Page 50 of Between Imminent Fates

Done. We will see you there in ten.

When Key knocked on Lucius’ door minutes later, she found the vampire waiting for her. Blair, his sire, must’ve warned him of their oncoming meeting. Key was unsurprised.

“Welcome to our home,” Circe said as she walked up behind him. “Please come in.”

Nodding appreciatively, she followed the mated pair into a cozy den with a gorgeous view of rolling waves. It was a peaceful spot, and she could see why they’d chosen it.

A part of Key longed to apologize to Lucius once more for her part in his torture. As it was, she could barely meet his gaze. With her sins brought to light, it was difficult to pretend that she was a good or wholesome person. Some things could never be forgiven.

Circe broke the awkward silence. “Blair and Kaien will arrive soon.”

A jerky nod. “Good.”

Silence reigned between them, and only when Kaien and Blair manifested did the stalemate break. The Raeth and his mate greeted the other couple warmly but turned to the foreseer with reluctance.

“Key,” Kaien said.

“Thank you for coming.” Key studied each of them. “Tomorrow, the four of you will attempt to stop our war. Torrin Scayde is your mark, and there are two possible futures stemming from your mission.”

Blair frowned. “Two? You can’t confirm one way or the other?”

“Torrin is …” Key paused, searching for the right word. “Unique. He’s exceptionally hard to predict and even harder to foresee.”

“Is that common?”

“No, which makes this more difficult. Torrin’s history with vampires is fraught with pain. If we manage to convince him that the race is no longer taking blood and using suggestion as a weapon, we may have an opening to end this war without further bloodshed.”

Lucius looked skeptical. “What’s the likelihood that Torrin will take our word?”

“I see possibilities, not probabilities. All I know is that if we play our cards right, the war could be over tomorrow.”

Hope was a glimmer in the eyes of those around her. It was everything they yearned for, Key included. If the war could be stopped, it meant that those who’d give their lives on the battlefield would survive.

She studied Blair. Though this allegation would shine a darker light on her, it needed to be said. “The last time I had a vision of you, Blair, you were biting the neck of a human and using suggestion to steal his car. Tell me, do you still break the laws your fledgling and his council have enacted?”

A trace of shame made the vampire drop her eyes. “No. After what I went through with Kaien, my outlook changed. That was the last time I used suggestion to my benefit.”

“Good. At least now, Lucius can be assured that even his sire is dedicated to the preservation of the species,” Key said, then turned to pin Kaien with a look. “I’ve also been informed that you were conspiring against Torrin.”

“Not conspiring. Planning.”

“Do you remember what I said that night, Kaien? That your interference could cause us to lose the war?” His jaw clenched, but he gave her a shallow nod. “If you had succeeded in moving forward withyourplan, we would have lost everything.

“Shall I share with you the future that brings?” she threatened, baring her teeth. “Because of any of them, that one is by far the worst. If you’ve never known a cage, Kaien, ask your wife how captivity—slavery—destroys you.”

The blood drained from his face.

“Tomorrow,” she continued, “you will approach Torrin alone, Lucius.”

Eyes shifting to an icy blue, Lucius remained silent. Beside him, his mate clutched at his hand while Blair leapt to her feet. “Alone?!”

“That is the only way this works,” Key emphasized. “We wield Torrin’s obsession with Lucius against him. When he’s approached, he won’t be able to say no.”

Kaien shook his head. “And what happens if Lucius is captured again? If he’s injured?”

“No future I’ve foreseen shows Lucius being recaptured tomorrow,” she looked at the vampire, “and I give you my word that you will be safe. Blair and Kaien will shadow you—out of sight—in case he cannot be convinced. If Torrin stands up and says, ‘we’re done here,’ Kaien will know to teleport all of you to a holding cell beneath the vampire Council’s headquarters.”

“What then?”

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