I step out of the car, slamming the door behind me. In an instant, Aiden is at my side. His hammer shimmers into existence on his back, and I reach for my sword, feeling its weight suddenly on my back. The car drives slowly away behind me, and we square off with the vampires as they face us, sudden interest in their eyes.
“You guys have something we want,” I tell him, a threat in each word.
One of the vampires, a redhead with dark eyes ringed by red, smiles. “And you have something we want.”
“How ironic,” I say.
“Where is Layla?” Aiden asks beside me, and above us lightning crackles.
The vampires’ eyes go wide, and they glance at the sky. Within them, I sense fear. For the first time, I think they’re actually reconsidering this plan of theirs.
The redhead is no longer smiling. “We just wanted to get your attention.”
“You’ve got it,” Aiden growls low.
Above us, the sky darkens and storm clouds swirl. I have to hide my own look of surprise. As new gods, I constantly feel like we’re scrambling to figure out who we are and what we can do. But there’s something about Aiden being Thor, a god whose powers are so visual and hard to ignore, that makes me realize just how dangerous we’ve become.
“Come with us. Our boss just wants to talk,” the redhead says slowly.
“Lead the way,” I tell him, even though I don’t believe him for a second.
We follow them off the road and into the woods. Every muscle in my body is tense, and anger sings through me. For the first time, I acknowledge what I’ve done here. I left the reasonable people in that car. Aiden and I…we have a tendency to push first and ask questions later.
The thing is, as subconscious as the decision was, that’s what I want right now. To paint these woods in the blood of my enemies. These people who take pregnant women and kill helpless humans.
They lack all honor.
My hands curl into fists, and I have to take deep breaths, recognizing that some of my own beliefs and Tyr’s are mixing in my mind, which is dangerous.
We walk deeper and deeper into the woods, the shadows of the leaves and the brewing storm making it like a grey dawn. All the colors around us are muted, and I swear it grows colder. We start down a hill, then spot movement ahead. Sure enough, Layla and her husband are bound, surrounded by six vampires. The two leading us break off, and then we’re facing all of them, tension in the air.
“Give me my sister,” Aiden orders. Lightning splits the sky and thunder roars above us.
All the vampires look up, and I see shock register on their faces.
One of them steps forward. His hair is so blond it’s almost white, and he has the same almost nonexistent brows above big brown eyes ringed with red. He’s shorter than the others, but broad and strong, built like a dwarf from some fantasy movie. I know without asking that he’s the leader. I don’t know if it’s Tyr or I that recognize it, but we do.
“I’m Clint,” he introduces himself, a formal air to his words. “Leader of the Holden hive.”
“And the bastard who crashed our car that night,” Aiden growls beside me, his words followed by more lightning.
Clint lifts a brow. “Your sister was unknowingly dating the leader of a rival house. When I learned that Abel had fallen in love with the little human, she’d been a way to target him. To hurt him. I had no idea he’d started the process of turning her. If I had, I would have taken her as my queen instead.”
“Bastard!” Layla says.
The vampire holding her gives her a shake. I look at her pale face for the first time, and see blood trickling from a wound on her head. I had no emotional attachment to Layla, but Aiden and Reid had given her part of their hearts from the time they were in diapers, so if these vampires hurt her, they hurt the twins. And I wouldn’t let these vampires hurt anyone else I cared about.
“Give us Layla and Abel now,” I say.
“Not until we’ve come to an understanding,” the vampire leader insists.
I swear the wind picks up around us, howling in anger, and thunder rolls over and over above us, deafening all of us. Aiden takes a step forward and draws his hammer out of the sheath.
Suddenly, I see fear in the vampire’s eyes. “Give him the girl,” he snaps.
They shove Layla forward, and she rushes into Aiden’s arms.
The thunder dies down, and Aiden squeezes his sister against his side, then glances at Abel. He’s in far worse shape than Layla, his lip split, one eye swollen, and he rasps in air like he’s broken a rib or two.
“Can we talk now?” Clint asks, still looking uncertain.
“Speak,” Aiden barks.
The vampire draws himself up taller. “The events that occured with your sister should have remained between clans, between vampires. Our kind have no interest in battling with gods--”
“Because you’ll lose,” I cut in.
His face goes a shade paler. “We would prefer a…truce between our people.”
“A truce?” I shout. “And what about all my innocent servants you slaughtered?”
He glances at a man at his side. “That was done in a moment of anger, and not at my command. Such a thing should never have been allowed, not only because we don’t kill and create scenes, but also because we have no desire to have gods as enemies.”
“But it was done,” I say, letting the words drop between us.
“It was,” he responds. “And we are willing to consider ourselves even. If you let this matter go, we give our word your human families will remain safe, and that we will keep the battle between our clans, without involving anyone else.”
“No,” slips past my lips before I realize it.
The leader lifts a brow.
“You will give us Layla’s husband, and we’ll leave without killing you. You’ll leave our family and her alone.” I pause. “But I want a life for every life you took from my household.”
Clint shakes his head. “That’s simply not possible. Twelve vampires lives are a great deal more valuable than human lives.” He hesitates. “I’m sure there’s something else I can offer you.”
“No deal,” I say.
Aiden leans closer to me, lowering his voice. “What are you doing?”
“This is about honor and about justice,” I tell him.
“Are you talking or is this Tyr? Twelve lives? What are you doing?” Aiden’s gaze meets mine, blazing with concern. I’m not sure Aiden actually gives a damn about these vampires. I think he’s scared for me, especially after what happened with Wilder and Odin.
It was me talking, but I didn’t know if it was Tyr's influence or just my own anger and hurt driving my words. I think of the housekeepers and the way they sang when they worked when my parents were gone. I think of my butler, who never told my parents when I came home too late or injured from a fight. My throat grows thick. They deserved better.
“Tell us what you really want,” Clint demands.
I draw myself up taller. “I want you to turn back time and save their lives.”
“That’s impossible,” he tells me.
“Then, no deal,” I say.
“Let’s all calm down,” Van says. “Let go of Abel. Then we can talk in good faith.”