Page 9 of Black Hand
“Not important, you are here now.” His hand whirled in dismissal, but I knew it was important. Very important when he continued talking. “Let us find Frederic and Isaiah. They were looking forward to your appearance.”
Veronica and I exchanged a look, and the events from earlier this night hit me like a punch to the head.
“Johnathan, you should join us as well.” Samir spoke over my shoulder, and I had to swallow the lump the size of a fist in my throat.
This was bad.
This was really, really bad.
5
The laughter and good-natured slapping of shoulders while cheerfully discussing random things contrasted drastically with the sunken faces of the humans whose naked bodies were stretched out on tables like some medieval feast. The only thing missing was the glistening glaze, which had been replaced by the cold sweat their fear blanketed their bodies with and the apple stuck in their mouths. They’d left their mouths free to hear their screams and pleading.
On numb legs, I followed Samir through the crowds that were parting in front of him with deep bows and reverent phrases. None of them could hide the glances they threw my way. Veronica’s arm wrapped around mine was the only thing keeping me from bolting out of there. That and the kiss ass riding my tail at my back. It felt like I was being taken to a guillotine, and the smooth silk grazing my skin from the long dress was like blades nipping at my skin.
Saying I was on edge would’ve been the understatement of the century.
“She is here,” Samir announced as he stepped to the side, revealing the grotesque scene of the three raised chairs in the hall.
Samir’s chair was empty, and I wished I could say the same for the other two. Isiah and Frederic had forgone the robes for this evening, sleeking their long hairs in matching ponytails at the base of their heads. Expensive looking fabric stretched across their wide shoulders, the form-fitting suits giving them a modern appearance their archaic ways lacked. When the two sets of eyes locked on my face, everything I was shrunk back in hopes I’d turn invisible. There was nothing but evil lurking there. Not a trace of anything but hunger for death and power.
Veronica’s arm trembled around mine.
“Sires.” My pathetic nod should’ve been insulting, but it only stretched their grins wider while they leered at me.
“Brooklyn,” Isiah said my name like some inside joke I wasn’t privy to. “Come join me.” Shoving away the human peeing all over himself, he petted the armrest of his throne-like chair.
Insanity took over my brain.
“I gave my word to Samir to be his company tonight.” My chin jutted out in defiance as I glared down my nose at him.
A horrifying smile curled Isiah’s lips, leaving only the tips of his bloodstained fangs visible. It sent a torrent of panic through my bloodstream.
“I am sure he wouldn’t mind,” the asshole purred as he cocked an eyebrow at the Council member in question.
“By all means.” Samir flung a hand to the side to show me where I needed to go so I could round the long table and obey Isiah.
My feet weighed a ton as I stepped around him. Ignoring Samir waving at someone to bring more chairs to the table, I kept my eyes trained in front of me. That was the only reason I didn’t see the idiot coming to meet me halfway. When he blocked my path, I flinched, and that reaction made my blood pressure hit the roof.
“Sires, you never mentioned what a beauty little Brooklyn turned out to be.” The male standing in my way looked familiar but not enough for me to place him as someone I’d seen often.
“Get out of the way before I make you.” It was like having an out of body experience. I heard my voice, sure, but I hadn’t consciously meant to say the words.
Veronica gasped.
The Council members chuckled.
“I think Brooklyn does not remember you, Noah.” Frederic flicked his hand, indicating for the idiot to let me pass.
They outright laughed when I bumped my shoulder into his when he didn’t get out of my way fast enough. I might’ve had to act meek and pretend I was submissive to the Council. That didn’t mean I had to do the same for the rest of them. Killing without reason never sat well with me. When it came to survival, it was either me or them. Take a guess as to what I always chose.
Lowering myself gingerly on the armrest of Isaiah’s chair, I had to bite the inside of my mouth to keep it shut when he petted my thigh. Through the silk it felt like he was touching my bare skin, and my nostrils flared in rage. Veronica’s pleading eyes calmed the irrational thoughts of ripping his arm out and beating him with it. All the noise from the hall and the people moving around pretending they were not focused on the drama happening here faded to the background, along with the humans crying and pleading for their lives. In my world, I’d grown numb to those after a while. The same scent of a shifter drifted under my nose, and I turned to peer over my shoulder as I tried to pinpoint who it belonged to. I was so focused on finding him that I missed what Isaiah was saying.
The arrogant smirk on his face told me he thought his nearness made me flustered, so I gave him a tight smile. “I’m sorry, what?” Focusing on my breathing, I blinked at him stupidly.
“Noah is the one that fought alongside your father.” My head jerked to the male in question, and I didn’t miss the slight nervous shift his body made. His behavior brought up some red flags, but I didn’t give it much thought. “He took over our security after your father was killed. The position makes him travel a lot, so you haven’t seen him around much after your … return.”
That was a nice way of saying escaping the cages. The same cages they put me in for asking too many questions and refusing to blindly do their bidding. The curl of my lips matched Isaiah’s this time, and hopefully it reminded him that since I’d done it once I could do it again. I made a decision a long time ago to not let them hold that over my head.
