“I doubt it,” she confirmed with regret.
Seth shook his head. “Then our problems have just multiplied.”
Ethan frowned. “I still don’t think that was Aidan in the video. I think it was Gershom or someone else who can shape-shift.”
Brodie braced his elbows on the table. “If it’s Gershom, why assume another’s appearance at all? I don’t see the purpose of it.”
“Plausible deniability?” Zach suggested. “As long as no one actually sees him do it, he can deny it.”
“Or,” Bastien proposed, “perhaps he just likes to fuck with us. He’s tried once before to turn us against each other.”
Seth hid his pleasure over Bastien’s use of the word us. It had taken the immortal black sheep a long damned time to truly become one of them.
David made a sound of agreement. “We know Gershom holds a great deal of animosity toward Seth. What better way to strike at him than to the make Seth strike at one of his beloved Immortal Guardians, only to discover too late that he was wrong?”
Which was why Seth was loath to believe Aidan guilty.
Bastien shook his head. “Vampires appear to be amassing again, too. I think we also need to consider what, if any, role they may be playing in all this.”
Ethan nodded. “Heather and I killed a dozen in just one night. Then killed a dozen more a few nights later.”
Marcus spoke softly so as not to wake the toddler he held. “Roland and Sarah have been encountering such numbers as well, killing nine one night, eleven the next. I took out seven myself last night.”
étienne frowned and leaned forward. “Krysta and I just took out ten. But I didn’t have time to explore their thoughts and look for signs of manipulation.”
Krysta snorted. “You would’ve had plenty of time if you hadn’t been killing them as fast as you could so I wouldn’t have to kill as many myself.”
He looked down at his wife. “I don’t like your taking on such numbers.”
She gave his cheek a little pat. “I was killing vampires long before I met you and transformed, sweetie. I can take care of myself.”
Sheldon grinned. “She sure as hell can. Strong women are so hot.”
Tracy scowled and hit him on the shoulder. “Hey!”
“What?” Sheldon asked with a wince.
“I’m sitting right here,” she protested.
“And you’re strong,” he retorted. “What do you think drew me to you in the first place?”
Her eyes narrowed, then her lips twitched. “I believe you once told me it was my breasts.”
Grinning, he sent her a wink. “Those did, too.”
Seth felt his ire recede and leaned back in his chair. “All right. Let’s get back to business and see if we can’t figure this out. Chris, redirect your efforts toward proving that the man in the video is not Aidan.”
Chris removed a small notepad from his breast pocket, along with a stubby number two pencil, and began to scribble notes.
David spoke next. “You might also consider having your special ops men surveil the other women on Aidan’s list of female gifted ones to ensure no more are taken.”
Chris nodded, still writing. “I’ll give them all pictures of Aidan and have them call you directly, Seth, if they see someone matching his description approach any of the women.”
David glanced around the table. “The rest of you keep an eye out as well. We don’t know yet who is guiding the vampires, but Gershom is likely responsible for both the abductions and the sharp increase in vampire population.”
Seth nodded. “Telepaths, read the thoughts of as many vampires as you can without endangering yourselves unduly and search for anything else that may help us identify their leader and learn his goals.”
Lisette spoke. “Should we start carrying tranquilizer guns with us and tranq those we think may possess useful intel?”
“Yes.” Seth consulted his pocket watch. “We should end the meeting early. I asked Aidan to bring Dana here after they talked, and I don’t want her to have to deal with a house full of powerful immortals on top of everything else.”
Heather regarded the Immortal Guardians gathered around the table. “You are kind of a lot to take in all at once.”
They smiled.
Seth tucked his watch away. “David, Darnell, Marcus, Ami, Ethan, and Heather, you may stay. The rest of you, make yourselves scarce.”
Those who hadn’t been named all rose and swiftly exited.
The house quieted.
Seth turned to Ethan and Heather. “Ethan, we have already ascertained that you are impervious to mind control. And I believe your gift can be particularly useful to us, so I would like your aid in this.”
“I’ll do everything I can,” Ethan said without hesitation.
Heather nodded. “Me, too.”
“Good. I’m going to ask Aidan and Dana to stay at your house until we get to the bottom of this. I’d ask them to stay here but…”
Ethan glanced at Ami and Adira. “You’re reluctant to put Ami and Adira in danger?”
“Yes.”
Ami was like a daughter to Seth. Adira like a granddaughter. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to them.
Ami bit her lip. “Seth, I can be just as useful as Ethan when it comes to discerning the difference between Aidan and an imposter. I think they should stay here.”
Ami had come to them from another world. And though she wasn’t immortal and couldn’t transform (none of them were sure what the vampiric virus would do to her), her race was very long-lived, had incredible regenerative abilities, and possessed special gifts of their own.
One of Ami’s was the ability to feel individual energy signatures.
Apparently every living person boasted an energy signature that was as unique as his or her thumbprint. Once Ami was in the presence of someone like Aidan, she would always be able to identify him again—even while blindfolded—just by sensing his energy signature. So if Ami were in the presence of the man in the video, she would be able to tell them with absolute certainty if the man was Aidan, Gershom, or someone else.
“No,” Seth and Marcus said simultaneously.
Ami frowned at them. “Why not?”
“It’s too dangerous,” Marcus protested.
“With all of you here to protect us?” she countered incredulously.
Seth shook his head. “Gershom has not yet dared to breach these walls. But if he wants Dana and can get you and Adira, as well, in one fell swoop, that may tempt him into trying it.”
“I agree,” Marcus said.
“Also,” Seth added, “David’s home sees too much traffic.” Ami and Marcus had moved in with David when she had been targeted by mercenaries. And since Ami had been the first woman in history to bear an immortal’s child, the Immortal Guardians in the area all felt very protective of her and had begun to spend most of their downtime at David’s to ensure her safety and Adira’s. “Dana is new to our world and may find it more difficult to accept if she can’t turn around without bumping into another immortal.”
“Oh.” Ami nodded. “I guess you’re right.”