Chapter 18: Wilhelm Blood Clan

I touched down on black carpet to the startled greeting of the Wilhelm blood clan monarchs. Sunny ran toward me, huge skirts rustling, Uncle Frank close behind her. I let the pair of them sandwich me in a hug and sank into the cool perfection of the vampires.

After a moment, they released me, greeting Piers with a kind kiss to the cheek from Sunny and a handshake from my uncle. Before I even opened my mouth, I saw the stress on their faces and hated they were worried.

"We're fine," I said. "The family, too."

Sunny looked surprised, then anxious. She and Uncle Frank exchanged a glance that told me I'd just made a massive assumption and now had other issues to worry about.

"What happened?" The three of us spoke at the exact same time, the exact words and tone. How well we knew each other.

"You first," I said, tired of telling my story while Piers hung back, clearly lost in his own worries. "What's going on?" Only then did I feel the discomfort in the air, the tension from the other court vampires watching us. Chambrelle Strait, Sunny's human servant and daytime representative, joined us with a nod to me, her thick, red hair in a tight knot at the base of her neck. I always felt a little intimidated by her size, tall and broad shouldered, and wondered if she knew how to throw her weight around.

"Some internal strife, I'm afraid," Sunny said. And then sighed as I wrinkled my nose at her.

"Seriously?" She was not getting away with the company line. Not with me.

"It's Piotr," Sunny said, voice dropping as she closed the circle for our ears only.

"Wilhelm?" The slimy bastard had betrayed me, betrayed her, over and over again in his misplaced continuing loyalty to his long-dead queen, Yvette. What was he up to now?

"Ever since Sebastian's attempts to help us evolve began, Piotr has been the most vocal against such a change." Sunny's beautiful face tightened, pale blonde hair in curls, shivering against her shoulders as she shook her head. "He's been more and more abusive and I finally decided to remove him from the family."

"About time," I muttered, though I knew better. Wasn't my business.

"No I told you so's, please," she said. "I had my reasons. Piotr and I... we've known each other for a very long time."

I didn't know that. "So, what did he do?"

"Two nights ago," I sensed a theme, here, "he and a group of my vampires defected. Abandoned the blood line. Cut ties and left the castle."

"Problem solved," I said.

Chambrelle's pale green eyes told me otherwise as Sunny let out a disgusted sigh.

"Not quite, Syd," the human woman said, as temper rose on her queen's face. "Such a breach in the family is... troublesome."

Sunny cut her off with a sharp gesture. "And challenges my authority as queen."

I felt for her, I really did. But it seemed petty, compared to what I was dealing with. "I hate to add fuel to the already blazing fire," I said. "But you're not going to like what I have to tell you, either."

Sunny and Uncle Frank stared at me in silent, frozen shock, not breathing or moving a muscle as I spoke while Chambrelle shook her head in disbelief. At least she moved. The two vampires creeped me out, honestly. When they were acting "normal" they pretended to be just like the living. But when they were surprised, vampires tended to stop faking life and fell into that statue-perfect mode that gave me the solid heebie jeebies.

Chambrelle saved me from shuddering and embarrassing them by speaking up.

"The Hayle coven must come here at once," she said. "The Wilhelm family will host you."

Sunny nodded, breaking the spell of her statue-like stillness while Uncle Frank sighed. "Yes, a brilliant idea," she said.

But I was already shaking my head. "Thanks," I said. "I really appreciate it. But you have your own troubles, and Wilding Springs is mine, damn it." My demon howled her agreement. "And I'm going to get it back."

Sunny hugged me again. "What can we do?"

I shrugged when she let me go. "I don't know," I said. "I honestly don't. I just wanted to see you, to tell you we were okay. And suggest you steer clear of North America for a while."

Uncle Frank kissed my forehead. "Thanks for the warning," he said. "Take care of yourself, kiddo."

"You, too." I stepped back. "Going to check in with Sebastian. I'll be back, probably tomorrow morning before the meeting of the world leaders."

They waved together, looking forlorn and about as lost as I felt as I pulled my companion into the veil with me.

But when we stepped out on the other side, into the cold darkness of Castle DeWinter, I realized we had one more issue on our hands.

"Where is everyone?" Piers shivered, hand releasing mine to dive into the pockets of his longcoat.

I reached out with my power, searching the entire castle. As empty as my house back in Wilding Springs. "I have no idea." Okay, this was uber weird. Sunny, I sent.

I'm here. I could feel her moving through the castle. What's wrong now?

Did you know Sebastian and his vampires vacated their place? Why would they do that? It made no sense.

They what? Her forward motion jerked to a halt.

I showed her the empty throne room, let her feel the vacancy. No clue?

Not even a guess, she sent. Paused. He's been quiet lately. But I assumed he was busy. Her mind fretted against mine. I'll have my people search for him. But Syd... she paused again before rushing on. The castle hosts a base of power, much like your family magic under your home. Do you feel it?

I scanned, reached. Nothing. Nope.

Then something is wrong, she sent, now firm and queenly. If he's stripped his home of its magic, he's running from something.

Great. Just what I needed. Can I help? I really didn't need this, but Sebastian was important to me.

Go, she sent. I'll handle it. And update you in the morning.

She cut me off before I could say anything further, so I let it go.

"Okay," I said, holding out my hand to Piers. "One last stop. You ready?"

He nodded. "Could anything else go wrong, you think?"

I kicked his leg, gently. "Do not," I said, "say that out loud." And thought of the conversation I had with Meira. Felt a little guilty over it. She wished something would happen.

Doozyville, sister.

This time, when I emerged from the veil, it was onto a lush, green lawn in front of a giant palace. The two wereguards standing at the huge doors looked startled to see me, but bowed as I strode past, through the elaborate portal and into the inside of a Faberge egg. The werewolf palace always reminded me of old Russian royalty, the Ukrainian home of the werenation based on the tastes of the old Czars. I strode down the purple carpet toward the throne room, ignoring the wereguards who got out of my way.

I'd earned a little respect around here in the past.

Piers was as familiar with the place as I was and the two of us made a beeline toward the back of the vast foyer. The doors to the throne room were wide open, welcoming, lights blazing from crystal chandeliers overhead, casting a yellow glow over the giant werewolf in human form sitting on the throne. An equally large, if older, were sat next to him, their conversation broken as Piers and I approached at a solid clip.

Danilo stood to greet me, his grandfather, Oleksander, the previous wereking, smiling as he joined his grandson. But that smile faded as I drew close and I could only blame his loss of good humor on the expression that had to be all over my face.

Danilo's frown pulled his heavy brows down across his dark green eyes. He looked nothing like his younger sister, Charlotte, but the unstoppable passion of her soul was mirrored in him.

A slim, older woman with my werefriend's blonde hair and blue eyes slipped around some wereguards and came to join us. I nodded to Charlotte's mother, Olena, before facing off with the wereking.

No niceties this time. And the telling had become smooth, practiced almost. So much so, I barely halted through their intakes of furied breath, their werewolfish exclamations of sorrow and rage.

By the time I was done, Danilo had partially turned into his wereform, fading back from a pronounced muzzle and clawed hands to human again before coming to me and grasping my shoulders in his massive hands.

"I will leave for Oxford immediately," he said, voice booming with conviction. "We will fight together, Sydlynn Hayle. And we will be victorious." Such a werewolf.

The wereguards lining the carpet all shouted a word in Ukrainian I didn't understand. But I got the message. So loud and clear I teared up for the umpteenth time and firmly decided to do something magical about my waterworks first chance I got.

"Thank you," I said.

"No," he said, releasing me, massive shoulders swelling as he threw them back, tanned skin darkening his already angry expression, his heavy beard making him look ferocious, more bear than wolf. "Thank you. Our werenation owes you much. And, because of you, we've learned we are better served fighting together, using the strengths of those around us, than trying to do so alone."

Well, sheesh. Make a girl blush and everything.

Stupid tears.

Another few minutes of hugging and promises of help and Piers and I were retreating back out to the lawn. While I knew Danilo probably wouldn't care if I traveled from inside the palace under the circumstances, the rule was outside. After that little talk, I wasn't about to disrespect him or the werenation.

Piers took my hand voluntarily this time as our feet slipped over the soft grass, wet with dew. The air was cooler here, though it was still summer, and I breathed out a puff of pale mist as he spoke.

"Smart werewolf," he said. He seemed to have pulled himself together again, though his eyes were haunted. "We do need to work together." Was he thinking of his mother? Likely.

"Last chance," I said as I reached for Sunny. We just left the werewolves, I sent.

I assumed, she sent. Is Danilo going to Oxford?

That surprised me. Are you?

Of course, she sent. Already on my way. Sebastian has managed to alter me enough I don't have to sleep at sunrise. So, as long as the room is free of sunlight, I will attend.

Sunny. I could hug her. You have your own troubles.

If this Brotherhood infection spreads, she sent, my troubles won't matter one bit. I'll see you at Femke's. And then, she was gone.

Piers stared down at me, eyes intent. "Do you think talking to Mum would make a difference?"

He was asking me? "I don't know," I said.

"Neither do I." He squeezed my hand. "Let's go save your family."

I nodded, reached for the veil. Just as a black tunnel burst open right in front of me and a woman hurtled through and attacked me.

***