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Asenseofrightnesswashed over her as Blair coiled her hands around Kaien’s bicep. Turbulent tides stilled as she stepped nearer to him, gazing up at his indecipherable expression with question.
Why was it that Kaien’s presence influenced her on such a deep level?
Gravity tilted seconds later, then righted. Beneath her feet, onyx black marble flooring banked into her heels, and around them, colors brightened and clarified into the familiar territory of her breed’s ruling party.
The council headquarters in New York were opulence defined.
Rust red and tarnished gold walls outfitted the spectacular space, a tasteful combination that spoke to the uncontested wealth and prosperity of the secret nation. Elaborate chandeliers and ornate wall décor hung tastefully through the lobby. Touches of other cultures lingered throughout, a quiet reminder of their centuries of interacting with the human race.
Kaien extracted his arm from her grip within seconds of their arrival, taking a step away from her to an impersonal distance. The sudden space separating them made her inner predator sulk, but before she could speak, the elegant receptionist, Suka, cleared her throat.
“Welcome.” She bowed low, her stunning topaz dress crinkling with the gesture. “I’ll alert the councilors that you’ve arrived.”
Sweeping an arm toward the council chambers, Suka obviously meant for them to enter the space alone, trusting that she knew the way.
“Most appreciated, Suka.”
Dipping her chin, Blair grabbed Kaien’s forearm and gave it a hearty tug toward the conference room even as he bristled beside her. Tracing down the hallways toward their destination, she gave the silent Raeth a sidelong look.
“How many times have you been here?”
“More than I care to admit.”
The short answer had her pursing her lips. His noticeable dissociation was painfully obvious and the stiff way he held himself was sandpaper against her skin. Was he angry with her for her rejection of him only hours ago? Did he truly believe she cared nothing for him?
Blair wanted to laugh at the thought. Of course she cared for him. But that wasn’t the heart of the matter. No, the truth behind her rejection was her inescapable need to be unbound, untethered. She didn’t want the trappings of civilized life to claw into her mind and force her into subjugation.
She’d been a slave before under the thumb of a man. Never again.
Gritting her teeth as black emotion hazed over her vision, she whipped open the door to the council chambers to reveal an empty space. Though dark, Blair could clearly make out the conference table that lingered alongside on side of the cavernous space, the long marble desk for nine that ran the length of the room.
Leaving Kaien behind to stew in his silence, she stalked toward the head of the long conference table after flipping on the overhead lights. Blair plopped down into the comfortingly plush office chair and settled in, kicking her feet up on the table while the Raeth stood off to the side, his eyes assessing the space as if the shadows contained an indiscriminate monster.
She heard them before she saw them.
A trio of vampires burst into the conference room. None of them spoke. Drake and Lucius wore their cloak of hostility like a second skin, while Kane remained removed from their anger, pensive.
“You’ve been MIA for nearly a week, Blair,” Drake growled, crossing the room to sulk beside her chair with a disgruntled expression.
Folding his arms across his broad chest, his earthy brown eyes were tinged with antagonism while he peered down at her. For once, his perfect ensemble was slightly disheveled, his hair less than perfectly style and his suit wrinkled.
“I’m sorry I missed the school bus,” she retorted, unrepentant. “Please do forgive me, oh mighty one.”
Lucius’ anger was seemingly pacified only by the overwhelming relief of seeing her alive and well. “What happened after you got to the newspaper office? Nina explained next to nothing when Drake finally got ahold of her.”
Blair shrugged. “Everything was going swimmingly, but somehow Torrin knew what I was.”
“And?” Lucius prompted, his eyes swirling to an icy blue.
“He pulled a gun and shot me.”
Lucius’ mouth dropped open, his rage causing him to take a staggering step backward. Clutching at his heart, his initial horror was instantly replaced by rage so potent it bittered the air.
“I knew this would happen!”
Stalking back to his sire, Blair’s fledgling grabbed the back of her chair roughly. Extended incisors showed as his lips parted in a feral snarl and words spilled out of his mouth.
“What did he shoot you with? How did you escape? Tell me it wasn’t the sunlight bullets?”
