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“Some of you can eat while others shower—there are a lot of adults here,” she continued, pausing to look around. “Adam and Lorenzo are heads of their clans. They are my knights. Do not disrespect them or any of the shifters of my coven. I do not forgive it. So treat Adam and Lorenzo as if they’re my court. They have that trust and authority.”
People glanced at each other, and I saw the looks wondering if she was kidding or testing them.
“I know it’s not what you’re used to. I wasn’t used to fucking corrupted. We’re doing better in the future and it’s how we roll in this coven.” Again, she gave them a moment. “If you are unaware, we can no longer sense corrupted. It’s also true that unlike most vampires, they are rabid to get me. So everything you thought you knew about them goes out the window.
“We’re being smarter and starting over. That means patrols of this place all the fucking time and outside. Do not assume they won’t want you. Even if you are guests for now, I want you safe. I didn’t take out Kaitlin to risk your lives or let you die now. So we’re going to work together and make our track record of no one dying stick.”
People were thrilled to hear that we hadn’t lost anyone yet. Every coven had from either bombs or being stupid. She hadn’t been the princess long, but she could state that firmly while hunting for corrupted whereas other covens didn’t.
That was impressive.
People started showing up with food, so that helped the new vampires all believe and trust Inez was legit. While sandwiches were handed out from other outposts, Inez told the nobles of Kaitlin’s to follow her to the castle.
And then it was the painful promise of getting all the remaining covens informed and tracking all of that. That took a few hours and some of the responses were not great. A few actually wounded the messengers as “warnings” before they were officially guests at Inez’s coven for her to defend.
The petty was that bad, but no one was hurt seriously and were already healed by the time they returned. Still, Inez was upset and kept apologizing.
The nobles kept looking at each other as if saying “Is she for real?”
Yes, yes, she was.
I was shocked when that task was done and we returned to the convention center. People were cleaning every inch of the convention as the start. A few hundred had already showered and everyone fed at least something. People waiting for their showers had already checked in and were cleaning with the supplies Inez had ordered to be gathered.
Like a few people were on ladders washing the fucking windows. Yeah, these were people happy to be rescued.
“Give me the list,” Inez said to Adam.
“They have about fifty kids under five, so we need to immediately designate a playroom of sorts,” he said as he read over what he had written down. “I would suggest this fancy lounge off of the main convention floor that entertainment or acts were allowed to use. Some of the parents could watch the kids, but we need the supplies. Playpens, diapers—everything.”
Inez nodded and looked at one of the nobles from Safie’s court. “Get a team of vampires you know and specifically focus on that. Let’s hit Baton Rouge and start getting supplies from there brought down here to load the warehouses even. We cleared there, but remember, nothing is what it was so be careful.”
“Yes, Princess,” he agreed. “We will race down the immediate needs of the kids and then load up trailers to be brought down.”
“Good, we can send up cabs to make runs. The drive is just over an hour or so,” she agreed.
That wasn’t as easy for them as her making more semis right for them… But people needed to stop treating her like a damn genie. I was glad she was making them plan more of that stuff themselves.
She assigned more roles and people to head teams to get the list done that Adam gave her. So all that was left was getting this huge convention center back online.
Only that.
Yikes.
Kristof whisked her off and I went as her guard and eavesdropped. “I’m sorry you had to do this, my love.”
“Me too,” she whispered. “It was easier this time, and then I get down on myself for being glad it was easier to murder someone.”
“Punish them,” Kristof argued. “Please, you have to see it that way. You didn’t plot out to take the life of someone random or innocent. She was a threat against you and killed within her own coven. Aether wanted her gone.”
“Why can’t Aether do some of this dirty work Herself then?” Inez rasped, sounding heartbroken.
“I wish She would as well, but I also wish She would back off more.”
“Right?” Inez chuckled. “It’s like I want Her to stop getting involved and making me feel like a rat in Her maze or fucking step up and handle the hardest parts. I can’t even make up my mind which I want more most days, so I totally get why She also doesn’t do more. She can’t win with us crazies.”
Of course, she would defend Aether in the same breath she criticized our Goddess. Inez was adorable like that.
“Remember to focus on what Vitor taught you as you drink,” Kristof said easily, but I knew him well enough that there was a thread of tension still. It was because something involved Vitor.
