In Charge of Security

Our hallway make out section was interrupted with a clearing of a throat from a nearby room. Alex turned to look but I couldn’t. I was frozen in place trying to wrap my head around reality.

“He always surprises me.” Vin said. “He gonna be alright, I have something I want to talk to him about.”

Alex ran his fingers gently down my cheek, “You okay pretty boy?”

I nodded slightly but still didn’t open my eyes. I wanted to stay in the moment, at Alex’s will. But duty always was calling. All the more reason I needed a fucking break.

Alex laughed softly, “He’s here. Go ahead and talk but make it quick.”

Vin sighed, “Ant put me in charge of finding our security breaches – since he knew I wasn’t a traitor.”

Alex asked, “How’d he know that for sure?” He was skeptical of everyone so I let it go. If I didn’t trust Ant, and Ant trusted Vin then why should I question his loyalty. That’s why you have bodyguards. Alex said in my head.

I sighed and opened my eyes to look at Vin. “Ant compelled him to tell the utmost truth and he could feel Vin’s betrayal. It’s a vampire master to normal vampire thing. It happens mostly when you pledge you fealty to a master not your sire. Or your blood line. It’s magic. Vin can’t lie to Ant – not ever.”

“So the people who betrayed us, weren’t they all vampires?” Alex asked. “No wait, they are all heads of their lines and you they never swore fealty to anyone.”

“Exactly.” Vin said.

“But in that Nox, I don’t want you using your phone or laptop until I do a full security scan of everything. I think we have leaks.”

I laughed. “I have the best cyber security protection available. There is not a hacker a live who is getting past The Wicked Truth’s line of defense. I might be bragging on Sage’s power, but Chevalier who is far older, and seen much more asks Sage for help. Sage has his fingers in our security.”

Vin sighed, “I know and I don’t like it. I don’t like that he knows where ever you are, he creepily answers questions said out loud when you are working on something on a computer. He’s always there. How do we know he’s not the mole? He’s an amoral hacker. Who knows who has paid him to look into you.” Vin looked at Alex.

Alex smirked and shrugged. He couldn’t add to it, he was right. He’d done exactly that.

“The price of my best friend knowing everything about me is nothing Vin. Not for that line of protection, and the free use of an information whore.”

“I want to do a bug sweep of all the living spaces. You might trust your hacker friends, but I don’t,” Vin said.

“There are no bugs in here. That’s not how his power works. And no one can hack Sage.” I was getting angry but I covered it with a grin. “And I mean that quite literally Vin. Sage is electronically connected to my phone and my computer and anything it connects to. He attached nothing, he just touched it and talked to it. They became friends and now they are his. He’s a technopath, Vin. You can’t hack his brain. I’m not connected to his external monitors, which is why he hears me quickly and sees what I do through the camera if it’s on. It’s hardwired in his head.”

“Why?” Vin asked.

“Because we took comfort in it as kids, that we were always there for each other. He’s like my brother.”

Vin sighed. “I still don’t like it man. I’m doing a sweep regardless. And I want to do one at his house.”

I nodded. “Fine. Then you can sweep the top ten floors for magical users who can eavesdrop on my personal conversations and inside my head too. You’ll probably want a telepath to go with you. But the only one I trust is going on vacation with me in the morning.” I growled.

“And don’t forget to go through all our bodyguards, our friends, the rest of the vampire council and so on.”

Vin stared at me like I was insane. “If you feel it’s prudent to scan my best friends house for potential damage then you need to do it for everyone else. You will not single out my best friend.”

“His fucking girlfriend…”

I interrupted, “His wife.”

Vin glared at me. “His wife…” he paused like he forgot what he’d been saying. He sighed with resignation. “His wife put you down with a kiss.”

“All the more reason for everyone to be examined and vetted,” I said. I grabbed Alex’s hand and we started to walk away from the brooding vampire.

“Wait. This is an order now?” Vin asked as he trailed behind me.

“If you go to Sage’s house and do a security sweep. Yes!”

Vin caught up to me. “You know how crazy that sounds?”

I nodded. “No more crazy then saying my best friend has anything at all to do with hurting me.”

“He’s a fucking hacker. His wife carried a demon that over took you. He hacked the Venatori because your fucking boyfriend, sorry, your husband, was trying to spy on you. You surround yourself with no-good, morally grey people and you don’t want me to do a security sweep?”

I stared Vin in the eyes. He was a vampire and that was one of the biggest no-no’s in Venatori history, but I didn’t fear their gaze. And I definitely didn’t fear Vin, “If you feel the need to examine my best friend that closely then you will, without a fucking question, examine every fucking person I come in contact with, can come in contact with, or may possibly come in contact with.” I took a step closer to the vampire staring me down. “Is that clear? You will not single out Sage Morgan.”

Vin stared at me for a long time before he gave a long slow nod. “I will see it done.” I was so angry I was fuming. My blood was boiling.

There was a sudden jerk and I was being pulled into an empty room. We barely made it inside before Alex had me against the door and our lips were locked and hands were everywhere. Alex was distracting me from my anger and I fucking loved him for it.