Page 33 of To Kill a Vampire
“I think you like being ordered around.” With my attention narrowed on him, I try my best not to smirk.
Laughter rumbles though him and into me. “Hmm, I’ve been ordered around my whole life but it’s never felt this good.”
I shove his chest lightly, unable to suppress the smile against my lips.
* * *
When I was in school, I couldn’t give a simple English presentation without stuttering and turning red. Today, dozens of mystics follow my every move, waiting for my next order. Confidence clings to each step I make and each breath I take. Nervousness isn’t even a strain in my voice.
The table I’ve sat at countless times is entirely full, and the standing room in the back is overcrowded. Carefully, I pace the ground at the head of the table.
My attention lands on a glaring werewolf, his dark eyes holding hate as he scowls up at me from the back, letting plenty of mystics separate me from him.
“In the past there has been some discord between the mystics and the hybrids in this community.” The wolf’s eyes turn to slits as he stares daggers at me. My gaze never wavers from his, and my message for him doesn’t falter. “That’s something that will be left in the past. I’m a vampire. Not by choice and hopefully not by anything more than a curse. There will not be a divide among our people. A divide among ourselves only encourages weakness, and it isn’t an example we will be setting for the mortals.”
I hold his cowering eyes for a few seconds longer before he finally concedes, his attention drifting over the worn wooden table. A slight smirk pulls at my lips as I address the rest of the room like a teacher ready to announce an exciting exam.
“One week from today I want our weaponry shed empty. Every mortal and mystic who has had training needs to be well prepared!” My attention shifts to Kaino at the head of the table. Shane glances at him for less than a second, his gaze minor but noted, possibly by more than just myself. “How many ships do we have exactly?”
“A hundred.”
My features remain smooth and impassive despite the impressive number.Where could the mystics hide one hundred ships?His words about having a use for naval ships flutter through my mind. Maybe the Wanderers were always prepared for a war with the mortals.
“Perfect. We need training on those as well. Everyone should get accustomed to manning the ships.”
The beige tent is too humid, my breaths are too short, and there are a few dozen too many blood supplies surrounding me. I need to make this meeting as short and to the point as possible. More dust clings to the laces of my dark boots as I begin to pace the length of the tent once more.
Luca catches my attention from her spot at the back of the room, her arms folded across her chest. I haven’t seen her since I attacked her. My confidence free falls into the pit of my stomach when our eyes meet.
A slight smile tilts her lips, and she nods to me.
A long sigh releases from my anxious lungs, relieving some of the weight that was building in my chest. I clear my throat, my posture straightening as I think about what I’m about to say.
“We leave for the Capitol at the end of the month.”
Lord Raske’s large arms fold in front of him as he nods at me, his features set in stern lines. He’s a man ready for war.
One-by-one I assess the assortment of mystics, the ever-changing Infinity witch who holds the strong image of my mother, the dozens of wolves crowding around the table with their overpowering muscle and unyielding dedication, the fae whose lean bodies won’t bow to an unjust authority, and the few beautiful hybrids who I know will never accept imprisonment ever again.
We’re all different, and the mortals who are safely asleep in their beds are definitely different. But we’re all here for the same reason.
To see our government disintegrate in just a few short days.
The group disperses, probably to go back to bed before the sun rises shortly. I slip out, carefully avoiding Asher while he speaks quietly with Kaino. Their eyes follow me until I’m in the free night air.
My lungs heave in the pure smell of the warm wind, and in a flash I’m standing at the edge of the cliff, the ocean crashing wildly below me. My eyes drift closed as I take long, slow, and deliberate breaths, attempting to wash away the scent of the others from my mind.
Trembling hands catch my attention at my sides, and I fist them in an instant, not allowing the uncontrollable feeling to bloom within me.
It’s hard to watch yourself fall apart. My days are spent in denial, but I know it’s only a matter of time. I’ll seal the curse and be stuck in this form for the rest of eternity.
How many wars will pass in my lifetime? Is this just a small insignificant blip in the long life that I will come to live?
Why even fight at all?
“It’s getting harder, isn’t it?” Declan’s calm voice carries over the thrashing wind to me.
“I just need to catch my breath.” I don’t turn from the salty wind or even open my eyes.
