“Why not?” I hear myself ask, too curious not to know. If they could kill him now, that would be the end of this, right? I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone coming for me in the dead of night, or hanging out in another VIP room waiting to drink me dry.
“He can’t,” Gray says.
“I don’t get it.”
“It would mean war,” Tannis answers, loud enough for everyone to hear. For a moment, there’s only the sound of my breathing and Dante’s grunting as he pulls out the furniture embedded in his gut. “Dante has a seat on the council. It’s very old, very ancient. Any vampire that kills one in his position demands recompense, or whatever the law says. They decide the payment. Sometimes a life for a life, sometimes it’s something more entertaining. Basically, it’s a bunch of old-school vampire bullshit that gives him total immunity.”
Immunity? Which means, no matter what they do, they can’t hurt Dante.But I can.
“Don’t act like you’re above it, Tannis,” says Dante, standing shakily on both legs. He gestures with one hand to the vigilant vampires waiting on the sidelines. “You clearly have a taste for it.”
“What can I say?” Tannis shrugs. “Old habits die hard.”
“Then you can’t blame me for taking it for myself.” Dante chuckles, smoothing out his bloodied shirt. The psychotic little grin on his face sends a shiver down my spine. For someone so outnumbered, he doesn’t look the least bit worried about his well being.
“I can hold a grudge for a long time,” says Tannis with a tilt of their head.
What the fuck is going on?I look at Gray, but he doesn’t answer me. His focus is caught between holding me back and keeping his eyes on Dante.
“You aren’t the only one,” Dante says, swiping at his hair.
“We’re done here,” Tannis says with finality. He turns to a young red-headed vampire and commands him. “Escort our guest to the door, please.”
The redhead steps forward, but Dante holds his hands out to stop him.
“I’ll see myself out.”
The crunch of furniture echoes in the silence as his expensive shoes mow through the damage to the front door. I vaguely remember coming through the same way, but the place looks different in the evening when there isn’t a massive party going on. We all watch him carry himself out, head held high, with just the right amount of arrogance to mask the major loss he faced. Though, by looking at him, anyone else would have guessed he had the upper hand.
What is he up to?I wonder.
“And Gray, mylove.” Dante turns just as he opens the door, red irises bearing down on the both of us. “I’ll be here when you change your mind.”
“Well,” starts Tannis, “that went just about as well as a werewolf’s first heat on a full moon.”
My eyes widen. “Don’t tell me there are werewolves, too?”
“Mhm. A few of them are on my payroll,” Tannis says with a nod and plops back down into the winged-back armchair. I can’t tell if they’re being serious or not, but I don’t question it. I’ve had enough alpha-male bullshit for one morning.
The other vampires lingering nearby start to clean up the mess. I watch them wordlessly organize the shattered remains of the destroyed couch and collect it all in neat piles of four that they each carry out.
“That was a disaster,” Gray finally says. He’s still holding onto me, but tighter than before. I have no doubt that this visit rattled him.
“Listen…” I press my hands to his chest and push him back gently. “There wasn’t any other way that conversation could have gone.”
Gray groans and falls away from me, stumbling into the seat I was sitting in before. He looks miserable. The perk he’d had lastnight and at the start of this evening has been totally sapped. He needs a pick-me-up. Desperately.
“She’s right, you know,” Tannis agrees, though I’m not sure if that’s the answer Gray wants to hear right now.
“I’m sorry, Millie,” Gray says, looking up at me with muddied red eyes. I miss the sparkle in them already, the pure bright red that flashes to life like a newly made fire.
“It’s not your fault.”
“It is,” he argues. “I should have left you after the church tower.”
That makes my chest twist. “Okay, but that doesn’t mean I’d be any safer than I am right now.”
“Your odds would be much more favorable.” Gray frowns deeply. When his mouth droops, so does his face. I haven’t seen this look before. It’s like he’s given up, washed away any semblance of happiness for a fragment of woe.
