Page 83 of Addicted in Blood
What risk was there to Cressa if she continued to feed him?Would the beast fall deeper to sleep or would her blood draw it back out?Until he could think clearly, he couldn’t take the chance.
Footsteps approached, and he whirled around as a single Sentinel and two Eliminators strode toward him.They turned into the Council chambers before reaching him.The Council had been in session for forty-five minutes when they’d first arrived.The page had ensured them their case was the only one being heard.There should have already been Sentinels and Eliminators reporting their findings.The appearance of additional ones didn’t bode well for him.His greatest fear was that they wouldn’t accept the evidence from an anonymous resource.The chances of him walking out of this building seemed to shrink.
It was another thirty minutes before one of the doors opened and a diminutive man in the dress of a page called his name.Devon turned and followed the man into the room, Lyra and the cadre behind him.
He’d been in the Council room dozens of times—before and after his censure.In all those decades, nothing had changed, except this time his life was on the line.He followed the page, his gaze locked on the Council as a whole, refusing to look any of them in the eye.It wouldn’t do any good; none of them would reveal their thoughts.He stepped onto the dais, Lyra standing next to him as the House leader, and the cadre behind them.
Four Sentinels sat to the right of the Council, and four Eliminators sat to the left.A computer was connected to a screen that was currently dark.
“Devon Trelane.”Isabella Stanton sat in the middle of the Council members.She appeared pale, with the weight of the world on her shoulders.With the evidence the Sentinels should have been presented, all the Council should be feeling similar emotions.She peered down at him, the merest smile softening her stern expression.“It’s good to see the Poppy has been removed from your system.The Council will restate its original decree and the resulting orders after new evidence has come to light.”
Devon didn’t twitch, but he did lift a brow.It would only be natural that his curiosity would be piqued at a possible reprieve.“I’m grateful the impact of the Poppy had no lasting side effects.”
A sigh made him turn his head to Lorenzo, who appeared resigned.Was that a good sign?
“You were charged with the murder of Council member Boretsky while under the influence of Magic Poppy, an illegal substance.”She used her bronze baton and tapped the gong once.“New evidence, provided anonymously, has brought conflicting data to light.Evidence that speaks to a larger problem than the death of a Council member.”
She turned to one of two visitors boxes and bowed her head.“No disrespect meant.”
He turned his head to see who was witnessing his fate and saw a man and a woman in the only occupied seats.It had been a couple of years since he’d seen them.Asher and Maya Boretsky sat proudly, and when they caught his gaze, they both nodded as if pulled by the same string.
He returned an imperceptible nod.“May I ask what evidence?”
“Various files and samples of Magic Poppy were seized.The files provided a direct link to various schemes, including premeditated murder and the distribution of the Poppy.Apparently, you were the victim on which the perpetrator hoped to hang their crime.”
“Someone set me up?Why?”
“I’m afraid that is Council business.”
He could argue that he had a right to know, but it didn’t work that way with vampires.With Magic Poppy involved, the Council would want all evidence sealed for their eyes only.So, he simply bowed to her statement.What he preferred to know was the tally of votes cast, and that information he might never know.
“In light of the new evidence, the original orders against Devon Trelane and the House Trelane have been rescinded.”Isabella swung the baton, and the gong rang once.She stood, and as one, the rest of the Council stood to follow her out of the chamber.
Devon remained where he was, as did all the remaining vampires, until the Council members left the chamber, which was standard ritual.
Lorenzo was the last one out, but before he exited, he turned and gave Devon a long stare before sneering and nodding his head.He was acknowledging that Devon had beat him, only solidifying the fact Lorenzo had been the actual instrument of Boretsky’s death.
It was also clear the game was long from over.The death of a Council member and addicting him to the Poppy was his first strike at destroying House Trelane.
ChapterThirty-Nine
The poundingon the door made me want to curse and throw something at it, but it was Ginger and her third attempt at getting me out of bed.I rolled over, ignoring her while cursing Devon for having such luxurious sheets supplied in our furnished condo.
My chest hurt, and I rubbed it, as if that alone could remove the ache of loss.I was most likely blowing it all out of proportion, but even Ginger admitted to Lucas being tight-lipped and reserved around her.She blamed it on the Council meeting that was happening as I wallowed in bed.
I understood the stakes.Would the Council accept the new evidence or consider it suspect because it was provided anonymously.Was Devon going to come back, or was he receiving notice of his pending execution?I pulled the covers over my head.
My first thought last night after Ginger tried to talk me down was to dreamwalk.But his mind would be on the Council, and I didn’t have a clue what type of construct was appropriate for the tension between us.
I threw the covers off and stared at the ceiling.Part of the problem was having nothing to do.There was a gym in the condo, as well as hot tub and pool.Nothing enticed me.Yeah.I was feeling sorry for myself.
The hammering returned.
“I’m not stopping this time.I’ll beat on this door until you unlock it or the damn thing caves in.”
I laughed, picturing Ginger in the hall with a box of tools she conned out of maintenance that she had no clue how to use but determined to try each one until she achieved her goal.Not wanting to cause Devon or the cadre any additional reasons to get rid of me, I crawled out of bed and stumbled over a robe I’d dropped on the floor the night before.
I unlocked the door then raced for the bathroom, making it there before Ginger realized she’d been granted access.If only I’d thought to lock the bathroom door—my mistake—because she barged in without remorse.
