Liam picked up on the significance of that.
“Anton, find out who she is and her master’s name,” Liam ordered.
Anton looked between the two of us but didn’t argue, already moving to follow orders.
“Do you see anything else?” Liam asked, a weight to his question that told me what he really wanted to know.
I shook my head.“There might be something, butI’m not sure. There are too many power players to get an accurate read.”
He touched me on the hip.“Then we’ll get her to a place where you can get that reading. Stay here.”
I was more than willing to oblige as he signaled one of his enforcers before moving away. The crowd parted for the dangerous shark in their midst as he cut through them.
Even as young as this vampire was, she could probably wipe the floor with me. She had to have decades on my three years. Vampires were like fine wine, they grew more powerful and dangerous with age. Something I wouldn’t have for many, many years to come.
Liam appeared in front of the server, a genial smile on his face. She stepped back and drew up short as another enforcer appeared behind her. The one I called Viking. He was large and intimidating as he scowled down at her.
The tensionI’d been carrying in my shoulders dissipated as they corralled her. Whatever her intent, whatever had been planned was contained now.
A sharp scream ripped from her. She crumpled in the Viking’s hands, falling to the ground as she jerked and shook. A space widened around the three as those in the vicinity drew back to watch the drama in their midst.
Liam and the Viking tried to protect her from injuring herself, their efforts only mildly successful as she convulsed, her eyes rolling up in her head as white froth spilled out of her mouth. Blood leaked out of her ears and mouth.
A halo surrounded her in my othersight, getting stronger and more vivid with every scream. Whatever was happening to her, it sounded like she was being slaughtered as we watched helplessly.
I glanced away, looking in the direction she’d been heading. Distantly, I noted Thomas surrounded by his guests, Niall and Cadell among them. They all watched dispassionately as the woman’s cries suddenly ceased.
That was nearly scarier than her screams, the silence unbearably loud in the full ballroom.
Thomas frowned with curiosity as he looked between where I stood, and Liam and the woman on the ground, something building in his gaze.
A movement to his right caught my attention. A vampire, vaguely familiar, turned toward Thomas’s group. His face displayed the same vacantness as the woman.
His lips moved as he muttered.
I moved before I could think better of it, discarding the possibility of using the Judge. There was too much of a chance of hitting civilians.
Fifteen feet from Thomas. Ten.
I wasn’t going to be fast enough. The man raised his hand, something warping the air in front of it.
I sprinted for them.
Thomas’s eyes widened at the sight of me pelting in his direction, his gaze rotating as he sought what had caused my panic.
The vampire threw the ball of writhing air. I arrived, yanking Thomas out of the way. Not fast enough. The protection Dahlia had given me shredded with a crack that ripped through the air.
The ball hit me—excruciating pain consuming me. Arlan and the twins watched with fascination as they sipped on their drinks. Then nothingness.
CHAPTERTWELVE
“When were you going to tell me about this?” Thomas asked. His voice sounded overly loud to my pounding head.
Not my favorite way to wake up. I didn’t bother opening my eyes, not ready to leave the cool darkness quite yet. You never know when someone might let something interesting slip, and with vampires, it paid to overhear as much as you could.
Liam remained stubbornly silent. I could almost imagine his cold gaze in my mind.
“Perhaps if you looked beyond your own concerns every once in a while, I wouldn’t have had to,” Liam said.
