Roberto and Antoine had stopped fighting and leaped apart. Roberto’s face was red with fury, while Antoine’s reflected his love and pride for her. His bruises had faded, as though his skin had never been marred, only the blood on his lip and one cheek as evidence he’d ever been hurt.
To one side, Tobias strained against his chains, arms still pinned but trying to reach her with his fangs out, eyes malevolentin his single-minded purpose. The vampire holding him back struggled, until another stepped forward and struck Tobias a blow to his temple. He slumped against his bindings and went still.
Nearby, Belle held a struggling Lena with one hand, her clothing ripping as she strained to reach Cally, until a stunningly beautiful vampire stepped forward and drove the edge of her hand into Lena’s neck. The crack was sharp and brutal, and Lena fell to the ground as Belle released her.
The vampire exchanged an impassive look with Belle, one thin eyebrow arched, then turned to the room. “We all bear witness,” she said clearly. “Roberto attempted to use both Tobias and Lena to interfere.”
“Interfere?” Roberto echoed in outrage. “You accusemeof interference, while thiswitchcasts her spells on my opponent?” His hand flung out toward Cally, one finger extended in accusation.
“Fuck you, Roberto,” Cally replied, her voice stronger than she expected. “You tried to claim me. This is my right of revenge.” The silence that met this declaration was almost perfect, save for the faint choking noise as Roberto tried to speak through his rage. But Cally hadn’t finished. She drew herself up, grasping at all the strength she had left to stand alone, and Gabe released her carefully and stepped back. She lifted her chin, and met the eyes of her beloved across the room. “I am Antoine’s bonded, and we fight together.”
“Fatum coniunctum,” Belle said. “A shared fate.” She pursed her lips in a show of considering it. “There is precedent. It is allowed.”
“Then let us finish this,” Antoine said, drawing Roberto’s attention back to him. “Come, Roberto. I have accepted your challenge. Fight or concede, but either way, you will be entombed this night.”
Roberto bellowed in fury, hunched his shoulders behind his head, and charged at Antoine. Who only stood waiting, biding his time. Roberto crossed the space between them in a blur, arms reaching out to grapple and crush Antoine to him.
But Antoine wasn’t there anymore. He moved so fast Cally couldn’t track him, then his fist slammed into Roberto’s side, directly beneath his raised arm. Ribs cracked, the sound echoing through the room, and Roberto was lifted half off the ground. His breath exploded outward in a pained cry, and Antoine struck again. Fat and muscle did nothing to cushion the blow, for this time it was to his lower back, beside his spine. Roberto screamed and dropped to his knees. He coughed painfully, his massive chest convulsing, and a spray of blood splattered on the ground.
“Let all bear witness,” Antoine said coldly, standing over Roberto as his gaze raked across the assembled vampires. “My witch and I fight together, as one.” He struck a final blow, directly into the base of Roberto’s skull, and it landed with a crunch as bone shattered beneath his fist. Roberto crashed face-first into the stone floor, twitched once, and lay still.
“The challenge is over,” Belle said, her voice ringing out into the silence. “The Curia witnesses the defeat of Roberto, former Curia of Boston. He is to be entombed…” She paused, her lips curling at the edges. “…if he has survived.”
“I nominate Antoine as Curia of Boston,” the beautiful vampire beside her said mildly, her face as impassive as before.
“I support Anastasia’s nomination,” Gabe added quickly.
“And I!” The acclaim echoed through the room, as vampire after vampire added their voice, and if many of them spoke only out of fear, Cally didn’t care. It was enough that they had spoken.
Antoine strode across the room toward her, the vampires falling silent, but all Cally could see were his eyes, locked on hers, shifting from red to his usual cool blue as his skin regained its normal color. He took her hand in his, lifted it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. Then he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
“What do you think,ma chérie?” he asked quietly.
“Do you want this?” She didn’t think he did. Politics and Antoine? It didn’t match.
“I could bear it,if you were by my side.”
She searched his face, seeing the steady resolution in his eyes. Was he really letting her make this decision? But of course he was; he would leave if she said ‘leave,’ stay if she wanted to stay.
“We do this together?” she asked.
His lips curled at the corners with a hint of mischief, as though he wanted to make waves. “Absolutely.”
Cally held his gaze for a moment longer, then raised her voice. “Weaccept.”
“The Curia recognizes Antoine—and Cally—as the new Curia of Boston,” Belle said, her tone laced with amusement. “Congratulations, my lord, my lady.”
There was a total lack of spontaneous applause or heartfelt well-wishes, but Cally didn’t care. She pressed her hand to his bare chest, half for support, and half because she needed to. He was alive, and that was all that mattered. She gazed up into his eyes, oblivious to the watching vampires. He cupped her cheek with his palm, then brushed her lips with his. “Not much longer,ma chérie,” he murmured. “A few small items left.”
He turned to address the room. “Who will entomb Roberto for me?”
Gabe stepped forward. “I will, my lord.”
“Somewheredeep, Gabe,” Cally added, with a meaningful look.
He grinned. “I know just the place.”
“I will attend too,” Belle added airily. “He was, after all, a Curia member… however briefly.”
