by Erin R Flynn
“She can do what?” a deep voice demanded.
I winced, looking up to see Sebastian staring at me with wide eyes. Well, I’d cracked the reserved man’s façade it seemed.
“You see ghosts and have a spirit animal?”
“Um.”
“No, she has all cats as her spirit animals,” that guy corrected.
“Hey, who the fuck are you to give out information?” I demanded, realizing I had to be the princess here and handle this or things could spin out fast. I stormed over to the guy and got in his face. “Are you trying to court me?”
He snorted. “No way. I want as far away from you and what you’re doing as possible. Anyone who will stand near you or try to protect you will end up dead, Princess. Everyone will come for you.”
“He’s not a noble,” Cerdic seethed. “And he’s not even thirty.”
I nodded I heard him, shoving the guy. “So who are you to fucking answer anything? I don’t even know your name, so you’re clearly not in the loop on dick.” I shoved him again when he opened his mouth to answer. “You don’t know shit. People think I have a spirit animal or maybe multiple cats, but they don’t know because I don’t know.
“I don’t know that. I like animals, and shifters are part animal. Yes, I made friends with cats first, but I’ve always liked cats. I was playing with some foxes the other day. You going to announce to people they’re my spirit animal now too? I think the wolves are badass, so are they too? Who the fuck are you to decide and announce any of this when I haven’t?
“It’s not a switch inside of me that flips to know. I know I love brownies. I’ve said that. I’ve not said or declared the rest of that. So you are gossiping. I’m a baby vamp, and it’s stupid to say anything, and it’s dangerous. You think people are going to come? Probably because assholes run off half-cocked and blab their wild thoughts without knowing shit.
“Jaxon said that’s what happened in Ireland. People were running their mouths that corrupted could pass the virus via animals, and so they killed the animals without thinking. Right, so all that did was waste food. So don’t get all hysterical and start making claims you don’t have any proof of or haven’t even fucking seen.”
I took a shot on that one since I didn’t even recognize him and we’d kept the loop closed when I did the pixelating and reforming of the beads.
“You’re like two seconds older than me, so don’t go talking about what you know.” I gestured to Kristof. “He’s like a bazillion fucking years old. Do you know what he can do? I don’t even know, and we’ve slept together. Cerdic is older than dirt too. Jaxon and Darius are from powerful families. You have no idea what they’re capable of. I have the five engineers of the apocalypse working with us.
“So you don’t know a mother fucking thing to be answering questions. And why are you telling them? Do you know Sebastian? Were you part of that coven?” I saw in his eyes he wasn’t. “So you don’t know them, and you don’t speak for me, but you thought you of all people should answer anything or announce that? That’s probably why people ran off and sent an assassin because people are stupid.
“Now others are at risk because of rumors. Did I make the other ship with the nuclear reactor? No, we found it. So use your head and try logic instead of hysterics. Is it more likely that we found a shipment of electric semis or that the baby wittle vampire who just got her fangs is pulling them out of her ass? Don’t announce shit or speak on behalf of me again. You understand?”
“Yes, Princess,” he ground out. “I was speaking to what I know, not on behalf of you.”
“I just explained why you don’t know,” I snapped. “You don’t know. Don’t open your mouth unless you have seen it yourself or you are me and can answer what I can do.”
“They deserve to know with you being engaged to Jaxon,” he sneered. “You’ll get us all killed and—”
I lost my temper, slamming the heel of my right hand up into his nose as I grabbed his wrist with my left hand. Then I brought down my elbow onto his arm I was holding out, smirking when I felt his bone break, before I kicked out his knee so he crumpled to the ground.
“People like you who start hysterias and spew bullshit get people killed,” I hissed, giving him a look that I dared him to argue with me or even moan in pain. “Tyson, you had a long trip, and I’m sure your lion could use a run. Undress and shift.”
“Yes, Princess,” he said, coming over to me and quickly stripping. He leaned in for a kiss and then shifted.
I scratched behind his ears as I stared at the vampire who had blood all over his face from the broken nose. “Why don’t you lead the others and teach the bad vampire a lesson in manners? Rip out his throat if he’s going to speak on things he shouldn’t. Remind him that he’s not as important as he feels he is. Then maybe Kristof can teach him to use his head.”
“Or take his head. He’s why I hate baby vampires normally,” he grumbled. “Send him back with Sebastian so Princess Nora can teach him some lessons on trying to spread half-cocked rumors and theories to those of her coven as facts. She does have a dungeon.”
“I like it.” I gave an evil smile at the vampire who looked at me like he didn’t buy it at all since they’d only seen me be nice. Idiot. “I’d get running. You pissed me off enough you don’t even get a head start.”
Tyson made my point by swiping at the vampire with his huge paw and impressive claws. Bloody gashes instantly appeared, and the vampire rolled to his feet—having to do it with whatever damage I’d done to his knee—and took off.
“Make sure we question that guy,” James told the others before they headed after Tyson to hunt. “He was part of the group that came in with the three that ran off. I want answers and to figure out where other problems could come from.”
“Got it,” Trisha agreed, glancing around at the others. “Has the point been made to behave? We might not have a real home if people spread this shit. Focus on the job now so we can have a future, not the screenplay you’re working on for the movie that won’t be made. Now get back to work!”
A chorus of “Yes, ma’am” rang out, and people headed out to get a move on.
Which left us with Sebastian and what to do about everything because he was clearly smart. Smart enough to know I’d just made a huge deal because it was true and I wanted to squash it spreading.
“You wanted to show your dad some stuff while his people check out the ship, right?” I said to Jaxon with a sigh. “Apparently I have to shit out some more campers later. That’s going to hurt.”
“Don’t hurt that pert arse I love,” he teased me as he swung me up in his arms. “Father, it’s over this way.”
“Nicely handled, but it’s time for some answers, Princess,” Sebastian said when we were alone with the four nobles courting or engaged to me. They had all blurred to a good distance away with no one else remotely around. I doubted we were even in Anchorage anymore.
“I don’t answer to you,” I reminded him, glad at least when he gave a nod and seemed to remember to tread carefully no matter how young I was.
But the others wanted to tell him the truth. I didn’t agree with that. I thought it was stupid, as I couldn’t squash out of my reach if they spread it like wildfires. No matter what Jaxon’s family promised, people would overhear and it would get out.
However, it was apparently a big deal to directly lie as opposed to subvert or dance around.
“It’s not lying by saying it’s none of his fucking business,” I snapped when the debate got heated. I threw my hands up. “Fine, fine, but this is going to bite us in the ass, I know it.” I walked right over to Sebastian and made sure I had his gaze. “Let me be clear that it’s not just your son here that’s on the line but others I care for, so if you aren’t careful with what’s shared, I will burn you to the ground.
“I will come there and decimate the coven and all of you for not protecting what you are swearing to protect. You might be ready to blow it off as the barkings of a baby vam
pire, but you should wait and see for those answers you want. But before I do, I want you to think on this and see it in my eyes that I’m not remotely fucking playing with you and will do it before I give you the answers.”
He took me seriously, studying me and my gaze for a few minutes before nodding. “I believe you. Even if you couldn’t do it all, you would die trying, and I know quite well how vengeful princesses can be if they are wronged, so I absolutely believe you. And I swear on my most solemn oath I will make sure Princess Nora knows that as well and how important it is to handle this properly.”
“Good.”
I went over to the abandoned motel we were at off the main highway and put my hand on it. I focused that energy like I had before and pixelated it—or made energy beads as now some were calling it—and all the discarded vehicles in the parking lot. My gaze never left his as I kept going, pulling what I needed to make one of the electric semis.
“Any more questions?”
“Yes, lots,” he whispered, staring at what I’d done and swallowing loudly.
Yeah, he did, and we answered them as best we could, normally with me interjecting we didn’t know for sure or they were speculating.
“You’re Aether’s champion,” Sebastian breathed when we were done, his eyes full of awe.
“We don’t know that,” I cut in before anyone else could answer. “We don’t. Until She throws up some billboards or I wake up wearing a t-shirt from Her saying that, I’m not… There could be other options we’re not seeing. We don’t know that.”
And luckily he let me leave it at that. They met up with the others while I fed from Jaxon and had a proper—and kinky—reunion with him.
Plus a bit to cry. Someone had tried to assassinate me. I was doubting the plan. The risks could seriously outweigh the potential rewards, and for the first time I really debated taking a permanent stomach ache and feeling sick over continuing on this path. The guy who had come wasn’t one of the three that had run off, so he’d told someone important enough to rig an assassination.
We had no answers, as no one recognized the guy and there was only speculation that it was a princess from one of the Americas not wanting to let another princess move in or to get power near them. But we didn’t know.
I was tired of that being the situation.
That night I didn’t just curl up with Darius and Jaxon. I actually asked Cerdic and Kristof to join us, apologizing for wanting four men to share one bed with me, but I was scared. I was really, really, really fucking scared and not for me.
No, that someone I cared for would die because of me.
And I didn’t think that was a feeling I would be able to shake anytime soon.
The End
THANK YOU for reading this book!!
Thank you so much for trying a new series of mine and coming on Inez’s journey with me. I woves all of you lots for your continued support and wanting more of my books. If you want more of Inez, please leave a review. It really helps me out to know which series people are looking for more from and it’s encouraging to get back to series when people are excited for more. I appreciate the time it takes and hopefully you guys love Inez as much as I loved writing about her!!
Erin
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About the Author
Erin is a Midwest girl at heart, born a Chicagoan with the mouth to prove it, a loyal Cubs fan, but still a die-hard Green Bay Packers gal who cheers for her alma mater, the Illini from Augusta, Georgia, where she lives. She has always been interested in the darker aspects of life and mythologies—especially vampires, shifters, the occult, and anything paranormal.
To date, she has published over 100 paranormal books in different genres with dedicated readers who await each release to her numerous series under any of the three Flynn names she writes under.
ErinRFlynn.com
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Other Titles by Erin R Flynn
Seraphine Thomas
Accidentally Wolf
Allure of the Wolf
<
br /> Siren’s Battle
Abusing the Alpha
Siren’s Kiss
Hunted Wolf
Shattered Alpha
Rebuilding the Wolf
Invading Alpha
Recovering the Siren
Provoked Wolf
* * *
The Enchantress
Demon of Death
Thieves About
Striking Souls
Enacting Revenge
Culling Damnation
* * *
Untraceable Succubus
Undisclosed Assets
Savvy Negotiator
* * *
House of Garner
No Longer Alone
Team Inez
* * *
Dr. Kelly Murphy Novels
The Turning
The Transition
The Decision
* * *
Karma Bakery
Rough Beginnings
Opening Struggles
Turbulent Expansion
* * *
