Fear and Blood

Chapter 35

“It doesn't make much of a difference,” Rome murmured, ignoring this new, and somewhat exciting, information. What would it feel like to be aware of Ly all the time? “If we make it through all of this, Ly will just forget I ever existed. He needs to be with a vampire...”

“He will not forget you, he cannot. It is not physically possible for him to ignore the link between you now. He does not necessarily have to be with a vampire either,” Tricia corrected. “Did he tell you that?”

“No,” Rome admitted, “but if he's going to run this country then he needs an heir eventually and human vampire couples aren't allowed to have children. There's no way we can be together if we can't have children.”

Tricia smiled a small, sad smile as Nicator laughed again, this time sounding genuinely amused. “Can you imagine Ly as a father,” the blond said, showing her long canine teeth as her smile broadened. She placed a hand over her stomach, seemingly unaware of the action. “He has never wanted children. I doubt he would know what to do with them.”

That's when it hit Rome. If Tricia was pregnant that meant there was another member of Ly's family out there. He wasn't the last. Tricia and Tristan's child could be Ly heir and that would mean Ly wouldn't need to have any children of his own.

So, assuming that that was true, Rome could stay human and still be with Ly. Or was this just something else that complicated their relationship? Did it really matter now anyway? She had already chosen Ly over her family. Was it so much harder to choose to give up her humanity?

“Taylor should be at his private residence,” Milo announced into the silence, breaking Rome out of her thoughts. She got the feeling that he was uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking and was forcing everyone to think of the task at hand. “That's where Ly will go. It should take us about three hours to get there from here, maybe a little under that.”

“Then drive fast,” Tricia demanded. “We have to catch up with Ly before he does anything stupid.”

“If he hasn't already,” Nicator muttered.

* * *

Cassian smiled as he stepped into the middle of the room. Large, friendly brown eyes fixed on Ly. He looked no different than the last time Ly had seen him, except that he moved his left arm stiffly as if it caused him pain. Apparently the wound he had sustained when Tristan was killed hadn't healed properly.

Ly dropped Taylor, who crawled quickly towards the door. The cowardly politician was stopped by a quick gesture from Cassian and he looked up at the vampire with fear filled eyes. “Go and stand in the corned,” the vampire ordered, his voice still light and cheerful. “I'm not quite finished with you yet.”

Taylor whimpered softly, but did as he was told. Getting quickly to his feet he shuffled over to the far corner of the room and stood there, waiting obediently for further instructions. It was not the kind of behaviour that was expected of the head of a major political party and one of the most powerful men in the vampire hunting world.

“Isn't it wonderful Ly,” Cassian giggled as he watched Taylor obey his order. “The most influential man in the hunters world, and our greatest rival in the government, and he carries out my ever order. What more proof does anyone need that humans are beneath us.”

“It was you,” Ly growled, his voice low and dangerous. He had all but forgotten Taylor was in the room after Cassian appeared. Now that it was obvious the hunter wasn't the mastermind behind anything that had been happening he no longer mattered. “You did all of this. You started this mess! You...you...what did you gain? You caused Tristan's death! You had him murdered!”