Crown of Smoke and Blood

by Sadie Jacks

  I smiled. “Ever heard of genies?”

  Cat’s eyes widened. “Like Aladdin?”

  My brow furrowed. “Is he a genie?”

  Both women laughed. “No. He’s a street rat who finds a magic lamp.”

  Nodding like I understood, I built on the one aspect I did recognize from her explanation. “Well, genies don’t really live in lamps, but I think it’s the same basic idea. I’d love to chat with this Aladdin if he’s available. See how he worked with his genie.”

  Giggles and chuckles erupted. It started slow. They slapped hands over their mouths as their eyes danced in delight. But soon, even their hands couldn’t hold back the sounds.

  I was pretty sure I heard a couple of snorts at one point as well. Great huge guffaws and little delicate giggles. These two women were a study in opposites.

  They fell back on the bed, their hands over their bellies as laughter rang through the room. I had no idea why they were laughing, but I had a feeling they needed the outlet. Stress could do strange things to a body, and I needed them focused and at peace.

  I waited them out. Did some more moving in my clothes. Koehn had counted very well for him to have gotten these measurements just so. No wonder he was king. He could do a lot of things at the same time and do them well. I could learn from him.

  The girls finally sat back up, wiping their eyes. “Oh my stars, that felt good,” Georgie said. “I haven’t laughed like that in ages.”

  Cat nodded. “My belly hurts, but in a good way.”

  I smiled at them. “So, back to what I was saying. If you know what genies are, then you know what djinn are. For they are one in the same, just different names. Did your Aladdin use all three of his wishes?”

  They giggled again and nodded.

  My smile was huge. “That’s wonderful. I hope he didn’t waste them.” I got serious. “While I don’t have the power to grant you three wishes each, I do have enough djinn essence to grant you one.”

  They both quieted and looked at me with serious faces. Nodding, they both leaned forward slightly.

  “Do you still agree to the terms I stated earlier?” I asked. It would be tough to undo the blood oath, but since my side still hadn’t been activated, I could do it. It would rip something from inside me, but I could do it.

  Cat nodded. “Yes. If we’re living in a world where vampires, Ferrymen, and magical people live and walk, then I want to be as strong as I possibly can.”

  Georgie nodded as well. “The same for me. I want to learn everything I can, and to help you fight against this man who might or might not be your father. He sounds awful and evil. And if it will help me not be defenseless like I was against Michael, then I will sign up a thousand times.”

  A small part of me relaxed. I would never force an essence on someone and would have suffered the cost of breaking the blood vow. But these two women were true warriors and fighters. I was glad to have them on my side.

  “I need you to repeat after me.” I held out my hands, one to each of them.

  When they placed their hands in mine without qualm or hesitation, I knew I didn’t need to fear anything about broken blood vows. Now...or in the future.

  “I, state your name,” I started.

  They repeated my words.

  “Wish to be as powerful as Vari as humanly possible without damaging myself,” I added.

  The magic inside me swelled as the djinn essence heard the call of their words.

  “This is my wish,” I ended.

  As soon as they said the last word, I felt the world around me go tight and gray. Everything went to smoke as my djinn swirled up and around me. Out of me.

  I held the girls to me when they tried to run screaming, their heartbeats like the sound of thundering horse hooves in my head. I forced them to sit through the magic. Held them still while the power swept through them.

  Gritting my teeth against the pain, I held on. Clenching their hands in mine, they probably thought I was grinding their bones to dust. I held tight. If the link was lost, the magic would warp. And the wish had been vague on purpose. There were rules to using djinn magic. And while I could finesse those rules to suit my needs, I wasn’t immune to its backlash.

  “Almost there, Warriors,” I said.

  “Vari, please,” one of them cried.

  I shook my head. “Just a moment more.”

  They cried out as I felt the magic sink beneath their skin. Meld into their bones and reshape their spirits.

  When the magic came back to me, I gulped it all down. Forced it back into its box. Subdued it as I’d been taught since I was a baby.

  My vision cleared, and the world righted itself. Cat and Georgie were huddled together, their free arms around each other.

  Together, we made a small circle. A tiny ring of power.

  And I could feel it vibrating through all of us.

  My eyes widened. “Oh, shite.”

  They both looked up at me.

  “What’s wrong, V?” Cat asked.

  “I shared a lot more than I thought I would.” I blinked at the auras of power they both wore. “Hot damn.” I smiled widely. “You two are going to knock some people on their arses.”

  Cat smiled, then frowned. “I don’t feel so good.”

  Georgie mirrored her actions. “Neither do I.”

  I nodded. “You’re going to pass out now. I’ll leave Magda here to guard you. Sleep well, my Lady Warriors. We start training in the morning.”

  “Oh, feck,” Cat mumbled as she tumbled back onto the bed.

  Georgie snickered, one delicate hand over her mouth. “Better than puking. Ladies do not puke in public.” She fell back and joined her new sister in the black void of unconsciousness.

  I smiled at both of them. “Definitely better than puking.” I had to shake out my limbs before I could walk, but I made it to the door. Even made it down most of the stairs without tripping on my face or landing on my arse.

  Everyone was waiting for me in the foyer. Charon and Magda were having some kind of hushed conversation nearer the entrance to the kitchen.

  “Magda, I’ve given the girls something. Please watch over them as if they were me.” I reached the bottom step. Smiled up at the scowling Koehn. “Thank you for the clothes. They are amazing. You’re a good judge of measurements.”

  Tavis choked and then gave into a long coughing fit.

  Ambrose and Hector giggled like schoolboys.

  Magda came over until I could see her face. Once she caught my gaze, she nodded. “Yes, My Queen. I’ll guard them with my life.”

  I bit back the annoyance at the title, but since she was doing what I’d asked her to do, I couldn’t really snap at her for it. “Thank you.” Turning back to Koehn, I raised my brows. “Ready to kill some murderers?”

  “Killing someone? Can I come along?” Charon asked.

  I glared at him. “No. You’re not invited. Stay here or go back home.” I laced my fingers through Koehn’s and tugged him towards the door. “Let’s go.”

  “Yes, my lady,” Hector said from behind me. “Just follow me. I’ll have you there before you can blink.”

  He raced from the house using his vampire speed.

  I smiled and caught up to him.

  I definitely blinked before we made it to the mansion, but it was certainly faster than Tavis’ car. That was the saint’s honest truth.

  Chapter 40 – Koehn

  Ambrose and I made it to the mansion just as Vari and Hector strode through the door with Tavis. The fact that Tavis could sift time and place still made me jealous. Kinda. From what I’d learned about Faery in the last few days, I was pretty good with being just a plain, old vampire.

  Walking into the foyer, the energy at the mansion was a curious blend of excited and subdued. I could practically feel some of the men bubbling over with curiosity, while others seethed with rage and disgust. Michael had been a polarizing guy. And the names that had been mentioned...only one of them surprised me.

/>   Now that I thought about it, Bennington was the only one I wouldn't have pegged as part of Michael’s crew. The quiet man was more into video games than he was women. But he’d also died as a teenager from cancer rather than old age or dangerous behavior. I would be interested to know what kind of pull the others had used to get him involved.

  Gideon met us at the door. His shoulders were tense and his face showed his fury. Gideon had never been one to treat women poorly. We usually called him Angel Gideon because he went out of his way to be kind to women. The fact that he was this enraged probably had more to do with the number of men involved.

  “Vinnie was able to wipe the memories of the other women. We sent them to the garda station, to my contact. The garda will take care of it from here.” Gideon scraped a hand down his face.

  “Everything else okay, Gideon?” Vari asked. She had a clipped tone that made my ears twitch.

  He shook his head. “Bennington…”

  “Bennington what?” I moved forward, let one of the others push the door closed.

  “Bennington somehow managed to set himself on fire,” Vinnie said softly.

  “Shite.”

  “I highly doubt that’s possible,” Ambrose said. “Were the convicted locked down together?”

  Vinnie and Gideon both nodded.

  Ambrose smirked, but it didn’t have anything to do with humor. “Of all the men you gathered, would you have assumed Bennington to be the most volatile?”

  Gideon shook his head. “No. If anyone was going to try to get out of his punishment, I would have put a lot of money on Mateo. The pompous arse keeps trying to get a phone call. Like we’re the bloody human garda.”

  “Then it seems we need to be having a conversation with Mateo. Not blaming Bennington,” Vari said.

  “I agree, My Queen,” Ambrose said.

  “What is the penalty for killing one of your own?” Vari asked me.

  “Torture...then death. Had he just confessed to his crimes, he would have died easily.”

  Vari shook her head. “None of those men will get to die peacefully. They tortured those women, Koehn. They don’t get to get out of receiving their just desserts.”

  “It’s our way, Vari,” I said. “You’re not an executioner. Nor a judge for vampires. Certainly not a jury. We do this our way.” I wanted so badly to tell her that I agreed with her. That what they’d done to these women was beyond evil. That the men would suffer for as long as I could be creative in my punishment.

  Vari continued to look up at me. Anger in her beautiful eyes. Her fingers clenched and relaxed into fists as if wishing she had a weapon in her hands. “Georgie and Cat are mine now. I will seek vengeance for the crimes against them. Give these men to me.”

  I shook my head.

  Koehn, she does have a right, Hector said in my mind.

  Yes, she does. But she can’t be the one to hand out the sentencing, I argued.

  Why not? Ambrose asked.

  Because the women were hurt under my rule. It will be me who serves their justice on the accused. It will be me who sets the standards, and me who upholds them.

  Then I would like to vote here and now. Beginning right now, all vampires who knowingly hurt the innocent will suffer the same as those who would kill our own kind, Hector said.

  Seconded, Ambrose joined in.

  We all looked at Gideon. He was the last standing member on our Council. So moved, he said. A vicious smile on his face.

  It has passed, I said.

  I looked down at Vari. “You may watch, but you won’t be allowed to serve as executioner.”

  “But Koehn, the girls—”

  “Were under my protection. By a unanimous vote, we’ve upgraded our punishments to those in that room and any who choose to repeat their behaviors in the future. Your Ladies will be avenged. But it will be I who does it on their behalf.”

  She opened her mouth, a mulish expression on her face.

  “It is my right as King to do this.” I cut across anything she could possibly think to say.

  She closed her mouth, a considering look in her eye. After a long moment, when I thought I would have to talk to her privately, she nodded. “Fine. You’re correct. But if you need any tips, please come to me.” She stepped back, crossed her arms over her chest. The pulse at the base of her neck was pounding like an engine’s piston in high gear.

  I nodded. “Get everyone gathered in the throne room.”

  “I’ll grab the plastic,” Vinnie said. A crooked smile on his face. He spun on his heel. Stopped in front of Vari. “You have my thanks. Not everyone would have braved the king’s anger in support of strangers.”

  Vari looked up at him. “They aren’t strangers to me.”

  He dipped his chin and continued on his way. I’d never seen Vinnie care so much about anyone. Other than his books, he acted as if most people didn’t exist at all. Catriona must have made quite the impression on him.

  “They’ve been called, My King,” Gideon said. By the formal tone in his voice, I knew that some of the family must be close.

  I sighed. For the most part, I really hated the ancient formality that governed our species. Never more so than now. I wanted the entire family to know that this kind of thing was unacceptable. That it was me, Koehn, not their king who would hunt them down and kill them for their depravity.

  I would make do with dispensing justice as their king. And hoped they saw the man beneath the crown of blood.

  Grabbing Vari’s hand, I directed us to the back hallway. There was no need to shove her in the face of my family. I had a feeling she would position herself directly in front of them as soon as we stepped foot inside that room, but that would be her choice.

  “What are we waiting on?” she asked as we stood outside the doors to the throne room in silence.

  “He’s making a grand entrance,” Tavis said. “While he’s not much for pomp or circumstance, he does know how to play his position to the full. By making them all wait, he reinforces his power. By making them wait after he demands their attendance, he shows them who is in control and to whom they will answer if they step out of line.”

  Vari nodded, a considering look in her eye. “My father does the same. Drives me batshite crazy. But that makes a lot of sense. Quell any fights before they begin.”

  Both Tavis and I nodded. Even though I hoped never to be compared to her father in the future, I could understand the comparison. Playing politics was a bloody awful game. Playing that game well took time, intuition, and skill. I was a master of it when I had to be.

  We waited until grumbles started coming from the room beyond the doors. The men were getting twitchy. Muffled supposition and thinly veiled threats could be heard. While they worked themselves up into a froth, I stood patiently behind the doors. Smiled as the growing unrest rose.

  Groups were forming. Those who thought the men in question had been within their rights to take the women. They were the loudest and most raucous group.

  Those who were firmly in our camp made reasoned remarks that were drowned out by the fanatics. I made a mental note of the voices I recognized in both camps. If the dissenters couldn’t play by my rules, there were more covens available around the world. If they chose to stay, they would know, without a doubt, that my word was law.

  I looked at Vari and the men gathered around me. Gave them a short nod.

  Hector, Ambrose, and Gideon moved forward and shoved the reinforced doors wide open. The loud slam of the doors hitting the walls brought a hush to the massive room. Two hundred men turned and watched them enter.

  With Vari’s hand in the crook of my elbow, I began my slow walk to the dais. Felt the shared mental network buzz and writhe in my head. These men were good men, on the whole. There were a few who thought they were owed more than the lot life gave them. But I imagined they were the same in their human lives as well.

  When Vari and I finally reached the top of the platform, I looked at Tavis where he remained near the ba
ck of the room by the doors. “Bring in the accused.”

  He nodded and strode off.

  Vinnie came in, his arms stacked high with plastic sheeting. So much so that I could barely see the top of his head. But he made his way unerringly to the base of the dais. Started spreading out the plastic.

  Murmurs and grumbles spread through my family once more.

  “This is shite! They did nothing wrong.”

  “They tortured and killed women.”

  “Humans. Our food source.”

  Bring Bernard to me, I ordered Gideon.

  The man rose from his chair and walked out into the crowd. When he grabbed Bernard all talking ceased. “King Koehn would like to talk to you.”

  A communal gasp rose through the room. The tension increased until I felt like I could cut it with a knife. And I was perfectly okay with that.

  Vinnie finally finished spreading out the plastic. He’d taken his sweet time, making sure to get every corner laid just so. He ensured that there was an overlap between the giant sheets to protect our floors. I didn’t know the man was so capable of putting on a show. But once again, I was glad the man loved books more than he loved anything else. Maybe I could convince him to take the vacancy on the Council?

  You should get him on your Council. Vari’s words trailed through my mind like smoke.

  I was thinking the same thing.

  She didn’t look up at me, but I could feel the approval blasting off her.

  Vinnie turned and nodded at me when he finished his minute adjustments. He walked back to his customary seat in the back. He sat down as if he’d just arrived and not threatened everyone in that room with their death without saying a single fecking word.

  Tavis came in. The three remaining criminals pushed in front of him by his power alone. Technically, he shouldn’t be here. He wasn’t a Nightwalker. He had no position of power or influence that dictated his presence.

  But I wanted him there. That was more than enough for me. One more person I knew without a doubt was loyal to me.

  “My King, I demand my right to make a phone call,” Mateo shouted as Tavis shoved him and his cohorts to the front of the room.