Styx pushed from the desk to cross the room and lay a heavy hand on Cezar’s shoulder.
“Why should you?” he demanded. “Humans have always believed her to be nothing more than myth and legend. They readily name their daughters after the treacherous bitch even today.”
Cezar smiled wryly. “I think it was more the fact that I was fully distracted at that precise moment. And, of course, there was that nasty meeting with the Oracles only moments after enjoying the delights that Anna had to offer.” He shuddered at the memory of the brilliant flash of light followed by the entrance of the eight ancient Oracles. He had been lying in the bed na**d and utterly sated when they arrived, their grim expressions revealing the depth of their anger. “They were not happy that I had tasted of the next Commission member.”
Styx gave a lift of his brows. “They actually came to the room?”
“After they had made sure that they had put Anna into a deep sleep.”
“So that’s why you were forced to serve them.”
It was certainly what Cezar had believed for the past two centuries. And the Oracles had done nothing to disabuse him of that belief.
But the moment that Anna had walked into that Chicago hotel, he had been drowning in his awareness of her. His every sense had been tuned to her as if she were the only woman in the whole damn world.
“I’m beginning to suspect that there was more to it than that,” he muttered.
Styx regarded him with a lift of his brows. “Such as?”
“There are some things I refuse to discuss even with you, my lord.”
A smile that was almost smug touched the vampire’s mouth. “Ah.”
Cezar frowned, fiercely refusing to consider what might be behind his friend’s amusement.
It couldn’t be good.
Instead he turned his mind to more important matters. “It was not just that night that Anna spoke of her cousin,” he said, once again cursing his stupidity.
“What else did she say?”
“That after our night together she returned home to find it burned to the ground. She assumed her aunt and cousin died in the flames. She was no doubt right about her aunt.”
“The work of Morgana?”
A sharp, biting fury raced through Cezar at the realization that he had come so close to losing Anna. He would kill anyone who threatened her.
Even the Queen of Fairies.
“She couldn’t have known that dutiful Anna was locked in a magical sleep in another house, rather than sleeping in her own bed,” he bit out, his fangs fully extended. “It was the first attempt on Anna’s life.”
Styx gave a slow nod. “The queen must have believed her dead.”
“Until Anna’s powers began to surface. Once the queen sensed them she sent out word to her fairies to search for the one who possessed the blood of the ancients.”
“Blood of the ancients.” Styx furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting toward his vast collection of books. “I thought Morgana to be the last of the line?”
Cezar shrugged. “So did I.”
“You think it is true that they’re related?”
“They must be in some way.”
“And now she is destined to be an Oracle.” Styx returned his attention to Cezar, his dark gaze smoldering with his lethal power. “Intriguing.”
“Not intriguing, dangerous,” Cezar corrected. He recognized that expression on his friend’s face. It usually preceded the vampire calling his brothers to battle. And while Cezar was all for the Bitch of Fairies being butchered, preferably while he watched, he needed answers first. Otherwise he couldn’t be certain that the threat to Anna would die with the queen. “I don’t know what Morgana le Fay wants of Anna, but I intend to find out. Once we know we can invite her to a little family reunion.”
Styx slowly smiled. “I vote we make it a barbeque.”