Page 37 of Maker

“Henry speaking.” Henry’s stable, deep tones came over the line, giving Maddox some hope that things might turn out alright after all.

“Henry, how is Will?”

“He’s doing well. Very well. I think he likes it out here. He’s a good hunter, a very good hunter. He could easily provide for his own pack and whelps… not that he wants to. He wants to be with you.”

“I may not be able to have him come back to New York.”

“What. Soon?”

“As long as he lives. Or Gideon remains awake.”

“What are you saying, Maddox?”

“I’m saying we have tried everything. Gideon is unmoved. I went into space, Henry. I took to the stars, but when I returned, Gideon was unchanged. He is a constant I cannot remove. And I love Will too much to have his life ended.”

“Then you need to tell him that.”

“I can’t tell him that. You will…”

“Maddox!” Henry snapped his name. “I’m not going to tell Will that you’ve given up.”

“I can’t be in the same room as him safely. Gideon always knows where I am. Always. If I am with Will, then Will is in danger.”

“Maddox.”

Will’s voice came over the line, flooding Maddox with the most intense love and longing.

“My boy…”

“Shut up,” Will said, following that impertinence with four of the most dangerous words in the language.

“I’ve got an idea.”

18

The idea was just crazy enough to work, but it was equally crazy enough to fail spectacularly. It was perhaps even more outlandish than running away to outer space, and that had been ridiculous, though very inspiring and beautiful, and an experience he would recommend to anyone with tens of millions of dollars to burn for very little return.

Will’s plan was simpler. Bolder. And more traditional. Maddox would have very little hand in it. It had to be executed by humans and his boy. The sickness meant everything took longer, and the lack of communication meant Maddox was as surprised as anybody else when William came striding through his front door at two o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. He was holding a document in his fisted hand, a piece of paper that might finally end the ongoing battle between Gideon and him.

“Wolf pup, have you brought yourself as a sacrifice?”

Gideon met him in the foyer. Maddox was not far behind. Nor was Raymond. Or Chauvelin. Will was confronted with a terribly dangerous crowd of vampires, any one of whom could have killed him, yet his audacity meant they did not do so right away. They intended to toy with him first. That was their mistake.

“Hi guys,” Will said. “And, uh, bye, guys.”

“What is he talking about?” Gideon directed the question to Raymond.

“I got Maddox to put the house in my name,” Will said, waving the paper in their faces. “And I want you, vampire, out of my fucking house. I revoke your entry permission. Begone, Gideon.”

Maddox had been concerned that this plan would fail as the others had. But then it did work. The front door was flung open by an unseen hand, and Gideon was vacuumed out of the house. He tried to be elegant about it, but it was almost impossible to be dignified while being physically sucked out of a house. He ended up folding his arms over his chest.

“I also revoke anybody who isn’t Maddox or Lorien. Get the fuck out of here, Chauvelin. You too, blond guy. Fuck all the way off.”

* * *

Schwoop.

Schwoop.

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