Sunset: Pact Arcanum: Book One (46 page)

Jeremy got down on his knees and wrapped his arms around Nick. “I’m still here, Nick. I’m not going anywhere.”

Nick said nothing, just leaned into his shoulder.

“You knew, didn’t you?” Toby asked Scott.

“Of course. He’s my dyad brother. We’re bonded to each other, mind and spirit. He couldn’t orchestrate his own personal war without me knowing.”

Toby nodded. “And members of any Sentinel grouping always watch each other’s backs.” He studied Scott’s expression. “Did you help?”

“Yeah.” Scott shrugged at Toby’s look of surprise. “Nick is a part of me. I couldn’t turn my back on him, no matter what he’s done.” He turned to look at Jeremy and Nick together. “As long as they’re together, Jeremy is part of me as well, in every way that matters. I had to protect him. He would have done it for me if it had been Michelle in danger.”

“How did you help?” asked Toby.

“Intelligence. Research. Target selection. Surveillance. Combat simulations. Everything up to the actual duels themselves. Nick was right; they couldn’t hold a candle to him, not against both of us. Nothing was left to chance. They were all dead as soon as we identified them as viable targets.”

Nick let go of his lover, sat back in his seat, and sighed. “Any more questions, Jeremy?”

“Just one.” Jeremy climbed to his feet. “How many are left on your list?”

“What makes you think there are any left?”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Don’t start this again, Nick. Just tell me.”

“Eight. So far, they haven’t taken the bait. I’ll have to be more creative to get them to let down their guard.”

“What would you do if I asked you to stop?”

“No one threatens what’s mine and walks away, Leshir,” he said with a low growl. “Not even if it stops being mine anymore.”

Jeremy digested that. “All right,” he said, his features set in a grim mask, “here’s what we are going to do. You will never lie to me again. You will never try to trick me. You will never hide things from me for my own good.”

Nick considered Jeremy’s words carefully for a moment. “Agreed.”

Jeremy looked at the others. “Then we are all going to have a long and pointed discussion about trust.”

“All right,” Scott said with an air of resignation.

Jeremy turned back to Nick. “And then you’re going to send me copies of your files on the eight remaining targets.”

Nick frowned. “Why?”

“Because if we’re going to have to be more creative to get to them, we’ll need more points of view. A fresh pair of eyes might find something you’ve missed.”

“Two pairs,” Toby added.

Nick just stared at them.

Scott chuckled. “You’re looking at them through a prism of love, Nick. It’s blinding you to their hard edges.” He looked at Toby and Jeremy knowingly. “Sentinels don’t fight defensively. They don’t back down. They don’t retreat. They don’t take prisoners.”

Nick found his voice. “You want to help.”

“Try to stop us,” said Toby.

“No more secrets,” insisted Jeremy. “If these are our enemies, we’ll take them down together.”

“Agreed,” Nick whispered.

Sitting beside him on the couch, Jeremy took Nick’s hand in his, turning it over to trace the lines of Nick’s palm. “Nicholas, I have never had any illusions about you. I have always known exactly what you are and how far you’ll go. Always, from the very beginning, in Los Angeles. I know you inside and out. You won’t willingly sacrifice an innocent life, but otherwise you have no limits. Well, neither do I. I love all of you. Not just the parts I can control. Everything.”

Nick grabbed Jeremy’s hand and pulled it to his lips, kissing the Sentinel’s palm in return. “I will never let you go.” He glanced at Toby. “You’re in?”

“All the way to the end.” Toby proudly tapped the embroidered seal on his left breast pocket. “We are House Luscian. We have ruled the shadows of this world for thirty thousand years, and our name is Death. It’s time to let our enemies know that not everything changed when Soulkiller fell.”

A soft tone rang through the hall.

“Sunset,” said Scott. “The other guests will be arriving soon.” He looked at Jeremy and Nick. “We have to greet them, if you’re ready.”

Nick nodded. Then he stood and walked back toward the metal door of the banquet hall with the three Sentinels at his heels.

A
RMISTICE
N
IGHTWALKER
S
EAL

C
HAPTER 37

Nick and Jeremy stood across from the gateway, Scott and Toby behind them. A black mist appeared between the pillars, and a voice said, “Lorcan Magister Diluthical Primogenitor Luscian, called the Prince of Subterfuge.”

In the center of the star pattern, Lorcan appeared dressed in formal black attire bearing the embroidered seal of his house.

“Nicholas,” he said, stepping forward with an unreadable expression.

“Hello, Ruarc.” A hint of sorrow shaded Nick’s face. Swallowing, he turned to Jeremy. “I’m sure you remember my Leshir, Sentinel Jeremy Harkness.”

“Hello, Terrorist. A pleasure to see you again,” he said with an undercurrent of sarcasm. “I don’t believe we’ve met face-to-face since you raped my mind.”

“Yeah, likewise, Bloodsucker. Thanks for helping him face down the Court, but don’t let yourself get any ideas. If you ever touch him in anything other than friendship, I will shred your mind into confetti.”

Lorcan held Jeremy’s challenging gaze. “You’re a very straightforward young man, Jeremy. I had almost forgotten that about you.” He smiled at Nick. “I like him.”

“So do I.” Nick looked affectionately at Jeremy.

“Jeremy, please believe that I do not begrudge you and Nicholas the slightest bit of happiness together for as long as you are alive.” Lorcan’s tone grew serious. “You’re mortal—and I can wait. I will never yield. I will never surrender. But in the interim, I cannot hate anyone who means so much to him. Envy, yes, but not hate. There is no need for us to be enemies.”

Jeremy studied him. “Can you control your instincts enough for us to be friends?” he asked pointedly.

“If he were ready to love me back, the answer would be no.” Lorcan’s smile revealed his fangs. “But until the day he is, I have more than sufficient self-control to avoid killing you—unless I decide to do it on purpose.”

“Then maybe we can come to some kind of agreement.” Jeremy glanced at Nick. “I know you still mean a great deal to him, Lorcan.”

“Not enough,” Lorcan said wistfully. “And my name is Ruarc. Feel free to use it.” He turned to Toby. “Can you walk me to my seat, Consul? I don’t believe we’ve met, though Nicholas has spoken of you many times.”

Jeremy watched as Toby led Lorcan away, and then he turned to Nick. “I don’t think I was nearly as gracious when our situations were reversed.”

“You weren’t. You treated him like shit. But all three of us knew you were just jealous, so he let it go.”

Jeremy sighed. “Was I really that transparent?”

“You were to us. It just took me a while to realize it was more than a crush.” He leaned in to kiss Jeremy on the cheek before turning back to the teleport gateway. “Gateway clear,” he said.

The black mist swirled again between the pillars as the voice announced the next guest. The room began to fill as the Free People, Court of Shadows, and unaffiliated Sentinel guests from all over the world arrived through the gateway, one and two at a time. Quiet music filled the spaces between conversation as representatives from all four races gathered to commemorate the formal anniversary of the treaty.

Eventually, the last guest was seated, and Scott gave his AI the go ahead to send a pre-arranged signal to Armistice Security. The soft background music stopped, and a series of clear tones sounded throughout the room. Conversation slowed as everyone rose and faced the teleport gateway.

“What’s happening?” The President turned to the other humans across the table from him.

“The fanfare announces the impending arrival of the Triumvirate,” Michelle explained.

“So we finally get to meet the mysterious leaders of the Armistice?” President Daniels looked with curiosity to the gateway, where the rest of House Luscian stood waiting.

“Mr. President,” said Ana, “you are about to make an extremely important first impression. Your every word will be closely scrutinized and will determine the course of human–metahuman coexistence. As I have more experience dealing with the Triumvirate than anyone at this table, may I offer you some advice?”

The President nodded. “Please do.”

“The Gray will try to protect your interests, because that’s what he does. Be cautious in dealing with the White—she’s five thousand years old and a more experienced politician than you will ever be,” she said. “But, most importantly, be very, very careful in dealing with the Black. He hates lies and false promises, even when he knows they’re necessary. If you break your word to him, every vampire in North America will rise as one to avenge his honor. Not even House Luscian will offer you any protection if you turn the Redeemer against you. Good luck.” She and Sike picked up their chairs and carried them back across the aisle to the House Jiao-long table.

The black mist appeared in the teleport gateway as the voice announced the first Speaker. “Layla Magister Curallorn, called Nemesis, the Prince of Wrath, the Triumvirate Council Speaker for the Dawn.” In the midst of a dazzling light, Layla appeared. Her white gown contrasted with her ebony skin and braided black hair, and the seal of House Curallorn—a red spider centered in a circular web—was set in platinum and rubies on a brooch pinned over her heart. Stepping off the gateway, she gracefully walked to stand to the left of the aisle, facing House Luscian.

The black mist remained and the voice announced the next Speaker. “Takeshi Nakamura Leshir Jiao-long, called Shadowhunter, the Wind of Earth, Director of Armistice Security, the Triumvirate Council Speaker for the Watch.” Take appeared, wearing a charcoal-gray double-breasted suit with the seal of House Jiao-long on the left breast pocket. He took up his position on the right of the aisle.

The voice spoke again. “Sean Magister Jiao-long, called the Traveler, the Redeemer, the Wind of Air, the Prince of the Dawn, the Triumvirate Council Speaker for the Damned.” Rory, wearing a black tuxedo with the seal of House Jiao-long over his right breast, appeared in the gateway. His hands were bare, and the white light emanating from the cruciform brands on his palms overpowered even the blue glow of the gateway design. Immediately, all the vampires in the room, with the exception of Layla, Nick, and the Court of Shadows delegation, dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. Rory stepped forward to stand between the others at the threshold of the gateway and then walked ahead alone to stand directly before Nick.

Nick knelt. “Redeemer, lead us out of darkness,” he said, echoed by all of the kneeling vampires. “Our lives are yours. We are your blades to wield.”

Rory answered formally, his eyes on Nick. “I accept your honor, to defend as if it were my own.” Holding his arms out to his sides, he levitated several feet into the air. “For I am the darkness before the dawn, and this is the only gift I have to give.” As he finished the ritualized greeting, the white light from his hands flared into brilliance, casting harsh shadows around the room. The Children of the Dawn simultaneously lifted their heads to look at him, the white light of the Pure Draw answered by a glowing white cross branded in the center of each of their foreheads. As the light of Rory’s hands faded into a tolerable luminance, the vampires stood, and the crosses faded from the Daywalkers’ brows. Rory settled back to the floor while the rest of the guests took their seats again.

The music and conversation resumed as Nick and Jeremy shook hands warmly with their final guests and led them back to the head tables. As they approached, President Daniels and the First Lady remained standing, the cameras capturing every moment.

“My Lords,” Nick addressed the members of the Triumvirate, “I present to you Kevin and Catherine Daniels, the President and First Lady of the United States of America.” He turned to the humans. “Mr. President, Madam First Lady, I present to you Speakers Takeshi, Layla, and Sean, the Triumvirate Council of North America.”

Take stepped forward first, extending his hand. “Mr. President, it’s an honor to finally meet you.”

President Daniels shook his hand. “And I you, Speaker Takeshi.”

Take laughed. “Take is fine, Mr. President. Sentinels don’t stand on formality much; that’s more of a vampire thing.” He turned to Catherine and bowed. “Madam, a pleasure.”

“For someone who doesn’t stand on formality,” she said, “you certainly do it well, Take.” She gestured to the elaborate surroundings.

Takeshi tilted his head with a grin, acknowledging the compliment. “The learning curve was fairly steep, Madam First Lady, given the people I work with.” He moved back, next to Rory, who was slipping his hands into black gloves as Nemesis came forward.

She bowed to the President and inclined her head to the First Lady. “May I say that I have watched the evolution of your country with extraordinary interest, Mr. President? I have seen your people adapt for more than twenty generations, since the Europeans began to form permanent colonies on my lands. There have been many missteps, but seldom have I seen such passion for hope and change. The American people are to be commended for their efforts.”