“It’s practical.”
“It’s impossible.” We both looked back at Gabriel. “We cannot offer sanctuary to non-shifters.”
Connor stalked to the other side of the room, as if to burn off frustration. “That’s ridiculous.”
“That’s Pack.”
“She’s in trouble because of us.”
“And she doesn’t want sanctuary,” Gabriel said.
“She’s also in the room,” I said. “So stop talking about me like I’m not here. I’m in trouble because of something I did. I accept that, and I’ll figure out a way to deal with it.” I turned to Connor. “I appreciate the offer and the concern. But that’s not the way to resolve this.”
He growled, a low rumble of warning. If I’d been in a different place, and in the middle of a different discussion, I might have taken a step back. But I wasn’t in the mood to be handled or growled at.
“Growl at me again,” I said, taking a step closer.
“I’ll growl in my own territory if I feel like growling.”
“Children.”
We both looked at his father.
“Might I suggest you both take a break? You’ve had a long night.”
I couldn’t argue with that, so we said our goodbyes and made for the door—but stopped short at the new chyron that practically screamed from the bottom of the screen: atlanta vamps causing trouble in chicago? Above it, blurry figures moved in grainy footage of the fight.
Really, the chyron was about the best we could hope for. And I’d take it.
* * *
* * *
My relief lasted only until my arrival at the loft.
Lulu was gone, presumably at Mateo’s, and the apartment was dark and secure. Out of habit I turned on the wall screen when we went inside, to check the coverage again, and found the AAM had released its own statement. The précis: Chicago vampire breaks rules, refuses to accept due punishment. The statement was vague on details; they didn’t go so far as to say what rules I’d broken, probably because they didn’t want to kick up sympathy for me, or fear, given the reason for Carlie’s change.
The AAM would be waging this war in the media and on the ground, it seemed.
“Assholes,” Connor murmured.
“Yeah,” I said. “They are.” I was exhausted, and dawn was drawing ever closer. I wanted to sit down with him, sink into his arms, and let his nearness wash away the dregs of the night, of battle, of bloodshed. Of fighting a dozen vamps who’d flown across the country to detest me in person.
But I couldn’t do that yet. Not when I still had a call to make.
“I’ll be back,” I said, screen in hand as I looked toward my bedroom.
“Your parents?”
I nodded.
“You can call them out here.”
I put a hand on his chest, stretched up to kiss him. “Thank you. But I think for this first volley, I’d better handle them myself. But could you stay until I’m done? I might need an emotional support wolf by then.”
“Can I raid the fridge?”
“Only if you promise to eat the rest of the deviled eggs,” I said and made my way down the hall.
SIX
I pulled my hair into a knot, sat cross-legged on the bed, and turned on my screen.
Irony of ironies, I found four messages waiting. Three Houses had offered me membership, effective immediately. Chicago’s Rogues made the same offer, ironically. I sent polite refusals to all of them. And then called the Master and Sentinel of Cadogan House.
They answered immediately. My mother, with pale skin and dark hair, wore a Cadogan T-shirt even while half a world away. My father, whose blond hair I’d inherited, wore a button-down white shirt, as he nearly always did.
“Elisa,” said my mom. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, and I gave them the entire story, from the AAM at my door to the fight at the Grove. And the promise of what was to come.
I left out no details, and would have sworn I could feel their furious magic through the connection. My mother’s anger and concern were clear on her face. My father, who had four hundred years of vampirism on her, didn’t let his emotions show as easily. But his eyes had gone quicksilver.
“You should have told us when they came to your door,” he said sternly.
“If I’d told you, you’d have come here. That puts you both in the middle of it, and it pits you against the AAM. That’s dangerous for you and for Cadogan.”
“You’re our daughter,” he said, eyes blazing. “We’ll get flights out as soon as we can.”
“I can handle this myself.”
“You don’t have to handle it yourself,” my mother said, taking his hand. “Not alone. And you won’t. We know how to protect the House.”
I wanted to argue more, but knew that would be a waste of time. They were my parents, and they were protective. And I’d come by my stubbornness honestly. “Okay.”
“They waited until we were gone,” my father said.
“That’s the operative guess,” I agreed. “What do you know about the Compliance Bureau? Theo says it’s new.” In vampire terms, at least.
“I’m now aware of its existence,” Dad said. “Nicole created the Bureau, authorized it to investigate and deal with rule breaking. Now that we’re in the public eye again, and contrary to the operations of the Greenwich Presidium, she wants to ensure rules are enforced without bias or favoritism.”
I could all but feel part of the cage falling into place, and I didn’t like the sensation.
“There are rules for a reason,” he added after a moment, and with what sounded like regret. “We prohibit non-Masters from creating vampires because of the risks—to humans, because the vampires may not be strong enough to make them without injury. To vampires, because changing humans can attract human attention.”
“I’m not the first person who’s changed a vampire without being a Master. Or a Rogue,” I added.
“No,” Dad said. “You aren’t. But you’re strong, you’re in Chicago . . . and you’re our daughter.”
“And that has benefits . . . and costs,” I finished. My parents were physically strong and well-connected, and head of one of the most popular and powerful Houses in the country. I’d been fortunate enough to grow up in the midst of that privilege. But not all vampires trusted them, or the concentration of power. And then there was me—born without precedent. Another unknown.