Immortals And Melodies (Blood And Guitars #2) (38 page)

"It wasn't easy," Beck said. "Believe me. I wasn't sure we'd make it."

"I would have carried you on foot, if it came down to it," I said to her, making her smile.

"I don't know how I'll repay all of you for everything you did to save my life. I mean that."

"Never getting staked again would be a great start," Mark said, grinning. "I mean that, too."

"I second that," I agreed.

Aurora entwined her fingers in mine and leaned her head on my shoulder. I smiled at the way she played with my wedding band as Beck argued with Mark about which radio station to listen to. When Mark pulled up to our house, I opened the door for Aurora and we said our goodbyes. I unlocked the front door, and Aurora walked in before me. She paused in the entryway, looking thoughtful.

"What is it?" I asked, putting an arm around her waist. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," she assured me. "It's just nice ... being here. It feels like home." I smiled, and she leaned in to me, giving me a soft kiss on the lips. I probably could have stopped my vampire heartbeat from racing, but I liked that she still had that effect on me. It made me feel more alive than anything else could.

“You're right about one thing," I said. "It is nice to be home with you."

“Are these all wedding presents?” Aurora said in astonishment as she made her way into the living room. There were piles of gifts stacked up all along the far wall.

“Yeah,” I said. “Chase and Jonas offered to gather them all up after the reception and drop them off.”

“How did anyone find the time to get a gift?”

“You have to remember, you’re the only one who didn’t know about the wedding until the day of,” I reminded her.

“What do you think people got us?” she said, reading the card on the nearest gift.

“I guess we’ll have to open them and find out.”

"I guess you’re right,” she said. “I don’t think I’m in the mood to open them all right now, though.”

“I don’t think that’s a typical girl quality,” I teased. “Aren’t women supposed to love getting gifts?”

“You didn’t marry a typical girl,” she said, grinning at me. “You should probably call the guys now that we’re home,” she added. “Tell them you'll be at rehearsals tomorrow.”

"You're sure?" I asked.

"Your album drops in two days. You haven't spent nearly enough time getting ready. It's going to take an all-nighter as it is. You won't have a problem pulling that off, but I hope the guys are up to the challenge of keeping up with you and your new vampire stamina."

"They're going to have to learn sooner or later," I teased as I pulled my phone out, dialing O'Shea's number. He answered on the fourth ring.

"Hey man, what's going on?"

"I'm back in town," I said. "Are we on for rehearsing tomorrow?"

"Absolutely," he countered. "It's going to be crazy, but we have to work out the kinks."

"We have a lot to make up for," I admitted. "That's my fault. I'm sorry."

"We'll figure it out," O'Shea said. "We always do. How's Aurora feeling?"

"She's on the mend now," I said. I'd told the guys she was battling a serious infection. They thought I'd taken her to see a specialist a few hours away. It was the best I could come up with in the situation. Thankfully, they'd bought it hook, line and sinker. It had been close to the truth, at least, as close to the truth as I could tell them.

"Glad to hear it," he answered. "Is she coming tomorrow?"

"I don't know ... I'm not sure she'll be up to it yet. We'll have to see." Aurora rolled her eyes at me and I shrugged at her.

"Well, tell her hi for me,” O’Shea added.

"I will."

"I'll call the guys, and let them know we're on for tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"See you bright and early."

"Don't remind me," I said, already anticipating how much my vampire body wouldn't want to be out all day long. I hung up the phone just as Aurora’s began to ring. She frowned and pulled it from her pocket.

“It’s Antonio,” she said as she answered, putting the call on speakerphone.

“Aurora,” Antonio said. “Did you make it home?”

“We just got back,” she said. “I’ve got you on speaker. Trey’s here with me. What’s going on?”

“I’m calling the brood together,” he said matter-of-factly. “Malena is on her way to my place. The Emissary are bringing her in now. Since her actions have affected the entire brood, especially the two of you, I think it’s only fitting that you have a chance to be present when we decide her fate.”

Aurora glanced up at me. Her face was calm, except for the severe look in her eyes. I only nodded.

Chapter 50

Aurora

THE FIRST THING TREY and I noticed as we pulled up to Antonio’s was that Damir’s car was parked out front, along with several others that looked eerily similar to the cars the Emissary had used to tail us just last week. Mark’s car was also there. He and Beck had beaten us, probably because they’d already been on the road when Antonio had called them.

“You ready for this?” Trey asked me as we stepped onto the sidewalk. His footsteps paused, and I turned to face him.

“I’m ready,” I said. “What about you?” Trey gave what was supposed to look like a nonchalant shrug, but I knew he was boiling just under the surface. Even though my memory of what happened that night at Club Sanguin hadn’t returned fully, coming back in pieces, that wasn’t the case for Trey. He had a perfect recollection of everything Malena had said and done during our last encounter. I stepped up to him, putting my arms around his waist and leaning into him.

“This is what we wanted, technically,” I said. “We’ve been trying to track down the person who was responsible for Wes’s murder. Now we have her.”

“You’re right,” Trey said. “I’m just not used to the way things are run in this new world. I want to see her face what she’s done and pay for it,” he said. “I just don’t know what to expect when we walk in there.”

“I know what you mean,” I agreed. “This kind of thing is new for me, too.”

He bent down to kiss the top of my head, and let his lips linger on my hair for a little longer than usual before he straightened again. “There’s quite the crowd inside,” he observed, cocking his head to one side.

“I count at least eight heartbeats,” I said in agreement.

“I guess we should get in there. Lead the way.”

Beck opened Antonio’s front door as Trey and I reached the porch. “Hey. Long time no see,” he said, smiling to ease the tension.

I smiled at him, but my attention was already focused on what was going on behind him in Antonio’s living room.

“I deserve better than this,” Malena was saying as Trey and I stepped inside. Trey closed the door and took my hand in his. Antonio was standing not far from Malena, shaking his head in exasperation.

“Better than what?” I asked Antonio. I didn’t even want to give Malena the satisfaction of a glance.

Before Antonio could answer me, Damir got to his feet, clearing his throat. He’d been sitting in a recliner, unmoving. “I’ve just suggested that Malena be transferred to another brood,” he said.

“After all these years,”
Melana
said, pleading with Antonio. “Are you really just going to let them send me away? I’m your firstborn. You can’t let this happen.”

Antonio met her gaze but didn’t speak. I knew his silence wasn’t driven by guilt, but rather an inability to look at Malena with any trace of the respect he’d once had for her. Three Emissary vampires stood just behind Malena. They were her escort, no doubt. I wondered where Damir had found her. Had she even been smart enough to try and leave town? I almost felt bad for her. If she hadn’t become the bane of my existence, I probably would have.

“You chose banishment when you chose to betray your own brood,” I said to Malena, unable to bite my tongue any longer. “Your jealousy drove you to have an innocent human killed. You nearly succeeded in killing me. I think banishment is the best you can hope for at this point.”

“She’s right,” Damir said. “If you had succeeded in killing your intended target … ” Damir paused a moment, and I half expected him to turn his eyes on Trey for dramatic effect. “Killing a famous human wouldn’t go unnoticed,” he continued eventually. “Did you really believe the Synod could let something like that go unpunished?”

“But I didn’t have him killed,” Malena returned, turning her hard gaze on Trey.

“A technicality,” Damir said. “Your incompetence does not displace your guilt.”

“This is your last chance,” Antonio said to Malena without emotion. “You can start over in another brood and work to prove yourself worthy of the moon’s gifts, but you’ll have to take advantage of all the time you have left before your ten year mark, if you hope to be given any power as a full vampire.”

Malena opened her mouth to come back at Antonio, but Trey’s voice cut her off. He was speaking directly to Damir. “What makes you think that simply assigning her another brood is enough?”

“I’ve already spoken with the
Emmisary
in Georgia,” Damir said. “They are making arrangements to reassign her to a brood there.”

“Georgia?” Malena was beside herself. “I can’t go to Georgia.” She took several steps toward Damir who just watched her warily. “You don’t have to send me that far,” she said. The smile she wore, along with the raw desperation in her voice blended together to make one giant batch of crazy. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t make me leave the state.”

“I want nothing from you,” Damir said curtly. “I think that’s the point.”

“Surely, I could be of some use to you,” Malena said.
 

Damir’s jaw clenched, and with considerable effort he managed to keep his voice level when he spoke again. “You’re leaving Florida,” he said. “That much has been decided. Stop your groveling and accept your fate. Have you no pride?”

Malena looked as if Damir had stabbed her through the heart. I couldn’t help but feel some level of satisfaction at the look on her face. She deserved no less.

“Fine,”
Melana
said, trying to gather herself again. “If I’m not appreciated here, maybe it is best that I move on. Someone somewhere will appreciate my talents.” She looked at Damir again, icy hatred in her gaze now. “Someone more powerful and deserving than even you.”

Damir, looking bored as he gestured to the Emissary vampires with a slight wave of his hand. They came forward and escorted Malena out of the house. “It is best for everyone,” Damir said to Antonio once she was gone.

“I hope you’re right about that,” Trey said. “It doesn’t seem like enough.”

“You’re new to our world,
fledgling
,” Damir somehow managed to make the word sound like a curse as he turned to face Trey. “I’ll forgive your ignorance because of it, but in this matter today, I am judge and jury. You’ll have to accept my authority on the matter. It’s as simple as that.”

“If I’ve learned anything about this world,” Trey said. “It’s that nothing is ever simple.”

Damir watched him for a second and then turned away. He shook Antonio’s hand formally and then let himself out the front door.

“I’m glad that’s over,” Mark said from across the room. It was the first time he’d spoken since Trey and I had arrived.