“I don’t really want to open it,” I admitted reluctantly, “but I guess now’s as good a time as any.” I slid my nail along the seal, tearing the paper to expose the inside. With careful hands, I pulled the letter from the envelope and gasped as a piece of gold fell onto my lap. Novak caught it before it tumbled into the pool. I could only stare wide-eyed at it. Memories swirled around my mind with the single look I got. I knew what it was, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
“This belonged to your mother,” the vampire at my side stated.
“How do you know?” I fought to suppress the panic I felt from rising. There was no reason to freak out. Calm down, Sloane. You have to pencil freak outs into your schedule. You don’t have time for this kind of shit.
“I told you earlier,” he reiterated. “I can hear more of your thoughts. Before, I could only hear a word or two from time to time. But just then, I was able to get a glimpse of your memory,” he confirmed. “I saw you, as a little girl, staring at a picture of a woman who looks so much like you. She was wearing a necklace. The gold chain held this charm,” he unclamped his fingers and dropped the charm into my hand, “and three others.”
“She never took that necklace off.” I sucked in a breath and thought of Father’s current search. “It doesn’t change anything, though. She could still be alive, or she could have been dead for many years. Whoever sent this could’ve been waiting for the right time to bait me. I can’t jump into anything blindly.” I rubbed my forehead with my free hand. “There’s so much going on and even more to do. I need to call Papi.”
“Read the letter first. Then we’ll call him.” He took the empty envelope and the charm from me, freeing up my hands. I unfolded the letter with a surgeon's precision, unsure if it held anything else.
Ms. King,
It seems that the Fates have decided our paths shall finally cross. I do look forward to meeting you, but I thought a friendly warning might serve you well.
You see, I have something that you're going to want. In return, I would’ve asked that you stop your investigation into my business endeavors.
We both have the Sight to see that won’t happen, so I’m giving you a deadline. If you want what I have, then you’ll have to find me before the next new moon.
While you search tirelessly for me, I’ll enjoy watching you fail. Every move you make, I will have someone there to stop your best efforts. You will not win.
We’ve already had unprecedented success with eradicating shifters. I’m moving on to the next species. Catch me if you can, Little King.
Sincerely,
Mr. Moore
“What the fuck?” I angrily whispered to myself. Novak snatched the letter from my hand and read through the handwritten threat. The chicken-scratch writing was difficult — but not impossible — to read. Who the fuck did he think he was talking to!? I’m Sloane motherfucking King. I do NOT lose.
“Calm yourself,” Novak chided, clearly hearing my current thought process. “There’s plenty to be learned from this letter, and there’s a possibility that Palmer can trace it.”
“Like what? That he’s proper because he signed it sincerely,” I fumed. I wasn’t mad enough to skip mocking the fae accent when I said proper, though.
“No, Trouble. You're pissed and you're not thinking straight.” He confronted me without a hint of regret. I fucking loved that he wasn’t tiptoeing around this. He was right, though. I needed to calm down and think this through. Think, bitch. “He knows you won’t give up, so he’s had to switch his tactics,” Novak started.
“And, he has to be in contact with a high ranking demon to have access to the Fates,” I theorized. “He’s also using someone with Sight. That’s a vampire trait, not fae or mage.”
“Right. We found out about the potential next target with no hints from him.” Novak smirked at me. “And,” he dragged out, “it sounds like he thinks you’re doing this by yourself. He doesn’t know that you have mates. He’s not counting the people who will stand by your side.” His eyes spoke volumes as he picked apart the short letter.
“You’re right.” I tilted my head to the left, thinking through all the information. He was very right.
“I read the copy of your letter from Nathaniel, the one that Palmer has. I think he was on to something. It’s time to start building alliances, and we’re going to start with the vampires when we go to Baton Rouge.” He was so certain and confident, but I needed to know if he knew what he was saying. I knew how I felt, and I knew the difference, now, between my feelings and the bond’s urges. The feeling of giddiness when he nudged me with his shoulder was ridiculous, but all mine. The need to be closer to him earlier was the bond trying to pull us together.
“Are you sure, Novak? I don’t want us to rush into anything that you may regret later.” The look he gave me could’ve had half of Hell frozen in its tracks.
“I’m positive,” he affirmed. “I was before reading that letter, I will be tomorrow, and I won’t change my mind in a hundred years.” He leaned down and gave me a chaste kiss. “If you're getting cold feet, you should take them out of the water,” he advised.
“You know that’s a saying about marriage and…” I paused as a provoking grin split his handsome face. “Oh. Ha. Ha. Very funny,” I humorlessly supplied.
“Call your Pops. Let’s make it almost official,” he insisted, the smile never leaving his full lips.
“Pah-Pee,” I corrected him, slowly sounding the name out.
“Papi,” he repeated, sounding amused with himself. “Don’t try to stall now,” he joked.
I smiled big at him, flashing a little fang, and he rolled his golden eyes. Lifting my right hand between us, I summoned a flame the size of a softball with my intent solely focused on Papi. Communication by hellfire was some of the first magic I learned as a child. Jack and I would talk to each other this way from our separate rooms, well past our bedtime. We were such rebels.
I called quietly into the hellfire floating above my palm, careful to keep my hand above chest level since I was still naked, “Papi, are you awake? Is this a bad time?”
His response took no more than twenty seconds. “Of course not, My Sweet Little Devil,” Papi answered as his face appeared in the fireball. “Is everything okay?” His brows and forehead creased in concern. He waited patiently for me to speak, but I didn’t know where to begin.
“I don’t want to tell him about the letter yet.” I sent the thought to Novak, and he squeezed my thigh in reply.
“There are a ton of things going on, sir.” Novak leaned his head next to mine so Papi could see us both. “We were able to recover the druid and shut down the power farm he was being held at.” That was a good start for information.
“Papi, I need you and Dad to meet us at Father’s house. I’m still waiting to hear from Simon, but we have enough evidence to suggest something big is about to happen with the vampires.” I kept my voice low. I had no idea who could overhear us from his end.
“Something big like what, Sloane? What’s going on?” he demanded of me, using my name and not my nickname to show me he meant business.