As we took our seats in the fancy conference room, it struck me that I hadn’t seen any vampires or wolves in the whole building. Everyone on staff seemed to be human.
“So,” Luca said as soon as everyone was seated. “I want this over and done with.”
Walter began to shuffle some papers. “Yes, right, we have the paperwork—”
“All I need is the document for ending my contract. I know my lawyer and my manager have both contacted you about this. I checked with Marissa right after I stepped off the plane today.” Ah, that was what that call had been, then.
Thorne piped up hastily, “We wanted to discuss—"
“There’s nothing to discuss.” Luca’s voice was firm. “When I was ill, the label actively tried to keep me on stage, going to all the wrong kind of doctors so I wouldn’t disturb the tour”—helifted a hand when the men tried to interrupt him—“and I know I can’t prove any of that, but frankly, my miraculous healing was not your doing.” He grinned wide and lethal, his fangs showing.
Thorne jerked back in his chair. Somehow, he hadn’t known before and hadn’t noticed today. What an idiot.
“Uh… that’s…,” he tried.
“So I think, whatever you had planned to ‘discuss’ is a moot point now. I know your company policy. Yes, the one we don’t talk about openly.” He made sure his fangs were showing with each wide smile. I had a feeling he’d be doing that in the press conference, too.
Walter took over, finding the right sheet of paper from the bottom of his folder and gave it to Luca to read and sign. Thorne was clearly pissed off, but couldn’t do anything about it. He kept shooting hateful looks at me and Ben, as if we were the culprits here.
Luca signed the document with a flourish and announced, “And we’re done.” Then he looked at Thorne. “Where am I talking to the press?”
“In the atrium,” Thorne ground out.
“Alright. Lead the way.” Luca got to his feet with grace, and then came to Ben and me.
He held both hands out to us, and we went to him, hugging him carefully so as not to disturb his outfit.
Thorne scoffed. I was pretty sure he didn’t realize we could hear that. Like I’d thought before,an idiot.
Luca turned to look at him. “Not only are you speciesist, but you’re also a homophobe. Did you genuinely think there was going to be any amount of money in the world that could’ve kept me under your thumb?”
The way Thorne marched to the elevators told me everything I needed to know about him and men like him. Life was surely nicer and simpler back home. There were less assholes there.
The press conference was short and oddly sweet. Luca announced that he, Mila, and Q had decided that Kaiju was done. He spoke about Will and his legacy and a foundation they were starting for underprivileged kids to learn music.
“I won’t be taking any questions about my personal life, or any changes some of you might’ve spotted,” he said, smiling rakishly with his fangs showing.
The crowd chuckled. Then slowly, there were a few murmurs, as if it was now hitting them where they were and who Luca had become and how that might be a conflict of whatever. Values?
“Okay. If you have questions, you can direct them to Thorne here.” Luca slapped the man’s shoulder in a way that looked friendly but made the guy waver.
Ben chuckled next to me on the sidelines behind some pillars.
“Is there anything you want to say to your fans?” a journalist called out at the last moment.
Luca stilled, then looked at the cameras and microphones. He smiled, his face transforming with a genuine expression of gratitude and joy.
“I can speak for myself, Mila, and Q when I say that we had the best fans a band could wish for. All we want now is space to figure out our next steps. We will never forget you, and we will always be grateful for what you helped us become. Thank you.”
With that, he stepped down from the dais and walked away from his career.
We met him by the side door. If the reporters saw us, I didn’t give a shit.
“I need to change. Let’s go back upstairs,” Luca said in an almost frantic tone.
We hustled him into the elevator and back to Alexei’s kingdom, then waited for ten minutes while Luca changed.
He’d scrubbed his face, too, and only some remnants of the eyeliner were left.
