Cally didn’t have any further questions. Whatever Antoine was planning, Tobias had been painfully open.
Antoine exchanged a look with her, then turned on his heel and walked out of the basement. She followed quickly, not wishing to stay any longer than she had to. Belle was slower to leave, still staring hungrily at the chained vampire. Maybe she liked the idea of the control Roberto could exert; she’d tried to manipulate Antoine for long enough. What would she be like if she had Roberto’s bloodline? Cally hated to think, but odds were, Antoine would never have left France.
Her mother would still be alive. And she wouldn’t be a witch.
How different that life would’ve been.
Antoine waited before the living room window, his grim expression mirrored in the glass.
“What do you think?” he asked, addressing no one in particular, but Cally knew he was talking to her.
“If it was all an act, it was a very convincing one.”
“You realize Roberto could be controlling him even now,” Gabe said. “Making him say whatever he wants.”
“Then why would he say that?” Cally asked. She considered it, then shook her head. “I don’t think so. Not with that much pain in his eyes.”
Gabe rolled his shoulders. “I don’t disagree. He convinced me too. Antoine?”
Antoine turned to face them. “I think we’ve suffered Roberto long enough. I say we call every vampire in Boston and go there tonight.”
“He has broken the Code,” Gabe said thoughtfully. “And in a way that all of us would find abhorrent.” He stroked his chin. “What about Lena?”
“Yes, that was a shock,” Antoine admitted. “In the club, wasn’t she swift to deny that Minh could control spawns?”
“She was indeed,” Gabe confirmed. “Covering for Roberto, no doubt. Or herself, for that matter.”
“And she’s close to Anastasia,” Antoine said, “who is the oldest vampire north of the river. If anything is to happen, we need her support.”
“I wonder if she knows?” Gabe mused.
Belle laughed. “Of course she doesn’t. Would either of you ally with a vampire you knew was under another’s control?”
“True,” Gabe said. “Then that’s powerful information to win her over.”
“If you can tell her without Lena catching on,” Antoine pointed out.
“Remember that night when you didn’t want to network?” Gabe asked, pulling out his phone. “Some of us stayed and did what was necessary.”
“I already have her number,” Antoine replied mildly. “Had it for years.”
“Sure you did.” Gabe grinned. “So, are we doing this? Am I calling everyone, and are we going to Roberto’s?”
“Yes,” Antoine said, looking to Belle. “I think we are.”
“And I’m warning Anastasia, right?” Gabe swiped up on his phone, beginning to scroll through contacts. “She should know.”
“Absolutely,” Antoine replied. “Whether or not she comes, she should know.”
“Will he just let us all walk in there?” Cally asked.
“Probably not, if we didn’t have Belle,” Antoine said, his gaze still on his sire. “As the oldest Curia member in Boston, you’re critical to this. Are you going to come?”
“Oh yes, I’ll come, for the same reason everyone else will.” She bared the briefest hint of fangs. “Good entertainment is so hard to find these days.”
Fifty
Gabe reached out to every vampire worth contacting—the rest would come anyway. Or not; Antoine didn’t really care.
