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Because that’s what family did.
“That dhampir ismy mate,” I gritted out, “and he’s not ordering me around, he’s defending me. What’s more, you’re in his father’s territory. I’d be polite if I were you.”
As if on cue, four flinty-eyed vampires dropped out of the shadows.
Victorine took them in—and whipped a thin silver blade from her bra. She lunged past me at Rafe.
I’d expected that. I stepped in front of him. She came close to skewering me, but stopped herself in time, the point hovering above my chest.
Behind me, Rafe said, “What the hell, Zoe?” He tried to move me aside, but I held up a hand.
“Trust me,” I said, my eyes on my mother.
An angry flush tinged her cheekbones. “Step aside. I’m ordering you as your prima.”
Our gazes locked. Victorine’s will beat against mine. Even with my newfound confidence, she was still dominant to me. Give her enough time, and she could force me to obey. But I only required enough time to explain why she’d better make sure Rafe lived a long and healthy life.
“You’re not going to stake Rafe,” I said. “Here’s why. We’ve uploaded a file with everything we know to a secret server. In twenty-four hours, unless we both enter our individual passwords, that evidence is going to every major primus and prima in the world. Everyone will know that you’re secretly working with Slayers, Inc., including the Tremblay Syndicate. And in case you manage to somehow hack into the server and delete the evidence, Prince Brien has the same information. His instructions are to send it to both his parents and Primus Kral if he doesn’t hear from me by tomorrow.”
“You dare?”
“Oh, yes.” My smile was sharp as the blade in her hand. “And I mean everything, including the photo of Zaquiel Kral in that cell in Philippe’s basement. I’ve included an attachment explaining that both you and Philippe were working with Slayers, Inc. to kidnap and kill Karoly Kral’s sons. The other syndicates will believe it, coming from your own daughter. And we’ll plaster social media with the information, too. You won’t be able to finesse this one. It’s over, Victorine.”
She brought the knife back to her side. “Why?” She seemed almost bewildered.
“Because I love Rafe. I’ll do anything to keep him. You of all people should understand what it’s like when you find your true mate.”
Her mouth formed a hard scarlet line. “No. I forbid it.”
“You can’t. One thing you had right—I was your best choice for your next lieutenant. Without me, the Tremblay Syndicate is going to be embroiled in a series of challenges. But you’re going to have to choose someone else, because I’m defecting to the Kral Syndicate.”
Her face contorted. “Like Hades you are. You’remine.My spawn. My only heir.”
“It’s not your decision. You may be my prima, but I have the right to choose my own mate.”
I reached for Rafe’s hand. It was right there. He moved up beside me and together, we faced Victorine down.
“We’re true mates,” Rafe said. “Kill me, and she’ll probably never have a child. She might even die herself from the shock.”
The blade in Victorine’s hand waved. “No,” she rasped. “You’re lying. I don’t believe it.”
“It’s true.” Karoly strolled up from wherever he’d been lurking. “I can sense their bond. If you weren’t so prejudiced against my son, you’d sense it, too.”
She bared her fangs at him.
His men stepped closer, but he held them off with a look. “You’ve lost, Victorine,” he said. “Either negotiate with us or go home.”
Her gaze snapped to Rafe. “Thrice-damned viper’s spawn. I should’ve staked you two years ago when I had the chance. Why should I accept you as my daughter’s mate? A dhampir, when she could’ve had Étan, the strongest vampire in my syndicate.”
“Because I love her,” he growled back. “Étan just wanted to use her.”
She curled her lip. “What do you know about it?”
“I know Étan would never have taken her side against you. Is that the kind of mate you wanted her to have?”
“Étan would’ve made her a fine mate.”
“No. He might have been a good lieutenant, but he wouldn’t have made Zoe a good mate. But it’s done. We’ve bonded. You can’t undo it.”
