BUT NO.
What a fucking traitor.That’s the last time I save my siblings or Scarlett from a demon in a nightclub.Octavia shrugs that bloody arm around my shoulder again.I crane my head up to check whether she’s lost her fucking mind.I attempt to knock her off, but she holds me in place with her vampire grip.“You have my personal assurance that Dahlia will guard Penelope with her life.Won’t you?”
I open my mouth, ready to spit poison on her.
“Won’t you,Dahlia?”she urges.
Gabriel, Red and Xavier all huddle around me like I’m being presented as a prize.
Sacrificed, more like.
Octavia lowers her voice to vampire quiet.“Please, Dahlia, I need this.It will solidify our partnership and bring a new era of peace in.I’ll owe you…”
That makes my ears prick up.
“Owe me what?”I whisper.
“Whatever it takes.”
I take in her expression.Oh, for the love of blood, she’s got that sincere, soft look in her eyes.In all the years I’ve known her, I don’t think she’s a) made such a request, or b) left the reward so open.
I slump against her.
“You owe mebig,” I say through gritted teeth.
The queen inclines her head, takes my hand and shakes it once.“New Imperium thanks you for your service.”
It’s the princess that ends the conversation.“Mother.Fucker,” she shrieks and storms off down the hallway.
Oh, I am going to enjoy this.
Chapter6
Penelope
Idon’t need to look behind me to know she’s following.Of course she is.Not only is she now my bodyguard, but the vampires are here to impress Mother.I don’t care if Dahlia potentially stopped me from being eviscerated this evening.I don’t need a bodyguard, and I am very done being dictated to.Fuck having a babysitter, let alone a blood-sucking one.The fact she’s one of only two women I’ve ever wanted to sit on the face of, and she didn’t tell everyone I snuck into Sangui City unguarded, unaccompanied and rubbed Roman’s face in it, is beside the point.
I storm into my room and slam the door behind me, hoping she gets the message.
She doesn’t.
I flop on my bed, only to realise I’m still covered in blood and organ residue and stifle a scream.Gods, this was a designer dress too.I sit up as Dahlia lets herself in and proceeds to waltz around my room, picking shit up like she owns the place.
“Excuse me, your job is to stand there and make sure I don’t die.Not touch my shit.”
She smiles, full-fanged, at me.
“Is that supposed to scare me?”I snap, over the antics already.
There’s a rush of air and I yelp.Suddenly she’s right in my face, the fangs that were harmless twenty feet away are far sharper up close.
“My job, Brat, is head of training in the new unified army…”
I narrow my eyes at her.“Is that so, I heard you were demoted,General.”I smirk.
She growls.I’m about to cuss her out for being a wolf instead of a vampire when I realise…
I got to her.I actually pissed her off enough I burrowed under her skin and got to her.Delicious.
