“No, I don’t want to charge King Belshazzar with Lord Pippin’s death,” Lord Cato grumbled in offense.
Lord Otto stared down at the dead. Tears welled in his eyes and started to fall down his cheeks. He whispered, “Yes, I wish to charge King Belshazzar—”
I drew my gun and fired before he could damn us all.
The back of Lord Otto’s head blew off, his brain splattering the bar and wall and liquor bottles. His body tipped backward while a small trail of blood traveled down to his nose from the bitty bullet hole in the center of his forehead. His body landed on top of Lord Pippin with athump.
I calmly placed my gun back into my holster and returned my attention to my lover. “You were correct, Bel. No one in this room is innocent.”
Just like the dead fucking moron who would have killed us all by charging King Belshazzar—and then me having to kill the king since he was guilty as sin. We had to get to S’Kir,survivein S’Kir, and find the Breaker, after all. King Belshazzar was needed for the survival of the druid and vampire factions. He couldn’t be charged with shit…but as their queen, I had to ask.
Fucking. Idiot.
King Belshazzar’s lips twitched at the corners. “Lord Xenon and Lord Cato are going to beverybusy while we’re gone.”
“Yes, that is going to be unpleasant for them.” I averted my attention in their direction. Both had utterly blank features, not showing any emotion whatsoever. I cleared my throat, and murmured, “I’m sorry I made your jobs harder. But it had to be done.”
Lord Xenon jerked and stalked three steps to the pile of dead, and started kicking Lord Otto’s body, again and again, shouting, “You stupid motherfucker! Goddamn piece of shit! Why the fuck did you say that? Oh sure, let’s take away the one man who can save our people? You goddamn moron!”
I guessed everyone grieved differently.
Lord Cato lifted a black brow—the bellowing and kicking didn’t stop from the other lord—and stated calmly, “I believe Lord Xenon is upset that we won’t be getting any sleep until you two return.” He lifted his right hand and made a shooing motion at us. “Go. And get back…fast.”
I nodded and grabbed my backpack full of clothes and weapons that King Belshazzar had instructed I pack. I tossed the Original vampire amulet to King Belshazzar, and he caught it with one hand while bending and grabbing his own backpack. I shoved my arms into the straps of my overloaded pack and adjusted it so it fit properly.
“Lord Cato, please sign that document and make it official, and put it in the vault,” I ordered.
“Yes, your majesty.” My father signed as the vampire witness and folded it, placing it in his pocket. “Your signature looks like mine.”
King Belshazzar and I had hurriedly signed the official document when we’d arrived in the room. I probably should have read over it better since he stuck that ‘children’ rule in there.
I snorted. “You mean, yours looks like mine?”
My father simply laughed.
I muttered, “King Belshazzar, how do we get to S’Kir? Where are we landing at?” Judging by our backpacks, it wouldn’t be luxurious.
King Belshazzar strolled toward me as he adjusted his own straps on his backpack. “We’re making a pit stop before we travel to S’Kir.”
My eyes snapped to his. “What?”
Lord Xenon kicked Lord Otto’s body again.
“Yes, I agree.What?” Lord Cato growled. “You have to hurry. There is no time for pit stops.”
King Belshazzar snorted. “It has beenthree thousand yearssince I left S’Kir. And language is fluid, ever-changing. While I may be able to communicate with the oldest people there, the queen won’t be able to speak the language at all. We’re going to see Lonzo in Edinburgh first, the druid language expert.”
My father glared. “Don’t smoke anything there.”
“I see you’ve met Lonzo before.” The king chuckled softly.
Lord Cato peered down his nose. “I can’t recall.”
“I’m sure you can’t,” King Belshazzar droned. He lifted the Original vampire amulet into the air in front of him and glanced down at me. “You’ll need to put your hand on me while I make the portal. The magic will knock you out otherwise.”
“I already know that.” I sniffed. “And I still don’t want to touch you.”
His blink was slow. “Excuse me?”
