Lust for blood could seize even the oldest of them, especially when injured. Pallas could do a lot of damage after being used as a pincushion. Torn between duty and desire, he held his place between brother and pack.
Stephen rose onto his feet and held out his arms. “I’m in no shape to feed Pallas. I’ll take Sugar to her bedroom.”
Sam’s expression darkened, and he took a step toward Stephen, but Robert’s hand stayed him. “This isn’t the time or place to lose your temper. We still have the empty house to deal with and finding that last traitor.”
“No.” Daedalus corrected Robert and settled Sugar in Stephen’s arms. After plucking a wooden shard off the floor, he stabbed it through the heart of the vampire he’d used to change Sugar.
The vampire’s skin turned gray. Cracks formed over his flesh before it started crumbling. Too drained of blood, the creature faded to ash quickly.
Numb, Daedalus straightened and faced the shifters. “He’s the one who should have been at the last house. I killed any of his nest who stood between me and the library. I doubt any escaped.” Daedalus’s voice sounded dead to his own ears.
Robert stood next to him and stared at the pile of ash at their feet. He rested his hand on Daedalus’s shoulder. “I’ve been where you are.” His gaze traveled to Esther, the mate he’d accidentally infected with the shifter virus. “We’ll work this out.”
Daedalus shook his head. “No, you have to leave. It’s for your own safety.”
“Are you crazy?” Sam held Clementine tight in his arms. The Sigma’s suffering was palpable. He was Sugar’s personal guard by both pack decree and friendship. “Spice will skin us alive if we return without Sugar.”
Groaning, Daedalus rested his head in his hands at the reminder of Sugar’s twin sister. “She's wanted Sugar to cross over so she can be whole. You'll have to return to Chicago and explain. Keep them away, especially Spice.”
“Daedalus is right.” Clementine stroked her mate’s hair. “Young vampires have poor control over their hunger. She might kill one of you.”
The tightness within his chest loosened, and he gave Clementine a small nod. He needed the support. The Vasi didn’t have to add to his problems. He carried enough guilt. “Can you imagine if she did? She'd never forgive herself. She'll have a lot to deal with, and I need to focus on her. No distractions. Maybe with a little divine intervention I can get her to forgive me.”
“You can’t take care of Sugar and regain control of Pal Robi Inc. by yourself.” Esther knelt next to Pallas with a stake in her hand and met his glare. She offered him her wrist. “You’ll stay and help him?”
His gaze darted to the stake. “Or?”
“It’s not a threat. The stake is in case you try to drain me dry. We’ll heal you.”
“And in return I stay with Daedalus?” He kissed the inside of her wrist. “I always admired warrior women.” Then he sank his fangs into her flesh.
“I’ll stay as well.” Clementine pressed her hand over Sam’s open mouth to stop his flood of denials. “Sugar needs guidance. I too was turned against my will.” Clementine gave Daedalus an apologetic smile. “She might not want anything to do with you, so I’ll stay to make sure she has a mentor.”
The bottom dropped out of his stomach. Sugar had to forgive him. Maybe not today or next decade, but eventually he’d find a way to make this up to her. Even if it took a thousand years.
Chapter Thirteen
Suitcases lined the wall to the front entrance. Daedalus wished this trip had turned out differently for the shifters, but deep inside he would never regret what he’d done to Sugar. He’d show her that being a vampire wasn’t all bad.
Sam sat in a foyer chair, his head hanging, while Robert and Esther went over their list of equipment. Clementine still slept since it was late afternoon.
The Vasi and Daedalus had taken a nap after caring for Pallas, who rested in the basement.
“Sir, I’d rather not go.” Stephen set his backpack next to the luggage. He kept his distance from the other shifters, a frown on his face. “I can stay in a motel close by if you really don’t want me on the grounds.”
Robert gave Daedalus a look over the younger shifter’s head. He was beta in the Vasi pack, which meant second-in-command. Omega shifters held a soft spot in his heart, and he collected them like trinkets. Except Stephen wasn’t an omega, he was a stray. They could be dangerous and unpredictable. One day Daedalus would earn enough of Stephen’s trust and hear his story. Until then the stray had a home with Daedalus’s nest. Maybe he should listen to Stephen and let him stay in the area, but the look Robert tossed him said he would fight him on this.
With a small gesture, he drew Stephen closer and whispered, “Stay close to them. I’m not sure how the pack will react when they find out what I’ve done to Sugar. I could use your help.” Three birds, one stone. Stephen would be safe, he’d have objective ears in Chicago, and with a little luck Stephen might like the Vasi.
Who was he kidding? It would take a lot of luck.
The young shifter glared at the others. “Fine.”
Daedalus had found Stephen half-starved and partially wild a year before he met Sugar. The young shifter had been his groundskeeper since then. Daedalus had no doubt where his loyalty lay.
Robert shook his hand. “Take care. Call or we’ll have to come back uninvited.” He gathered his and Esther’s bags.
She gave Daedalus a fierce hug. “Don’t lose her.”
He didn’t plan to, but every great general lost a battle at some point.
Sam came last. He couldn’t look Daedalus in the eye. “I know why you did this, but she won’t be happy. Don’t let her do anything stupid.” Sam’s attachment to Sugar had always rubbed Daedalus raw. Friendship between opposite sexes wasn’t tolerated until modern time. It was difficult to teach old vampires new tricks.
He nodded, unable to answer. If he could, he’d lock her in his bedroom for eternity, but that bordered on psychotic. They would have to find a balance. Giving the shifters his best false smile, he left the foyer before they opened the repaired front door. He didn’t need to add getting flash fried by the setting sun to his list of problems.
The bedroom where Sugar still slept loomed at the end of the hallway. Temptation to crawl into bed next to her warred with duty to guard everyone’s rest. Maybe he should have kept Stephen on the grounds after all. That would have been selfish, and he’d done his best to change that habit. Transforming Sugar was a slipup.
How convoluted his life had become since meeting her. Not a night passed where he regretted it though. That might change once she awoke.
A bang echoed in the house. The Vasi had left the building and closed the front door.
His gaze traveled to the armor decorating the walls, and his smile grew wider. He should prepare for her to regain consciousness.
As if an alarm clock had gone off in her head, Sugar jerked awake and blinked at her surroundings. She wasn’t in the library anymore. What the hell? The last thing she remembered was hitting Daedalus. The ass must have pulled a Jedi mind trick on her and put her to sleep.
Grinding her teeth, she kicked the blankets off. Her new fangs nicked her bottom lip, and she gasped at the sudden sting. She fingered the sore spot, and it came away with blood.
“They take some getting used to.” Daedalus sat across the room.
Lasering her gaze in his direction, she scowled. “You have some explaining to do. Can you manage it without placing me under a sleep spell?” She reached for her cane and jerked her hand back when it met air. It must still be in the library. Being able to move like normal again would take some getting used to.