Page 130 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

Julian snarled, but his brother only laughed.

“Then, it’s true.” Jacqueline hugged me again as the others joined us, each taking their turn to express their surprise—and congratulations. Even Thoren, usually so quiet, had a goofy smile on his handsome face.

Only one person didn’t approach us, and after a moment, she cleared her throat loudly. “While a baby is good news,” she said, her voice as cutting as the wind around us, “there’s something we have to discuss.”

“Is now the time—” Lysander started.

“Time is a luxury we no longer have, even with Thea’s new immortality. She can still be killed, just like the rest of us, so it’s time we did something.” Sabine’s eyes sparkled like the sun-dappled water surrounding us. “It’s time to go to war.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

JULIAN

“No.” The single word flew from my lips like an arrow, but if it struck my mother, she showed no sign of impact.

“This isn’t up for discussion,” she said coldly, “or have you forgiven the knife they lodged in your mate’s heart?”

“You disowned me,” I reminded her, “and the last I recall hearing, you were no longer the family matriarch.”

Everyone stilled around us as I looked at my twin sister. The entire family was here, even her. She didn’t move from her seat where she’d isolated herself from the rest of us. Out of the way. Noncommittal. Her feet were up, her head tilted toward the sky like she was sunning herself. As if nothing particularly exciting was happening. She could play the prodigal daughter all she wanted, but the time for remaining neutral—for swaying with the prevailing wind—was over.

At our mother’s words, Camila held up a hand. “Don’t drag me into this.”

“You dragged yourself into this when you dueled our mother—or was that only for show?” Thea moved next to me, her hand finding mine. Calming magic flowed from her as our fingers entwined. But it wasn’t enough. “I will not risk my mate or my child.”

“Julian,” Thea said softly, “we can’t run from this. The Council took the first opportunity they had to attack.”

“Attack a Queen,” my mother added, venom dripping in her words.

But I turned on her, tugging free from Thea’s grasp. “Did you know? Were you there when they gave the order? Is that how you got here in time?”

For a moment, it was only us, staring one another down under the beating sun overhead.

“Perhaps if you had bothered to tell me you were leaving, I could have had time.” She shook her head. “No. To answer your question. I did not know the Council planned to attack.”

“Do they know you came here?” I demanded.

Her nostrils flared once. Twice. “No. I am...I am no longer a sitting member of the Council.”

Behind me, I heard Sebastian curse, the others barely choking back their own surprise. My father appeared instantly from whatever he’d been seeing to in the captain’s cabin and placed one hand on his wife’s shoulder. She looked like she might slap it away but didn’t.

“When your sister claimed primus sanguis”—her eyes flashed to Camila who had the decency to drop her gaze—“I was given the choice between stepping down or enduring a Council vote regarding my membership. It was past time for me to tell them to go fuck themselves, so I did.”

A breathy gasp escaped Thea, but she didn’t say anything else.

I swallowed. “I’m sorry.” I meant it.

“You aren’t the one who should apologize.” Her words were even, measured, and although they were spoken to me, I felt every head turn to Camila. Even I found myself looking to her.

“Apologize?” She swung her feet down from the seat, rising gracefully to her feet. “I won, and you still refuse to give me what I demand.” She sauntered toward us. “I never wanted to run this shit show. I only want to know where my children are. Whoever tells me can be matriarch, patriarch.” She shrugged her slight shoulders. “I don’t really care.”

And that was her problem. It was always her problem. Even in our youth, Camila had followed rather than led. She obeyed instead of questioning.

“How like you,” I seethed, “to take the easy way. I’m surprised you had it in you to duel. You were never a fighter.”

This time my words hit their mark, and pain flickered in her eyes. She recovered quickly. “I burned your house down.”

“Enough.” Thea stepped between us all. I flinched to see the dried blood on her top. “This is getting us nowhere.”

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