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Boone had moved closer and in the second before Ball could spit on Zee, he clamped his hand tight over the man’s face.
“You don’t want to do that,” he said in a flat voice. “You got your ass knocked to the ground for calling Zee a name. Imagine what the Prime will do to you if you try to spit on her.”
Boone had clamped his hand over Ball’s face in a way that cut off all breathing and he lingered for several more seconds after making his point. “I’m going to lower my hand now, you prick. But you try that again, I’ll rip your tongue out through your ass.”
“Graphic,” Zee murmured as Boone lowered his hand.
He winked at her and backed away.
Ball was sucking in air now with the fervency of a man long denied the act—or one about to breathe his last. His eyes wheeled around before finally landing on her.
“Why go after Therians like Brandon?” She paused, wondering if she should use his other name.
But Ball’s eyes lit with unholy glee.
“It’s the age-old adage, Ms. Day. A house divided cannot stand. The last time we tried to eliminate your kind, we made the mistake of all-out war, forgetting how cunning you creatures are. When the media posted footage of your young slaughtered, it turned the weak against us. Even those who had no dog in the race didn’t want to be involved in a war where the only logical thing to do was annihilate the enemy, from the youngest up to the ancient.”
His voice had softened as he spoke, the look on his face one of a zealot.
“Those stupid, soft-hearted fucks at the U.R.N. think the way forward is through sharing this world with demonic monsters who don’t even have human DNA.” His lip curled as he looked her up and down. “You’ve all played an excellent long game, Ms. Day, fooled so many. But in the end, you want our subjugation. And we’ll die first. But the better option is to watch all of you destroy yourselves from the inside. Men like Brandon, like Royal Graves... they are easy to manipulate.” His eyes flicked to the man who’d bloodied him, hesitated. “Others, we have to rely on more permanent means.”
“So... this is like... a plan,” Zee said. Inside, she felt that otherness in her stirring and pressing against her skin. She could feel how much this bastard wanted to brag. “What’s the ultimate purpose? And who is this we?”
He leaned toward her, eyes skipping off hers without really connecting. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Niko’s attention sharpened on Ball.
Although she didn’t hear his approach, he was at her side in a heartbeat, looming over the mortal. “Explain.”
Ball only smiled, lips pulling back from teeth in a surprisingly wolfish smile. “No. You’ll have to wait, Prime. Give them my regards when they come for you though.”
Niko lunged.
“No!” Zee shoved between them yet again and when Ball laughed, she spun on him, slashing out with her claws. They tore furrows down his chest, the ragged tears in his shirt quickly turning red as blood welled.
His pained yelp was cut short as his gaze landed on her. This time, he didn’t look away like he had before.
At least, not in time.
That otherness in her slipped the leash and took over.
Ball jerked, mouth falling open on a ragged breath. In the next heartbeat, he breathed out soft and slow while his eyes clouded over.
As a beatific smile curved his lips, Zee realized her skin was glowing.
Her Fae self pushed against her skin, demanding freedom. Free me... free yourself, your whole self. He’s already seen a part of us—see how weak he is? Use his weakness.
Ball squeezed his eyes shut and shook himself, hard.
But it was too late.
He was already smiling, his will crumbling under the Fae magic Zee had smothered her entire life... until this very moment.
She opened herself to it even as fear choked her. Behind her, she heard sharp inhalations, Niko’s whisper of her name.
What would happen when she turned to face the others?
She wanted to think it wouldn’t matter—that they’d understand she’d done what she had to—but it wasn’t likely. And that was okay. She was doing the necessary thing. It would protect the pack—protect Niko. For that, she’d pay the price. All three parts of her being accepted it.
