Page 88 of Our Sins in Silver (Coven of Sin 3)

“That’s a lie,” Vincent snarled in his hell-deep baritone.

Sterling heaved another exasperated sigh, rubbing his temple as if to soothe the headache Lexi was likely causing him. “Council, this is simply a case of her word against—”

A chorus of gasps cut the eldest prince short as Lexi ripped up her shirt, baring her torso to reveal a gruesome scar.

Between her naked breasts were the words, “Feral’s Bitch.”

Somehow, those two words made me want to throw up more than the corpses strewn before the Elders’ thrones.

An arctic chill settled into my heart, freezing my blood over.

There was no denying that it was a silver scar. Silver was the only thing that could leave a permanent mark like that on a vampire.

“She’s lying!” Vincent roared, his eyes wild and his words splitting apart, traces of his monster creating a chasm between them. “Ruby.” His gaze pinged to mine, hot and desperate. “Believe me when I tell you I didn’t make that scar.”

By this point, I’d become well acquainted with Vin’s anger. The sparking embers in the dark pits of his eyes and tugging on our half-forged bond was the brand of fury that came with betrayal. Not getting caught in a lie.

“Can someone please describe what Miss Alexandra has revealed?” Sterling hedged.

“Proof of your brother’s savagery. The beast has carved his name in this poor woman’s body,” Grigori spat with disgust. I noted how his line of sight flickered between Lexi’s boobs, her perky nipples getting more attention than the scar between them. Sterling and the female Elder were now the only ones without their hands in their laps.

Sterling’s eyes narrowed. “And how do we know she didn’t create that scar herself to sell her lie?”

“My Prince, with all due respect, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to even suggest that such a beautiful demoness—idolized in her coven for her body—would willingly mar herself in such a way.”

“We know the vampire king died from liquid-silver ingestion and that Prince Feral served as his blood whore. After The Warehouse events, it’s come to light that he’s a creature immune to silver. Now, with this woman’s testimony, we know he owned silver.”

“Alexandra. If you knew he possessed silver, why didn’t you say anything?”

“I was scared for my life, My Prince. My ex-mate has always had disgusting and dangerous sexual preferences. I didn’t think the silver was meant for anything more than to hurt me.” She bent her head, and her shoulders wracked with fake-as-fuck sobs. “I thought if I said anything, he’d hurt me more. He used gloves. Black ones like Deathwish wears. So I didn’t know he was immune to it. If I’d known, I would have said something.”

“Lies! This harpy spews nothing but lies!” The air around Vincent crackled as he screamed. The council leaned forward with their fangs bared, ready to pounce should the hybrid lose his grip over his fae side. He was moments from ripping at the seams by the way his muscles rippled and his veins popped. His eyes were all black now, and his cadence was layered with that demonic rumble.

Before he could fall apart in front of the Elders, Sterling was on his feet with his fist curled into his brother’s shirt, dragging him toward the door.

Vincent was on the verge of a complete hulk-out, but he still contained enough sense not to fight his brother.

As I followed them both out, I caught Lexi’s sweet-as-arsenic smile. I’d be ripping that mouth off soon enough.

In the hallway, with the door shut behind us, we found a crowd of vampires huddled around in the hope of catching what transpired behind the council chamber doors.

“Everyone out, now!” Sterling ordered in a gnash of fangs and flash of hazy opalescent eyes. He was completely livid. Terrified by this rare show of outrage, the eavesdroppers scurried away faster than cockroaches getting their rock lifted.

The moment we were alone, Sterling had Vincent slammed against the wall. Dust rained from the ceiling under the impact of the fae’s weight colliding with the paneling.

“You idiot. You’re on trial for murder. The last thing we need is the Elders added to our list of people trying to kill us. So shut up and let me convince them you’re not a reckless monster. I can’t do that if you shift right in front of them!”

Vincent’s black glare boiled with contempt. “Why bother going to bat for me? Why not let them convict and execute me? That would clear me out of the way so you can take what’s mine.”

My throat convulsed when I realized what he was talking about.

Sterling’s face contorted with aggravation—a rare expression for him. “What are you— Wait. Is this about Ruby’s womb?”

Vincent lunged at his brother, who didn’t flinch. Sterling only slammed him back into the wall again. “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and write off this ugly possessiveness over our mate as a nasty side effect of your fae side bubbling to the surface. Who impregnates her first is her decision to make. But she won’t get to make that choice if we’re all dead. So get a handle on yourself. Go feed.”

“I… I… Fuck.” Vincent closed his eyes. “Fine. As soon as the trial is over.”

Sterling gave a shake of his head. “You must think me mad if you believe for a second that I’m letting you back in there.”

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