Page 51 of Taste of Death

“I don’t deny that,” I said.

“They got my father, Kalix’s father and brother, and so many more, hopped up on drae for what? Because it sure as hell wasn’t for a surprise attack on the werewolves like they claimed.”

I nodded, lowering my head. “Our elders felt threatened by the growing support of your clan. You had the love of the people, and our power was slipping from our grasp.”

“An entire generation of vampires wiped out,” Thorne continued. “Burned to death by the sun near the Vargmore border. Your clan even pinned the blame on the werewolves, saying they must have been captured and thrown outside in broad daylight. We proved that they lied, and got silenced for it.”

“It’s abhorrent,” I said. “Not only what was done, but the lies and the effort taken to cover it up. I deeply regret that my bloodline and my clan name was ever tied to such actions.”

I lifted my gaze to Thorne’s, still wondering what he wanted. An apology? I’d give one happily, along with restitution for his clan if he wanted that. I’d never stand by the atrocities my ancestors committed. Whatever proof of that he needed, I would give.

“Did you give draitrium to a bunch of Marrowers and set them to attack Sapien?”

My breath left my lungs like I’d been kicked in the chest. I should have seen this coming too. Thorne’s hatred of me and my clan truly knew no bounds.

“No.” My calmness was hanging by a thread. “I had nothing to do with that.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” My fangs grew long. Not to feed, but to use as potential weapons.

Thorne’s eyes narrowed and he stubbed out his cigarette, for once not reaching for another one. “If you’re lying, I will find out. And when I do, I will execute you. Publicly. Rathka’s Order will be nothing but a bygone clan, a footnote in history.”

“You’d love that, I’m sure,” I said through gritted teeth. “But I am telling the truth.”

“Right. Because you’re so different from the others in your family, aren’t you?” Thorne stood, brushing ash off his jeans. “The good, studious, second son. Spared by the Curse.” He smirked. “Or cursed to live on? Hard to say.”

“I’ll see you out.” I rose and gestured to the door leading back inside the house.

“I don’t trust you with Amy.” Thorne went ahead of me, leisurely walking back the way we came. “But we don’t restrict personal freedoms in Blood ‘til Dawn, even if we don’t agree with those decisions. So as much as I hate it, I won’t prevent her from seeing you.”

“How generous of you.”

That was why he wouldn’t make it a clan decree, which would have made his order akin to a law. His clan prided itself on individual choice and freedoms, and would lose the support of the people if he started taking those away.

In any case, I wished he’d walk faster. The sooner he left my house, the better.

“If she’s got an ounce of common sense, she’ll figure it out on her own,” Thorne mused, almost to himself.

I didn’t reply. Amy had plenty of common sense. What she didn’t have was preconceived notions of me based on what my family had done. She didn’t blame me for their actions, and that was more refreshing than I realized. It was really damn nice to spend time with someone and let them get to knowme. Just me, without the weight of my clan’s history or reputation on my shoulders.

“Oh, congratulations, by the way.” Thorne paused and turned to look at me just as he entered the foyer.

I stared at him, puzzled. “For what?”

He grinned like a shark, teeth on full display. “For your soon-to-be heir with Carpe Noctem’s daughter. Rathka’s Order just may live on after all.”

My blood went cold. “How do you know about that?”

“The working class does have eyes and ears, you know. Even if they don’t talk to their employers.”

I thought of the brusang butler at the Carpe Noctem estate. His wholeI-exist-to-serveshtick must have been an act. If I remembered correctly, there was another brusang besides Amy in Blood ‘til Dawn. Maybe they knew the butler.

“I assume you’ve already told Amy, since you two are suchgoodfriends,” Thorne went on, his tone mocking.

Despite my effort to school my features, he saw right through me and his grin became absolutely maniacal.

“Oh, you haven’t? That’s interesting. Well, I’m sure you’ll tell her soon. Unless there’s some reason you don’t want her to know?” Thorne turned, letting himself out the front door as he said, “It would be a shame if she ended up hearing it from someone else.”

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