Blood Revolution (God Wars, #3) (33 page)

"I'll go do that right now." I let my feet fall to the deck.

"Breanne?" Hank's hand brushed mine as I stood.

"What?" I didn't turn to look at him.

"I love you. I've never loved anyone so much."

"You have a strange way of showing it at times," I said and walked away from him.

* * *

"I've never been here," Charles grinned. Well, he was in D.C. now. And not only was he in D.C., he was sitting in a room just outside a meeting with Bill, the President and the Joint Chiefs. Hank, Jayson and Opal were with us, too, and all three were armed to the eyebrows.

Charles and I were armed to the fangs, I guess, with claws and enhanced strength. The Secret Service guys were in the room with the President, and they were loaded for whatever might come their way, too.

"How long will this take?" Jayson asked Opal.

"They could be in there for hours, it just depends," she shrugged.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked Charles.

"Nah. I'll sleep better tonight," he grinned. Charles smiled more than any vampire I'd ever met.

"Bill may want dinner afterward," Opal said. "A couple of restaurants he likes are nearby. He may want to drop by his house, too."

"I can do that," I said. I could take Bill anywhere he wanted to go, even if it was off-planet. Jeez, why hadn't I thought of that sooner? I could have taken Trina and Kathleen to Le-Ath Veronis. Nobody would bother them at the palace, as long as Lissa was there.

It was too late for that—at least for Trina. I wanted to cry again, and couldn't. That took me back to Corent, and why he hadn't been affected by my tears. It made absolutely no sense at all. I also wondered about Tybus, and how he was getting along. He wouldn't have a moment to himself, to attempt a recovery after what he'd been through. With a sigh, I sent
Love
to him again.

* * *

Lissa's Journal

"How are you feeling?" I asked. It was so hard for me to see his face—he looked exactly like Gavril. I'd had Drake and Drew check, and somehow, my sister had even changed his fingerprints to match my son's.

My son was dead. I had to keep reminding myself. And there could be no funeral or public mourning for his passing. Reah had come the night before—after I'd given Tybus my blood—and we'd had a long talk.

There was no need to let anyone think Tybus was anything other than Teeg San Gerxon, she'd said. She was waiting, too, to speak with him and offer to keep up appearances. The problem, however, would be Garwin Wyatt. Granted he was at school, but what would happen when he came home in two months for his holiday?

"I feel good. Very good." Tybus blinked dark eyes at me. "I received another infusion of whatever it was that Breanne provided yesterday. I can't begin to explain how healing and invigorating that is."

"I think you're one of the few who's gotten that from her," I said. Honestly, she probably didn't realize how much that simple act might accomplish. She'd done it for me, too, and for Gavin. Somehow, it made Gavril's death easier for us to bear.

"Are you ready to move to San Gerxon Palace?" I asked. "Dee will be here shortly, with all four warlocks. How strong are my son's memories?"

"Very strong. I recognize those he knew easily. I believe what love he had left in him was reserved for his son, and I feel that residual emotion."

"Thank goodness," I muttered. "Look, I checked earlier, and whether you were before, you're a King Vampire now."

"I was before," he inclined his head.

"You also have misting ability," I said. "Plus mindspeech."

"That will be most helpful," he said. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Breanne did that for you. All you needed was my blood, and I think she knew that in some way. You have my blood now. Just as Gavril had it before." I wiped tears from my face before folding away.

* * *

Breanne's Journal

The meeting lasted more than four hours and darkness was falling outside. Charles had already left a message for Gavin, telling him he was with us. Obviously, he'd told Gavin he could now walk in daylight.

That concerned me. Wlodek might learn of this, and I didn't want to guess what his reaction might be. Worse, vampires who learned of my "special blood," might line up to get it, and let's face it—humans needed daylight to put distance between themselves and a lot of vamps.

Regardless, I sort of liked my blood where it was—inside my body. The thought of a strange vampire sucking on my neck terrified me in ways I couldn't begin to describe.

"Sweetheart, you just went pale." Bill's arm folded me against him for a tight hug. We sat in a round booth in a corner of one of his favorite twenty-four-hour restaurants. We'd been served drinks and waited for our meals to arrive. I'd been lost in thought once I ordered and the others talked.

"Yeah." I leaned my head on his shoulder.

What's wrong with my girl?
Shockingly enough, that came from Jayson. Sure, he'd been introduced to the President earlier as Matt Michaels, Bill's newest agent, but to me he would always be Jayson Rome, occasional asshat. Yeah, he knew how to deliver on what he considered vanilla sex, but I could never deliver on what he really liked.

I know what you're thinking, and you need to stop
, Jayson informed me.
Hell, not all subs are alike, either. Some want to be beaten. Others want light taps. I understand now that you don't need any of that. Bree, most of what I do I do because they beg for it. You saw that fucking video. That's what Belinda likes. If you came over and asked me to kiss your ass again, I'd do it
.
Although I'll admit I like the begging. A lot
.

His last statement came through with a cheeky, mental grin. I knew he was teasing me. I also felt he was doing his best not to grieve in public for Trina. I felt we were all trying to do the same.

"Bill, are we going to Trina's funeral?" I asked.

"Sweetheart, someone may be looking to trap us there. They know she was Jayson's employee, and the notice has already been put in the newspapers and has been reported on a couple of news stations. I managed to get the place of death listed as Dallas since that's where her family thought she was, but that's the best I could do."

"This sucks so bad," I sighed before lifting my head. Well, was I who I was or what? I already knew somebody who could help.

"Bill, do you have to be anywhere for the next two hours?" I asked.

"No, sweetheart."

"Good. There's a place I want to go after dinner."

"Anywhere you want."

"Great. Remember you said that," I said.

* * *

"Breanne left nothing to chance, as I understand it," Dee sighed. "You even smell the same."

Tybus nodded at Dee, whose given name was Dormas. "I've only met a few vampires close to my age," Tybus said. He knew by scent that Dee was more than ten thousand years old.

"Your age from before?" Dee queried.

"Yes. I suppose I must refrain from thinking in those terms."

"Definitely. You were from the Le-Ath Veronis of old, before the fall?" Dee was aware of the history—he'd heard it from Lissa.

"Yes. I was comesula before I was vampire, too, just as all the vampires were from that age. The Queen offered me a place on Kifirin—she felt that the High Demons would accept me when they refused all others, because I'd designed their palace. I wouldn't allow her to ask, and fought by her side at the end."

"Why did you refuse? Were you mated to her?" Dee's dark eyes studied Tybus carefully.

"No. She was my child—my only child, before I was made vampire."

"Would it interest you to know, then, that Lissa is the former Queen—reincarnated?"

Tybus' hands shook suddenly. "Yes," he whispered. "That interests me very much."

* * *

Breanne's Journal

"Graegar, thank you for doing this for me." I smiled up at him. Jayson stared (as did Opal) at the tall, blue Larentii Wise One, and at his taller (and bluer) Larentii Protector, Barrigar.

"My mate will be most happy to see you," Graegar smiled back. "She said you might make a request. I am happy to provide transportation."

"Where are we going?" Bill asked.

"As well you should ask," Graegar replied. "We will pay a visit to your friend—you can say your farewells," he said and ferried us away from Bill's house.

"Hello," Conner said the moment we were settled inside a spacious, private library. A large painting of Conner graced one wall, and it had been beautifully executed.

"This is my mate, Conner," Graegar introduced her. "She is known as the Guardian, and holds a key to the curtain separating this world from the next."

"What?" Jayson mouthed at me.

"We're here to see Trina," I said.

"What?" Jayson repeated. He was the one to turn pale, this time.

"There is nothing to fear," Conner said. "Come."

It felt as if we didn't move, but our surroundings changed and we stood in a beautiful meadow, filled with the brightest and most fragrant roses. "She is coming," Conner's eyes went bright as she spoke.

"Bree," Hank's hands settled on my shoulders as a figure, hazy at first, walked toward us.

"It's Trina," Opal wept.

"There is one more who should be here," Conner said, her eyes going brighter. Jimmy appeared at her side. Conner took his hand to keep him from turning werewolf after he was drawn from one place to another.

"Trina's coming," Bill told Jimmy. "This is our chance to say good-bye." At least Bill grasped our reason for being where we were. Bill Jennings was a very smart man.

"Look who's here," Trina flashed us a smile as the last of the haze dropped away from her and we could see her clearly.

"Trina," Jimmy reached a hand toward her.

"Jimmy, someday we'll be together," Trina said, reaching out to touch his fingers. "I promise. They already told me that. They just said we have to be patient."

"Baby, I'll look forward to that day," Jimmy's voice trembled with emotion. "You don't blame me, do you?" I could see that this worry troubled Jimmy a lot.

"No. Don't ever take the blame for this. Not your fault. Never your fault," Trina said gently. "It won't be long before we're together," she added.

"Jayson?" Trina went on, turning to him.

"Trina?" I thought Jayson was going to lose it as he wiped tears away.

"You were the best boss I ever had," she said.

"Trina, I never thought of you as an employee. I always thought of you as family," Jayson mumbled.

"We are family, Jayson Rome," Trina said. "And don't you forget it."

"I won't," he nodded.

"Opal, you are something, you know that?" Trina turned to her. "I get good friends—the best friends ever—just before I die. That's poor planning on somebody's part," Trina huffed. "Hank, you're included in that," Trina lifted an eyebrow at him. "I don't care how you like to make whoopee; anybody would be glad you had their back. You, too, Bill."

"Thanks, Trina," Bill said.

"Oh, you're welcome, hon. Tell Ms. Rome that I'll be keeping an eye on her now and then," Trina added.

"I will."

"Bree," Trina came to me last. "I wish I'd recognized you from the beginning. Probably a lot of people wish that, too. All I'm allowed to say to you now is, stay alive, and kick some ass for me."

"Trina, I will kick major ass for you. And keep kicking ass until there's none left to kick," I said.

"You do that," she said, determination in her voice. "You know what depends on it."

"Yeah. I know that, all right," I agreed.

"Trina, it is time," Conner's voice echoed.

"Yeah. I get that," Trina said. "Look, thank you. For this," she swept out a hand, encompassing all of us. "Jimmy, I love you. Don't forget," she said and faded away.

"Oh, my God," Jayson sighed and rolled his shoulders. Graegar and Barrigar, who'd remained silent during the exchange, folded us away.

Chapter 16
 

"This seemed like the best place," Torevik Rath stood amid knee-high grasses next to a wide pond on the light half of Le-Ath Veronis.

"Yeah." Rylend Morphis didn't get to dress casually very often, since he'd taken the throne of Karathia. He'd dressed in comfortable jeans and a soft, collarless shirt.

"Is Reah coming?"

"She said yes," Ry shrugged. "The baby may need something before she leaves."

"I'm here," Reah appeared between Tory and Ry.

"Of all of us, Gav was the one I'd think would be least likely," Tory began.

"Tory, don't talk. Let's skip rocks and remember Chash."

"Yeah." Tory knelt to scoop up a handful of stones. "This is for you, bro," he tossed the first rock into the pond.

* * *

Breanne's Journal