When she looked back up, Barnabas and his men were gone.
Zamorra weaved her way through the crowded foyer, trying to get towards the exit without losing her temper and punching someone out. All these people around her were making her itch like crazy. She had to get out and get out now.
Void ditched her the moment the meeting ended, saying something about how he needed to find a woman to help him 'de-stress'. Zamorra had snickered in disgust and told him to go relax and have some fun.
Over the last few days, he had focused so much on her that he deserved to enjoy himself and to be 100% honest she needed a bit of a break from him. She loved her uncle, but he could be so frustrating sometimes she wanted to rip her hair out.
People lingered in the foyer, engaging in hearty conversations like it had been years since they'd last seen each other. Others pushed and shoved their way out of the building, not wanting to spend one more second in the room. She didn't blame them.
A straight shot to the exit door opened up and Zamorra quickened her pace.
"Little Alpha."
She froze like a toddler caught reaching into the cookie jar.Oh crap. Think we could make a run for it?
Her werewolf snorted.You don't want to run.
Mm.
Zamorra's heart drummed in her chest and she turned, plastering a big, beaming smile on her face. Luther stood a few feet away in his dark, flowing cloak, his perfectly sculpted face showing no sign of emotion. He gave her a once over, running his blazing red eyes from head to toe before shaking his head slightly.
Using his vampire speed, he covered the space between them in the blink of an eye, appearing in front of her so fast the wind whipped her hair off her shoulders and she gasped in surprise.
He leaned forward, his lips brushing softly against her ear and making her shiver. "I'm not even going to bother reprimanding you. Just know your punishment will besevere," he whispered huskily as he slowly circled her, close enough she could feel the heat from his body but not close enough to touch.
"I-I'm sorry sir, do I know you?" She asked, playing dumb.
He chuckled darkly and wrapped a lock of her now black-raven hair around his finger. He gazed deeply into her eyes and they flashed gold, her werewolf giving her own version of a 'hello'.
"Hmmm," he hummed. "I prefer the silver."
His Elite Guards hung in the background, a terrifying, constant presence that guarded Luther from all sides. It was the first time she'd ever seen Darius and Maddox look so professional. There was no sign of the fun pranksters she'd come to know over her time with the vampires. They were in work mode and they looked badass.
Heavy footsteps thudded in the room and Luther turned, stepping back slightly. Barnabas marched, determined and powerful with long elegant strides right towards them. It was a walk that commanded the attention of the entire room, one that screamed 'get the fuck out of my way before you get bulldozed over'.
He honed in on Zamorra, those arctic blue eyes never straying from her face as he barged through the crowd, not stopping until he stood directly in front of her. He sniffed the air, silver flashing in his eyes.
"Barnabas," Luther greeted, slowly inching forward. "I hope you're not to upset about the verdict."
Barnabas gave him a dismissive glance before returning his focus back to her. He extended a hand. "Barnabas Baxter."
She eyed it like it was a plate of broccoli. Disgusting. Vomit inducing. Fucking sickening.
"I'm quite familiar with the wolf packs here in Australia. Have to keep an eye on our smaller, weaker wolf cousins now, don't I?" Barnabas winked smugly. "But I've never metyoubefore."
His hand still hung in the air between them as he stared intently into her eyes, like he was trying to see through the facade concealing her. Could he tell she was wearing an Illusion spell? Surely not. Although, Luther was able to tell with just one look.
Barnabas' brows lowered in an angry frown. "Come now, little she-wolf. It would beextremelydisrespectful of you to refuse such a welcoming gesture from a Regent," he warned, a dark edge to his voice.
Zamorra glared, annoyance thrumming through her. The Regents were big on respect. If for one moment they thought someone was disrespecting them, they put them in their place. In whichever way that needed to happen.
Luther tensed as she stretched out her arm and clasped a hand with Barnabas'.
A jolt ran straight through body and she stiffened, squeezing his hand tight. A strange sensation she couldn't explain coursed into every nerve, every fibre of her body and she swayed slightly, that weird feeling making her woozy and light-headed.
Barnabas tensed and his eyes darted down to their clasped hands, frowning in confusion.
The world shrank in an instant, everything in the room, the sounds, the people, the smells, everything faded into the background as she stared deeply into Barnabas' silvery glowing eyes.