Warrior (Relentless #4)(119)

He nodded grimly. “That’s not all. She said she’s sensed vampires three times since she moved here, but she didn’t know what was happening until last night.”

I frowned. “That’s impossible. There is no way vampires could have gotten close to her here.”

Tristan shrugged, but didn’t look convinced. “She sensed one out in the woods and one near the theater in Boise. It’s not inconceivable for there to be vampires in Boise, so I asked Chris to look into it. I would have said none would come near this place before last night. Now, I’m wondering if Sara was right. I’m adding an extra patrol to tighten security.”

“Khristu. If she’s right…”

“It doesn’t mean they know she’s here. Those could have been coincidences.”

We stopped walking at the edge of the trees, and I faced him. “I don’t believe in coincidences when it comes to Sara.”

He let out a slow breath. “There’s more.”

I steeled myself. “Tell me.”

“Sara used her Fae power on one of the vampires last night. It wasn’t enough to kill him, but it incapacitated him long enough for her to finish him off with a knife.” Tristan stared at me. “Why don’t you look surprised?”

“Because she and I spent some time working on that a few days ago. I think, with practice, she’ll be able to call on her magic whenever she wants.”

Tristan nodded thoughtfully. “It could be a powerful weapon against vampires if her Fae magic gets stronger.”

“It’s already helped save her life.” I stared across the wide expanse of lawn, my mind working. “She doesn’t like to use her power on me, so I’ll need to figure out the best course of training for…”

I trailed off at his unhappy expression. “What?”

He took a deep breath. “Sara asked to train with Callum again.”

“No.”

“Maybe we should –”

“I’m her trainer.” The thought of her wanting to work with someone else made my stomach harden. “Callum doesn’t understand her. He has no idea what she is.”

“I know, and I told her you were the best trainer for her. But if she’s not comfortable working with you, I have to respect her wishes.”

“She didn’t want to work with me when I first offered, and you had no issue with it then.”

He knew as well as I that no one cared more about her training than I did. No one could reach her like I could.

“That was before she knew everything.” Tristan ran a hand through his hair. “I have to ask that you step back and let this blow over.”

My jaw clenched. “We’re bonded, Tristan. This is not going to blow over.”

He rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I’m in a difficult position here, Nikolas. I don’t want to upset you, but Sara is my granddaughter. I know I said I wouldn’t come between you, but I feel I have to intercede this time. Sara will train with Callum…for now.”

His phone rang, and he looked down at the screen with a weary sigh. “Council business. I can call them back later if you want to talk.”

“I don’t think talking will resolve anything,” I said brusquely, suddenly overcome with the need to get out of there for a few hours.

“Where are you going?” Tristan asked as I turned to the garage.

“Out.”

I rode for hours, covering every back road and highway within fifty miles. As much as I needed the freedom of the road, I couldn’t bring myself to go too far from Sara. It still amazed me how much my life had changed since I met her. Not so long ago, I couldn’t conceive the idea of me wanting to stay at Westhorne for longer than a week at a time. Or the thought that my life could revolve around one person whose happiness meant more to me than my own.

It was close to midnight when I got back to the stronghold. The building was quiet as I headed for my apartment. I slowed walking past Tristan’s door, but I knew immediately Sara was no longer there. I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing, not being able to feel her nearby.

An hour later, I gave up on sleep. Pushing aside my bed covers. I donned a T-shirt and sweats, grabbed my phone, and went to sit on the couch. My long ride hadn’t brought me answers as I’d hoped it would, but there was one place I could always turn to for guidance. If there ever was a time I needed my parents’ wisdom, it was now.

My sire answered the video call after three rings. It was morning there, and he usually spent the first part of his day in his home office.

“Nikolas, we were not expecting a call from you for another week.”

“I know. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

He settled back in his chair. “It’s never a bad time to talk to you. I was just catching up on some reports, and I could use a break.” He glanced down at the corner of the computer screen and frowned. “It’s quite late there. Is everything okay with you?”

“I’m well,” I assured him. As well as I could be under the circumstances.

“But something is bothering you. I can tell.”

I didn’t answer, suddenly unsure of how to tell him the reason for my call. For months, I’d kept the true nature of my relationship with Sara a secret from my parents. Now I was not only going to tell them about the bond, but I had to admit how badly I’d messed things up.