There was another high-pitched squeak from Maria. This time, Roz ignored the sound. She would explain everything later. Or not.
“Now, Piers was around—”
“He was? How old is Piers?”
“I’m not sure, but Christian said he’s the oldest vampire he knows. So I’m guessing very old, but I don’t think he was particularly interested in politics back then. Or now, either. Anyway, they sort of forced the Accords on the other races.”
“But what did the Accords do?”
“They’re really a set of rules, but the main one is that the demons would remain in the Abyss, the fae would stick to the Faelands—which they were happy to do—and the vampires would make sure they did.”
“So the Order of the Shadow Accords was set up?” Roz asked.
“Exactly. The Earth was always the fighting ground, mainly because a demon can’t enter the Faelands and the fae can’t enter the Abyss.”
Unless they had a Key. But she didn’t speak the words out loud.
“Vampires can travel between worlds, but they’ve always been seen as neutral. The only other beings that can move freely are those with mixed blood, and it has to be strong. That’s why the fae had the right to kill those with mixed blood written into the Accords. It’s why they sought to kill me. Why my mother had to pay Jonas to make a spell to keep me hidden.”
“He can do that?”
“Oh yes, he’s a very powerful warlock, though he doesn’t come cheap. Anyway, I had to be hidden because I’m half-demon, half-fae—”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Maria slammed her cup down onto the table and glared. Her gaze shifted between the two of them, finally settling on Tara. “You’re part demon?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know what’s happening.” Poor Maria sounded bewildered. “I know I should believe in demons, and I did see those things at the convent, but…” She stared at Tara and shook her head. “You don’t look evil.”
“I’m not. I don’t think.” She grinned. “To be honest, I’m still learning what I am. But one thing I do know is that even demons have free will, and they can choose how they behave. What they don’t tend to have—at least not as humans see it—is a conscience.”
Maria tugged on the belt of her robe and then clasped her hands together on her lap. “I don’t know anything anymore. I mean, where does God fit into all this?”
Tara shrugged. “Again, I don’t know. Maybe a true demon could tell you.”
Maria shuddered, and Roz didn’t think she’d be chatting to any demons anytime soon. Not if she could help it anyway.
“Go on,” she urged Tara.
“Because of my blood, I can go to either the Abyss or the Faelands—so the fae see me as a threat.”
“What about the demons?”
“They don’t care who visits the Abyss—the more the merrier, as far as they are concerned.”
“Do you know your father?”
A closed expression came over Tara’s face. For a second, Roz thought she wouldn’t answer, but she shrugged again. “I only found out who and what he was about six months ago when I went to Christian to find my family. Christian was a private investigator. I didn’t know about the vampire thing back then. Hell, I didn’t even know they existed. I had a bit of a strange childhood, but I won’t go into that now. Anyway, I only met my father once, when he helped Christian fight off the fae. He saved my life, but he’d also done things I don’t think I can ever forgive him for.”
“What about your mother?”
“She died when I was born.”
Damn. It didn’t appear as though she was going to learn much about her father’s people from Tara. “So you don’t know any of the fae?”
“I met the Walker.”
“The assassin Piers mentioned.”
“Yes—he’s also my uncle, and he’s a complete bastard.”
Roz studied her. “Does it worry you? What your parents were? What you might be?”
“Sometimes, but Christian has made me see that I can be anything I want to be, and it’s pointless trying to hide what you are. You can maybe hide from other people but never yourself. Okay, your half hour’s up. One last question.”
Roz thought for a moment. “What else is there out there?”
“Everything. Everything you’ve ever heard of. All the creatures of your nightmares. You haven’t met Carl yet—he’s a werewolf.” She grinned at Roz’s no doubt stunned expression. “And on that note, I’ll leave you to sleep.”
She rose to her feet. Roz still had a thousand questions, but she didn’t try and stop her. Exhaustion was tugging at her mind. She followed Tara out into the hallway and waited while the elevator came. As she stepped inside, Tara turned to her.
“In answer to your question earlier: it’s fantastic being married to a vampire. You should try it sometime.”
“Ha. Never going to happen.”
She waited until the door closed then leaned her forehead against the cool metal as an image of Piers flashed through her mind. The taste of him flooded her senses, and she forced the image away.