Page 23 of Shadows of Fate

“I saw her sneak out but assumed you’d been with her already. Your scent was all over her,” Bastian stated plainly.

I nodded in reply. “I need to speak to the owners.”

Bastian’s eyes widened for only a moment before he nodded his head and strode off in search. I went to the bar to obtain my typical tumbler of bourbon from the barkeep. Might as well enjoy a drink before I had to kill people in such a public fashion.

Many years ago, this would have excited me. Now I just wanted to hunt down the curvy silver-haired minx that clearly thrived off of teasing me with her sass and blades.

I sat down at my regular table in the far back corner and didn’t bother concealing myself. Sometimes I wanted my punishment to be private—dealt with in hushed whispers throughout my court. This was not one of those times. I wanted them, and everyone present, to see what was on its way. I wanted news and rumors to travel throughout my court of what was about to happen to those who blatantly broke my laws. To those who endangered my queen.

The Eternal Outcasts, as they so happily called themselves. I rolled my eyes. I’d happily burn their rebellion to the ground and then dance in the ashes. Preferably with my ice queen.

I leaned back against the leather seats and brought my ankle to the opposite leg. I wasn’t expecting Bastian to take long to find those I was after. The male had a no-nonsense type of aura about him when it came to his work that seemed to help him end up where he wanted to be. Any other time, he was all smiles and laughs.

Watching across the floor, I took in the few humans and vampires alike, who took note of my presence. No one here would know for sure who exactly I was, but they could feel the power nonetheless. To the vampires, they could feel it against their skin like a pressure. To the humans, it would feel more like a foreboding—as if death was near.

Silvana came to mind again at the thought. I’d always been told my magic felt like death to humans and I’d shook my head when I heard it. Mostly because I thought they were being dramatic, but what if they weren’t far off? Thoughts to ponder another time.

I saw Bastian approaching with two males in front of him. A look of annoyance upon all three faces. But the first two’s faces dropped once they reached my eye line.

The first male tried to stagger to a stop but Bastian pushed him onward. He was a head shorter than Bastian with pale skin and freckles along his face. His red hair reminded me of what I imagined the one freckled male upstairs looked like before my ice queen beheaded him, burning his head in the fireplace.

The second male seemed to already know what was coming for him. His dark eyes were distant and his expression grim.

I didn’t rise from my seat, I just stared at them once Bastian had them stop in front of me. I took a slow drink from my glass and set it on the table in front of me. By this point, the music had stopped and people in the tavern were staring.

Clearing my throat, I let my eyes wander over both of them before saying, “Do you know why I’ve had my associate bring you to me?”

The first male scoffed, “I don’t even know who you are.”

The second male continued to stare at the floor, saying nothing. I let my power fully free now. Normally, I did my best to hold most of it back. Like I’d said before, it made most uncomfortable. My shadows lingered around my body and slowly slithered toward the floor as if to keep me company. Some people nearby audibly gasped and took steps backward away from where we sat.

Anyone’s attention we lacked before, we had now.

The first male went pale and just stared at me as if he was unsure of what to say.

“I’m assuming you’ve now come to realize exactly who I am,” I growled. “It’s come to my attention this evening, that you… males, have been allowing vermin to use your establishment for treachery against my court. They call themselves the Eternal Outcasts. Would you happen to know what I’m speaking of?”

Bastian leaned forward, placing a hand on both males’ shoulders, and pushed them to their knees. I smirked.

The second male still didn’t speak, but the first one was stumbling over his words, exponentially distraught by this point.

Letting my shadows do their favorite thing, they crept across the floor toward him. He tried to get to his feet, but Bastian was there to hold him down as my shadows ran up his body.

“Please! Please, My Lord! You don’t understand! They made us! We didn’t have a choice!” the male screamed. I stared at him, unbothered, as the midnight black shadows covered his entire body. His screams faded to nothing as he ceased to exist, leaving behind a pile of dust that would thoroughly impress my ice queen.

I moved my gaze to the left toward the second male—my shadows flowing along the floor around his kneeling body. I released more shadows around Bastian, the kneeling male, and me. I was hoping for information, and I didn’t need this part of the evening traveling beyond the three of us.

“Speak,” I commanded.

The male looked up at me, his eyes speaking what his mouth was not saying. He was ready to die. “I have no defense, My Lord. The group calls themselves the Eternal Outcasts, as you said. Rogan approached us two months ago, offering Rhodes and me more money than we’d ever seen before.” He shrugged, looking back toward the pile of dust that I’m now assuming was Rhodes.

“Continue,” I demanded.

“Rogan just said they needed a place to meet with their group and plan. Things like that. It wasn’t until later we realized what he was doing. I… I didn’t know what to do when they started carting unconscious women out, My Lord. I know we should’ve gone to you. We should’ve gone to anyone. But people were disappearing, and we didn’t want to be one of them.”

I glanced at Bastian; he looked just as angry as I felt.

“I appreciate your honesty.” I dropped the shadows around us. “But I will not allow this sort of treachery to remain in my court.”

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