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“All I could do was stare up at the most handsome man I’d ever seen.”
Fantaza smiled as her head lifted. “I thought he was an angel or a God, come to take me home. Somehow I managed to finally speak.”
“I fear nothing, I told him. Death is but my home. Death has always been my home.”
“Then I will make it so, he had said.” The smile faded. “Percival took me then, biting me right in front of Aetas as he watched. It was right there on the dark streets of Florence, amongst the dead bodies and stench of illness. I can still remember the sounds of my screams as Aetas took me from Pecival and held my dirty, frail frame in his strong arms, whispering about how he had given me a new life. One I could be proud of. He had always been a God to me. Even in those terrifying moments, he kept me strong. His death … it will forever leave a piece of me missing. My only hope is—”
Footsteps pounded in the back of the room, echoing throughout the large space like thunder rumbling through the sudden silence. The multiple enforcers were paired in two, swallowing the aisles with their large, black-clothed frames.
“What is this?” Fantaza hissed.
Whispering erupted, followed by the rustle of fabric as vampires shifted in their seats.
“Fantaza Rossi, Hector Yubara, Rochester Phillips, Jackson Bastrop, step forward.”
Fantaza, along with the other high members addressed threw glances at each other. The men on the other side of the aisle stood from their seats, but didn’t walk forward as instructed. Enforcers circled around from all sides, their black eyes focused—their arms rising to outstretch in front of them, ready to fight.
“What’s this about? I demand an explanation for interrupting our leader’s ceremony. You should be ashamed of yourselves!”
“Marko?” Tessa leaned over, grabbing my hand as I pulled us to our feet.
“It’s okay, ma minette.”
I tried to hold in the smile as I felt the high member’s power flare. Their faces were filled with worry.
“Under the orders of King Aetas, set date, four days ago, you are all under arrest for treason, sentenced to immediate death.”
“Treason!” Fantaza flew around the podium, skidding to a stop and jerking her palm up to face the enforcers who were edging in. “Aetas would never charge us with treason! This is a mistake. This is not true!”
The main enforcer lifted a paper to face her. “The orders he sent to Master William Mason was discovered, hidden in your room. His signature is right here, for all to see.”
Long red hair swayed along the enforcer’s back as he made a slow circle, displaying the evidence to the crowd.
“It’s forged. It’s not real,” Fantaza yelled. “Someone planted it. Someone …” she scanned the remaining members along the first row on the other side of us. “It was you, wasn’t it, Maribel. You did this! You’ve always been jealous of me.”
Maribel flew from her chair, baring her fangs as one of the enforcers rushed in to grab her.
“You dare accuse me? I bet the paper is true! I bet you and the others accused killed Aetas!”
Gasps reined through the room as she spit in Fantaza’s direction.
“How dare you!”
Chaos broke out as Fantaza rushed toward Maribel. Enforcers crowded in, tackling down Hector, Rochester, and Jackson as they tried to push through the vampires and rows behind them. The air began to swirl, electrifying as Fantaza’s powers stirred with in her. At the screaming, I knew the enforcers were slicing through their necks to remove their heads.
Vampires were crowding through, anxious to see the carnage of our royalty being decapitated. I didn’t move. Didn’t do anything but wrap my arms around Tessa and pull her closer into me as she held to her stomach, groaning in pain. I wanted to smile. To bask in this moment of what I knew she was feeling, but not saying.
Had the member’s betrayed me? Committed treason? Of course they did. But only in their minds. They were all guilty. Every single one in this room. At one time or another, they had wanted my throne. Dreamt of it. Relished in the fantasies of taking it. It was enough for me. I had wanted blood. To shake the very foundation of what we were, and I had accomplished that. But I was far from over and Tessa was feeling it firsthand.
More enforcers rushed in, whispering amongst their partners as the news spread. When the lead enforcer, Colin, nodded, I was ready for the news. My heart was racing from the excitement.
He walked to the front, brushing back the red strands that were becoming loose from his ponytail.
“We have just had news. The cities are under attack.”
“The cities? Which ones?” Mistress Belle Lamore of Reno pushed through the second row behind us to come to a stop in the aisle.
Colin’s shoulders drew back. “All of them, Mistress. Humans have paired up with some of the rogue vampires we’ve been trying to track down. Their plan was orchestrated flawlessly. They all attacked at the same time, hitting every major city, in every state. We have put a shield around the perimeter of Headquarters as precaution. It is as we feared. War is upon us. War is here.”
