“I seek asylum for the right to the throne,” she announced, for once without ceremony.
“No...” Julia said, looking from Jacqueline to Marcus. Finally, her eyes took in Tony, who was covered head to toe in the blood of others and some of his own. He smiled when Julia noticed him, his teeth a smear of white in all that red. She shuddered between the protection of William and Jason.
Jacqueline turned to her. “There is a deeper magic than what is told in the Book of Singers... as Marcus is aware.” Her eyes flashed at him like black water caught by the light of the moon. “If the Rare One should not take Fang, Claw and Singer into her body, another of royal descent shall reign in blood in her stead.”
Marcus stayed silent.
Julia's eyes left him and she turned her stare to Jacqueline instead. “You can't do this.” Julia's voice trembled with her rage. It was fine and clear, a burning wick without end.
“Oh but I can,” Jacqueline answered.
“How?” Julia could feel her eyes in her head, wildly rolling from one to the next of those who surrounded her.
“She cannot do anything if she were dead,” William said in a quiet voice. The very lack of inflection said more clearly what he was thinking than if he'd uttered it.
Jacqueline put up her hand. “It will not work, you take away what she is if you were to kill me.” She laughed. “I have invoked the sacred words and I have the royal blood to do it.”
Julia whipped her head to Marcus, feeling sick to her stomach. The absence from Scott, the fighting between Jason and William—all of it, added to her general malaise. But this? It was like a cherry on top of a rotten cake. “Is this true? Because, I'm not getting this. Make me understand it. She tried to Kill. Me.”
Gold eyes met brown. “I had hoped that you would choose the three and bind them to you. Then Jacqueline's subterfuge would be moot.” His eyes apologized while his matter of fact words burrowed like well-placed claws in her chest, seeking her heart.
“But I haven't,” Julia said softly.
“No,” Marcus said. For it was all he could, regret would not erase the moment.
There was a sudden commotion behind them and Scott's presence flooded Julia's senses before he entered the room. She felt the heat of his love, his rightness for her and it straightened her spine as she walked forward to Jacqueline.
She swung her arm back, moving her entire body with it and visualized her fist going through Jacqueline's face as Scott had taught her to strike when they first met.
Julia wondered why it hurt so damn bad to hit someone.
Jacqueline staggered before she fell on her elegant ass, her hand going to the corner of her mouth that was now bleeding.
“No one is Queen but me,” Julia said, bolstered by Scott lending his strength from a distance measured only in yards, their eyes locking for a fleeting moment. And some of that strength was all hers.
“That's it bitch!” Adi squealed loudly from the corner of the threshold.
Jacqueline looked up at the Queen of the Singers, the younger woman's death hung like a promise in those black eyes. “We shall see.” She dabbed at the tender corner of her mouth, her black eyes like a flame on Julia. Burning, burning.
“You got that right,” Julia said, and felt the wave of Scott's comfort before his hands landed on her.
Julia would survive.
She already had.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Julia
Julia likened the reappearance of Jacqueline to an out-of-body experience.
She watched as Tony was escorted out the front door, none-too-gently, as he had bloodied two of the Combatant upon entering the mansion. It was only fair that the rest escorted him out of here. Julia couldn't think with him skulking around.
Julia's eyes met Cyrus' as he had a palm on each fallen Combatant, speeding the already natural healing capabilities inherent to their station. He gave the barest of nods as Julia walked by and she nodded back, his eyes like pale water swept her for damage and seeing none, he broke his gaze away and went back to healing her guard. Scott's hand was firmly in hers as they made their way out into the open. There was no staying in an enclosed space with that many who regarded each other as enemies at best, at worst—friendship was absent.
Julia felt William somewhere behind her, the soft twilight was causing him discomfort. Singer enough to withstand the light, vampire enough to be in pain. Yet, there he was... literally at her back. Julia couldn't feel Jason but given their charged relationship of love-hate, she had no doubt that he remained a constant. Hating to be away from her, hating to be near her. There was no winning there.
It was Marcus who stood in the very center of the two groups, his collective presence the heaviest of all.
But it was Scott who broke the silence, “What is this bullshit?” he began, throwing his hand out to encompass his mother- the murderer. He said the very thing Jason had said and Julia felt her mouth pop open in surprise.
Jacqueline curled her lips, noting Victor's presence with a look and sniff as greeting. “I have invoked the sacred words of blood and announced my bid for the throne.”
“Oh horse shit,” Michael said with a disdainful snort.
Julia looked around, noting the presence of all the siblings gathered: Jen, Brendan, and Michael stood behind their father; their eyes moving over Jacqueline, Tony and, warily, over the new Were who had appeared. Julia stared at him, narrowing her eyes. What was it about him that rang a bell? Her memory whispered to her but then Jason stepped forward, one hand in the air and the nagging fragment flitted away. “I'm going to claim ignorance on this. But... it seemed like the vamp and I just saved Julia and this conniving...”
“Don't say it,” Julia said quietly.
Jason nodded to her slowly, controlling his words. “This conniving shrew tried to kill my wife.” His eyes swept the Singers, Were and lone vampire present. “Your Queen,” he added in emphasis. “And yet, for some unfathomable effed up reason, we should consider her psycho request. I say fuck that.”
“Twice,” Adi piped in and he looked at her, nodding when he saw she was in agreement with his comment, the corner of his mouth giving a small upwards twitch.
“But you are Were...” Marcus said, somewhat puzzled by his comment.
Jason's eyes narrowed, green leaking through the hazel as he spoke, “And by your own admission... I'm plenty Singer too.”
Lawrence, Manny and Slash exchanged uneasy glances.
“What?” Truman asked, looking from one to the other. And Julia's nose scrunched, she stared hard at the new Were. His voice... his manner. Who was he?
“Sacrilege,” Slash stated baldly.
Jason looked at Julia, then back to the Were with the scar. He folded his arms across his chest. “Explain.”
Marcus put his hands out. “This can come later. It is the matter of Jacqueline vying for the throne that must be addressed.”
“Father,” Scott said. “This...” He looked at his mother then gave a grunt of disgust, “woman... no one can accept her as ultimate ruler. Our Rare One has been anointed, the Combatant has formed the circle, she is blood chosen—there are no others.”
Marcus was quiet for so long Scott opened his mouth to say more. “Silence!” Marcus hissed, giving tired eyes to the group as Jacqueline continued to smirk in triumph. “Every mating that happens between Singers who possess the blood quantum to produce what Julia has become... they might also be placed on the throne if the heir apparent does not, for whatever reason, solidify their calling.” His eyes met Scott's. “Even if the Rare One is meant to rule.”
Julia stood there for a moment, taking in those damning words. “So there never was a choice.” Julia's low pitched words were flung out at the crowd, the Singer's broken hearts in their eyes as they gazed back at her. Finally, Julia's eyes fell to Jacqueline.
Hers held the certainty of her calling as an absolute.
Julia was resolved. With her soulmate at her back and two males of d
ifferent supernatural species standing behind her, she made her choice.
“You won't be Queen, because I will do what it takes to fulfill my birthright.” Julia felt Scott stiffen behind her and it was all she could do, all that she was... to not touch him, skin to skin and offer what she could to make this horror of a decision less. But there was nothing but soldiering on. Julia ignored what the reality meant for her, powering through the consequence.
“I won't,” Jason said. “This is... bullshit.” He looked out at all the people who stood gathered, then Scott and finally, William. “I know I was a Singer but that Were lit into me in Homer and left me for dead. There was no concern about how wrong it was for him to attack me, that I'd turn, die—whatever. So don't shove us newbies around. I have a point. I was human, I had a wife.” His eyes blazed at Julia like fire on her skin, scalding her. “And she's right fucking there.” Jason pointed to Julia, her face in grim lines of resignation. Each word he spoke hit her like a wound.
“You were never human, you know that now,” Truman said quietly. “Hell... I know it,” he added, skimming his palm over his changed body.
It finally clicked into place. He's Karl Truman, Julia realized in wonder. Somehow, he looked the way Truman would if he were young. Her thoughts were shattered suddenly and her head snapped to the noise.
It was Tony who began to clap loudly, his palms cracking together in a slow, rhythmic slap that made those who stood near him flinch and the guards that flanked him draw closer in expectation of what he could do next.
Except William. He didn't flinch but narrowed his eyes on the Were.
“Stop that, Were,” Marcus warned, continuing, “you are standing covered in the blood of my Combatant. I cannot kill you for fear of retaliation from the local Were den.” Marcus' voice said clearly that the thought had occurred to him. He slid a glance toward Lawrence, who gave him neutral eyes in return. “However, if you had killed the Queen's guard... it would have been within my rights to do.”
“A pleasure to do, I imagine,” William added, his eyes like slits of a storm.
Tony stopped clapping and looked at the vampire. “Y'know, you're beginning to get on my last nerve, drinker.”
William's lips curled in disgust, a hint of fang showing. “Which part insults you most? That you seek a violent end for its own sake? That you manipulate all for your own gain?”
Tony grinned at William, baring his teeth. “Your existence for starters. And yeah, I never said I wanted to lead—I want to rule.”
“So my decision stands,” Julia interrupted the posturing.
Jason looked at her incredulously. “I don't give a crap if you want to mate two other guys while you're married to me and you think you can throw me a bone...”
Adi laughed in the background and Jason looked at her again and she clapped a hand over her mouth. The irony of his last comment wasn't lost on her.
He continued, “... by allowing me to be one of the three. No. What self-respecting dude would say yes to that messed up option?” He made a sound in the back of his throat and paced a few angry strides away from the main group.
William came forward. “I will take what Julia offers. Only the young and foolish, who have never been tested, would dismiss that which needs a unique solution—based on rash emotion alone.” His pewter eyes flashed in the paleness of his face. It glowed by the moonlight that had come to pierce the dense growth of forest. Bare patches of burnt ground lay proof to the deaths of many all around them like tortured islands of singed grass, the night air not allowing the scent of the undead to dissipate completely. “If it means saving Julia... because she means her death,” William said, pointing an elegant finger at Jacqueline. “Then I will comply.”
“Everybody wants a piece of Rare One pie,” Tony laughed, his hands on his hips. Suddenly, he mimed an obscene hip thrust and guffawed. Raking a hand through his hair, he swiveled his hips into the open air, “Give. Me. The. Whole. Slice!” he yelled and Scott launched himself at the Were.
Julia yelled but it was too late. Scott had a target for his frustration and anger. He was tired of having Julia stolen from him. Though he knew it would ultimately save her he felt like he was relegated to the position of cuckold.
The Were was equal size to Scott, both trained to fight, both fearless but for opposite reasons of the spectrum.
But Tony did not have Scott's anger.
Jacqueline sent Scott off in a spinning leap before he could lay hands on Tony that sent him against a porch post. It cracked, the wood splitting up the center and Scott slid down, his ass landing on the butt end of the boards.
Like an enraged bull he shook his head and Julia yelled a second time, “No Scott... don't!”
“I can't seem to help myself...,” he said, moving toward Tony again and Julia ran at him. Leaping into his arms, she wrapped herself around him, winding her legs around his waist. Scott had no choice, he held her slight frame against his large one and put his face in her hair.
Scott had never wanted to cry in his life. But his eyes burned with it now and he gulped his sorrow over Julia's choice down so deeply, it was like a grave inside his soul.
“Don't,” she whispered, all heat and fragrance against his throat and Scott was lost. Lost to the meld, lost to his nature as Combatant.
Still, he felt his eyes find Tony of the Were over Julia's shoulder.
The heat of his anger was cooled, but it lay like a hidden spring under the earth, waiting to escape to the surface.
*
“This is an outrage!” Jacqueline sputtered. “I will not be cast out to the nether regions of the compound like a dog set to punishment.”
“You shall.” Marcus leveled an expression of contained rage at her. “You have allowed your greed to overcome all integrity.”
Jacqueline whirled away from him. “If you were not such a weak leader you could have a Queen who was seasoned... not this unsure girl.”
“Wow... you're just a bitch. Nobody would follow you anyway,” Adi said in her normal unfiltered way.
Jacqueline's eyes narrowed on the female Were, marking her and Adi gave her a smile in return. “You can stare at me like that all day long and it doesn't make you more powerful... or more anything,” Adi said, her brows arched.
“Don't,” Scott warned, his eyes narrowed at his mother.
Jacqueline turned to him. “I could kill her for her disrespect.”
“You could try, ya wench.”
Slash stepped forward. “It doesn't sound like you're in much of a position to negotiate any terms but the meager ones you managed from some ancient text.” He'd said it logically, but with bite. It didn't seem to Slash that this Singer understood subtlety. That she needed a more overt method. That worked; Slash was great at delivering.
“I don't have to be old to be fair. I don't want to control people, Jacqueline,” Julia said quietly. “If I'm to go through with this... then it will be the first of many selfless steps I'd make for our people. What are you willing to do?”
Jacqueline remained quiet. Finally, she replied, “I'll choose to do things that you would be unwilling to do. You hope to gain the regard of our people through kindness and love.” Jacqueline made a small sound of dismissal in the back of her throat, discounting the speculation of a rule that Julia had yet to begin. Jacqueline moved closer to Julia and the Combatant circled her like sharks as if she were bleeding. Jacqueline stopped before she was detained.
“What is wrong with leading through love? When kindness and honesty can be honored,” Julia asked the woman who'd tried to poison her.
Jacqueline leaned forward. “You simpleton. Do you think it will be enough? Have you not paid any attention to what we can do? Love will not do it... there will be those, there always is, who challenge your authority.”
“So what would you have me do?” Julia asked rhetorically but Jacqueline answered anyway.
“You?” Jacqueline gave a seductive laugh of pleasure. “It is me. What would I do.�
��
“Yes, what would you do if not to rule through compassion.”
“Fear,” she replied easily, instantly.
“Fear?” Julia asked, her stomach in knots.
Jacqueline nodded. “When reason doesn't work, then fear is a fine substitute.”
They stared at each other until Marcus said, “Take her away... along with him.”
Tony growled low in his throat and out of all the men, Julia was surprised when it was Victor who caught the Were's jaw with his fist. It was unexpected and executed perfectly.
“There,” Victor commented, shaking out his hand with a smile of satisfaction. “His commentary is no longer needed or wanted.”
Lawrence looked as if he'd raise an objection, but with thirty pair of Singers eyes looking at him, he chose to remain silent. It was bad enough that Tony had taken Adi and the Singer female. But to have aligned with the vile murderous cum throne candidate? It was a delicate position. And some didn't know of his past.
“You'll be sent to the guest cottages at the edges of the property,” Marcus said.
“Wait,” Julia said. “Why is she here at all?”
Marcus met her eyes. “You have three days from the time she uttered those words of blood, to...” he didn't finish the sensitive information.
He didn't need to; Julia extrapolated it perfectly.
“The guys have to be willing...” Jason said. His eyes met hers. “I'm not sharing you... with anyone. In fact,” his eyes drilled hers. “I don't know if I want you at all. The Singer gig isn't mine. Being Were is a curse.” His eyes bled to his wolf's, green like fresh summer grass. “Why can't everything be like it was?” he asked everyone and no one.
“Yeah,” Julia agreed so softly no one heard her.
“Don't be a dick, Jason,” Cyn spoke for the first time, walking over to him, her eyes on Julia. “Think about someone else besides yourself.”
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