal is struggling right now - but I can explain why."

Kadeem scoffed incredulously, ready for another round of lies. "Go ahead," he said flatly.

Rayburn flinched as Riley tightened her grip on his shoulders. He drew in a shaky breath. "Vampires are connected through blood," he said, his expression darkening, "For forever. There's an unbreakable bond shared across their bloodline."

A hint of sorrow crossed his face as he continued, "And between the sire and progeny, there's an eternal hold." His body seemed to shudder involuntarily as the last words left his mouth.

"Ardal isn't a vampire," Kadeem retorted bluntly. "That has nothing to do with her." Sparks of bright anger were beginning to reignite within him.

Rayburn nodded gravely. "That may be true - the rune protected her, but the vampire venom changed some things in me, and I think it had some effects on her, too. She seems to be experiencing a - a pull to us. By "us," I mean, Ardal and I share a sire - my mother, of course - and Mingan and my mother share the same sire." He pursed his lips. "We are connected now."

Kadeem felt a tightness constricting his chest.

Rayburn met his eyes with a piercing stare. "You can't overlook the resonance of what happened. She died. Her life was drained from her, and then she was reborn from the blood of a vampire."

The constricting feeling got worse. It was as though someone had lassoed a rope around his lungs and was steadily yanking it tighter. Kadeem glanced at Riley to gauge her reaction. She raised her eyebrows briefly and shook her head.

Kadeem kept his face neutral. "Let's say I buy that," he shrugged, "What does that mean for Ardal?"

"We're a case study of two," Rayburn said, "I don't really know. In terms of the blood-bond, there's an allegiance to each other - even if you hate the other vampires you're tied to. And also, vampires can be very, um, sexual, so it could play out in that way."

His words were halting as he avoided Kadeem's death-stare.

Rayburn cleared his throat before continuing, "In short, it can be a very brutal, toxic family dynamic. There's as much feuding among vampires as there is loyalty. There can be a strong instinctual drive to be together - although, maybe as they age, that's only once a decade, or even once a century. Immortality changes things."

Rayburn's voice had taken on a detached, clinical tone, making Kadeem's stomach twist with unease as he processed the potential ramifications - if Rayburn was telling the truth, that is. He was, after all, a master criminal.

"For Ardal," Rayburn explained, "It may be especially problematic because of her primal bond with the wolf pack. This may be an impossible situation for her."

The wind picked up, stirring up rustling leaves into the air. Kadeem paused to stare into the tree line, frowning deeply.

"And this," Kadeem said skeptically, turning his eyes back to Rayburn and Riley, "Is your explanation for why you were here with Ardal tonight? You were drawn together because of a blood-tie?"

Strands of Riley's hair were whipping in the breeze. The bullfrogs seemed to have gone quiet behind them except for a small splash into the pond.

Kadeem's voice deepened into a wolfish snarl, sparks catching fire into a seething rage. "And it had nothing to do with you trying to pursue her? Or manipulate her like you already did last spring - sending her off in pursuit of some miracle, vampire cure for her son?” A low growl rumbled from Kadeem’s throat. “My son."

Rayburn gulped and Kadeem worked very, very hard to reign his hatred back in, though he was at that moment, imagining sinking his wolf fangs into Rayburn’s Fabio-face and shredding him.

"And,” he said when he could manage it, heavy sarcasm spilling from his tongue, “It has nothing to do with an enchantment, Dr. Mage?”

Rayburn's face tightened. "I'm not capable -"

"Oh my goddess," Riley burst out, her face reddening in frustration. "Drop the act already! Kadeem and I saw - and smelled you last spring when vampires attacked one of our gammas! You cast runes in the trees and some kind of spell that knocked us out cold."

Riley drew a sharp breath, ready to continue lashing at him, but Rayburn looked close to exploding. His eyes were wide, jaw set in fury as he swiveled his head around to her.

"If I could do all of that," he belted out, "Do you think I'd just be standing here right now?!"

Kadeem, who had quickly suppressed at least the visible flames of anger, was watching on with his arms crossed and leaned forward, just a little.

"You're genuinely good at this," he said slowly. His eyes flicked over to meet his Beta's. "I almost believe him, Riles."

"Almost," she agreed.

Rayburn groaned as though he was exhausted before shaking his head in frustration.

Kadeem broke into a laugh at the theatrics before him. He scratched his head, a crooked smile still tugging at his lips. "Alright, what are we going to do here? We're at a bit of stalemate."

"I didn't promise Ardal anything," Riley offered.

Despite all the vulnerability in his dilemma, Rayburn rolled his eyes.

Kadeem half-admired his spunk. If they peeled his mask back further, what else would they find beneath the veneer of the stammering, bookish physician?

"Okay," Kadeem said, "This is what I'm -"

He froze when he felt a jolt of fear. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, a chill radiating down his spine. His brow furrowed and he shoved his hands back into his pockets, ready to carry on, but he swept his eyes across the landscape, looking for signs of danger. An unknown panic was spreading through him. Something was wrong.

His phone buzzed in his back pocket at the same time Riley's rang.

"You get it," he said, wiping the sweat beading on his forehead as his heart raced. He took Riley's position, locking Rayburn in a strong, immoveable hold.

"What's up," Riley asked, stepping out closer to the pond.

The rest of her words over the phone were terse, clipped. Kadeem didn't catch any of it. He held Rayburn chokingly tight while his skin prickled and he tried to assess what he was feeling.

"Vamp attack," Riley said sharply as she returned, tucking away her phone. "Multiple Weres are injured and dead. The Council's already caught wind."

Kadeem shook his head. "Go without me," he ordered through clenched teeth, feeling the cold wash over him. "I don't think Ardal is okay."