“Lord Sangre.” One of the guards inclined his head, a barely perceptible tremor in his voice.
I nodded in acknowledgment, my suspicion deepening. The guard’s heartbeat was elevated, and his scent was tinged with apprehension.
As we entered, I stifled a curse as I caught sight of Edmund already present, with Samara seated at the head of the table and Nicolas standing nearby.
Edmund was speaking in hushed tones with a messenger. The vampire’s expression was carefully controlled, but I knew him well enough to recognize the satisfaction lurking beneath his stoic features.
I slowed my pace, straining to catch fragments of their conversation, but he spoke in a different language, just like my clan did. The messenger departed hastily, and Edmund adjusted his cufflinks before turning to face us.
“Valentino.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “How fortunate that you’ve returned from your expedition.”
I could practically taste his insincerity. “It’s nice to see you too, Edmund.”
I took my seat before I ripped his throat out. His time would come, and I hoped my father allowed me to silence the vampire once and for all.
The other council members trickled in. There was a mixture of varying degrees of unease in the air. Those whohad walked in without the sharp tang had also quickly picked up on it.
Whatever was going on, I didn’t like it.
Had they figured out what had really happened to Winston? If they had, where did that leave me?
I glanced over my shoulder at Amari, who wasn’t scanning the room as he usually did but was staring at Samara.
She was the one factor we hadn’t accounted for. And Reve. At least he had eliminated himself from the equation.
It would be so easy to remove her from the equation. The very thought made me want to rip my heart out.
The rest of the council members filed in, taking their places with varying levels of agitation. Seth, the bear shifter, kept cracking his knuckles—a nervous habit that grated on my nerves. Nathaniel perched on his chair like the falcon he was, ready to take flight at the first sign of trouble.
I kept my expression neutral, but internally my mind raced. Edmund’s presence before the meeting officially began was unusual. The messenger, the hushed foreign tongue, the smug satisfaction on Edmund’s face—all of it pointed to trouble.
Samara had her purple hair twisted into an elegant knot at her nape. She looked every inch a royal, despite the tension visible in the set of her shoulders. Nicolas hovered behind her like an anxious rodent, his eyes darting around the room.
Once everyone settled, Samara cleared her throat, commanding attention in that quiet way of hers.
“What is the status of the missing council member?”
Samara folded her hands on the table and spoke clearly. “The village was completely deserted. In the forest outside the village, Amari caught a scent, but it led us right to a horde of vacants. They were abnormally fast.”
Several council members turned to the person next tothem and started whispering. I watched Edmund’s reaction carefully. Not surprise—but interest. As if it confirmed what he had already suspected.
“They nearly got us, but then we got to the lake, and they didn’t follow us in. I’ve never seen anything like it. Something was wrong with them.”
I leaned forward. “We need to send Miles and Tony back to the area to take care of them. An attack from the air is the best answer. If we attacked them from the ground, they would overwhelm us.” I tapped my fingers on the table as if the meeting was a bore, though every nerve in my body was on alert.
Edmund’s lips curled into a smile. “And we’re supposed to believe this outlandish story?” He let out a laugh that scraped against my eardrums. “If you were unable to find the demons who lived in the village and the council member, they either went to Earth or they don’t want to be found. Making up some story about vacants is ludicrous.”
The bear shifter made a grunting noise. “I agree. There have been no reports of any suspicious activity in those woods outside of what’s normal.”
My jaw tightened. I knew Edmund would oppose anything Samara proposed, but I expected more from Seth. The lines were being drawn, and I was suddenly very aware of how few allies we had in this room.
Samara stiffened but kept her composure. “At least take Miles and Tony and see for yourselves.”
Laughter rippled around the table. One council member crossed his arms. “And fall into a trap? No, thank you.”
Edmund stood from his seat and looked at each council member, deliberately skipping me and ignoring Samara completely. “It’s been five days since we called the council to order. We can vote without Winston. I have a pressing matter we must vote on.”
I stood as well. “This emergency council meeting was called regarding Winston and the vacants.”
