“Enough.” The Master’s aura throbbed. “Sorin, you know extracting information from Dawn has not been Eva’s job.”
“Yes, Master, I am sorry.” His maker was clearly upset by Sorin’s analysis. Yet what choice was there but to press onward? The spirit who had accompanied Dawn to Paul’s party had yielded no information under strenuous examination, and Sorin doubted that more captivity would provoke her into revealing anything about why she was with Dawn or who her boss really was. Most unfortunately, Sorin was not even so certain that this most recent plan of the Master’s—the so-called Vampire Killer scheme—would produce results tonight, even if their murderer was already carrying out the plan.
The Master assuaged Eva by petting her throat, laying her back on the pillows, and beginning the infusion process. She was trembling, most likely from residual anger and the craving for blood that built up in Elites over the course of a month.
“Maybe you’re not thinking straight when it comes to Dawn,” the Master said softly. “Even you admit that you revealed yourself too early.”
“I had to.” Eva rubbed a hand over her brow.
“Taking her captive is going to set off some fireworks. If we weren’t making a move to bring Limpet out of the shadows tonight, I’d be very upset with you.”
“We could’ve fooled everyone Above for at least a few days. Dawn’s identity could’ve been assumed by y—”
“It wasn’t your choice to force any vampire’s hand, Eva.”
She absently ran her other hand over the divan, no doubt knowing the Master followed her every move.
Wrapping the Master around her finger, Sorin thought again.
“Dawn was much too close to the truth,” she added.
Sorin raised his chin, wishing he had Awareness with his sibling, just as maker and higher children—or even the original blood brothers—did. Alas, he was not so fortunate.
He had come to suspect that perhaps Dawn had somehow stumbled upon a secret that had forced Eva’s hand. Perhaps Frank, her husband? Had Eva been lying to them all along about his whereabouts? Sorin did not want to believe she would do such a dangerous, selfish thing. She had sacrificed so much to be in the Underground so…why?
The Master’s Awareness intruded. Stop dwelling on it. She didn’t take Frank. Her mind would show it, and Julia would tell us.
Sorin shut off his own Awareness as he thought, If Eva allowed you fully into her mind, you might know. And perhaps Julia worships Eva more than the Underground. You would understand such a thing.
But Sorin did not share his feelings about how his father tended to fool himself when it came to matters he did not wish to face.
Sorin turned their communication back on. I only wish to know why she would endanger our home.
My guess is love. The elder vampire slipped a vaporlike arm under the small of Eva’s back, arching her up as he nuzzled her neck. She tightened her hand over her brow.
Love, Sorin thought to himself. A concept, really. He applied it to his missing vampire daughters, turned it this way and that. Then he realized that his affection for them was now more memory than feeling.
As the Master used what looked to be a nail to slice open a wound on his chest, he scooped Eva’s head into a palm and tenderly led her mouth to him.
Not yet dismissed, Sorin watched, thinking how Eva sucked more than just blood out of his father.
“Everything is going to be beautiful soon,” said the head vampire. “We’ll be together, you, me, and Dawn.”
Intent on feeding, Eva splayed her hands against the Master’s chest, sucking languidly, greedily. He leaned back his head, his other hand stroking her back, urging her against him.
“After tonight,” he continued, “everything will be easier.”
As she drew harder from him, Sorin fisted his hands. She had drunk enough; she needed to cease.
Yet the Master did not seem to care.
“I’m going to…take away your troubles tonight…Eva—”
He convulsed, and she rose up, pressing herself to him, stronger than usual. She laved in even more blood, moaning.
Just as Sorin stepped forward to drag her away, the Master glowed anew, then forcefully pulled her off himself. He was breathing heavily, erratically, his outline beating.
For a moment, Eva and he merely stared at each other, her skin flushed. Then, gently, he reached out and wiped a streak of blood off her lips, inserting a dark thumb between them.
Clearly embarrassed at the intimacy, Eva disengaged, squirming out from under the Master.
“What do you mean, Benedikte?” She smoothed the skirt of her dress. “What’s happening tonight?”
With great pride in his strategic planning, the Master told her of the Vampire Killer scheme as well as her own part in it. When he finished, Eva’s hand was at her throat, as if startled.
“You want me to show Dawn this murder…?” she choked.