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The doors creaked open, and Blaire Belladonna hit us with a hard stare. “Are you coming, or do we need to continue aging while you yammer on? Some of us don’t have the luxury of eternal youth.”
“Come along, poppet. Your mistress is required elsewhere.”
“You’re not my mistress,” he hissed.
“Who’s the one holding the chain, love?”
I shook my head as they continued to bicker behind me, even though my heart was lodged solidly in my throat. I already knew nothing about the meeting to come would be pleasant.
Then again, who better than a masochist to walk headlong into torture and punishment?
The Society members were all seated as I walked into the center of the room.
“So good of you to join us, Caleb.” Gabriel’s voice was the most annoyed I’d ever heard it.
“I’m hardly the last in attendance.” I gestured to the empty seats where Finbar and Lilith both should be.
“Settle down. I’m here and you know it, Daddy Caleb.” Lilith’s voice had my hackles rising before I could stop them.
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped.
“Oh, that’s right, there’s only one person who gets that privilege.”
“Are we all just going to ignore the fact that Lilith has brought an outsider to our meeting?” I asked, still internally seething.
Lilith chose that moment to run her free palm over Crombie’s head. He snarled at her, baring his teeth and jerking his head away, causing her to laugh softly and lean down to whisper in his ear. I only caught the change in his expression because I was looking at him as it shifted from outrage to blatant arousal.
Gabriel arched a brow. “Do you really think I would risk the secrecy of our cause without putting some measures in place? Due to the nature of the contract between them, Crombie cannot do anything that would harm Lilith. Speaking of the things that happen here would mean death to her, and subsequently, death for him.”
“I’m nothing if not crafty,” Lilith murmured.
“That’s not what I’d call it.” After Crombie spoke, Lilith jerked the chain, and he winced but shut his mouth.
“You should consider a different kind of collar, Priest.” Lilith’s eyes sparked. “We could even engrave your name on it for her.”
Gabriel’s attention shot to me, but I took my seat, and he blessedly didn’t press the issue. “Finbar will be here shortly. That leads me to the topic of our meeting. The Shadow Court.”
I knew then the fae attackers had been Shadow Court warriors. Alek had committed a grave sin against them, and I was going to be the one to pay the price. As the only member of the Society not in any kind of social standing, I was the only one who could be legitimately blamed.
Deservedly so. The reason I’d been indoctrinated into the Society was that I’d be useful. My soul on the line meant I’d have to do their bidding. I may not be in chains, but I was as much a prisoner as the man in Lilith’s control. Especially when the angel Gabriel was the one enslaving me.
“I don’t see what all the fuss is about. The Shadow Court attacked her. They defended their mate, as any true mate would. So what is the problem?” Antoinette le Blanc asked as she inspected her nails. “This all seems like a lot of needless drama.”
“The problem,” Finbar spat, striding into the room, “is that a member of our court has been murdered.”
“You mean the assassin you sent to murder Sunday?” I asked, the need to defend her rising hot and fierce inside me.
Finbar raised a brow. “Murder was not the intended goal. They were charged with bringing her to the queen.”
“That’s not what it looked like. From the arrow in my back to the blade held to her belly, these fae meant to kill.”
“Be careful what allegations you lay at my feet, Priest. You know who I serve.”
Gabriel shot Finbar a withering glance. “We’ll deal with your insubordination later.”
“How is what my court has done any different from the goals of the Farrells? We sought to isolate her until the time to act comes.”
Crombie snickered. “Soundsexactlylike something your court would do. Because reason and altruism are core values of the Shadow Court.”
