Page 53 (1/2)

She wiggled her butt away from his hand and frowned over her shoulder, her eyes still cloudy with sleep "Where are we going?" she asked grumpily

"South Dakota I’m about to become an official vampire lord"

Chapter Twenty-Two

South Dakota

SIDONIE FELT LIKE she was in a movie One of those shadowy, film noir kind of movies, where all of the action takes place in theSo far, her night had all the hallmarks They’d flown out of a dark, private airport outside Chicago, with no one around except for theht crew They’d landed in Rapid City and rolled away froar on the side, where two SUVs had been waiting for theht’s air of secrecy, they’d both gone in one of the vehicles with Kage and Freddy, while Travis took the wheel of the other and drove her and Aden, with Bastien riding shotgun

There was no rain here in South Dakota, but there was snow After a fairlybut snoers, the real season was finally upon the down heavy and hard, but the weather didn’t seem to bother anyone but her Maybe because everyone else was an indestructible vampire who didn’t have to worry about car crashes She leaned forward to peer between the front seats and out through the windshield of the SUV Apparently, indestructible wasn’t the only thing vampires were They could also see in the dark, because she didn’t see any glea Aden’s hand and squeezing--for her own reassurance rather than his One would have thought becoh deal to warrant some nerves, but Aden was completely relaxed He leaned over and kissed the top of her head but didn’t say anything

Sid didn’t knohere they were going Oh, Aden had told her they were going to visit Lucas Donlon, as a va as called the Plains Territory It seemed Aden had worked for Lucas for, oh, about a century A century! She felt like a toddler Hell, her grandparents hadn’t even been born yet when the two va used to

She stole a furtive glance at Aden, his profile clear in the glow of the dash lights Yeah, that would take so used to, but he orth it

Anyway, Lucas had taken over all the vampires when Klemens, the bastard, was killed In fact, she’d overheard a conversation between Kage and Travis that made her think Lucas had been the one to kill him But whether that was true or not--and this part was difficult to understand--he held the lives of the Midwestern va how va she did knoas that the connection between the lords and their vaerous?" she whispered to Aden

"What?"

"What Lucas is going to do to you tonight Is it dangerous?"

He freed his hand froainst his side "Not at all Tonight’s mostly a formality You already saw the hard part"

"You mean when you caused the earthquake," she said confidently

Aden huffed a laugh "I told you, that wasn’t an earthquake It was more of a concussive wave, like what happens with a pile driver"

"Still made the earth move"

"But, habibi," he ave a surprised laugh, then covered her lance at the two vah He certainlyturn, and there was finally so other than darkness outside the s There were lights anda barn? With horses?

Aden caught her puzzled frown and said, "Lucas likes horses He breeds them"

"Huh"

"Here we are"

The SUV slowed in front of a lovely and expansive house, all lit up with landscape lights that gave off a soft golden glow Pretty The front door of the house opened to reveal yet another incredibly handsoed her close "Remeht, no er"

Sid pulled back so she could look into his face, searching his eyes in the diht She had a thousand questions she needed to ask, but before she could ask even one, Bastien pulled open the truck door, and Aden was sliding across the seat and taking her with him Almost immediately, they were surrounded by a whole bunch of vampires she didn’t know then hustled up the stairs and into the house