Slade refused to go anywhere near Eli. Instead, she watched him, blanket hiding her look of shock.

“Go through this one more time,” Slade ordered.

Eli wanted to refuse. As was his habit whenever Slade demanded something from him, he gave in, eventually. “Two years ago, we were celebrating my engagement to Sarah.”

“Yes. That I remember.”

“After the drinking—” The way her eyes narrowed in confusion told Eli to clarify. “We drank. We went to the dock and I brought some of the werewolf themed beer Sarah’s family makes.”

Slade nodded. “The type you say tastes like piss?”

He ignored her comment and continued as if she hadn’t interrupted.

“You started to bawl—”

“Impossible.”

Eli admitted, “Yeah. Now looking back, I think it was Legion.”

“Legion?” Slade held up a hand to him and waved him on. “We’ll address that later.” She leaned forward, reluctant to seek out an honest answer. “Are you saying you’ve known about the barn for two years? But the condition’s only started this year.”

That might be true but not for Eli. “Legion knew. She knew it was coming because she told me exactly when it would start. So I began preparing. But when I went to the barn to check, there really was nothing. I felt stupid. But a week later, when I went back, it was nearly packed. So I kept on.”

Slade, face turned away from the direction of the glass, risked glancing there. The animal still watched her. Like a bolt, she sat up straight.

“And this was your plan?”

“This was your plan,” Eli insisted. “I hadn’t thought so at first, but now looking back, it was pretty manipulative. Talking about other factions in other countries breeding and keeping primates. And how you were sure some were still left in this country but only certain people could get in that sphere—someone like my father.”

Slade watched her knees, awed. “And how’d you get an animal that big all the way out here? And how did you even build this place—let alone have enough confidence that no one’s gonna find it.”

Eli let out a sigh and said, “Trust-fund.”

Pale blue eyes heavy with sympathy, Slade met his gaze. “You used your currency?”

“And I literally bought runes for each and every brick and used a basic transformation spell to will them here. Then I’d come whenever I could and build the structure. Masonry’s all I know howta do.”

Doubtful, Slade asked, “A spell. Since when did werewolves practice magic—and earth magic at that? Where’d you learn it?”

Face heated, Eli grumbled, “Internet.”

Slade covered her head with the blanket and groaned. “Moron.”

“Well, it worked.”

She yanked the blanket down; her hair stuck out in all directions. “And the monkey? You telling me your little Renaissance fair spell got something that big all the way out here?”

Throat tightening, Eli shook his head. “No. That was...definitely more illegal.” He hesitated but admitted, “Firstly, he hasn’t been here all that long, and secondly, your eyes are playing tricks, he’s not all that big.”

“Not all that big?” Slade stared him down. “There is a gorilla here. What’s supposed to happen? I bleed him dry and what? You eat his flesh—?”

“No.” Eli struggled for an answer. “I just thought....”

Slade waited. “What?”

“I just thought....”

Words failed him again and she growled.

“What? What’d you think?”

“I just thought....” He tilted his head, gesturing to the glass. “You know. You know!”

But that stupefied expression meant she didn’t know.

“You’re a vampire. You...you go vampire things.”

“Vampire things?” Slade’s eyes filled with tears. “People caught him to feed off—”

“They didn’t catch him,” Eli countered. “As far as I know, they’ve had him since birth. He’s used to this. That’s what he’s used for. Word has it, vampires with influence sold that influence and deep secrets for a chance to feed now and then.”

She shed a tear and he flinched.

“What in the...are you crying?”

Slade covered her head again, a shaky finger pointing at the glass. “So you’re telling me that this poor thing’s been in captivity since the day it was born, being fed on and left in a cage each and every day?”

The muffled sound barely made her coherent.

Eli tried to reason with her. “That’s not—”

“And now you want me to do the same thing? What do you take me for?”

She actually cried. He hadn’t expected this. This was Slade; the same woman who reveled in weakening a fairy, gaining its trust then crushing its arm up to the shoulder.

“Okay. Let’s calm down,” Eli soothed. “Can I...can I come near you?”

Though she gave no response either encouraging him or otherwise, he risked crawling to sit beside her. He barely touched her shoulder before she turned and buried her face in his neck.

“This is so unlike you,” Eli began.

In all fairness, he wasn’t sure that was true. It had taken a lot to convince Slade to kill a rabbit on her own once she’d recovered from her injuries ten years ago. Sure, she’d fed on them as he brought them but once she’d sobered up and realized it, there had been tears and hysteria then, too.

He should have realized this sooner.

Eli rubbed his face. “Sovereign, I went through so much to get this primate for you. So much. It’s a two-year plan and I had to speed up taking him because you were starting to talk to yourself more and more like those people in the barn and it scared me.”

She pulled closer and he decided to stop.

His own blood’s effects hadn’t amounted to much beyond restoring some of her skin. The color of her body was still gray. Her face was still gaunt and bruised. Beyond this, there was really nothing more they could do.

“I know you don’t like this, and you don’t like doing this, but really, there’s no other way. At least...at least...at least he’s used to it, right?”

She sniffed, gripping his shirt and he lost his nerve.

“Okay. Let’s rest for today.”

With regards to that, he had no trouble. She was exhausted. From a day in the sun, to the Fae blood’s effects, to now, it’d all been a lot of stress for her body to go through. So he let her sleep.

He’d built the structure with no windows—it was literally a tomb. With how soundly she slept in his arms, he felt proud that he’d gotten that right.

He wished he could sleep, too, because each time he glanced at that glass, he met eyes with the cold stare of that animal. Everything in him said to ignore it—he’d resolved to, but he could feel its stare....

Finally, he snapped. “What? What do you want me to do? Let her stay like this?”

The beast cocked its head.

Eli regretted not making a damn curtain for it that glass. His kingdom for a curtain. Thoughts of Slade came and went; each time he smiled. She was an animal lover.

Thoughts of how she used to carry him around everywhere when he was young should have told him as much. But now he had to admit it: what he saw as a special friendship—a special bond, was just something she would have done for anyone—any animal at all.

“Eli?”

He hardly recognized the soft tone. “Yes, ma’am?”

For a long while, she said nothing. He thought to entreat her to answer but she spoke on her own.

‘Thank you.”

Pulse racing, body warm, Eli asked, “For what?”

“You’re getting your vegan hands dirty on my behalf. I’m horrified but I need to remember what this must be doing to you, too.”

Eli held her tighter, he couldn’t help it. He’d pull her into his flesh if they could actually combine. No, he wasn’t vegan, and it was her way of calling him...compliant, but there were far worse ways she could have said it.

At her initial rejection, he’d panicked. Now, he felt more than confident he’d done the right thing.

“I don’t wanna kill it, Sovereign. But you need to eat, so for you, I will.”

“Don’t.” Slade crouched up. “We’re not killing it. There must be a better way. Maybe...maybe some rabbits—”

“You can’t hunt any in this condition and I’m not leaving you to find any. And again, I don’t think you know what I did to get him. And yes, he was brought here with magic.”

Slade grumbled. “And where did you find this cracker-jack spell?”

Eli hesitated then admitted, “I didn’t. My father did. This one primate’s been rotated to at least thirty former vampire clutches. It’s been rotated to the wolves.”

“Wolves?” Slade turned her face upward, her cold lips against his chin. “What do the wolves do with him?”

“Well, judging from the bite marks on him—I’d say feed.”

Slade broke his hold and met his gaze. “You wolves are so full of surprises. I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”

“Stop talking nonsense. We don’t feed off anything. There’s only one species I know of that feeds without a kill.”

Slade gasped. “Vampires? But that’s the wolves’ enemy. Why would they keep vampire food?”

Eli focused on her throat, or rather, the sharp collarbone sticking out under the thin flesh. “Maybe for the same reason I’ve got it.” Their gazes met. “They’re feeding their sovereigns—former sovereigns. Because all new sovereigns look starved. And your parents disappeared into the night. Your mother—”

“My mother got her hooks into a weak-willed, fat fairy she could bleed dry each month. And she keeps him close to stave off the withdrawal.”

Eli didn’t want to say it, so he was relieved when Slade did the honors.

“My father, however. He’d be a possible culprit.”

When she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against Eli’s chest, he rubbed her arms.

“Come on. This is a good chance for us. Let’s stop debating the morality—”

“Don’t say that. What have we got left but morality?”

The upset came so suddenly that he was unprepared. He didn’t know what to say or do.

“Especially now,” Slade whispered. “Especially now when we’ve seen how terrified we’d made people. So much so that they lash out at the first shift of power. So how can you ask me to do what you’re suggesting? Especially if those bastards former sovereigns that put us into this position haven’t even felt a day of hunger from it. Those careless vampires.... I’d slept easier thinking that at least they were getting their comeuppance, too. This new information’s shattered me. They get nothing. No consequences. All this time, they’re still feeding—they’re still monsters. So how can I do this!”

“We have to do this. I’m sorry.” Eli’d hoped to keep this from her, at least a bit longer. He’d been foolish, far too foolish. But she had a right to know. “I’m going to show you something—and I’m going to need for you not to panic.”

Slade eyed him in suspicion. “That means I’m gonna panic.”

He opened his mouth to deny it but instead fished through his pocket for his phone. The alert he’d received before leaving the courthouse still lingered in the notification bar. He hadn’t watched it but the headline alone was bad enough.

“Vampire conspiracy uncovered: Sophia Dresden,” Slade whispered. Her hand shook as she took the phone and tapped on the link.

“Disturbing footage coming to you live from designated home of Sovereign of Dresden. No less than fifty emaciated vampires found huddled, crammed together in a bar—”

“Fifty? Bitch has a lot of nerve. There’s only fifteen,” Slade hissed. But as she spoke, her voice quivered.

“What is this compound?” the reporter asked, following the path to the barn. “A number of these ailing undead were injured—some split through the head. Is this Sophia Dresden’s torture chamber? A place she punishes dissent?”

Slade nearly dropped the phone but recovered before Eli could take it.

“That’s enough,” he insisted.

“There’s no point in hiding me from what’s to come,” Slade whispered, heartbroken.

“Torn muscles, gnawed off hands, head injures, all manner of vampire injuries, all done, at the hand of the once feared and famed Sovereign of Dresden.”

A commotion had the reporter running.

“Someone’s come out! And she’s healthy looking.”

Margarite’s thin frame, carrying a bundle, started to run.

“Her baby,” Slade muttered. “She should have left. Why hadn’t she left. Her and her stupid sense of loyalty.”

The camera jolted and tires cried on the asphalt. A car stopped before Margarite and the window rolled down. She managed to put the baby inside but couldn’t open the door in time.

Just as the reporter reached, the tinted windows rose up to block their view.

Margarite leaned back at the mic shoved in her face.

“What do you have to say for yourselves? How is this a civilized way to treat your own kind?”

The bright lights of the camera had Margarite raising her hand to block her eyes.

“Please. It’s not what it looks like. We were just in prayer,” Margarite insisted. “I didn’t want to be there. I was stuck in there, too.”

The reporter’s focus shifted. “You have a bandage on your hand. Was that inflicted on you by your sovereign? What does she make you do in the bar to these people?”

“She didn’t do anything.”

“No,” Slade moaned. “No. Blame it on me. Don’t—”

“Wait. Are you saying...it was the starved vampires? The ones everyone’s been insisting are harmless?”

Now it was Eli’s time to plead. “Please don’t—”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Slade’s breath hitched. She dropped the phone on Eli and pulled the blanket higher, forlorn.

“We’re fucked,” she choked out. “So many layers of fucked.”

“No. It’ll be all right. She’ll clarify it,” Eli insisted. But Slade didn’t watch as Margarite undid her binding to reveal the fang marks. The wolf brigade finally stepped in and ushered the media back.

Margarite yanked open the door and threw herself in. The car reversed full tilt, took a sharp turn then sped off.

“Why would she do that?” Eli asked, stunned. “Even if it was true.?”

It took ages for Slade to move. After hanging her head, her hands at her face, Eli pulled her close.

“All that effort. I understand she did it to save her kid, but all that effort!”

“Shhh.”

This hadn’t been Eli’s intent.

He expected a sensationalized story based on that topic but...but not this. Not this character assassination.

Considering the effort Slade’d put out, he understood her upset.

“How am I going to fix this?” A tear escaped her left eye but no others. She repeated the question but he had no answer for her.

“Shhh.” Eli pried her off him and leaned down to meet eyes with her. “Let’s get out of here.”

Puffy red eyes regarded him in doubt.

“Why can’t we? There’s an entire planet out there. There’s got to be some place for us.”

The next onset of tears made Eli feel worse.

“You’re worried about your brother and the harpy but...but they’ve got each other. So why don’t we run?”

Slade focused on his chest; the idea’d crossed her mind a time or two if that weary expression was any indication.

“We’ll get you strong, you don’t have to be too powered up, and we’ll confront this head on. You get in motion, I get in motion. But you can’t go without power. Even if you look starved, you’ll have some reserve. So let’s run.”

“I can’ run,” Slade muttered. “I only became sovereign because Manny lost his mind. I can’t abandon everyone.”

He wanted to remind her that she was the one abandoned.

The lack of eye contact meant she wasn’t going to entertain his proposal. Because of that, he found his resolve even more now.

“Then you need power—you need to feed if you intend to fight—whether with words or more.” He glanced back at the gorilla cage and decided, “I’ll do it. I’ll facilitate it. Okay?”

Slade shook her head. “We shouldn’t—”

“Well, we don’t have that luxury! My father knows I took him. We can’t let this chance pass. Do you know how many vamps would kill and slaughter for what we’ve got right now? Huh? You’re the one always calling me stupid. Well now you’re being damn stupid. Well trying to take on a world set against you is truly foolish.”

When the tears came this time, he didn’t shy away from them—he understood. Deep down she knew this was necessary but couldn’t justify it. He should take the blame.

She could forgive him if it was his fault.

“Good.” Eli pulled her to stand. The fact that she didn’t let him go left him confused. In their time together, she was never this vulnerable. An awful thought occurred. “You’re not...her, are you?”

“What?” Slade took two shaky steps and looked up at him. “Her? You think I’m possessed again?”

Eli wet his lips and nodded. “Kinda worried that you are.”

“You’ll have to trust me when I say I’m me.”

He had no reason to be disappointed, and he would have denied his feelings as such if she hadn’t read right through him.

“You’d rather have her around?”

Eli shook his head. “No. But just now, I had the urge to kiss you. And at least the other you’d let me.”

Slade shoved him back and wrapped the blanket around herself better. “I’d always let you,” she grumbled. “You just never tried.” When he tried to step forward, she raised her left hand. “Let’s focus on this. What do we do?”

Heart still pounding, Eli backed down from his previous train of thought.

“Okay,” he explained, trying to sound knowledgeable, “they’re strong. Pretty damn strong.”

Slade watched the gorilla that watched them. “Yeah. No shit.”

“So...we tranquilize it. You feed, then you get out before it knows you’ve even been there.” Eli hurried to the door where a black suitcase rested. Once he returned with it, he put it on the floor by the mattress.

On their side of the glass, all was uneventful. The gorilla within the barrier, however, started to go berserk.

Eli hesitated. He looked up to Slade who watched him.

“He knows the case,” Slade said. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“None of that.” Eli sorted through the various liquids and stood with the tranquilizer gun in hand. “He’ll sleep. You go in, drink as much as you can manage then come back out. It’s a two-step process. Shoot....”

He raised the gun.

Slade turned and tried to walk away.

Eli caught her under the arm and pulled her close.

“And score,” he said. “I don’t know how long it’ll last on him. And at least common drugs don’t work on vampires, so you’ll feel no ill-effects. It’s worth it. And it’s a sound plan.”

He handed the gun over.

“There’s a second one. Just in case.” Nudging her with the gun, he insisted, “Take it.”

The fresh onset of tears had him rethinking the backup plan.

“Fine. I’ll carry them both. But that means I can’t catch him if he comes around too fast. If you start feeding, I won’t need to, though. Okay?”

They stood side by side, neither moving. The gorilla calmed and sat some distance away, eyeing them both.

But after a minute, neither of them moved. Then three minutes came. Four, seven, fifteen minutes past with not even a footstep in that direction.

“I’ll go in first,” Eli decided. “Don’t take too long.”

Eli marched past the thick glass and came to the door on the stone wall. Guns in hand, he dragged open the door and fired once, then a second time.

The animal regarded him in confusion then charged.

‘Shit.” Eli dropped the guns and slammed the door shut.

Thud.

Thud.

Despite the violence behind the steel, Eli was sure he’d struck his target. When he crouched down to find both guns warped in their shape, he sighed.

“Well, there won’t be a second attempt.”

He stood, more than ready for Slade to meet him.

She was already at the front door, struggling to open it.

“You....” Eli hurried to intercept her. “It’s already done. Where are you going? I struck it well. I’m sure it’ll take effect soon—”

The next thud was unceremonious.

Eli hurried back to the glass and laughed in triumph. “He’s down. He’s down! Come on.”

Slade’s weary expression didn’t affect him. He grabbed her by the arm and marched her to that door and opened it.

“Go. Go on.”

He wasn’t gonna push her in—not in the off chance that thing might awaken.

Still, he nudged her. “Go. Come on.”

Hands at her face, she turned to walk right to Eli.

An ugly sound came with each sob.

Eli held on with his left hand but rubbed his face with his right. What was he supposed to do with her? Cutting that animal’s throat and taking the blood was obviously no option. And he couldn’t risk bringing her in there and arguing. Besides, what if she wouldn’t drink? Should he hold her against the thing’s neck and force her to feed? Could he go in there and suck some of the blood for her?

As werewolf teeth were sharp, they served one purpose, a killing, not a feeding.

Eli ran through all the scenarios. He would have kept on debating it if he didn’t see the gorilla stir in the distance.

Its speed despite its size was incredible. Eli barely made it to the door in time. The beast slammed against the metal.

“I don’t wanna do this. Let’s find another way, please,” Slade begged. “Let’s find another way.”

On and on she cried but there was literally no other way. When Eli thought of what he had to do, the lengths he had to go through to get that thing here....

They found themselves back at that wall. This time they no longer watched the gorilla with interest—the gorilla didn’t watch them either.

As sick as it sounded, Eli was thankful to hold Slade as she cowered against him. The tears had ebbed at least.

That was the only bit of good news.

A knock came at the door.

Slade eased from his hold. “You said this place was unfindable.”

Eli trembled. “It’s supposed to be.”

“Then who’s at the door?”