“So it would seem that you’re stuck with me.”

I wanted to wipe away that self-satisfaction, and I knew one way to do it. “There are ways of breaking the blood-link, Will.” I kept my answer vague, not wanting to reveal Imani’s gift. I was betting that Imani would be willing to break it if Ava asked.

“You would Bind with Ava?” Pure astonishment dripped from Gina’s words.

Of course she would ask that since, as far as those who didn’t know of Imani’s gift were aware, the only way to break a blood-link was to replace it with another. Binding with Ava would destroy my link to Will. But that would mean forming a psychic, unbreakable bond to her – one that wouldn’t permit any physical or emotional distance between us.

I waited for panic to set in at the very idea of it, but it didn’t come. There was actually an appeal to having the tie with Ava that Jared had with Sam, to be that deeply connected to her. And it would mean Ava couldn’t be free of me. Not that I’d ever let her go, but I was selfish and possessive enough to find the added assurance sort of...comforting. And if there was anyone who I was willing to allow so deep into my soul, it was Ava.

Will must have taken my silence as a reluctance to admit that I would never Bind with her, because I could hear the smirk in his voice as he then taunted, “You can’t escape me, Salem. No matter what you do, you will never change the fact that I’m your Sire.” Like I was stuck under his rule.

“You lost your authority over me the moment I joined the legion.” Even he couldn’t deny the truth of that statement.

“You owe me,” he growled. “You would have died in that alley if it wasn’t for me. The people who ordered the death of your –”

I had my hand around his throat in under a millisecond. “Don’t say it.” Apprehension flashed across his face just as a tingle of fear shot down our link. Will was strong and a good fighter, but I’d always unnerved him on some level. I’d seen it in his eyes, heard it in his voice, and felt it through the link a thousand times. Maybe part of his wariness was that my emotions weren’t so clear to him; according to Will, he only felt ‘tiny flickers’ of emotion from me, as if I was too closed off.

“Let him go, Salem,” urged Gina, gripping my arm. I shook her off.

“I gave you your revenge,” Will reminded me. “Now you must repay that debt.”

I released him with a shove. “I couldn’t get you a position in the legion even if I wanted to. It doesn’t work that way.”

“But you can talk to Sam and Jared. You can put in a good word for me. I would make a valuable trainer.”

Even if there were trainers within the legion, I wouldn’t have done any such thing. Not after the devious shit he’d pulled at the meal. “If you’re so confident in your suitability, you don’t need my interference.” I strode away, and they thankfully didn’t try to follow.

“You broke the golden rule I gave you during your training.”

I didn’t turn at the sound of his voice.

“I told you never to allow yourself any weaknesses. But you have one now, don’t you? Sventés are so fragile compared to us, aren’t they? So easily breakable.”

Halting sharply, I slowly turned to face him. “Are you threatening Ava?” I rumbled, sure my irises were glowing red.

“Of course not.” He sounded genuinely offended, but his eyes glinted with amusement at my angered response. “I don’t hurt women. You know that.” But Gina would have no problem with hurting Ava. And if Will wished it, she happily would.

“Sam and Jared might have vowed to let you stay here, but I can promise you right now that if either of you hurt Ava, they will banish you all from this island faster than you can blink. But I’ll get there faster, and I’ll make sure you don’t leave this place alive.”

“You’d never hurt me.” But Will didn’t appear as sure as he sounded. He was right to be worried.

It was rare for vampires to harm their creators. Even if the vampires had no regard or time for their creators, they respected the fact that they had Turned them. Plus, not only was the blood-link overpowering for the mind, it was incredibly painful to break unless it was replaced with another.

All of that would make a vampire extremely hesitant to harm their creator. But I knew for a fact that none of that would keep Will alive if he did anything at all to harm Ava. “As you pointed out, I have one weakness. That weakness is the only being on this planet that’s safe from me. Remember that.”

“There are three entrances,” Stuart told Sam and Jared after doing a perimeter check in his molecule form of the club opposite us. “One at the front, one at the back, and one at the side. The only entrance being used is the front.”

From our spot on top of a twelve storey building across the street, we could see the line of people hoping to get into the club belonging to Giles Rowland – Diane’s Sire. It was guarded by four Pagoris, all of whom were vigilant.

“We need to cover all three doors,” Sam told us.

“In case Giles tries to flee?” Ava asked from beside me.

“Yes, and also in case he decides he wants a fight and calls for back-up. I doubt he will, but it’s best to be cautious. Stuart, Damien – I want you covering the side. Reuben, Harvey – you guard the back door.”

“If people start trying to get in or out,” began Jared, “contact me.” All they would need to do was direct a thought at him. “The rest of you will come through the front with me and Sam, watch our backs.”

So that was what myself, Ava, Chico, Butch, David, Denny, and Max did. As we approached the club, three of the bouncers straightened to their full height, their posture confrontational. The fourth paled.

“There’s a line,” spat one of them.

The fourth bouncer bowed at both Sam and Jared. “It’s an honour to meet you.” That was when the other three realised that, hey, we weren’t your average vampires. They also bowed as they opened the doors wide, allowing us all to enter. The place was dark, loud, and smelled strongly of sex and blood.

Ava leaned into me. “Do you think these humans know they’re around supposedly mythological creatures?”

Noticing that one human had a set of fangs buried in her throat, I grunted. “Maybe. I think someone wipes those memories before they leave. A lot of Kejas can do that.”