Eventually, the cries died down, and the man on the stage smiled. “You will get your revenge, but you must be patient. After all, there is a judicial… process that we must follow.”
His words made it sound like things would proceed fairly, but she heard the undertone of what he was saying.
There would be no fair trial here tonight. No chance to plead theirinnocence. Not really. Even if they were allowed to defend themselves, it wouldn’t matter.
These people wanted blood, and they wanted it now.
The speaker continued, riling the people up into a frenzy. Vivienne barely paid attention to his words, trying desperately to free herself from the bonds.
She wasn’t worried about herself—death was coming for her tonight. But if she could cause a large enough distraction, Marius might be able to get away.
He was young and strong. Surely, he could evade these bloodthirsty humans long enough to find people willing to help him get back to the castle.
Vivienne ignored the crowd and stared at the prince, trying to transmit her plan as best she could. His eyes widened, and he yanked on his bindings. The skin around his hands was bright red, the difference stark against the white snow falling around them.
The second man produced a gavel, which he struck on the side of his chair.
Thwack, thwack, thwack.
The crowd quieted, and he rose from his chair, stepping forward.
“The bodies of our slain countrymen were discovered a few days ago.” He paused, allowing for a flurry of gasps to rise from the crowd. “They’re being brought home for a proper burial, but all evidence points to these two as the culprits. Their necks were torn apart, and they died bloody deaths.”
A woman fainted.
Others screamed and yelled profanities.
Vivienne worked twice as hard to get free. Even if she had to break her thumbs, the pain would be worth it. She just wanted to save the prince before these hateful humans killed her.
She was so focused on waiting for the perfect moment to execute her plan that she almost missed the dark wisps pooling at the base of the platform.
Almost.
But she did see them, and her heart rate picked up. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hands grew slick.
None of the humans seemed to notice the new shadows. They were all focused on the men who, if the cheers that rose all around them were any indication, had just declared them guilty.
So much for getting to defend themselves.
Vivienne didn’t bother looking up, the shadows solidifying until they were inky pools of nothing.
Someone screamed profanities at her.
She didn’t blink.
Even if the world began to quake and stars fell from the heavens, she wouldn’t look away from the scene unfolding before her.
The darkness that had resided in her soul since the night of her Making sang as power—true, unadulterated power that could bring death in the flash of an eye—stepped into the square.
Shadows rippled around the pair of vampires.
One was much taller than the other; their hands were joined, and an aura of strength and violence radiated from them.
These weren’t just creatures of the night.
They were darkness personified.
The most powerful beings in the land.
