Hear Me When the Sun Goes Down

  Hear Me

  When the Sun Goes Down

  By

  Lisa Olsen

  Copyright © 2014 Lisa Olsen, all rights reserved.

  Cover Image licensed by Depositphotos.com/Yuriy Zhuravov and Joerg Hackemann

  This book is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, copied, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any other format or changed in any way, including the author’s name and title, and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The use of any real person, company or product names are for literary effect only and used without permission. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

  Visit the author’s website at http://www.lisaolsen.net

  Acknowledgements

  Special thanks go to Laveda Kasch, who won the contest to become a character in this book. She gave me some great tools to work with, and I hope you all like how I brought her into the Forged Bloodlines family. Thanks to Randi Pandi and Laveda, for the fantastic feedback on the first draft. Huge holiday hugs to my editing team, Beckie Pimentel (Lady Bex!), Marilyn Weaver and James Olsen for working tirelessly through the holiday in order to get this book out to you by early January as promised. Thanks to everyone who voted on my website on the cover art. I love hearing from you guys, so keep messaging me on the website and on Facebook.

  Chapter One

  “My name is Anja Evans, daughter of Jakob Thorssen and Elder of the West. I want you to remember that. This is what happens when you hurt what’s mine.” My muscles shook as I hovered over Volkov, waiting for the light to fade from his eyes. It wouldn’t kill him, the hot metal wouldn’t even put him into a torpor. But with all the blood he’d lost, his body shut down, dragging him into a deep, coma-like sleep. With any luck he’d have plenty of time to relive those last few moments of tortured consciousness, trapped in a body that couldn’t respond.

  “Put him in the ground like that. I want him to live for a long, long time.” My voice sounded cold to my own ears and part of me was sickened by what I’d done. The bigger part felt avenged though, and I decided to go with that for now.

  Jakob laid a hand on my shoulder, his words gentle. “Come away, älskling, it is done.”

  I looked up, aware of my surroundings again for the first time. The doorway to the cell and the hall beyond was packed with bodies, delegates and their crew crowding to get a look at the spectacle. What they thought of me kneeling over the impaled body of the head of the Order was unclear, varying ranges of shock and wonder on their faces.

  There was no chance of sneaking out of there now, no chance for Jakob to hide who he was. Depending on how long they’d been standing there, at least some of them had to have heard me declare him my Sire. Rein Faust was the first to go down on one knee, and the others followed, their eyes downcast.

  “Hail Jakob Thorssen, son of a living god and his consort!” Faust declared in a ringing voice. The call was taken up by the others, and the ripple of greeting echoed through the stone walls.

  Jaw dropping, my gaze darted up to see how Jakob took it, but he looked pleased as punch, his chest puffing out as he accepted the praise. “Wode tìan,” I murmured, as a feeling of dread settled into my stomach. My life was about to become so much more complicated.

  The ripple of obeisance was daunting as everyone within sight went down on one knee before us. Well, before Jakob. He was the real superstar of the night, I was just this ratty rag doll beside him, bruised and bloodied almost beyond recognition.

  The past twenty-four hours had been more of a nightmare than anything I liked to call reality anyway; maybe this new wrinkle was nothing more than a torture induced delusion. Jakob couldn’t really be there openly claiming me, I couldn’t really be standing over the leader of the Order with my hand still on the poker shoved into his heart.

  My eyes closed in a long blink, but they were still all there when I opened them again, my clothes still tattered and bloodstained, the gape of Rob’s shirt reminding me of all he’d suffered because of me. Like it or not, this was my new reality, and once the door was opened, it was impossible to shove all of my lies back into the closet.

  I scrambled away from Volkov’s body and Jakob was quick to draw me into the shelter of his arm, his entire posture challenging, almost daring any of them to defy him. Not that a single one of them looked ready to so much as meet his gaze, they were still too boggled to find a real live Ellri in their midst.

  “My friends,” I said, my faint words loud in the near silence. “They were being held prisoner too.”

  “You – see to it that they’re released.” Jakob snapped his fingers, pointing at Felippo Cristobel, the delegate from Salete.

  “At once, master,” he agreed, bowing low, crashing into others as he backed out of the room.

  “Come, let us leave this place.” I didn’t know if Jakob meant the dungeon itself, the mansion, or even the country, but any of it sounded good to me. The bullet in my knee still sent a shooting pain when I took a step though, and quick as anything Jakob pulled me up into his arms. “Allow me.”

  Jakob whisked me out of there, easily striding through the sea of onlookers who parted to clear his path. As he carried me up to the great hall, I met Rob’s gaze over Jakob’s shoulder, his face unreadable. It was too soon to know what this meant for any of us, but one thing was certain – the easy intimacy between Rob and I was a thing of the past for as long as Jakob stuck to my side. But another worry pressed as everyone followed en masse – everybody knows I’m a big fat liar!

  Bishop fidgeted like a dog who needed to go out to pee, practically dancing in place as he tried to get near me, but he was defeated by the sheer magnitude of the crowd as we entered the hall. Whatever he wanted to say was eclipsed by the spectacle of Jakob Thorssen once more gracing the halls of Vetis.

  Suddenly forgetting their shyness, the crowd surged forward as he sat us on one of Aubrey’s leather couches, all eager to pay their respects to Jakob and catch his attention. Everyone talked over each other and I found it hard to follow who was saying what. My ears were too sharp, their voices raucous and jangling my last nerve, but Jakob soaked it up like the morning sun, chatting easily. Feeling shell shocked, I didn’t realize Bishop was talking to me until I felt cool fingers on my elbow.

  “Are you alright?” he asked again.

  Was I? Physically I was fine, thanks to Jakob’s blood, but mentally I wasn’t so sure. “Yes,” I murmured, feeling dazed. I was saved from saying more by the arrival of Felix, Bridget, Gunnar and Tucker, looking no worse for wear (unless you counted the fact that Tucker was naked again, except for the rough blanket pulled around his shoulders). It made sense if he was apprehended in wolf form.

  Felix held none of his characteristic swagger, his eyes going back and forth from Jakob to me, but never quite meeting my gaze. Bridget wasn’t so shy.

  “Jesus fucking Christ, what the hell did they do to you?” she gasped when she took in my bedraggled appearance.

  “She’s fine, the damage has been healed,” Jakob declared.

  So why then did I feel like my brain couldn’t keep up with everything? Whatever Rob had shot me up with to get me to wake before sunset was still in my system, making me fidgety and tying my stomach into tiny knots that squirmed and slithered like a litter of
aliens.

  Ugh, I was going to make myself sick. I had to get out of there before I fell apart – I had to cling to that last shred of dignity. But I didn’t trust myself to speak, I felt like if I had to explain to Bridget or anyone else what I’d been through I might throw up.

  “I think maybe she’d like to go and clean up. I know I would,” Bishop insisted gently, his fingers traveling no further than my elbow, but I was grateful for the support.

  “Of course, I should have thought of it myself. I’ll take you to your room.” Jakob looked like he was about to swoop me back up into his arms again, but the last thing I wanted was to be alone with Jakob yet.

  “No, it’s fine. You have people to talk to, and to be honest, I could use a breather. Away from all the attention, you know?”

  Jakob kissed my brow. “Go, seek your comfort. I’ll come to you later, älskling.”

  I nodded, throwing him a grateful smile as I rose on unsteady feet. I suppose in the back of my mind I thought Rob would offer to help me hobble off to my room, or even carry me, but he hovered near the edge of the couch, making no move toward me at all.

  “Let me give you a hand,” Bishop offered, but I shook my head, leaning on Bridget instead.

  “I’ll be fine, thanks. You go clean up, you look like you could use it,” I said with a watery smile, blinking away the emotions that were out of control.

  “Yes, we will see to her,” Gunnar piped up, materializing at my elbow. Tucker had disappeared somewhere, but Felix came along, still uncharacteristically silent. With Gunnar and Bridget’s help, I managed well enough on foot, but my knee felt like it was on fire by the time I made it to the middle of the stairs.

  The next thing I knew I was in Rob’s arms, my face buried in his chest as he held me close, carrying me the rest of the way to my rooms. I couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped, the comfort he offered more soothing than the respite to my knee. Blocking out everything else, I breathed in his scent, trying to ignore the dried blood and worse that clung to him from our time in the dungeon.

  “You’re here now, you’re safe.” I felt his voice reverberate through me, and I knew it was time to let go of him, and that was harder than walking on the injured leg.

  “Thanks,” I mumbled, sinking into the nearest chair. “I look that bad, huh?” I tried for a joke when they all stared at me, unmoving.

  “You look like you could use a drink,” Felix declared, moving to the sideboard to pour a round for all of us. I wasn’t sure what alcohol would do to me on top of the stimulant, but the burn was pleasant and managed to kill some of the aliens wriggling in my belly.

  “I know you probably have some questions,” I started, cupping my hands around the glass.

  “Can I just say that some of us didn’t have a choice and shouldn’t be penalized for keeping our trap shut,” Bridget blurted out before I could say anything else. I realized what an awkward position I’d put her in as understanding dawned on Felix’s face.

  “Then you knew about her and the Ellri? You knew this whole time and you didn’t say anything?”

  “I knew this too,” Gunnar admitted, looking down at his feet.

  “It wasn’t their fault,” I interjected before Felix could work up too much indignation. “If there’s someone to be mad at, it’s me. I’m the one who swore her to secrecy, and Jakob too. He didn’t want it known that I’m his progeny.” For reasons I still didn’t understand.

  “Well, yeah, but… what else are you keeping from me?” Felix demanded, and Bridget looked to me, unsure how to answer.

  “I’ll level with you. Pretty much everything you know about me is a lie. Maybe you’d better pour us all another drink.”

  “Make mine a double,” Rob muttered, sinking heavily into a chair as far away from me as he could sit and still be included in the conversation. While Felix went through the business of refreshing everyone’s drinks, I spilled all the secrets I’d been holding onto since the first night I’d woken in the morgue. I told Felix everything, apart from the bit about being able to compel other vampires. That, I figured, was too dangerous a secret to part with, especially to someone as ambitious as Felix when it came to politics.

  When I was done talking, Felix had grown thoughtful, leaning back against the couch, staring into his empty glass. Gunnar didn’t look too disturbed, but then again, he’d known about some of it. I couldn’t figure out what Rob’s stony expression was about, he alone knew all my secrets.

  “Felix? You still with me?” I prompted, when he still didn’t say anything.

  “Yeah, I’m still with you, boss.” He shook himself out of it, rising to refill the glasses again. We were going to need a new bottle if we kept it up. “I’ve got to say, you’re full of surprises.”

  “Are you mad about the way I lied to you?” I’d understand it if he was. He had to be trying to figure out how to back away from the fact that he’d supported a total newbie as a candidate for Elder. Not only supported me, but practically gotten me elected.

  “I’m more surprised than mad, really,” he admitted. “I get that you didn’t have much of a choice. And bully for you for pulling it off.” He raised his glass to me.

  “Only I didn’t.” Not when everybody in the House of Vetis knew my true parentage. It was only a matter of time before the news made its way to the West. For all I knew the council was already meeting about how to get rid of me. “They’re going to make me abdicate or whatever, aren’t they?”

  “Why? Because your Sire is more powerful than you let on?” he blinked, not tracking my train of thought.

  “No, because I’m utterly in over my head. I should never have accepted the position of Elder. If I’d stayed home as the Jarl, I never would’ve ended up in this mess and Jakob wouldn’t have had to show up here to save my behind and…”

  “What’s done is done,” Felix interrupted. “Look, you want my advice? You clam up about being such a rookie. They don’t hafta know when you got turned. I say we spin this in our favor.”

  That didn’t sit right with me. “But… now is the perfect time to get rid of all the secrets.” Most of them, anyway.

  “Leadership is all about power, and the moment you admit to any weakness is when others pounce.”

  “He’s right,” Rob roused himself from his silence to say. “Let on that you’re not qualified and they’ll be all over you.”

  “But I’m not qualified.”

  “Sure you are,” Felix insisted. “You been doing a bang up job so far.”

  “I agree, I had no idea you were such the novice to this,” Gunnar nodded earnestly.

  “Right, like when I got us all tossed into the dungeon to be tortured and killed,” I said with a sour grimace, but Felix wouldn’t be dissuaded.

  “We survived, that’s the important thing.”

  “Easy for you to say, you weren’t the one tortured,” I muttered, flopping back on the couch.

  “Sorry, boss, I don’t mean to make light of what they done to you.”

  “It’s not just me, I’m not the only one they tortured.” My eyes went to Rob, who quietly nursed his drink. “Rob, are you really okay?”

  “Course I am, miss. Jakob’s blood saw to that.” But he still wouldn’t meet my gaze. Instead, he tipped back the last swallow in his glass and stood. “Maybe we should let you get washed up and changed. I could use a new shirt m’self, yeah?”

  My gaze dropped to the jagged hole over his chest, and I swallowed uncomfortably. “Yes, if it’s all the same to you guys, I seriously do need a few moments of peace and quiet to get my head together.”

  “I could stand to wash off the dungeon stink myself,” Bridget declared, rising to her feet. “You coming?” There was a vulnerability behind her eyes despite the rough invitation as she waited to see how Felix would reply.

  “Sure, I think I can give you hand with that,” he said with a wolfish grin, and she positively glowed with relief when all traces of betrayal slid from his tone.

&nb
sp; To my surprise, Gunnar was less eager to leave my side. “Do you need me to run a bath for you, boss? Or do you need some blood? I could call down for a donor very quickly.”

  “Thanks, but no. I’m feeling a lot stronger, I can manage on my own. You go on and get some rest too. You can’t have had a very easy time of it either.”

  He looked like he might argue for a moment, but nodded as he lumbered for the door. “Call me if you are needing to go anywhere. I will be in my quarters.”

  I could hear the water running from Felix’s bathroom before I made it to my bedroom with Rob’s help. The knee still hurt like crazy, but I didn’t want to think about getting the bullet out yet. A hot bath sounded heavenly, and Rob steered me to the bedroom, stopping at the door as though barred by an invisible forcefield.

  Though I felt a zillion times better than I had in the great hall when Jakob had first brought me out of the dungeon, my hands were shaking as I let go of him. “Why do I feel like I’m about to fly apart?” I asked, not actually expecting him to have much of an answer, but he did.

  “It’s aftermath. You’ve been through a traumatic experience.”

  “I have?” I snorted. “What about you? You look as cool as a cucumber.”

  “Things aren’t always as they appear,” he said gruffly, his fingers sifting over the charred ruins of my hair for a moment before he turned to leave. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  “Rob, I…” I started to say, but he was gone without another word. Hobbling into the bathroom, I looked into the mirror and saw what he saw for the first time. The blackened ends of my hair stuck out at odd angles over one eye, and I wondered how long the pale scar at the top of my cheek would stay there as a reminder of my time in Volkov’s dungeon. The rest of the damage had been healed, apart from the bullet in my knee, but my skin was crusted with dried blood from the many cuts and punctures.

  Deciding not to bother with the zipper, I gave a sharp tug and the tattered fabric gave way, the ruined dress pooling at my feet. The hot water felt heavenly at first, but it soon became cloudy and pink with blood and grime. It became sickening to sit in it, and I drained all the water out, scrubbing furiously at my skin until it was pink and tender, the water coursing over me as I huddled in the bottom of the tub. More fragments of hair washed away once I lathered up, damaged from the heat of the poker, and I lost the tenuous hold on my emotions. Rob was scarred for life and there I was, crying over my stupid hair.