But that might be the step too far. Seamus would likely blame Xenofon for being weak enough to fall into this position, but how would Takashi ever explain this to Zack? Would he approve?After all, Zack had no problem killing vampires. He’d done so twice without any remorse. Was maiming worse than murder to him?He’s one of us now. His mind might have changed.
Only so far, Zack seemed roughly the same, apart from his newfound abilities and traumas.
Roger, on the other hand, might struggle with the morality of it. In all their conversations about what the coven would look like, he had shied away from any discussion of punishment. Taking someone’s arm probably appeared on his list of don’ts.
Without knowing, Takashi decided to uphold his reputation as a stately professional in complete control and released Xenofon. He kicked him over in order to put Xenofon onto his back and make any move of retaliation more obvious. However, the psychic and violent display seemed to have worked. Xenofon cradled his arm and made muted noises of pain, but he didn’t seem in the mood to strike.
Takashi bent down. He let the ice in his soul crisp his voice. “Put an unwelcome hand on me again and lose it.”
“I am twice your age,” Xenofon snarled as he stood. “You will show me the respect I deserve.”
Takashi rose as Xenofon did. He kept half his attention on his peripheral vision. He stood alone in a room of predators. But he was one of them, and he would show his fangs rather than cower. Nell had had a muzzle and harness on him; Roger had had his leash of hesitance. Now he and Zack were in the midst of dangerous glory-seekers, and his strength would help shield his lover.I’ve been looking for an excuse to let go.
“I do not respect that which is not worth a drop of spoiled blood,” he said calmly.
Xenofon snarled and stretched his hands out like claws, his nails filed to dagger points. He started to rear back for a strike.
Takashi shifted his weight, one shoulder slightly forward, his other foot back. Narrowing his body would limit Xenofon’seasiest target zones.If he goes for strength, then a little maneuvering should work. I could counter a strike, use his momentum to flip him …
“He has a valid point,” Anton said. The elder vampire was suddenly leaning against the doorframe as if he’d been watching the whole interaction from there. He pushed off with the same sort of bored attitude he’d spoken with and strolled into the room. “Ibeggedmy love to round you up and allow me to turn you to ashes. I mean, honestly, Xenofon. You might be twice Takashi’s age, but you’ve never been half as talented.
“But do you know what we need from you in this new millennia? What we have not seen?” Anton demanded. He finished half a circle and strode into the center of the room. He made eye contact with each of the vampires in the room except for Takashi. Every single subordinate lowered their gaze. Candide took the longest, but even she bent her head. “Loyalty. For the rare one among you, it is misplaced, but at least you have it. The rest of you prefer to spend your time guzzling blood, playing with your toys, and shoving each other out of the spotlight in petty displays of what you perceive as strength.
“We have no use for pathetic subordinates. My love will take our coven into a new era, and if you are not ready to devote yourselves to him, then I have a room in the basement for you. At least until I have the fires ready.” On the last word, Anton finally swept his attention to Takashi.
His point was clear. A misstep would lead Takashi to that fate.Likely sooner than it would any of the others. Keeping his gaze locked on Anton, Takashi slid his focus to the edges of his vision. Any mirth in the room had evaporated, and the resulting chill was a familiar one. The others had fallen into an icy stillness common to the long dead.
Anton grabbed the boy that Xenofon had tormented by the back of his head and yanked him forward. Doing so strained theboy against his bonds, and he let out a cry of pain. Over that, Anton said, “Now, I suggest you all stop fucking around and eat.”
Anton sank his fangs into the boy. The smell of fresh, vibrant blood awoke the hunger churning in Takashi. As others began to feed from their victims, that scent compounded and became a hypnotic call. The mortals’ pounding heartbeats were a race, with some already finishing their last run.
Takashi went to the mortal closest to him. Details blurred into the realm of inconsequential information. This was food, nothing more. He threaded his hand through their hair and forced their head to the side, revealing more of their neck. They were whimpering, but that was a flavor that Takashi hadn’t indulged in a few weeks.
He bit his prey, and blood quickly pooled in his mouth. Each swallow was calming the fire twisting through him, and he eagerly drank down every drop. All too soon, the mortal’s heart tripped, skipped, and began to fail.
He could rationalize his action—after all, in circumstances like this, killing the mortal was to be expected. Leaving this one alive in a room where others were dying was liable to break the mortal’s sanity. The excuse was an easy one to make.
But the sweetest blood from a victim came from the moment before death, and Takashi hadn’t indulged in that taste in months. He drank down his prey’s last moments, and something inside him finallyrelaxed.
His joy lasted the breadth of a singular fractional eternity; while he was in it, it stretched on forever, yet the glory quickly dissipated, and he was left with the reality of a corpse in his arms. Tenderly, he released the body, and it went slack against the bonds still holding it in place.
Anton placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezed, and whispered into his ear, “Come with me.”
The others were still finishing their victims. Xenofon was going for a second as Anton steered Takashi out of the room. Not all of the mortals were on death’s door yet. Jong-Su had left his very much alive, but Takashi was certain that even if the mortals survived this particular night, they wouldn’t leave the mansion.
As he stepped into the hall with Anton, he spied four black-clad security guards at the far end. They would dispose of the bodies, likely taking them to whatever pack of ghouls the GLC worked with. Mortals were just part of the ecosystem. Vampires devoured their blood, and ghouls feasted on their corpses.
Anton paused outside the conference room with Takashi. When he turned toward him, the demeanor of the professional leader was gone, and an inquisitive spark in his ruby eyes gave his smile an impish gleam. He pushed Takashi up against the wall, crowding up against him. “You were marvelous in there. Do you have any idea how hot you are when you’re threatening someone?”
“I’ve an idea.” Takashi attempted to slide down the wall, away from Anton.
“I would love to see more.” Anton put his hand on the wall to block him. As his smile grew, he showed off a hint of his fangs. “Perhaps we should skip the rest of the meeting.” He skimmed his finger along Takashi’s waistband before gripping a handful of his shirt and tugging upward. “I have a wonderful boy I’ve been looking to share with someonefun.”
This was just another of Anton’s masks, though. Another role he was stepping into. He was like Roger, shifting from persona to persona. First, the demanding leader. Now, the horny vampire. Unlike Roger, every word and sexual twist from Anton had a hollow reverberation, like the slam of a metal tube against the ground. A note rang, but it didn’t evoke anything in Takashi’s heart or loins.
Except a small, cautious question poised itself at the edge of Takashi’s mind. He wasn’t ready to dive into it yet, wasn’t sure what to do if the answer he suspected was true, yet it only continued to twist as it waited for its chance to drag him under.Is Antonlonely?
“We are expected,” Takashi said firmly.
