Page 16 of Queen Takes Checkmate
I’d gotten a little of Ezra’s blood on my sweater. I might be the queen of House Isador, but I was still learning how to drink blood without dribbling it down my chin.
:I love it when you wear my blood,:Ezra growled in our bond. :Wear me every day.:
The rest of my Bloods’ bonds vibrated with their instant agreement.
I didn’t want to be announced. This was my fucking building now. I didn’t need to shout our house names. Until these former Skye sibs formalized a bond with me, I’d still allow them to leave. Gladly. I didn’t want anyone to stay out of fear.
I gave a nod to Llewellyn and he pushed the doors open without a word. My Blood entered the room in pairs, taking up positions as they saw fit to protect me. As Rik and I stepped through the door, Llewellyn fell into step on my opposite side. He didn’t reach for my arm, so I looped my arm through his and tugged him closer. I wanted them to know exactly why he was with me. I glanced up—way up—and smiled at him. I still couldn’t get over how tall he was.
Which lead to some interesting musings as we walked toward the waiting large easy chair my Blood had moved here for me and Rik. If Llewellyn’s dick was as big as he was tall…
He laughed softly in our new bond.:I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in that regard, my queen.:
A small group of queens and their Blood waited on my right as we walked in. I didn’t look at them as we passed, but I tried to use my other senses to gauge the power in the room. I still didn’t really feel anything, especially nothing like rocks in the air, as Gina had described another queen’s power. I did feel a bit of soundless vibration humming through the air. Rik sat down and widened his thighs, drawing me into the cradle of his body, and I lost the sense of anything except the feel of his warmth against my back.
I didn’t say anything, but took my time looking over the people gathered before me. Vega and Keisha’s other former Blood stood on the other side of the room. They stared at the floor, sweat shimmering on their skin. Even ten feet away, I could smell their fear and anxiety. Good. After everything they’d done, they should be afraid of what I would do.
As Carys walked in, flanked by my twins, a few of the watching queens whispered among themselves. When she came to stand on my left hand side, with Gina on my right, the whispers abruptly silenced.
“Let’s get the worst over as quickly as possible,” I finally said. “Vega, bring your group to stand before me.”
The former alpha flinched but gave a sharp jerk of her head to her comrades. The closer she came to me, the more she slunk. Shoulders and head down, she dropped to her knees a few paces away. The rest of Keisha’s Blood followed suit, including the one Blood who’d planned to feed on Daire in the elevator. Though I couldn’t remember her name. Was she a friend of his?
:Lissa,:My normally cuddly, purring warcat let out a vicious snarl in our bond.:Show her no mercy, my queen, especially not on my account. I didn’t want her fangs. She would have bitten me anyway and stolen what is only yours.:
“Do any queens present wish to claim some of these former Blood as their own?”
The other queens shifted nervously, but no one immediately answered. I didn’t have to have a blood bond with any of them to know what they were thinking. If they claimed one of Keisha’s Blood as their own, would they share in that Blood’s fate? I couldn’t make any promises in that regard, but it would definitely tell me which queens were willing to overlook past sins. I was willing to forgive much, but not torture.
One of the queens stepped forward, taking on the role of spokesperson. “Your Majesty, may we ask a few questions first?”
I inclined my head. “Who are you?”
“Alessandra Sito.”
She was one of the queens that Llewellyn had warned me about. She said her name proudly, as if her house was important. I had no idea of the significance of her name. I started to reach for Guillaume’s bond, hoping my Templar knight would know, but it was Daire’s bond that sparked first.
:She’s related to Marne Ceresa and is descended from Demeter, the Greek equivalent of Ceres.:
:He speaks correctly,: Guillaume added.:Well done, young Blood.:
Daire blushed and purred contentedly.:The relationships between the ancient houses has always interested me.:
She did resemble the perfect golden goddess image that Marne Ceresa displayed so well. From her designer stilettos to the diamonds around her throat and her perfectly coiffed blonde hair, Alessandra looked like she’d walked off a magazine cover for America’s rich and famous. Even her nails were impeccably painted and glittered with tiny jewels. “Ask your questions.”
She arched a brow at me, as if she didn’t like my informality or my briskness. “What are your plans for us? For this nest? Because I can certainly take some of these Blood myself to help guard the tower.”
Her arrogance set my teeth on edge. Even if Llewellyn hadn’t warned me of her, there was no way in hell I’d ask her to be my sib. “You may take any of these Blood that you wish, but none of them, or you, will be guarding so much as an outhouse, let alone my nest.”
Her chin tipped up, her eyes flashing. “You must not know who I am, because I don’t understand how you could possibly select anyone else to run a nest of this size. Unless you intend to live here, of course.” She let her gaze flick over my jeans and huffed out a derisive laugh. “Which I hardly see as likely, given how you’re dressed. The queen of New York City has a high level of elegance and class to live up to. Skye Tower hosts events all year long, from fashion shows to charity galas.”
I concentrated on taking a deep, even breath, and another, before saying softly, “Isador Tower. I have no intention of living in New York City, but if I wish to attend any event in this fucking city, I will do so. In whatever attire I wish. Because I am the fucking queen of New York City.”
“Long live Shara fucking Isador,” Daire’s voice rang out.
“Last daughter of the Great One,” Mehen retorted. “The only queen to bring Leviathan, king of the depths, to heel.”
Guillaume didn’t say anything, though he suddenly had his biggest knife in his hand. He casually examined the massive blade’s edge with his thumb.
