Page 75 of Queen of Vampire Hearts

“Who else?” I bit out, my teeth grinding with rage.

A torrent of magic that wasn’t mine lit the room, and my palms glowed brighter as I prepared to fight this new threat. To my horror and my foolish heart’s delight, Lucien stepped through the open rift, closing it behind him. Fuck, I’d gotten his strength, and he’d gotten some of my magic.

Before I could even comprehend that unprecedented shift, the door leading out to the street burst open. Elijah and several of the Vampire Elders burst in to join the lycans in preventing the witches from escaping.

“Who else was a part of the plot to kill my parents?” I yelled, trying to organize my chaotic thoughts. “This is your last chance to confess and survive, or I’ll have the vampire force it out of you.”

Lucien bared his fangs for effect, and several witches cowered. None stepped forward, yet two witches simultaneously shot spells at me, hoping to catch me unawares. My back met Lucien’s instinctually, my shield coming back up. The two bolts of magic pinged off and hit the ceiling, raining dust down on us.

I snarled to Lucien under my breath, “This means nothing.”

There was a pause, heavy with all the words I sensed brewing in him. “We can talk when we’re not actively fighting for our lives.”

The two witches who’d launched their spells gaped at us, even as two Vampire Elders suddenly appeared behind them, sinking their teeth into their vulnerable necks.

“Stop!” Lucien yelled, surprising me. “Don’t kill them. Their fates are for your queen to decide.”

His words raised my hackles again, recalling my rage. I pushed off of his back and let the shield drop. My magic pulsed from me as I fired off spells at the witches. I snarled at Lucien, “I am not your queen.”

I glared at the remaining witches. There had been eight who bound me, and I suspected more of those present had betrayed my parents. “Shall we reveal why this Council condemned me to death? Why they killed my parents because they couldn’t get to me?” I asked.

Another bolt of power came hurtling at me. My reflexes were too slow, but luckily Lucien was faster. He grabbed me, moving me out of the way, as a werewolf pinned the witch who’d launched the spell. I noticed that the canine merely growled, keeping the woman under his heavy paws, discouraging a repeated attempt.

I barely kept my voice from shaking as I faced the remains of the witches assembled. “Everything told by this ruling body has been a lie! They were all attempts to cover up the avarice and power-hungry cancer growing in our midst!”

“That’s a lie!” another witch screamed and bolted for an exit. Elijah tackled her to the ground before she could get anywhere.

There was an eruption of murmurs at the announcement. I continued, my palms still glowing, ready for any more attacks. “When Hekate touched the first of us, she gave her a mission. She was to bring order to the chaos, to rule the others. She was to be queen.”

“Impossible!” another Council Member shouted, but instead of launching a spell or attempting to run, he merely looked astonished.

“Very possible. We have a royal line, just like almost all other immortal species.” I refused to glance at Lucien. “The memories of it erased, covered up, and extinguished by members of this very Council.”

“You never deserved it! You still don’t!” another witch screamed, and instead of a spell, threw a dagger. It flew with alarming speed, likely boosted by magic. Lucien again came to my aid, jerking me behind him and taking the dagger to his shoulder with a hiss.

Lucien’s hands lingered on me. I deliberately shrugged them off, pretending not to see the flash of hurt in his eyes. In my head, I mentally crossed off the names Alfonso had moaned with his dying breath. With a deliberately evil grin, I swirled my hands. Multiple rifts formed simultaneously, dropping the witches who dared to strike at me into the cells below.

More murmurs erupted, and another witch called out, “What about the rest of us?”

“I’m getting to that. Is there anyone else who is going to have a problem with me? Speak now or forever hold your peace!” The witches remained so silent that you could have heard a pin drop. “Well then, I install myself as Queen of Witches and convert this Council to my advisors.”

“This is the part where you bow,” Lucien added. To my surprise, several of them did, likely out of fear for the vampire by my side.

“Meeting adjourned,” I added for flair. The remaining vampires and lycans retreated from their posts, though they watched the remaining witches fleeing from the scene warily. To my surprise, several of the fleeing witches’ faces revealed their relief at the proceedings. If it was relief that they’d survived or that the Council was no more, remained to be seen.

Assured that I was safe, the vampires and werewolves departed as well. Soon I was alone in the cavernous chambers with Lucien. I felt him move toward me and steeled myself for what I had to do.

“Phoebe—” he began.

I cut him off, unable to hear his voice. It reminded me too much of how I loved him, and that love tried to force me to forget how he’d betrayed me.He’d made me forget the rules that would have protected me from this.From him.

“You can go with your vampires all the way back to Întuneric, or to hell, whichever is closer.” I made sure not to look at him. I didn’t want to face the way my traitorous heart was begging me to listen to him.

What if he had a reason?My heart pleaded, but there was no justification for what he had done.

“Phoebe, you don’t understand—”

Again, I was tempted to listen to him but knew I couldn’t. “I understand just fine. You were one of the bounty hunters out for my life, and you turned me over to them.”

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