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Kym screamed, falling to his knees while he held his upper arm, or what was left of it. Blood gushed from the fleshy stump, pooling on the floor. Nova held the severed limb in her mouth, teeth still bared for all to see.
Adora straightened her dress, unfazed, while Danni pinched the bridge of her nose and held her hand out to the wolf.
“Give that to me, Nova,” she said, and the wolf dropped her prize unceremoniously into Danni’s outstretched palm. Danni looked up at me, holding it out. “Um, I guess this belongs to you.”
A crowd had gathered as soon as Kym’s screams had pierced the air, but I simply stared in awe. Who was this woman who not only commanded a wolf but stood undaunted by what had transpired? She’d either been through a lot or was crazier than she appeared. Something told me it was the former.
“What is going on here?” Mathis boomed as he stormed toward us.
For fuck’s sake. I ripped Kym’s other sleeve and balled it up. Gripping the back of his neck, I stuffed the sweat-soaked material in his mouth to muffle the sounds of his wailing. He swayed in my grasp, struggling to stay upright but quickly failed in the balance department.
Danni dipped her head at the Alpha’s arrival, and Nova sat back on her hind legs. She was nearly as tall as the white-haired woman beside her, but three times as wide. Adora followed her friend’s lead, though reluctantly at best. “Alpha Supreme,” they said in unison.
Mathis’s eyes flashed in anger as he saw the bloody appendage in Danni’s grasp. “You dare cause a scene and attack another when I am the host?”
“We’re sorry, sir. We were?—”
I reached out, grabbing Kym’s arm from Danni’s hold. “Just holding that for me. Thanks,” I said. I brought my clean hand to my mouth, placing my fingers against my lips, sending a high-pitched whistle into the air. Multiple vampires appeared at the ready. I gestured to Kym, then handed his arm to Ysabeau. “Get him out of here before he bleeds out on the floor.”
Ysabeau’s confusion would have been hard for anyone to discern, but I knew how to read her. “What should we do with him?” she asked, flicking her gaze to him in disgust.
“I don’t care; just follow the rules of the treaty,” I answered. “And clean up the mess.”
That was something I’d learned long ago. I didn’t need to detail whatever punishment I was going to dole out in order to invoke dread and anxiety. Not knowing—imagining and fearing what it could be—went a lot further. It didn’t hurt that Ysabeau was her most creative when given a blank check.
She nodded, then snapped her fingers for vampires to carry out my orders.
Mathis puffed out his chest as the crowd got louder.
“Your existence dishonors Fire and Fluorite, Dannika. But this? To break the treaty on neutral ground?” He shook his head. “The punishment for this will be severe,” he declared, making sure his voice was heard.
Adora stepped forward. “She didn’t do it, Alpha Supreme. It was me. I called Nova.”
His eyes widened in anger, and he backhanded the young woman. Her head jerked to the side, and a small cut appeared from the Fluorite ring on his finger. A single drop of blood dripped down her cheek. She held her ground, turning back to stare at him.
“You will speak when you are spoken to, orphan!” he roared, hatred filling his words.
“My wolf is my own. Not my sister’s.” Danni raised her voice, Nova standing tall by her side. “But we didn’t break the rules, sir.”
So she was a shifter. Between her House and having what appeared to be some type of bonded wolf, I’d been fairly certain. While witches with familiars were possible, I hadn’t gotten that impression from her. Most of the witches existed in Spirit and Sapphire, whereas Fire and Fluorite probably had over eighty percent of the shifter population. That she was a shifter who existed independently of her world, though . . . I raised my eyebrows and my lips parted slightly. Who were these girls?
Just as Mathis began to speak, I interjected.
“They’re right,” I said, holding my palm out and gesturing to the crowd. “As we all know, the rules state there’s to be no death on this night. As King of Blood and Beryl, I take no offense. There has been no death, and therefore, no dishonor.”
Mathis sneered. His fingers twitched. “You don’t care that some girls have attacked one of your own? How safe your people must feel, knowing how you will defend them.”
I raised my chin and spoke loudly so all could hear. Two could play that game. “I know you’ve only been House Leader a short time, but let me remind you: There is no clause for spilled blood. Only death. These women have every right to defend themselves against men that don’t understand the word ‘no.’ If that’s a crime in Fire and Fluorite, I pity your House for having gone back in time instead of forward. Kym is at fault and will be punished accordingly.” I turned to Danni and Adora. “I thank you for bringing his behavior to my attention.”
Danni scrunched her eyebrows and she looked at her leader, then back to me. “Um . . . you’re welcome.” Adora went to speak, but Danni elbowed her quickly.
The murmurs in the crowd favored my explanation, and Mathis knew he was cornered. His embarrassment was on display, and he wasn’t going to take it lightly.
He lowered his voice, piercing Danni with a vile stare. “Keep that bitch of yours in line tonight.” He looked at Adora, adding, “Both of them.” He stormed away, yelling for the crowd to disperse.
“Fun party,” I said when he’d left. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Elias?—”
“I know who you are, Your Majesty. We’re sorry about your man’s arm and making a scene. Now, if you’ll excuse us,” Danni said in a rush. She grabbed Adora’s elbow and leaned toward her. “We need to talk. Now,” she muttered through clenched teeth.
