“We need to be there before midnight to see all who are going in. I want to make sure to see how many we stand against in the event that things do not go as we plan,” Cates added, then kissed Tammy’s hand before joining Jacob and myself.

“Does everyone have their weapons?”

“I should go have Martin show me where he keeps his weapons room,” Jacob said, glancing over at me, then down at the floor.

“Go ahead if you think we’ll need them, I can’t go with you right now.”

It was one of the many times that Jacob gave me his disappointed stares as he walked past me and up the staircase to find out where our gracious host had gone. He had a small study on the second floor in one of the bedrooms where he stayed for hours throughout the night while we were out. A few moments later Jacob came back down with Martin close behind. They both went into the sitting room across from where we all stood in the study and closed the double doors.

“I guess your maker doesn’t care to share his secrets with the rest of us,” Sydney verbally observed.

“He can keep them, for now. And yes, I love him, but that was a sneaky move.” I fumed as I grabbed Brandon’s blade that Derek had given me and did my best to slide it down in the pocket that Tanda had sewn into my dress. “This is never gonna work.”

“There’s a small opening at the bottom of your pocket to slip the end of the blade through, Renee. It will rest comfortably on your leg as you walk. I will bind the sheath to your leg if you will calm down enough to get the blade into the opening,” Tanda smiled as she touched my elbow.

“I am calm, I’m just extremely pissed right now,” I winked, then found the hole and slid the sheath of my blade through with ease. “Wow, once you get that tied in place this will work perfect.”

“I am a good seamstress, when I have the proper things that one needs to mend with.”

“I’m not so bad myself,” Sydney said, getting everyone’s attention. “What? Men can sew too, ya know. I was born and practically raised on the boat, so my mom was the only teacher I had when I wasn’t helping my dad with running the boat.”

“You were born on the open water?” I asked.

“Yep, right outside of Sydney, Australia. That’s why my name is spelled the way it is.”

“And how does one spell your name, young Sydney?” Cates asked with a look of confusion on his face.

“With a ‘Y’ instead of an ‘I’ like some would say a girl’s name is spelled. Believe me, I got made fun of plenty when I did go to school in the states.”

“Normals are a weird group of creatures indeed. Breeders would never put so much thought into a person’s name. If your maker chose to name you after the name of a place then so be it. Who has the right to say otherwise?” Cates said as he slid his black blade down the inside of the top of the back of his vest.

“The farmers have arrived,” Fala announced from the front door.

“You’ve already paid them?” I asked, looking at Cates.

“Before Jacob and I dressed…” he paused gesturing at himself, “in this. We made our way to their stay and paid for the delivery of what we discussed. Why, did you also want to be involved in that?”

“Don’t you go getting all pissy with me too, Cates. I get enough of that with those two hiding in the other room. And why do you think they had to go in there alone anyway?”

“You are the mistress of all but the one who has marked you. Why do you not just storm in the room and find out for yourself.” I spun and glared at the closed doors as if my thoughts could burst them open all on their own. But nothing happened so I spun back on Cates. “Hey, it was just a thought.”

“The less you know, the better,” Garvin interrupted.

“What do you mean?” Derek stood taking Tanda by the hand.

“What he means is, if we were to be taken by those we mean to take down,” Cates lowered his eyes then looked over at me, “the torture to his valuable’s whereabouts would be the first they would want information on. Your pain would be secondary.”

Our conversation came to a halt when a knock sounded on the front door. Fala looked in at Cates, and then he and Garvin walked over, while Fala stepped back into the study with us. We all stood in silence as Cates explained that we were on our way out to a party at one of the gatherings in the London Square somewhere downtown. I was finding out quickly that Cates was a man of many talents, and could turn a tale better than Pa around a campfire any day of the week. It brought a soft, warm glow to my very dark heart. Once they had stepped out into what Martin called the ‘courtyard’ he and Jacob opened the doors to the room across from the study.

Ours eyes met and Martin was the first to look away. He spoke to Jacob then went up the staircase without so much as another glance my way. I think that made my blood boil more than him tricking me into drinking his blood for strength. Even if I knew deep down why he had done it, he shouldn’t have done it, no matter what. I watched as Jacob left through the front door to join Cates and Garvin and everything in my body wanted to rush up the stairs and confront my maker.

“Renee, will you join us please?” Jacob called from the open door and changed my mind for me.

“Sure,” I replied, but could not control my head from turning and looking up the way that Martin had gone. I think I may have made a guttural sound when I didn’t see him there looking back down at me. Now I knew what being in love was all about. I wanted to be near him whether I was happy or mad at him. My greatest wish was that my maker would join us when he was ready but until then, at least give us his blessing to kill those who laid harm to the innocent and set them free. The only thing he worried about was keeping me safe and that was unacceptable.

Chapter Twenty Six     

My people had their fill of the largest of the pigs that the farmers had brought. I was so full; that just seeing them drink the warm red nectar was making me ill. We were an hour from the time when we had to leave. Martin and Jacob had laid out a number of weapons for us to choose from. As everyone was making their pick, I called Cates and Jacob over to me. I had the weapons that I wanted and now I needed them to do something that I knew they would be against.

“I want the two of you to take Alex and Martin down into the dungeon and make sure they can’t get out until we get back.”

“You want us to force the owner of his own home into the underground levels? Why?” Jacob asked.

I stormed up to Jacob, pressing my chest into his, putting my nose as close to his as I could. “How dare you question me after harping down my throat this whole time about me needing to take control! You belong to me and you will damn well do as you are told or I will…”

“Forgive me, My Lady?” Jacob went down on one knee.

“No, wait,” I was shocked at my own words and his reaction. “I didn’t mean it. I mean, I meant I want them in the lower level, but I didn’t mean to sound like that.”

Jacob stayed down on one knee. I turned around and saw Cates mirroring his actions. That’s when I started to cry. The confusion was overwhelming. I had been a complete cow before and they had just stood up to me, but now they were different and I didn’t like it. “Was this from taking your blood into me?” I backed into the bottom steps of the staircase and went down on my backside. Both Jacob and Cates were in front of me within seconds.

“It is, but it is a very good thing, My...Renee,” Jacob said. “All who we stand against this night will see your power. And that you rule your people with a powerful hand.”

“I take it all back. I don’t ever want to see what I just saw out of my friends again. Can I order you guy’s to not ever do that again,” I sniffed and smeared my red tears through the white make-up that was now plastered on my face.

“Miss Tanda will not be happy with you,” Cates laughed. “And yes, you can now, as before, order us to do whatever you wish.”