Dante (Blood Brothers Book 5) (12 page)

Dante caressed the sides of her face with his thumbs. “Crazy, isn’t it? Even through all this madness, I can’t stop thinking about what’s happening between us. There’s a connection, isn’t there? I felt it upon our first meeting, but the time wasn’t right.
Now, probably isn’t either
but I don’t think I can go another day without letting you know
.”

“What?” she whispered when he didn’t finish.

“
I once believed myself to be in love a couple times, but in both cases, my feelings were misguided. It’s shaken my
confidence in that emotion, but
I want to explore these feelings I have for you…that is, if you are in agreement.”

“Yes!”
She didn’t have to even think about it
. Tilting her head to receive his kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The kiss, however, never came because the balcony’s glass door slid open.

“If I’m not interrupting anything, Steel, Cutter, and Blade have returned.”
Paris spoke in a way that made it clear he wasn’t amused at catching Isis and Dante in each other’s arms.

Dante’
s mouth twisted into a half smile
of regret. ”We’ll pick up our conversation later.”

Isis dropped her arms to her sides with a nod as she tried to conceal her disappointment.

When she would have followed Dante inside, Paris stepped onto the balcony and closed the door. Without waiting for Isis to answer, he stepped in her path. “I’d like a word with you.”

Isis frowned.
Paris didn’t deign to have many conversations with her unless it pertained to Persephone. “Shouldn’t we be in there with the others?”

Gray eyes narrowed momentarily. “They can wait. What I have to say to you won’t take long.”

Isis stilled, readying herself for what was to come. Paris didn’t look as if he
wanted to exchange pleasantries. “Okay, say what you have to say
.
”
She had tried to inject casualness in her voice, but her heart raced a
mile a minute.

“I’m sure you’re aware I’ve never quite approved of your friendship with my daughter.”

A ghost of a smile briefly flitted across her lips. “Yes. I know. You’ve never said anything directly, but I sensed it. But do you think it’s really appropriate to bring this subject up now?”

“
Maybe
not your association with Persephone, but I do think something should be said about the one with you and Dante.”

Her lips tightened briefly. Though she had the utmost respect for the Alpha of Pack Kyriakis, he had no right to sit in judgment of her relationship with Dante. “I don’t really see how that’s any of your business.”

“I’m making it my business,
Isis
.”

Isis’s brows flew together in her agitation. “You may be the Alpha of Pack Kyriakis but you are not the ruler of me. What gives you the right to think you can interfere?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me, Isis, or should I say, Coral?”

The gasp escaped her mouth before she could stop it. He knew! But how? She’d been so careful to keep her past a secret. The only person who knew was Persephone, and Isis
was positive
her friend wouldn’t have said anything. There was no use in pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about, so she leaned her head back to meet his glittering gray gaze. “That was my past and that’s where it belongs. But out of curiosity, how did you find out?”

He smirked.
“I’m glad you’re not going to insult my intelligence by
denying it
. That explanation of your old association with the Serpent Gang didn’t quite sit well with me, so I decided to make some inquiries of my own while you and Dante were in the airplane lavatory…getting to know each other better. I made a few calls. I had to wait for my answers, but I also found it strange how easily you were able to converse with one of the most deadly group of rogues without getting into a scuffle. So it didn’t surprise me when I received the information I was looking for. My source seems to remember a shifter who used to hang out with the gang, and she wasn’t merely an onlooker. Care to explain?”

“I wasn’t a member.”

“You
had a code name. They don’t give code names to nonmembers.”

“Not usually, but they made an exception for the leader’s lover. I
was in a relationship with Black Adder
, it’s true, but I disassociated myself from them a long time ago. Please believe me
.”
If
Paris went back inside and told Dante everything she could forget about developing anything with him.”

Paris crossed his arms over his broad chest and gave her a stern look of disbelief. “Oh? Why should I believe you? After all, you’ve been oh so honest up to this point.”

Isis closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. “You’re right, but the truth is, I didn’t know how my news would be received.”

“For someone who is no longer in contact with them, you sure seemed friendly with them in Vegas. It would make one think you were still a part of the group.”

“Actually, I didn’t leave them on good terms. And I had to do a lot of fast talking when I walked into that house. It was touch and go for a little while.”

Paris raised a cynical brow. “Yet you walked out of the house unscathed.”

“I think they let me go because they didn’t think I posed a threat. Look, I can’t say all the choices I’ve made have been good ones, especially my dealings with the Serpent Gang, but it’s my past.”

“One which could jeopardize this mission, and all this just so you can get laid,” he accused through clenched teeth.

Something inside her snapped. “Look, I respect your Alpha status, but it gives you no right to say things like that to me. Whether you believe me or not is up to you, but I’m telling the truth. I haven’t been in contact with them for years. Yes, part of the reason I volunteered to help is because I have feelings for Dante, but I also want to do the right thing. When I overheard you talking to Aries about the Serpent Gang, I thought my knowledge of how they operate and where they’re located would come in handy. If you can’t see that,
then it’s your problem, not mine
.”

Paris’s eyes narrowed to gray slits of fire. “Brave words for one in such a precarious situation. Okay, let’s say I accept you’re telling the truth. What do you think Dante will say when he learns the truth
—
and he will eventually. He’s too thorough not to. The only reason he hasn’t yet is because he’s besotted with you. I’d hate to find out you’re manipulating him through his developing feelings for you.”

Her mouth gaped opened then closed. “I resent the implication.”

“Oh, I’m not implying anything,
Isis
. I’m flat-out saying it. Dante means a lot to me and my family. He’s been hurt before and
I don’t want
to see it happen again.”

“I would never—
”

Paris held up his hand. “I’m sure you don’t think it would hurt him, but considering what he and his brothers have
already been through—
are going through
—
do you think he’d take your being a rogue lightly?”

“I’m not a rogue.
”

“But you were and that’s all that will matter to him.”

A chill went down her spine. He was probably right. It was one of the reasons she hadn’t confessed her nefarious past to Dante yet. She didn’t want to lose him now when they were getting so close. “Will you tell him?” Her breath caught in her throat at the thought.

“I doubt I’ll need to because he’ll find out for himself soon enough. If I were you, I’d come clean. He may not take it any better than he would if he finds out on his own, but he might go easier on you if you do. I won’t say anything to him for now, out of respect for your friendship with my daughter, but if you make one single misstep or if I find you’ve been playing both sides, all bets are off.”

Isis wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She’d been delusional to think she could keep her secret to herself. Shutting her eyes against Paris’s hard scrutiny, she sighed. “Whether you believe me or not, I won’t betray Dante. Like I said, I’m not proud of everything I’ve done in my past, but I won’t do anything to jeopardize this mission.”

Paris’s nostrils flared briefly. “See that you don’t
.”
He turned
to go inside, leaving her alone. She was frightened that she might just lose out on love before it even began.

Chapter Nine

Dante couldn’t quite put his finger on it but there was a change in
Isis
shortly after their conversation on the balcony
.
She’d always come across as a confident woman, never afraid to look anyone in the eye. But in an instant she’d become something else. He wouldn’t have exactly called her timid but whenever he spoke to her she seemed nervous about something and
refused to meet his gaze. He was almost certain it had something to do with the
conversation she’d had with Paris.
Whenever he’d ask Isis or Paris, n
either would tell him
and it frustrated him. Only a short time ago, he and Isis had made a
pact
to be more open with one another so he didn’t understand what gave.

Isis didn’t take the seat next to his on the plane. Instead
,
she stretched out on the couch and closed her eyes. To look at her now, one would
think
she was asleep, but he could tell she wasn’t by the way she’d tense whenever he shifted in his seat.
Her full lips drooped in
to
a f
rown and her hands trembled just enough for him to take notice
.
Once they arrived at their destination
,
there would be little time to talk. Needing answers, Dante closed his eyes and attempted to link his mind to hers.

She didn’t answer immediately and for a moment
,
he didn’t think she would.

“
I know you’re awake.
”

“
Yes, Dante
?” The voice in his mind sounded tired, the slight tremor giving her
away her wariness
.

“
Are you okay
?”

“
I’m fine. It’s been a long couple of days
.”

“
It has been for us all but it’s
more than that and we both know it. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“
Nothing is the matter.”

“
If it were the case
,
then you wouldn’t seem so jittery every time I attempt to have a conversation with you. And we both know whatever it is that’s bothering has everything to do with what you and Paris talked about back at the penthouse.”

No reply was forthcoming and Dante opened his eyes to
look at her from across the aisle
.
Isis, who was now in a sitting position, looked straight ahead, her stoic expression unreadable
. He didn’t like the wall she’d erected between the two of them and
planned on tearing it down before this plane ride was over
. “
You can’t keep ignoring me. I could always ask Paris what you spoke of
.”

She turned her gaze in his direction, her face still a blank slate. “
I know you’ve already asked him and if he’d said anything, you wouldn’t be asking me now
.”

Dante
slid out of his seat and walked over to join her. She stiffened when he sat close enough to her for their hips to touch
. “
You’re correct.
He won’t tell me either, but
I was hoping you would be forthright with me in light of o
u
r previous conversation. Weren’t you upset with me for not telling you why I’d been upset? Well, now it’s my turn. I thought we agreed to be more open with one another.”

“
We did, but there are some things better left alone.”

He found her answer a bit unsettling. “
I never took you to be a hypocrite, Isis. You can’t have it both ways, Isis. Either we’re both honest with each other or we have nothing left to say to one another.

She released a mental sigh. “
Dante,
the thing is, I do want to tell you.”

“
Then what’s stopping you.”

“
It’s complicated. You were right about the conversation I had with Paris being the cause of my being distant but it has nothing to do with how I feel about you.”

“Then make me understand why you can’t tell me about it.”

She took his hand in her
s
and met his gaze for the first time in hours.
“
It has something to do with my past. Paris is very thorough when it comes to his offspring and me being friends with Persephone, he of course did a little digging into my background. He wasn’t too thrilled with what he found but.”

He raised a brow. Now Dante was more curious than ever.
“
What did he find
Isis
?”

“
I…can’t tell you just yet. But I promise I will tell you, I just need to gather my thoughts.

He yanked his hand out of her grasp
.
Time for what?
Why can’t you just come right out and tell me?”

Isis folded her hands in her lap and hung her head.
“Because
,
I don’t want you to think less of me. As I’ve already told you, being a lone wolf, I had to do whatever I needed to do in order to survive. I didn’t always make the best choices but I’ve done my best to atone for what I’ve done. And
,
I’m going to tell you about it. But can we talk about it after we rescue the children?”

Whatever Paris had turned up had left Isis frazzled but he could feel her sincerity. Though he wanted to push the issue
,
one look at her tense face
and
Dante relented.
“
Could you at least answer one
question
for me
?”

“
I’ll try my best.”

Dante bit his lip to hold back the frustrated retort on the tip of his tongue. “
Does your former connection to the Serpent Gang have anything to do with what Paris found out?”

She shut her eyes briefly and ran the tip of her tongue across her lips. “
I’d rather not say. Not yet anyway.”

“
Are you fucking kidding me?” he roared,
forgetting to mind speak in his anger.

Isis flinched. Several pairs of eyes turned in their direction. Dante hated losing his cool, but most especially he despised
this game Isis seemed to be playing
. Ignoring the curious onlookers, he focused his attention on Isis, who
once again averted her gaze from him
. “
Well does it?”

“
You’re getting angry with me and you don’t even know the full story yet. What will you do when you learn what you want to know
?” She tur
ned in her seat to face him again, her eyes wide and pleading,
silently imploring him to hear her out.
“
What I can tell you is that I promise on my life that I will not jeopardize this mission in anyway. I will fight at your side just as fiercely as anyone else on the team.
I only ask that you give me a bit more time.
I’m only asking for a little time because you mean a lot to me whether you’re ready to hear it or not. And I don’t want what I have to tell you to be a distraction from the mission or…us.”

Dante wasn’t sure what to say. He was usually very good at reading people and from where he sat, Isis seemed quite earnest in her declaration. Besides, if Paris thought she would be a detriment to the mission he would have told him.
“Okay. I’ll give you time, but whatever it is I learn
,
it better be from you. I don’t want to hear it from anyone else.”

“
Of course. Thank you, Dante.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

His head told him to ask more questions, probe deeper, but his heart wouldn’t let him.
Unable to go another second without touching her, Dante cupped her face in his palms and
planted his lip
s at the corner of Isis’s mouth.
He
brushed a stray teardrop from her cheek with his thumb. “
Don’t cry. I know you’re here to help, and I appreciate it. Without you, we wouldn’t have figured out where the hideouts were so quickly. You’re doing a good thing by risking your own safety for this cause
.”

She curved her lips into a smile.
“
That
means a lot to me
to hear you say that
.”

“
Just know,
my patience will extend but so far.
”

Isis
nodded.
“
I understand.
”

Dante
momentarily tightened his grip on her face
. “
I’m serious, Isis
.”

She gulped.
“
I know. I
’ll keep my promise
.”

“
Good. I
don’t care for broken promises or the people who break them
.”

<><><>

Maggie clutched Sasha’s arm. “Are they really upset with us?”

Sasha grimaced
. “According to my brothers, they’re
definitely
not happy
and I believe that’s putting it mildly
. But you and Christine only have GianMarco and Romeo to contend with. Not only will Niccolo give me a piece of his mind, but my brothers will give me an earful as well, especially since I used a spell to keep them from contacting us until it was too late for them to bring us back. They weren’t pleased about that.”

“
Well
,
I
,
for one
,
am glad you did it. There’s not much they can do about
it
now, can they?
We’re doing ourselves no favors worrying about it now, I suppose.
They should be here by tomorrow morning
at the latest,” Christine chimed in
from the other side of the room. Her arms were wrapped around her body as she glanced out the bedroom window. She’d been quiet most of the journey. They had arrived in Florence only a few hours ago.

Liliana
had brought them to this villa
which was located
on the outskirts of the city. Giovanni was supposed to have greeted them, but had some pressing matter to attend to and had left a message stating he’d return shortly. Maggie wondered for the hundredth time if she’d done the right thing by coming here, but she only had to think of her daughters and all doubts
faded
away. She could tell Christine
had
those same doubts, judging from the forlorn expression on her face.

Maggie joined Christine at the window, placing a hand on her sister-in-law’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, honey, Romeo will probably be a little angry at you for leaving against his wishes, but he’ll get over it.”

Christine put her hand on top of Maggie’s. “Believe it or not, my concern isn’t with what Romeo will think.
I already know he’ll be pissed
.
I’m wondering how the children are holding up and what’s happening to them. Jaxson tries to be brave and I’m scared he might do something that would—
”

“If you continue to think that way, you’ll only end up driving yourself crazy. I’m holding on to hope that they’re fine. They’re just waiting for us to come get them and we will.”

Christine nodded. “You’re right of course. I wish I could be as sure as you.”

Maggie let out a mirthless laugh.
“
I’m not. I’m just as scared as you are but I think I’d be somewhere in a corner crying if I allowed myself to give in to despair.
Will you be all right, Christine?”

“I don’t think it
’
s
possible
for me to be all right
until my family is intact again. It’s a little different for you and Sasha. Not to take anything away from the agony I’m sure the two of you are dealing with, but I feel that no one can understand what I’m going through. You both have adult children and I’m pretty new to this mot
herhood thing. The two of you—
” She broke off, shaking her head vehemently.

“What?” Maggie prompted, trying to understand.

Christine lowered her head, her eyes squeezed shut. “If I said what was on my mind
,
you’d probably think it was really shitty of me.”

Sasha moved to Christine’s other side and took her hand. “We won’t think that. If you can’t share your feelings with your family, who can you share them with?“

Christine flexed the muscle in her jaw
before speaking
“It’s just…if something were to happen to Jagger and Gianna,
heaven forbid
, there could be more children for you down the road. Maggie, you
have three birth children
. My
kids
… if
—They’re it for me.
” She broke off stuffing her knuckles in her mouth.

Maggie rested her hand on Christine’s shoulder. She didn’t know the pain of infertility her sister-in-law had suffered through, but she could sympathize. Christine was now a vampire, immune from all the human deficiencies and ailments that had shadowed her life before Romeo
made her immortal
. However, she still wouldn’t be able to give birth because her ovaries had been removed due to health issues some years ago. Maggie had since learned vampire blood could heal a number of things, but it couldn’t fix what wasn’t there
before her change
.

“
I don’t think that was a terrible thing to say at all. You’re right, Sasha and I could never understand that particular pain, but I empathize with you and ask that you have faith that we will find them
.
Alive.
”

Sasha patted Christine on the shoulder.
“I agree.”

Christine’s lips twitched to a brief smile. “Thank you for being so understanding. This is all so surreal to me. It seems like only yesterday I was on my own with no hope for a future or family. And then
,
Romeo came into my life and changed it all. He helped me realize my dream of becoming a mother. I may not have given birth to Jaxson and Adrienne, but they are just as much mine as if I had. In fact,
I feel that
my bond with them is stronger because of it. I believed once we became a family, I could give them the life they deserved, the one they’d been deprived of. Jaxson still has nightmares about what those monst
ers used to do to them. And
Adrienne, she’s a bright child, but she doesn’t speak much and has a distrust of people that isn’t natural
in
such a young child
. And now this.
I swore to protect them and I failed.” Fresh t
ears streamed down Christine’s cheeks.

A reply was on the tip of Maggie’s tongue when the bedroom door opened.

“Am I interrupting anything?”
Liliana
stood in the doorway.

Maggie, Christine, and Sasha moved away from each other. “We’
re just having a moment,” Maggie answered
. “How much longer do we have to wait before we see Giovanni?”

Liliana
stepped into the bedroom. “He should be here shortly.”

Maggie was tired of waiting and refused to bite her tongue while they played the waiting game.
“Where is he anyway? I thought he would be here when we arrived. What business did he need to take care of?”

The redhead stepped
further into the room, her expression
neutral
. “I’m unfortunately not able to disclose that information. It’s of a private nature.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. She liked
Liliana
, could tell
the witch was an ally
, but it didn’t mean Maggie would accept this runaround. Even when they’d been on the plane,
Liliana
had evaded more questions than she’d answered. “I think
we’re entitled
to know something, considering how we’ve traveled halfway around the world based on your information
and faith
.”

Liliana
didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. One auburn brow shot up in
surprise.

Sasha placed her hand on Maggie’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze
as a warning to stand down
. “
Liliana,
understand our position.
We’re very anxious to get our children back
. Give us some hope, some reason to stay and wait for someone who we’d all thought to be our enemy. That’s all we ask. Every instinct in my body tells me to go out on our own to find our loved ones, but still we stay. The least you can do
,
is tell us what we want to know.”

The stubborn purse of
Liliana
’s lips gave every indication she wasn’t willing to relent on the matter, but Maggie returned the witch’s stare, determined not to back down. Sasha
was right. Why should they wait
?

Finally
,
the redhead relaxed her rigid stance
. “It’s really not my story to tell, but before you arrived, he received word from one of our contacts regarding a favor he was doing for a friend. It’s all I can say right now, but I assure you, if it wasn’t important, he’d be here. I’ve been assured he’ll join us soon.”

Liliana
’s vague explanation did nothing to soothe Maggie’s concerns; if anything, it served to
further
irritate her. What was more important than finding the children? She was on the verge of asking exactly that when she sensed another presence in the room.

Maggie turned to see a tall, dark-haired vampire. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened.

He stepped farther into the room, a smile of amusement tilting lips that were too familiar for comfort. “Ah, so we meet again, Maggie.”

Maggie blinked as she tried to figure out whether she’d stepped into a dream or not. She moved her mouth in an attempt to form words, but nothing came out.

“Who is this?” Christine asked with an undertone of wariness in her voice.

Liliana
smiled, her attention focused on the newcomer. “Ah, Giovanni, the women have been anxiously awaiting your arrival. Perhaps now
,
you can put their concerns to rest.”

His piercing green eyes scanned the face
of each occupant. “It’s
a pleasure to finally meet my brothers’ mates.”