“The Fable Coven also attested to that crazy coincidence, my love. Plus, you don’t have to prove yourself to me. I love you for you, not for what you were.”
I turn to look at him and touch his face. “I know, Simon.”
His gaze softens. “I won’t let anyone touch you or take you away.”
I brush my lips against his. “Let’s keep our guests busy, so they don’t ask for Richard. The games will start in less than an hour. This will be fun, don’t you think?”
“I wonder how many will survive.” He grins. “Whoever is behind this, I can’t wait to kill them.”
“Calm down, my love. We’re just sending a message for now.”
He nods. “We should greet Lady Plume next. She’s Queen Felicia’s lady-in-waiting. The queen couldn’t make it, but Lady Plume is a rather fun woman to be around.”
“Oh!” I glance at him. “Which of these fine women took your virginity?”
Simon’s face turns red, and his eyes avert mine. “This isn’t the place to talk about this.”
“She’s not here?”
He shakes his head.
“I hope it wasn’t my sister.”
“Of course not,” he whispers in my ear. “The Sovereign only has eyes for Richard when she comes here.”
“Are you trying to tease me?”
He shrugs.
I lace my arm around his. “Richard is faithful to me. Are you?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “Do you want to upset me by asking that?”
I pout at him. “Then tell me how much you love me.”
“Mistress,” Susana says, stopping in front of us and lowering her head to kiss my mouth. “I was looking for you.”
I run my finger down her neck as I kiss her back. “Are you running from Dominic?”
She leans back and rolls her eyes. “He’s like the plague.”
“Is he wearing my clothes?” Simon asks, looking behind Susana.
“Yes. He had to fit in with the rest of us,” I tell him.
“Hi.” Dominic waves and places a hand around Susana’s waist, stealing her away from me.
She removes his hand and pushes him back. “Go away.”
Dominic grins at me. “She doesn’t want to talk. I did what you said to do, but she’s still upset.”
Susana scowls. “You told him to go to my bedroom and…”
She shuts up when I place my index against my lips. “Smile and mingle. Dominic is here to protect us. You’ll be nice to him.”
Swallowing dry, she folds her arms and nods.
I brush past her as I say, “Pretend to have fun with him while I greet the other guests.”
“I’m confused,” Simon mumbles, placing a hand behind my back and following me around.
“Let them sort out their problems.” I smile and straighten my shoulders. “Where’s Lady Plume, and what else should I know about her. I don’t think Victoria knew her. Or maybe she didn’t leave an impression.”
Simon moves across the room with me, and we begin a new round of greetings.
The antique wood clock announces that there’s an hour left to midnight. As ordered, the waiters storm the salon with black envelopes that they deliver to our guests.
One by one, the guests open them and read.
One by one, they walk to the fireplaces and throw the envelopes inside where they become a pile of ash.
Simon turns down the music as I walk to the middle of the room and twinkle a glass to gain everybody’s attention.
My interruption brings a hush to the conversations.
“The game will start when I give you the sign. I hope everybody understood the rules and is ready to have fun.”
Mumbled voices recite a yes.
“If someone didn’t understand the basics of this game, please, step outside and ask for further instructions from the men wearing blue suits.”
With that said, I return to Simon’s side. “Everything is going according to plan.”
“What if one of the waiters opened an envelope and read it?” Simon asks.
“They didn’t have time. Trust Richard’s plan.”
“Susana shouldn’t be here when things go down. She’s human,” Dominic whispers.
She glares at him. “You’re human too.”
“I have training.”
“I hate you.”
Grabbing her wrist, he pulls her closer and lowers his face towards hers. “Stop with the insults. I’ve already asked for your forgiveness. What else do you want?”
“Leave me alone.”
“I will once the night is over, and you’re safe,” he mutters.
“Stop pretending you care.”
I put my hand in front of their faces. “This isn’t the place or the time.”
Releasing her wrist, Susana rants, “He’s been nothing but a pain. He hasn’t let me dance with anyone who asked me. Richard said that I should meet and talk to a few of his friends. This idiot seems to believe I’m his property.”
I pinch my lips not to laugh. Circling them, I rest my hands on her shoulders and rub them. “Just relax. Go to your room, and I’ll join you when this is over.”
“I don’t want to hide in my room.”
“It might not be safe to be in her room by herself,” Dominic claims.
I look at him. “Take her to the panic room. Stay there with her until this is over.”
“I don’t want to spend one more minute with him,” Susana protests.
“We don’t have time for this,” Simon reminds us. “Richard is outside, preventing anyone from leaving the party.” He glares at Susana. “We don’t have time for the witch’s tantrums.”
Dominic places Susana behind his back and shoves Simon back. “Watch how you talk to her.”
He sneers and dusts the jacket where Dominic touched. “What do you care, baker? She’s my family, not yours.”
A short guy in a black brocade suit approaches with a glass of blood in his hand. “Victoria, is everything all right?”
I step forward and grin. “Of course, Lord Jackson.”
He glances behind me. “Are your knights fighting? Have you lost your touch?”
Grabbing his hand, I ask, “Is everything all right with you? I didn’t have time to have a proper conversation with you since I’ve been reborn.”
He smiles and moves with me farther away as I entwine my arm with his. “Yes. That was an amazing feat. Everybody is still talking about it. Many still don’t believe it. You defeated death and came back with another body. I might say you look more stunning than ever, darling. How is your life as a vampire going? Do you remember everything?”
“Do you remember everything you lived until now? How many years has it been, six, eight hundred?”
“Seven hundred, my dear.” He takes a sip from his glass. “And you’re right. I can’t remember everything—only the most memorable and pleasant times. Well, I have some unpleasant memories too. Our lives are never just fun and good times. I had nasty periods…”
“Yes, yes.” I pat his arm. “It’s the same with me. Can I tell you something?”
“By all means.”
“I’d rather be called by my new name, Emily. It’s such a pretty name, don’t you think?”
“Yes. It’s a pretty name for a pretty woman. No wonder your lovers quarrel for your attention. The new girl, you have such a great taste. Are you drinking from her? They said she’s a witch. How sweet is her blood?”
“Susana? Oh, she’s delightful and such a nice pet. She does everything I ask her in bed, too.”
He chuckles. “I bet. Your knights must be thrilled to have more than one option.”
I clench my jaw and lose my smile. “My knights are content with just me, my lord. Susana is only for my entertainment.”
He loses his smirk. “Oh!”
“You should know more than anyone how much I enjoy a pretty woman.” I lean closer. “I bought a few from you in the past. Remember?”
The right corner of his l
ips turns upward. “Yes. It seems you remember a lot and still have the same preferences.” His voice lowers. “As I recall, the women never lasted long in your harem. You either killed them or set them free.”
“I like to reward the ones faithful to me and punish the ones who aren’t. A great leader needs to be consistent.” I look at him. “I’m sure you know that better than me.”
“I’m not that ruthless, my dear.”
“No one here is ruthless, my lord. We just look after our own interests.”
“Like today,” he says as he looks around. “The distraction you’re providing for us today…”
“Let’s not talk about it and spoil the fun.”
“Are you joining the competition?”
“I’ll be watching up close. Someone needs to make sure that the rules aren’t broken.”
He looks at the window. “Are the men outside preventing anyone from leaving or entering?”
“They are here for your safety.”
Taking my knuckles against his lips, he whispers, “I’d be more willing to score more points if the prize was a night with you.”
“I’m sure you would. But I just sleep with the ones I want.” I wink at him, remove my arm from his, and sashay my way to Simon, who’s following our movements with narrowed eyes and clenched jaw.
“What did he want?” Simon asks, grabbing my hands and pulling me close.
“Information, it seems.”
“Was he one of Victoria’s numerous lovers trying to rekindle an old flame?”
I shake my head. “He’s not my type, either.”
“Is Dominic your type?”
I glimpse behind his back, where Dominic remains seated next to Susana, who’s doing her best to ignore him while staring at her phone. “He’s Susana’s type.” I grin at him. “You’re my type.”
Eleven
I look at the watch over the fireplace and glimpse at the double doors that give access to the kitchen. A few more waiters enter with beverages, and empty trays of cupcakes are removed from the tables.
Simon enters the room and stops next to me. “They are serving the contaminated blood. The bodyguards’ food has been delivered, and they’re pretending to be asleep. Richard says it’s time.”
“Tell Dominic to remove Susana once I fall to the floor.”
He nods and moves away to talk to the baker.
Striding to the table, I pick one of the purple cupcakes with chocolate spiders and take a bite. A waiter strolls to me, takes my empty glass, and replaces it for a new one. I eat my sweet as I watch the beverages being replaced.
One by one, the waiters abandon the salon.
It’s time.
I swallow half of the liquid in my glass. Seconds later, I inhale sharply and hold on to my throat. The flute shatters against the floor. People turn their heads and watch me as I gasp for air. Collapsing on the floor, I close my eyes.
Peeking to see what’s happening, I see most of the vampires holding on to their throats and falling to the ground. Others look around, confused. Some try to escape, but the doors are closed.
Once more than half of the guests are on the floor, the waiters invade the salon. They are aiming shotguns at the humans and shifters that weren’t affected by the poison.
“Stay where you are. We are here for the vamps,” one of the waiters says. “Don’t move, and we’ll leave soon enough.”
Laid on my stomach, I try to hold on to my breathing, but I manage to see that they have covered their faces with clown masks. Creepy!
The music stops, and the invaders step over the bodies as they point the guns and seem to be looking for something.
“Grab the vampire chick. We need to give her the antidote before it’s too late,” a guy shouts.
A hand grabs my arm, and I’m soon thrown over the shoulder of some huge guy.
“Kill the rest,” a voice orders.
The music starts again, and I open my eyes.
The invaders look around as he leader shouts, “What’s going on? Who turned the music back on? Turn that off.”
“Sorry, but that’s our cue,” Simon says, getting up from the floor and removing a sword from behind his back.
The shotguns are shot, but they only have blank powder since Richard had plenty of time to swap their cartridges.
The other vampires get up and attack the guys wearing the clown masks. Through loud screams of fear, the fake servants keep shooting until they realize that it’s not working and go for their knives.
Meanwhile, Simon runs to my attacker and punches his face. I fall down his shoulder but land on Simon’s arms. With the guy growling, Simon puts me behind him and uses his sword to shove away the knife the guy’s using to attack.
“Now that we know who the leader is, maybe we can kill the help,” Simon suggests, evading the guy’s attempts to stab him.
“It’s a game. Killing gives us fewer points. Don’t you want to win?”
“I don’t care about winning!” Simon grabs the guy’s knife between his hand. The blade wounds him, but he doesn’t care. “You shouldn’t have come here.” Punching the guy in his face several times, he finally lets go of the knife while the guy falls back and hits the ground.
Another servant runs to us. Simon holds his sword and swings it around, slicing the guy’s stomach.
Around us, the vampires either kill or suck on our attackers’ necks. The leader’s back is against the door that they closed. He’s talking on a phone while his shotgun rests against his leg.
I rush through the salon, and my hand connects with his neck. Removing the phone from his ear, I whisper menacingly, “Who are you calling?”
“D-don’t kill me.”
“I won’t kill you if you’re nice to me. Are you going to be nice?”
From the opposite side of the room, the doors to the salon open wide, and Richard enters with our bodyguards behind him. He looks around and sees the massacre. It seems the vampires didn’t care about winning. Most of the attackers were dead and torn to pieces.
“This was fun,” one of the vampires declares. “Is there more?”
“We dealt with the others. The Sovereign’s enforcers are arriving shortly to arrest and interrogate the ones who are left alive,” Richard informs.
A bodyguard runs inside the salon. “Five escaped to the gardens and are attempting to reach the forest.”
Richard doesn’t need to act since several vampires rush out of the salon and leave in pursuit. Now that they’ve tasted blood, they won’t stop until they kill anyone who tries to run. It’s no longer a game but a fight for survival.
With the guy still between my claws, I drag him to Richard’s side. “This seems to be their leader. He was calling someone. You might want to check his phone, too.”
He nods and takes the guy off my hands. “Honey, show our guests to the garden while we clean this mess.”
I grin at him and blow him a kiss. Turning around, I tell the guests, “Let’s move to the garden. We have cake and more drinks outside. There’ll be fireworks at the stroke of midnight.”
As if nothing had happened, my guests move orderly to the garden outside the mansion.
Simon approaches me with his sword, still dripping blood.
I look from his blade to the floor and back at him. “You’re ruining the wooden floor.”
He shrugs, lowers down, and cleans his blade against one of the dead guy’s pants. Looking at Richard, he asks, “Do you think they care if we don’t know who the winner is? They killed more than they knocked out.”
“The game gave extra points for leaving them alive,” Richard assures. “The majority are dead or about to die due to the loss of blood.”
“I must have extra points then,” I tell him with a smirk. “I caught the leader and didn’t kill him.”
“You said you weren’t playing, just watching.”
“I watched it and won.”
He pats my head. “I’m only glad that nothing happened to you.
If we didn’t figure out that they were planning to poison us with belreteen and put our bodyguards to sleep, things could get messy.”
Looking around with my hands on my waist, I comment, “At least they did an excellent job serving before trying to kill us.”
Simon chuckles. “Yes, best catering service ever. Too bad there aren’t many left to hire them again next time.”
“We were able to find the real waiters and save them,” Richard informs. “Antoine is coming back home. Simon should join me to talk to the survivors before Margaret’s enforcers arrive.”
I frown at him. “Why are Margaret’s enforcers coming? We don’t need them anymore.”
“She was the one sanctioning the killing, and she wants her men to take care of the interrogation,” Richard replies. “Plus, we don’t have a place to keep prisoners.”
“They said something about an antidote,” Simon says. “It seems they came up with an antidote. Is this new information, or I’m just not up to date with the most recent intel about the belreteen.”
“It seems to be new information. Maybe they have the antidote amongst their belongings since the poison acts fast,” Richard declares.
I wave my hand. “I’ll leave you to this while I go upstairs to check on Susana and our friend.”
I speed up the stairs before they could say anything else.
On my way to her bedroom, I encounter a dead body and another guy bleeding badly from his head. I rush and open the door, finding Susana on her bed with her knees against her chest and her arms around her legs.
“What happened?” I look at Dominic, who’s in front of the bed using a shotgun like a bat.
He relaxes when he realizes that it’s me. “Some guys followed us here. They tried to grab Susana.”
I sniff the air. “You’re bleeding.”
He puts his hand on the back of his head and checks the wound. “It’s nothing serious.” Then he looks behind me. “What about the others? Did everything go according to plan?”
“We’re all alive, and the mercenaries are either dead or tied up.”
Susana leaves the bed and runs to me, wrapping her arms around my body. Sobbing, she mumbles, “I saw him. I think I saw him. He was here.”
“What are you talking about?”
Wicked Souls: A Limited Edition Reverse Harem Romance Collection Page 192
