He looked at his hands. They had the dried blood of the Blind King on them and dirt from the barn's floor.
He had no regrets that he'd run from the scene. Sometimes, the best move a leader could make was to disengage from battle. When casualties were too high, and loss was virtually assured, the intelligent maneuver was to withdraw and fight another day.
Mr. X dropped his arms. He was going to need more time to recover, but he had to get hold of his men. Leadership vacuums in the Society were dangerous. Particularly for the Fore-lesser in charge.
The door to the cabin swung open and he looked up, wondering how he would defend himself before realizing it was too close to daylight for the intruder to be a vampire.
What filled the jambs made his black blood run cold.
The Omega.
"I've come to help you recover," it said with a smile.
As the door shut, Mr. X's body trembled.
Help from the Omega was more terrifying than any death sentence.
Epilogue
"The Tomb's mansion. I'm telling you, that's where we
X should go," Tohr said, as he stabbed some roast beef off the silver tray Fritz held out to him. "Thanks, man."
Beth looked over at Wrath, thinking that in the month since he'd been shot, he'd fully recovered. He was healthy and strong. Formidable as always. Arrogant. Loving. Impossible and irresistible.
As he settled back in his chair at the head of the table, he reached for her hand, stroking her palm with his thumb.
She smiled at him.
They'd been living in her father's house while he recovered, working on plans for the future. And every night, the brotherhood came for dinner. Fritz was beside himself with glee from all the people coming and going.
"You know, that's a damn good idea," V said. "I could really wire that place tight. It's isolated enough on that mountain. And built of stone, so it's fireproof. If we throw some retractable metal shutters across all the windows, we could move around during the day. Which was a critical weakness in this house when…" He stopped. "And doesn't it have extensive underground rooms? We could use them for training."
Rhage nodded. "The place is also big enough. We could all live there without killing each other."
"That depends more on your mouth than any floorplan," Phury said with a grin. The warrior shifted in his chair, making room for Boo on his lap.
"What do you think?" Tohr asked Wrath.
"It's not my call. As those buildings and facilities were Darius's holdings, they have now passed to Beth." Wrath looked at her. "Leelan? Would you consider letting the brothers use one of your houses?"
One of her houses. Her houses. As someone who'd never even owned an apartment, she was having a little trouble coming to terms with everything that was now hers. And it wasn't only real estate. Art. Land. Cars. Jewelry. And the money she controlled was insane.
Fortunately, V and Phury were sharing their in-depth knowledge about the stock market with her. As well as teaching her about the ins and outs of bonds. T-bills. Gold. Commodities. They were amazingly good with money.
And very, very good to her.
She looked down the table at the men. "Whatever the brotherhood needs, they can have."
There was a rumble of gratitude, and wineglasses were lifted to her in salute. Zsadist left his on the table, but nodded in her direction.
She glanced at Wrath. "Except don't you think that we should live there, too?"
"You'd want to do that?" he asked. "Most females would prefer their own place."
"It is mine, remember? Besides, these are your closest advisers, the people you trust more than any others. Why would you want to be separated from them?"
"Hold up," Rhage said. "I thought we'd agreed we wouldn't have to live with him."
Wrath shot a glare at Hollywood and then looked back at her. "You're sure about this, leelan?"
"There's safety in numbers, right?"
He nodded. "But more exposure, too."
"We'd be in very good company, though. There is nobody I'd rather have protecting us than these wonderful men."
'"Scuse me," Rhage interjected. "Is everyone else here in love with her?"
"Hell, yeah," V said, tipping his Red Sox hat. "Totally."
Phury nodded. "And if she lives with us, we get to keep the cat."
Wrath kissed her and looked at Tohr. "Guess we've got ourselves a home."
"And Fritz will come, too," Beth said, as the butler walked into the room. "Won't you? Please?"
The butler seemed tickled pink to be included, and he eyed the brothers with happiness. "Anywhere for you and the king, mistress. And the more to care for, the better."
"Well, we're going to have to get you some help."
V spoke up, addressing Wrath. "Listen, about the cop. What do you want to do with him?"
"Are you asking because he's a friend of yours or a threat to us?"
"Both."
"Why do I have a feeling you're going to suggest something?"
"Because I am. He should come with us."
"Any particular reason?"
"I have dreamed of him."
The table fell silent.
"Done," Wrath said. "But dreams or not, he bears watching."
V nodded. "I will accept that responsibility."
As the brothers started to make plans, Beth stared at her husband's hand in hers, feeling an absurd urge to cry.
"Leelan?" Wrath said softly. "You okay?"
She nodded, marveling that he could read her so easily.
"I'm very okay." She smiled at him. "You know something, right before I met you I was looking for an adventure."
"Were you?"
"And I got more than that. I got a past and a future. A whole… life. Sometimes I don't know how to handle the good fortune. I just don't know what to do with it all."
"Funny, I feel the same way." Wrath took her face in his hands and put his lips on hers. "And that's why I kiss you so often, leelan."
She put her arms around his wide shoulders and nuzzled his lips with her mouth.
"Oh, man," Rhage said. "Are we going to have to watch them smooch all the time?"
"You should be so lucky," V muttered.
"Yeah." Rhage sighed. "All I want is one good female. But I guess I'll settle for quantity until I find her. Life just sucks, doesn't it?"
There was a rolling swell of laughter. Someone pitched a napkin.
Fritz brought in dessert.
"Please, if you would," the butler said, "no throwing the linens. Peaches, anyone?"
About the Author
J. R. Ward lives in the South with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. After graduating from law school, she began working in health care in Boston and spent many years as chief of staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. Writing has always been her passion, and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog, and her coffeepot. Visit her and the Brotherhood at www.jrward.com.
Jessica Bird
