She blinked as the world spun around her, and she backed away from Kyden’s touch. She’d known this, of course. Her mind had been trying to tell her from the moment she learned Lazarus was after her, but hearing the words spoken aloud affirmed it as her reality—a reality she couldn’t change—and the pain of her loss, of her guilt, was unbearable.
Kyden’s body curled itself around her, and she drew comfort from him, however small. He turned to his father. “The wolf said Lazarus remembered Nexi from the attack on Tillie. He realized if the daughter held the same power he’d stolen from her mother, it would make him twice as strong as he is now.”
Nexi stared at nothing, willing her ears to block his words, as he continued, “The death of her family was to force her return to the Otherworld.”
“How did he find her?” Zia asked.
“There was a draw to her and he could sense her,” Kyden said. “A blood connection, of some type, and Lazarus has spent the last years searching for her, knowing she was somewhere in the Earthworld.”
“He does have Tillie’s blood in his veins, but I didn’t know that bond would transfer to him.” Zia whispered, her voice wrenched in guilt.
“How could you know that?” Talon asked. “You couldn’t have predicted the connection.” He hesitated, and finally added, “Continue, son.”
“The werewolf said Lazarus could feel her closeness,” Kyden said. “It took him all these years to zero in on her location. But he realized when he found her she was without her magic. That’s what started his plan. They never intended to kill her that night, merely for us to come and bring her home.”
Drake exhaled, a sound dripping in misery. “We did exactly what he hoped.”
“He had to have known we’d lift the hold on her magic,” Talon agreed. “And he’s been killing and watching her, waiting to ensure she has her magic, so he can drain her?”
“Appears so,” Kyden said. “He must assume that since she’s able to fight as a guardian, and that magic has flourished, so have her witch abilities.”
“They were murdered…” Nexi whispered against Kyden’s chest, her mind reeling, “because of me.” Her parents, the people she loved, died in the most vicious of ways because Lazarus was after her. Her stomach rolled in sickness, and her throat tightened. “How can this be true…”
Kyden stared at her with pained eyes. “I’m sorry, Nexi—”
She raised her hand, not wanting him to continue. Tears welled up in her eyes and horror sent an excruciating chill into her soul. Her knees wobbled and a terrible, keening sob, sounding nothing like her own voice, escaped her.
Kyden wrapped her in his arms, keeping her upright as her body slipped downward. She stayed there a moment, weeping hard and openly, but accepting the safe feeling he provided as the world she knew it shattered around her.
Drake’s hand rested on her shoulder, but the comfort of the two men most important in her life couldn’t fight off her despair. She sank deeper into Kyden’s embrace, hoping he could make this all better—hoping he’d tell her this was all some terrible nightmare.
He stayed silent.
…
Two hours later Nexi entered her bathroom, adjacent to her bedroom, and shut the door behind her. She turned on the tub’s faucet, added a dash of bubble bath and let the scent of warmed almonds and sweet vanilla comfort her. She stripped, then sank down into the antique claw-foot tub, instantly lost in the sensation. As she relaxed her muscles, her tight emotions slowly unwound.
When the bubbles no longer popped and the water was more warm than hot, the bathroom door opened. She knew exactly who it’d be, so she kept her eyes closed. The sound of leather hitting the floor echoed in the bathroom, and when Kyden slid down in front her, the water rushed over the sides of the tub.
He grabbed her foot to rub along the arch. “Better now?”
“To the right a bit…ah, yes, right there.” She sighed, with her head against the rim of the tub. “Yeah, I’m okay.” At least she wasn’t crying anymore.
She’d spent a half-hour in Haven’s arms, which calmed her down enough to think straight. After everything she’d learned tonight about Lazarus’s intentions, she also realized she hardly knew anything about him. Before she could even understand how to deal with the future, she needed to know the past.
Opening her eyes, she lifted her head, staring into Kyden’s gentle eyes. “Can you tell me about what happened with Lazarus?”
He inclined his head, continuing to rub along the arch of her foot. “There are those who reject the Council’s beliefs. Just as in the Earthworld battles arise between those mortal beliefs. From what Talon has told me, Lazarus thinks the Council makes mistakes in their rulings, and he seeks to rule the worlds.”
“Both worlds?” Nexi asked, and at Kyden’s nod, she added, “You can’t be serious.”
“Sadly, I am.” He lowered her one foot, then took up the other and continued to massage her. “Lazarus believes vampires should have the right to kill mortals. That vampires are the superior species. He wishes to claim humans as slaves.”
Had anything ever sounded so insane? “I’m taking it that didn’t go over so well?”
Kyden’s thumbs pressed into a wonderful spot on her foot as he raised his brows in agreement. “Lazarus had tried to defeat Zade, as Master, years back, to take over his role so he could enforce these rules. When he failed, Lazarus retaliated, and gathered a group of wolves who pledged themselves to him.”
“Just like he did with the wolves now?”
“That’s right.”
She shook her head in confusion. “I don’t get it. What’s in it for the wolves? Why pledge themselves to this one vampire?”
“I’ll get to that, but let me explain the rest first.” She stayed silent, and he continued, “So, after he failed to defeat Zade, Lazarus attacked the Council and came very close to destroying everything we believe in.” Kyden gave her a pointed look. “Lazarus will stop at nothing until he destroys the Council to enforce his way of life.”
Nexi blinked. “He had enough strength at that time to almost defeat them?” Fear tightened her throat and coldness sank into her bones, regardless of the warm water around her.
Lazarus had that much power?
To attempt to take over the Council, how was that even possible?
Kyden hesitated, seemed to choose his words carefully. “Your mother gave him the elevated power.” At her obvious horrified confusion, he added, “Up until that time, it wasn’t common knowledge that if a vampire drained a witch to death her blood would give him enhanced abilities.”
She sighed. “I can’t believe vampires would do that to innocent witches.”
He nodded with eyes full of sympathy. “A month before her murder, the ability was discovered on an unrelated case, but spread like wildfire through the supernatural community. Many witches died and the Council had their hands full ridding the world of vampires who sought this type of power.”
“I’m guessing it stopped, though?”
“You’re right—it did.” He gave her arch a deep rub. “Witches got smart and kept together to fend off any attackers, and the Council made an example of any vampire who attempted this.” Darkness spread over his features. “I’ll spare you what the punishment looked like, but eventually the appeal faded.”
She pondered, and a curious thought rose. “So, after Lazarus failed in killing the Council, he focused on gaining this type of power?”
“He must’ve realized he’d never succeed without it. The Council is strong. No matter how many he had with him, their powers would destroy him.” Kyden sighed, long and deep, as his fingers swept over her foot. “Once he stole the enhanced power from your mother, he immediately attacked the Otherworld.”
Nexi nibbled her lip, thinking all this over. “All right. That all makes sense. But what doesn’t is why are wolves with him, not vampires? Don’t they seem like the logical choice considering what he’s after?”
Kyden’s head titled, his gaze soft. “You have to understand that rogue wolves have been cast out—abandoned by their packs. They’re in desperate need to belong and when Lazarus came talking of a new life, they were easier to draw into his plan.”
“He offered them a new home, then?”
“Exactly,” he agreed with a nod. “Lazarus gave them a new way of life that declared it didn’t matter that they didn’t belong to a pack. It allowed them a chance to live as they saw fit. Gave them control in a world where they had none.”
She slid her hands through the water, absorbing that knowledge. Power-happy supernaturals weren’t so different than power-hungry humans. “What happened when he attacked the Council, then?”
“He’d grown stronger, but not strong enough to destroy the Council. Blood was shed on the Otherworld grounds in forms that I hope to never see.” Nexi shuddered. If anything made Kyden that horrified, it quadrupled in her. “But as the battle ceased, Lazarus ran like the coward he is and went into hiding.”