House of Ravens (34 page)

Cyrus chuckles. “An unfortunate side effect
of our thirst.” He’s always referred to the Bitten as that. “Think
of this as an opportunity for our kind to learn a great deal more
self-control.”

“
It won’t work that way,” I
say, shaking my head, and thinking of how all-consuming the
bloodlust can be. Of how I created Danielle. Of how Markov cannot
stop himself sometimes.

“
It has to,” Cyrus says,
his voice growing harder. “What happened in Silent Bend four months
ago will never transpire again. I value our secrecy too greatly.
Can you help me keep that secrecy, Alivia?”

Ian and Henry step into the foyer just then,
looks of concern and wariness on their faces.

“
Of course,” I agree as I
swallow hard. My focus drifts to the space beneath the ballroom
floor, to a refrigerated unit that houses bins of glass
vials.

To the Bitten cure my father created to save
another’s life.

“
That’s a good girl,” King
Cyrus says, and I can just picture the cold smile that curls on his
lips.

I close my eyes, trying not to imagine
another innocent girl having to endure his twisted manipulation
like I did. To be charmed by his two faces.

“
I’m glad to hear things
have been running smoothly in your House,” he says. Ian and Henry
come closer, their ears straining to hear the words Cyrus speaks.
“I appreciate you doing everything you can to keep things under
control in your region.”

“
I’ll continue to do my
best,” I say as aggravation begins to replace my fear. My fingers
curl into fists and my heart rate calms, replaced by
determination.

“
Thank you kindly,” he
says, his voice friendly, but so very cold. “You have a wonderful
day, Alivia. Talk to you soon.”

Slowly, I lower the phone, hanging it back
up, just as Anna walks into the foyer, fight and war in her
eyes.

But she must read the expression on my face.
“What’s wrong?”

I shake my head. “Nothing that far out of
the usual.” Because this is my life, immortal and complex as it
is.

“
You sure?” Ian asks.
Everything in his body is tensed, ready to spring to action with
the smallest indication from me that anything is wrong.

“
For now,” I reply, a small
smile forming on my face as I look from my husband, so ready for
violence and war, to my father, who searches my face, trying to
read the truth from my very skin.

“
We do have a situation to
deal with,” Anna moves on, oblivious as to how things are about to
change, once again, in the world of vampires and Royals. “There are
reports up in Jackson of a coven trying to take over the city. I
sent Lexington and Trinity up there last night. It’s a group of
nine Born.”

Ian and Henry look back at me, knowing the
whiplash I’m suffering at the moment.

The fear Cyrus can evoke in me with just a
few words.

The implications of this new
declaration.

But it’s my duty as this area’s regent.

I take a deep breath.

I stand a little straighter.

I look around at the House members that are
gathering around, ready to help me tackle yet another
situation.

And I hold my head high as a Conrath and a
House leader.

“
Let’s go deal with this,”
I say.

Keary Taylor grew up along
the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she started creating
imaginary worlds and daring characters who always fell in love. She
now splits her time between a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest
and Utah, dragging along her husband and their three children. She
continues to have an overactive imagination that frequently keeps
her up at night.

To learn more about Keary
and her writing process, please visit
www.KearyTaylor.com
.