Should I get pregnant again, I’ll have to figure out how to shield on my own. I shake my head and check my watch. I’ll worry about the future tomorrow. Right now, I can’t afford to be distracted. I take one last breath and start walking toward the compound.
I expect to be stopped. There aren’t many sentries outside of the walls, but only a fool wouldn’t post at least a few people in the forest surrounding the compound. Vampire senses only stretch so far, after all, and an early warning system can mean the difference between life and death in a confrontation. My father is many things, but a fool isn’t one of them.
He must really see me as less than a threat. It’s the only explanation why I’m able to walk up the dirt road to the compound gates. They’re large enough to drive a truck through…and they’re ajar.
“Quite the welcome,” I murmur. The urge rises to turn and flee. If we meant to set a trap, my father certainly intends the same.
I lift my chin and push open the gate. Inside, it’s exactly the same as I remember. Low square buildings, all in a uniform gray. Nearly indistinguishable from each other. Rationally, I know a year hasn’t even passed, but it feels like several lifetimes since I last moved about in this place.
Since no one appears to stop me, I walk through the low buildings that serve as gatehouse and a place for the wall guards to rest between patrols, especially when the weather is intense. Both seem to be empty.
I see the smoke before I scent the burning; three large plumes stretching to the heavens. All three of my men have their shields locked up tight, so I only get the faintest impression of fighting as I step into the courtyard. I turn my focus from them. Now’s not the time to be distracted. Not when I have my own part to play.
I stretch out my arms. “Where are you, Father? I’ve come to negotiate.”
This all hinges on him coming to me. If he goes to fight one of the men first, we’re in trouble. He could compel them to fight the rest of our group. It would hamstring the other two men because of their desire not to hurt the compelled person. It would ruin any chances I have of succeeding because I am no match for any of them. No, I have to make sure he comes to me instead.
I turn a slow circle, arms still outstretched. “I’ve come to take my place as your heir. You got your wish.” I raise my voice. “I carry a bloodline baby. Will you honor your terms, or will you take the coward’s way out?”
I feel him before I see him. He’s circled around behind me, which is exactly where I want him now that I’m facing the front gates. I turn slowly as he walks out from between two buildings. For such a monstrous man, my father looks nearly as normal as Lizzie does. Silvering brown hair, vaguely attractive features that would be forgettable if not for the charisma he exudes wherever he goes. He weaponizes it now. It presses against me with a force that nearly sends me to my knees, getting stronger with each step he takes in my direction.
He smiles benignly. “Come now, Mina. You must know that you can never be heir. My people will never follow you.”
“Let me worry about that,” I grit out. He’s not even compelling me, but it’s hard to speak. Each breath burns as his magic seems to seek a way inside. I hate that feeling, like each inhale gives him a little more power over me, like even now he’s worming his way into my brain. “Will you keep your word?”
He shakes his head and tsks. “How am I to even know you’re my child? You have no bloodline powers to speak of. You look exactly like your mother. Who’s to say she didn’t betray me with some other man to beget you? None of my children are such a constant disappointment.”
How can his words still sting after everything he’s done? I drop my arms. “So you’ll break your word.”
My father moves closer. His expression remains benevolent, but his words only get uglier as he lowers his voice. “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, you little bitch, but it won’t work. Losing the three bloodline vampires was a temporary setback, and now you’ve returned them to me. If you truly are pregnant, then I’ll happily cut that baby out of you the moment it can survive on its own.” His smile drops. “You, of course, will not survive the process.”
Over my dead body.
I glare. “You’re making a mistake. Name me as heir—”
“Kneel, slut.” His power slams into me, forcing me to my knees. “I don’t know how you managed to find three of them, but I commend you on being so willing to open your legs to fulfill my aims. I suppose we’ll find which is the father once the child is born.’’ He leans down a little, more power infusing his voice. “Are you actually pregnant? Be honest.”