Thirteen
The stairway railing was smooth beneath Viviana’s palm. In some ways, it felt like the only thing holding her up.
Chase…dead?
It felt like a fist had gone straight to her gut, then burrowed its way inside and was now clenching her heart. Chase had just been here last week. They’d danced at her party. He’d twirled her around and made her feel better after his dickhead of a brother had tried to ruin her birthday.
This wasn’t fair. Chase was…he was just always there. He wasn’t the best of the pride, he wasn’t the least. Viviana sat down, hard, and luckily hit the stair behind her instead of falling into the railing like she thought she might.
“Chase is…dead?” she said. Her voice was too loud in the quiet room.
All the eyes in the room turned to her. She didn’t usually speak at meetings.
Marlana’s eyes were puffy, red-rimmed. “Yes, he’s gone. We have his body out in the van.”
“Was it an accident?” Viviana asked.
Marlana shook her head. “He was…he was drained. His blood is completely gone. Obviously, this was the work of the vampire court—”
“Actually, no,” Fraze interrupted. He held up his phone. “Sorry to interrupt. You’re free to call Gracie if you want and hear it from her, but the court had no involvement in this. They were all hunting in Missoula last night.”
Marlana pursed her lips as if she would argue, but then she nodded. “Well, it was the work of some vampire, somewhere. The wounds are faint, but we did find puncture marks on his neck.”
Chase’s mother and father, Teresa and Emil, were huddled on another sofa, crying silently. Their other children, Ben, Doug, and Agatha, sat around them, their faces showing mixtures of shock and sorrow.
Viviana’s heart broke for them. Chase had been a good guy.
There was nothing to do now. Evening wasn’t far away, and soon it would be night. Everyone would stay in the mansion, over in the north wing where there were several bedrooms lined up as if in a hotel, and two shared bathrooms on each floor. Viviana was grateful she had her own room on the more private east wing, with her own bathroom.
She didn’t want to be here; she wanted to curl up in a ball under her comforter and stay there for ages.
Several other pride members were trying to get Marlana’s attention, so Viviana let them have it. She made herself quiet and still, sitting on this step and not speaking to anyone. She was used to this, to not being the center of attention and processing news alone.
Someone sat next to her. She remained quiet, staring at her hands. They were too cold, but the air conditioner was cranked because of the hot afternoon. It was probably time to turn it off. Maybe she should do that. And maybe, while she was standing in the hall next to the thermostat, she should remain hidden in the hallway for good. Nobody would know she was gone. Nobody would know that she felt Chase’s loss just as much as the rest of them.
The person next to her said something.
Hudson’s voice. Warm, low. “You okay?” he asked again.
Viviana blinked, shook her head, looked up at him. “I don’t know.”
“Were you friends with Chase?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “As much as I’m friends with anyone, I guess.”
He nodded, then reached over and touched her wrist. The small spark of their contact reminded her of everything that had happened in the woods. It seemed so long ago.
The last deaths in the pride had been Fraze and Dristan’s parents, and another guy, Mickey, after their failed coup. Years ago.
There’d have to be a funeral. Something quiet, without fanfare. A cover story would have to be created so that the human population didn’t suspect foul play and investigate. An exsanguinated body would surely raise questions—questions the pride couldn’t afford.
But Viviana could rest. She didn’t have to do any of these things because her mother, the alpha, would take care of it all.
“You want to talk about anything?” Hudson asked.
He was still sitting here? She looked up from her hands again. “No. No, I don’t think so. I’m cold, though.”
He moved toward her, then seemed to think better of it. “I’ll find a blanket for you.”
“That’s okay,” she said, standing. “I’m just going to retire early, I think. Goodnight.”
She stood and turned to walk up the stairs, but her mom called after her. “Wait, Viviana.”
“What is it?” Viviana asked, spinning to face her.
Hudson stood and walked into the great room, probably to give them privacy.
Marlana frowned as she watched him walk away. Quietly, she said, “You’re not going to like this, but I want Hudson to stay in your room tonight.”
“Stay? In my room?” Viviana must have heard her wrong.
“Yes. I know how you get, when you’re upset. You’re going to want to sneak out. And if you can’t go out the door, I wouldn’t put it past you to try the balcony. And if the vampire comes to your room, who knows if it can make you disobey my orders to stay inside.”
Viviana shook her head. The darkness was too dangerous. No way would she sneak out tonight, of all nights. She’d take the insomnia over the terror of meeting a rogue vampire.
Marlana gave her a sad smile. “I know you, dear. You’ve got the best intentions for staying in. You’re so obedient in everything—you follow instructions and you accept direction. But when you’re upset, you can’t sleep and you need to run. Whatever you do, you can’t do this, not until the killer is caught.”
Viviana pursed her lips. Her mom was wrong, but she’d never listen to reason. “Putting a man in my room is not the solution.”
“It’s a temporary one,” Marlana said. “He’ll stay in there, make sure you’re safe. Otherwise, I won’t be able to concentrate on anything, and Viviana, I’ve got so much to think about right now, so much to figure out. I’m scheduling a meeting with Gracie and Bo first thing, and we need to get to the bottom of this.”
“This isn’t…” Viviana stopped. She could help her mom again. Help her with this one thing so that she didn’t have such a tough job. Chase was dead and Viviana could only imagine how much needed to be done.
Also, it never worked in her favor to argue with Marlana. Never.
“Fine,” Viviana finally said. “Fine.”
Marlana reached out. Hesitated. Then she pulled Viviana into a hug.
Viviana stiffened at first. Marlana hadn’t hugged her in ages. Viviana had avoided being close to her mother, ever since Marlana sent Mendy away. She’d been angry, hurt. But now, a hug seemed…okay. It seemed necessary.