Page 120 of The Star's Sword

“Not sure it’ll help vampires,” Cayne said. “Since you’re already dead and this helps with regeneration.”

“Who do you suggest takes it, then?” Simon asked.

Cayne frowned. “You’re right. It’s probably only fair if all of us test it.” He looked around the room. “Samael is the most important, though. He should go first.”

Sam was sitting next to me and shoved his small shot glass out to sit next to the bottle. “Pour it out. What do I have to lose?”

We hadn’t decided if we would have a revelry, but we had all decided to drink and have fun together, strengthening our bonds regardless.

Simon uncorked the bottle and poured a few drops into Sam’s glass. “Based on Zadis’s research, this should be enough.”

Simon poured a few drops in everyone’s glass, and then into his own. “Bottom’s up.”

We all drank, and then set our shot glasses down in almost unison.

“I don’t feel anything different,” Zadis said. “Kind of weird.”

“Bring wine,” Cayne said. “I don’t intend to stay sober tonight in any way.” He shook his head. “They were squashed like goddam cockroaches.”

“They betrayed my friends,” Simon said simply. “I had to send a message.”

“Damn,” was all Cayne said, shaking his head gravely again.

“You did splendidly, Cleo,” Simon said. “I knew you could do it.”

“It hurt, Simon. Bad,” I said. “Couldn’t you have come up with anything else?”

He shook his head. “Every other trial I could think of, she had a way to manipulate her way out of it. This one could show everyone who she was. How she wouldn’t fight even for those who would risk their lives for her, let alone for the world itself, or the downtrodden.”

“Do you think they get it?” Mor asked.

Luren pursed his lips. “Is there anything that could get through their thick heads?”

“I don’t know,” Simon said, as Zadis got up and brought a wine bottle over, and Samael snapped his fingers to make glasses appear in front of each of us. “But there are less thick heads to deal with, that’s for certain.” He giggled, and I wondered if maybe unicorn serum did have an effect.

The room was starting to feel warm and fuzzy, and I pulled at my collar.

“Anyone else starting to feel something?” I asked. My skin was beginning to warm and tingle, like I was drunk. I looked over at Samael, and his gorgeous face swam into focus, and I felt a wave of want so strong I could barely stand it move through me, as if the serum made it stronger.

Damn, I felt hungry enough to pull off his shirt right here and push him on the floor.

Why wasn’t he naked?

“I feel something,” Sam said thickly, pulling at his collar like he was hot. In his pants, I could see something thickening, if I wasn’t imagining it. He adjusted himself under the table. “Fuck.”

Zadis looked over at us. “I think unicorn serum might be an aphrodisiac.” He blinked, long lashes shading his emerald eyes for a second. “Is anyone else feeling weird?”

“Hungry,” I said.

“I’m going to see Ara,” Mor said, pushing away from the table suddenly. The room seemed to swim around her.

“I’m going to perform,” Cayne said, standing with her. He looked like he was about to fall over, and sweat dripped off his brow.

All of us looked drunk, but he was really having a time of it. He breathed out in pants, and steam came out.

“I need to go do a show. I need to feed from like a thousand demons right now,” he said, pushing off his chair to stumble out. “Simon,” he called back. “Come find me when you’re done running things here.”

Simon nodded, waving a hand at him somewhat blearily. “Will do! Wait, running what?”

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