told Clive. I have no interest in vampiric policies. I’m not even a member of my father’s own House; if I had been, I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t even have attempted this particular mission. I do not plan to build a vampire army, or to make any additional vampires. I do not want to be a Master. I worked for the Ombuds’ office until one of your vampires accused me of a murder I did not commit. I enjoyed that work, and wish I was still doing it.” The truth of that struck me in the gut.
“In short, Ms. Heart, I am not my father. I am not my mother. I am not a superhero or a secret weapon or an atrocity, or whatever other threats you and your vampires might have imagined. I’m just a vampire trying to do the right thing.”
“A very pretty speech that solves nothing.”
“I am not a problem to solve.” I nearly threw up my hands, had to work to maintain my control. “If you were me, what would you have done?”
“I would have obeyed the law.”
I looked at her for a long time. “Then I pity you for that.”
My screen buzzed, and I pulled it out, found a message from Theo. levi spotted on foot two blocks north.
He was early, so it was negotiation time.
I put the screen back in my pocket. “I’ve made the AAM an offer. Leave Chicago with assurances you won’t pursue this further, and I won’t explain to the media why you’re attempting to punish me.”
“Rejected.”
My smile was thin. “In that case, I’ll also be explaining to the media that you’ve employed a dangerous vampire and his brother, who I’m fairly certain had full knowledge of his condition, for years. That you sent Levi to Chicago, where he attacked me, violated a human, and committed murder, and yet you have no idea where he is. I’ll also be forced to ask why you’re so focused on punishing me for breaking rules, but allowing them to break rules with impunity.” I cocked my head at her, a move I’d seen my father make a thousand times before. “Is it animosity against Chicago, by chance?”
She was quiet for a very long time. And when her hands clenched tighter, knuckles whitening with it, I knew I had her.
“As long as you remember that you have no interest in my position, or in Masterdom, the AAM will agree to conclude this matter. Should those circumstances change . . . we will reevaluate.”
It was my turn to watch her, to read the emotion in her eyes.
“Agreed,” I said, “as I’ve no interest in either. And I will even make a show of good faith.”
I walked to the office door, opened it, and found my father waiting.
We exchanged a nod. As I strode to the front door, I heard my father speaking with Nicole.
“Come with me,” he said. “I believe you’ll want to see this.”
* * *
* * *
The air was chilly and dry, rustling the trees and flickering the torchlights. I tucked into my ear the tiny communication bud Lindsey offered on my way out the door, met Connor on the sidewalk.
He glanced back at the House.
“Resolved,” I said quietly and tucked my arm into his. “Let’s pretend to be lovey-dovey and take a walk.” I led him to the path that ran along the edge of the property, not far from the wall Levi would have to scale to get through.
“Do recall your parents can hear you,” came my mother’s voice through the bud.
“Times when telepathy would be handy,” I murmured, and leaned into Connor, two lovers taking a stroll through a garden on a beautiful late summer night.
“Location?” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my hair to cover the question.
“We’re heat-tracking,” Lindsey said. “We’ve got him outside the eastern wall, about twenty yards to your left. We can’t get too close; we don’t want to spook him.”
Connor neatly switched positions to put him closer to the wall. I growled, but he put an arm over my shoulders. “I won’t apologize for that.”
“Your funeral,” I murmured. “I don’t need a shield.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Connor intoned. “It’s a gorgeous night.” He raised his voice so Levi could hear. “I’m glad I have you all to myself. Your parents’ House really is impressive.”
“Moving toward you,” Lindsey said. “He’s on the wall.”
“The stars are beautiful tonight,” I said, lifting my eyes to the top of the wall. I couldn’t see anything. But now that I’d experienced it, I could