Bloodlines

Five

"What?" Lazarus snapped. He stood behind his desk in his office, livid and frustrated.

His second-in-command stood before him on the other side of the desk, meeting his gaze without flinching or backing down. That's what Lazarus liked about him. He was the only person Lazarus had ever met who wasn't afraid of him. Who stood up to him. Because of that, the two were like brothers.

"Elair is blood-bonded to Dante Alexander. Jacobi and Dante, though under your warning, are planning to keep her sheltered and hidden so they can use her to discover what it is you're planning," Jonathan Verucci explained for the second time. But Lazarus knew he had something else to say. He could sense it through his coterie bond. 

"What is it, Jon?" he asked.

Jonathan sighed. "Sir, the covens are getting suspicious. So far, no one has believed Master Jacobi's musings on the culprit of their recent disappearances, but that isn't going to last. How many more females will it take before the Council believes him?" he said.

Lazarus smiled. "Not to worry, my friend. I have a meeting with the Council in a few days. I plan on revealing my reasons for turning Elair and explained why it is my right to take her back. Once I have Elair, I'll have everything I need. Things will settle."

*             *             *

Hours later, Lazarus perched outside of the window where Elair Rosario sat with the Ashes. She smiled and laughed with them. Talked freely with them. He wondered if she'd ever be able to do that with him. Tuning into their conversation, Lazarus settled onto the tree branch to relax while he listened. 

"So, Elair, what was your family like?" Annabelle Athanas asked.

Elair smiled, warming Lazarus's cold heart.

"Well, we were a small family so we were very close. My mother and father had this passionate love between them that I always longed to have one day. They fit so perfectly together. Mama was happy and adventurous and Papa was serious and fatherly. They pampered and spoiled me my whole life. I loved them so much," Elair said, her voice choking up. Lazarus flinched, guilt flooding him. The ancient vampire assumed their bond allowed Dante to feel Elair's sorrow the way that Lazarus would be able to when he established his own bond. Lazarus had a bond, the bond that forms between a Maker and his or her Kindred, with Elair. But it only kept her from going rogue out of bloodlust-induced insanity.

"Dante, how's Jenna doing?" Jacobi asked after the children had been sent to bed with Annabelle and Elair.

Dante sighed and looked at his Master wit sad eyes. "Not good, Cobi. I still haven't found a cure and she's only getting worse. I don't think she has much longer. What am I going to do if she dies? After losing my mate, I won't be capable of raising two children on my own. Especially not with Elair to worry about now," he explained.

Jacobi nodded. "I'm sorry, Dante. There's a Council meeting in a few days. I have to bring Elair to it, probably to register a new vampire with the Royals. You can attend with us and we'll talk to them. See if there's anything we can do."

Dante brightened. "Thank you, Jacobi. Thank you."

Lazarus focused his black eyes on Jacobi, a snarl on the edge of his lips. Jacobi Brian Athanas. Ungrateful, undeserving, disloyal son-of-a-bitch. Lazarus had done everything for him. He'd raised him, given him power, made him immortal, and shown him what family felt like. And what did Lazarus get in return? Betrayal. Complete and total betrayal. During the day, when Lazarus was asleep under the tyranny of the sun, two-hundred-year-old Jacobi had the audacity to try and stake him. To kill the vampire who'd started the race. Little did he know, Lazarus had been through his attempted assassination before.