for dead. I discovered the body and had to cover up the whole goddamn thing from the human authorities. It was difficult—her family was very influential. The Agency tried to locate Alfonso, but he was never caught.”
“Were they bonded like we are?”
“I don’t know anyone who is.”
“Have you talked with him since?”
“No. A long time ago, he betrayed our parents to Pavlos and joined the Alliance. Or maybe it was the other way around. In any event, all he cared about was himself and getting his hands on more Sweet.”
Mackenzie set his cup on the table behind them and took his hand. “So why do you blame yourself for your parents’ deaths?”
“I knew about the threat, but I left them unprotected anyway.” Her calm energies soothed him and the familiar angry knots that balled up in his shoulders whenever he thought about his family didn’t feel quite so solid.
“You said your father was on the Council. Did he not know about the threat?”
“He actually knew about it before I told him. All Council families were in danger and I urged him to take Mother to London, far away from Madrid, until we got a handle on things there.”
Mackenzie pursed her lips, lost in thought for a moment. “Did you have extra knowledge that you didn’t act on?”
“No.”
“Did your father not believe the threat was real?”
“He knew it was real, but I’m not sure he thought it was imminent. He planned to take my mother to Casa en las Colinas, our family’s estate overlooking the Cantabrian Sea, but Alfonso brought Pavlos the night before they were to leave.”
She gasped. “Your brother?”
“He waited out in the coach while Pavlos, the Darkblood Overlord, slaughtered our parents. The guards only let the coach through the gates because my brother was inside.”
TIRED FROM THE late night, she awoke midmorning, wrapped in the protective cocoon of his arms. During the night, she’d awakened occasionally to find him caressing or lightly kissing her hair. She had hoped to roll over just once and hear the sound of deep, sleep-induced breathing, but she never did.
“What’s bothering you?” Her hand ran absently over his chest.
“Darkblood concerns. Nothing for you to worry about, but we do need to go soon.”
She stiffened. “Didn’t you find that other guy?”
“Lily did. She took care of him.”
Thank God. Her muscles loosened again and she nestled deeper into his arms. “Then what’s wrong?”
“We’ve uncovered a new Darkblood plot.”
She propped herself up on one elbow to find him staring at the ceiling, his thoughts clearly focused elsewhere. “Do we need to get going so you can get back to work?”
“We’re waiting for other Guardian teams to arrive later this afternoon.”
That explained the faraway look, but why was she picking up his reluctance to say more? Did it somehow involve her? Was that it? She couldn’t imagine how things could get any worse than having two vampires hunt and almost kill her. But those two were gone. Dead. So why was he worried?
Like a slap, the realization hit her. The threat wasn’t gone after all.
“Tell me,” she said. “I deserve to know.”
The small muscle at the base of his jaw tensed. “I suppose it’s only fair you know, but I don’t want to frighten you further.”
“Well, if it helps, I’ve never been more unfrightened—is that a word?—than I am when I’m with you.” She felt him relax, sensed some of the tension seep from his shoulders. “Tell me,” she repeated.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “We’ve discovered the Alliance has created a genetic breeding facility and they’re searching for Sangre Dulce humans to be their test subjects.”
“A breeding facility? Why?”
“To harvest sweetblood. They want to create a group of selectively bred Sangre Dulce humans to produce unlimited supplies of the blood. More Sweet means more power.”
Humans as breeding stock? Like animals? The…the babies?
Her legs were rubber bands as she jumped from the bed and ran to the bathroom. Dom was there, his strong arms supporting her as if she were a small, sick child. He held her hair away from her face, gently stroking her back as she retched. When she was finished, he gave her a damp cloth and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m here, love. You’re safe with me. You’re okay.”
“It’s just…so…awful.” She could barely wrap her mind around it. The cruelty was impossible to comprehend.
His shushing in her ear soothed the gnawing ache in her belly, and she melted into his embrace. She didn’t know how long it took to finally