Aryan did not glance up when he smelled the approach of his siblings and Hel. He was still looking down at the map in front of him. The town that Alden had mentioned was indeed, the one right outside of Cross Academy's borders. His brows furrowed slightly. It was a bold attack, so near neutral territory. He glanced over at the two profiles, the people in them well-known for being hitmen. Indeed, Yuki had come across them a time or two.
His brother sat down across from him, along with Hel, while Yuki leaned against the table next to Aryan. The three of them waited patiently, they'd all learned a long time ago that Aryan was not to be rushed.
Finally, he looked up. "Alden has uncovered what appears to be a very large attack plan against this town." He pointed to the map as Medusa slithered off of Yuki and onto his shoulders, resting her head on top of his. "There will also be two rather well known hitmen present, I'm sure you'll recognize them, Yuki."
The snow-haired girl glanced down at the sheets. Indeed, she did recognize them. She didn't know their names, but she'd run across them before. "So, is it just an attack, or an assassination attempt?"
Aryan leaned his head against his hand. "We're not sure, it could be either, or it could be both. We also have another problem. The date of the attack is the same day that myself, Yuki, and Helen will be at the Council."
Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Divide and conquer. Smart, efficient. So, what exactly is the plan?"
It was hard to focus past her discomfort. Helen had nothing against Balthasar, but she was especially sensitive to his presence. It was hard not to be, given all that power she could feel under there. But it wasnât thatâshe had known plenty of powerful people before and now. It was the fact that this man, before heâd even been conceived, had been the focus of so much of Theodorâs attention that traces of him were all over her mind. Aryan actually caused something similar, but not as badly. Mostly because sheâd been able (or forced, it was hard to tell) to get to know him more, since he spent so much time with Yuki. Balthasar, on the other hand, knew he made her uncomfortable, and let her have her space because of that. Even now, he sat several chairs down from her, which gave her just enough room to feel like she wasnât suffocating.
She glanced at the map and then the files with deadened eyesâshe knew the faces as well. Her brows furrowed together slightly, and she blinked. âThey havenât been hired against any of you beforeâI could not provide you with any information as to who the target or targets is or are.â
Balthasar sighed through his nose. âDoes it matter?â he asked quietly. âEvery time they target one of us, they target us all, and itâs us all they have to deal with.â Still⊠he knew that he was not infrequently the person in question, and it made him feel guilty that he put his family in danger that way. Heâd been fending off assassins since he was a boy. Once, when it had been only himself and his mother, traveling ahead of his father and sister to the familyâs home in Ireland, a team of them had almost killed her. His powers had manifested on that day. Balthasar had been seven years old, and he'd killed them all. He still couldnât let go of that one.
âBe careful at that meeting, you three. Just because the rest of us are the ones dealing with the known assassins doesn't mean weâre the real targetsâŠâ They all knew that, of course, but⊠he felt he should say it anyway. It rankled him that they were always at so much risk. They were family, even Hel, and he couldnât bear to lose them. But he could not be in two places at once, and much as he might try, he could not protect everyone himself at all times.
Aryan nodded, a placid look on his face. "Frankly, I think that's what they're banking on. With the rest of you occupied here, it puts the three of us at a disadvantage, if one or all of us are the intended targets."
His eyes swiveled to his sister, who scowled at him. "If you even think it, I'm going to beat you bloody. Let them try, they'll be hard pressed getting through Hel and I, even if I'm a target. I've been a target all my life, for varying reasons. One more day isn't going to change anything."
Aryan smiled wanly at his sister. As headstrong and brash as ever, it would seem. "Dear sister of mine, I would never dream of it." He leveled his gaze with his brother. As often as the assassination attempts were on Balthasar, they all had their own hit lists, as Helen kept ample record of. As guilty as he was, it was not entirely his fault, and Aryan hated to see his brother like this. "The same goes for five of you here. Don't be a hero, Bal. And if you do, make sure you let me know first so that I can steer clear of mother."
There was a glimmer of a smile on his face. Nikki von Nacht was well known for her temper, especially when it came to the welfare of her children. She may have been only a Noble, but she was not to be tested. The woman would do anything to protect her children, and she had proven so more than once. Aryan could still remember the time when he had been about ten years old. He himself had been attacked, and he'd stood there and watched as Nikki tore the Pure Blood assassin limb from limb. It wasn't as if he'd ever disrespected either of his parents, but after that, he'd certainly seen his mother in a new light.
Theyâd all been targets all their lives. Hel would know; sheâd been there for most of that. All of them had been watched like specimens in a petri dish, vultures circling always outside the protected safety of their family homes. She doubted it would ever change. Balthasar and Aryan were Jasper von Nachtâs sonsâthat would never go unremarked upon. That family was the closest thing vampires had to royalty, anymore, even if there wasnât one of them who wanted anything to do with it. The twins were, well, twins, which was unusual in and of itself, the genetic manipulation their father had undergone and their motherâs unique nature notwithstanding. And the Kuragaris were what happened when you mixed an experimental pureblood with a trueborn one. That the youngest had inherited the Aegis was only the icing on the proverbial cake.
She hated that idiomâcake was nice. This was not.
Bathasar returned his brotherâs subtle smile, and Helen thought for a moment that they werenât as different as everyone took them to be. She wasnât sure how that made her feel, but her feelings were irrelevant here. âAnd leave no one to stand between she and I, with her temper in full swing? I think not, Ary.â His father had told him once that people most often attacked either of the children when they were with their mother because they perceived her as weaker somehow. Then heâd chuckled and shaken his head. Al had asked if this didnât concern him, how he could bring himself to ever leave her side, and his sire had regarded him for a moment with uncanny eyes and raised a brow.
Of course I donât like leaving her, heâd said simply, but anyone who thinks she is weaker than I am has the wrong understanding of strength. Balthasar had learned a very important lesson that day about the difference between power and strength, and between power and danger. It was one he carried with him always⊠especially when his mother was upset with him.
Aryan's subtle smile widened slightly. If anything, their mother was scarier than their father ever could be. Though, considering what she'd been through, it was not overly surprising that she would be so protective. Aryan raised an eyebrow.
"So, instead of facing her wrath, you would hide behind your younger brother?"
Yuki rolled her eyes, but was smiling all the same. "You're both knuckleheads and I love you, but up against mother, I'd throw you both to the wolves."
Aryan feigned being hurt. "Ouch, Yuki."
Yuki smirked. "Come on. You should let the others know about the attack, and I have a blade that needs whetting. Coming, Hel?"
His brother sat down across from him, along with Hel, while Yuki leaned against the table next to Aryan. The three of them waited patiently, they'd all learned a long time ago that Aryan was not to be rushed.
Finally, he looked up. "Alden has uncovered what appears to be a very large attack plan against this town." He pointed to the map as Medusa slithered off of Yuki and onto his shoulders, resting her head on top of his. "There will also be two rather well known hitmen present, I'm sure you'll recognize them, Yuki."
The snow-haired girl glanced down at the sheets. Indeed, she did recognize them. She didn't know their names, but she'd run across them before. "So, is it just an attack, or an assassination attempt?"
Aryan leaned his head against his hand. "We're not sure, it could be either, or it could be both. We also have another problem. The date of the attack is the same day that myself, Yuki, and Helen will be at the Council."
Yuki raised an eyebrow. "Divide and conquer. Smart, efficient. So, what exactly is the plan?"
It was hard to focus past her discomfort. Helen had nothing against Balthasar, but she was especially sensitive to his presence. It was hard not to be, given all that power she could feel under there. But it wasnât thatâshe had known plenty of powerful people before and now. It was the fact that this man, before heâd even been conceived, had been the focus of so much of Theodorâs attention that traces of him were all over her mind. Aryan actually caused something similar, but not as badly. Mostly because sheâd been able (or forced, it was hard to tell) to get to know him more, since he spent so much time with Yuki. Balthasar, on the other hand, knew he made her uncomfortable, and let her have her space because of that. Even now, he sat several chairs down from her, which gave her just enough room to feel like she wasnât suffocating.
She glanced at the map and then the files with deadened eyesâshe knew the faces as well. Her brows furrowed together slightly, and she blinked. âThey havenât been hired against any of you beforeâI could not provide you with any information as to who the target or targets is or are.â
Balthasar sighed through his nose. âDoes it matter?â he asked quietly. âEvery time they target one of us, they target us all, and itâs us all they have to deal with.â Still⊠he knew that he was not infrequently the person in question, and it made him feel guilty that he put his family in danger that way. Heâd been fending off assassins since he was a boy. Once, when it had been only himself and his mother, traveling ahead of his father and sister to the familyâs home in Ireland, a team of them had almost killed her. His powers had manifested on that day. Balthasar had been seven years old, and he'd killed them all. He still couldnât let go of that one.
âBe careful at that meeting, you three. Just because the rest of us are the ones dealing with the known assassins doesn't mean weâre the real targetsâŠâ They all knew that, of course, but⊠he felt he should say it anyway. It rankled him that they were always at so much risk. They were family, even Hel, and he couldnât bear to lose them. But he could not be in two places at once, and much as he might try, he could not protect everyone himself at all times.
Aryan nodded, a placid look on his face. "Frankly, I think that's what they're banking on. With the rest of you occupied here, it puts the three of us at a disadvantage, if one or all of us are the intended targets."
His eyes swiveled to his sister, who scowled at him. "If you even think it, I'm going to beat you bloody. Let them try, they'll be hard pressed getting through Hel and I, even if I'm a target. I've been a target all my life, for varying reasons. One more day isn't going to change anything."
Aryan smiled wanly at his sister. As headstrong and brash as ever, it would seem. "Dear sister of mine, I would never dream of it." He leveled his gaze with his brother. As often as the assassination attempts were on Balthasar, they all had their own hit lists, as Helen kept ample record of. As guilty as he was, it was not entirely his fault, and Aryan hated to see his brother like this. "The same goes for five of you here. Don't be a hero, Bal. And if you do, make sure you let me know first so that I can steer clear of mother."
There was a glimmer of a smile on his face. Nikki von Nacht was well known for her temper, especially when it came to the welfare of her children. She may have been only a Noble, but she was not to be tested. The woman would do anything to protect her children, and she had proven so more than once. Aryan could still remember the time when he had been about ten years old. He himself had been attacked, and he'd stood there and watched as Nikki tore the Pure Blood assassin limb from limb. It wasn't as if he'd ever disrespected either of his parents, but after that, he'd certainly seen his mother in a new light.
Theyâd all been targets all their lives. Hel would know; sheâd been there for most of that. All of them had been watched like specimens in a petri dish, vultures circling always outside the protected safety of their family homes. She doubted it would ever change. Balthasar and Aryan were Jasper von Nachtâs sonsâthat would never go unremarked upon. That family was the closest thing vampires had to royalty, anymore, even if there wasnât one of them who wanted anything to do with it. The twins were, well, twins, which was unusual in and of itself, the genetic manipulation their father had undergone and their motherâs unique nature notwithstanding. And the Kuragaris were what happened when you mixed an experimental pureblood with a trueborn one. That the youngest had inherited the Aegis was only the icing on the proverbial cake.
She hated that idiomâcake was nice. This was not.
Bathasar returned his brotherâs subtle smile, and Helen thought for a moment that they werenât as different as everyone took them to be. She wasnât sure how that made her feel, but her feelings were irrelevant here. âAnd leave no one to stand between she and I, with her temper in full swing? I think not, Ary.â His father had told him once that people most often attacked either of the children when they were with their mother because they perceived her as weaker somehow. Then heâd chuckled and shaken his head. Al had asked if this didnât concern him, how he could bring himself to ever leave her side, and his sire had regarded him for a moment with uncanny eyes and raised a brow.
Of course I donât like leaving her, heâd said simply, but anyone who thinks she is weaker than I am has the wrong understanding of strength. Balthasar had learned a very important lesson that day about the difference between power and strength, and between power and danger. It was one he carried with him always⊠especially when his mother was upset with him.
Aryan's subtle smile widened slightly. If anything, their mother was scarier than their father ever could be. Though, considering what she'd been through, it was not overly surprising that she would be so protective. Aryan raised an eyebrow.
"So, instead of facing her wrath, you would hide behind your younger brother?"
Yuki rolled her eyes, but was smiling all the same. "You're both knuckleheads and I love you, but up against mother, I'd throw you both to the wolves."
Aryan feigned being hurt. "Ouch, Yuki."
Yuki smirked. "Come on. You should let the others know about the attack, and I have a blade that needs whetting. Coming, Hel?"