Page 92 of House of Vampires and Flame

“You led a shrieking abomination into the grounds of Shades Academy,” Mistress Ethel accused scathingly. “Two students were slaughtered; one was a honey badger shifter called Luna.”

I blinked?

What? Luna was dead? It couldn’t be! But then Javier had said that she’d been missing since yesterday morning.

A wave of grief for Luna, fear for myself, and hate for the Shriekers hit me like icy hail.

“If you had anything to do with Luna’s death, Little Bob,” Dixie snarled, her face drained of blood and dark, vengeful fire burning in her eyes, “I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands.”

“You’ll have to get in line, wolf,” Gunnar chimed in. “He owes the House of Vampires a debt first.”

Louis looked at him hard, and the vampire captain shut up.

“Edward, a noble fae student, was also slain!” Mistress Ethel hissed, her silver eyes burning like cold steel.

“I don’t know where you got this dumb idea that I led in a Shri—a monster,” I protested.

The sentinels growled at me threateningly for being disrespectful. Well, manners wouldn’t get me out of this mess.

“My niece saw you!” Mistress Ethel hissed.

America thrust her chest out for all to admire. Her push-up bra and low-necked red gown did a good job highlighting her cleavage. She knew how to advertise her assets, free for all.

“I saw you talking to an abomination at the entrance of Underhill,” she said. “It called you prince!”

“Do I look like a fucking prince to you, fae chick?” I asked.

“Watch your mouth, servant boy!” Mistress Ethel hissed. “You will address a noble lady as ‘my lady.’ I could have you whipped for such an offense!”

I shuddered. “That’s intense, man—sorry, it’s ma’am.”

The headmistress’s eyes spat fire, but I was immune to her kind of fire.

“My lady America, as a noble fae lady, what were you doing near Underhill, since it’s a forbidden region?” I asked loudly for all to hear. “Isn’t it?”

“I followed you there!” America shouted, fireballs popping out of her palms as she conjured them. “And you don’t get to question me, servant boy!”

“My bad, my lady America,” I offered. “I apologize sincerely and immensely. But may I ask humbly what made you follow a low servant boy, my lady America?”

Someone chuckled. It sounded like Killian and Cade.

“You dare to talk back to your better?” Mistress Ethel growled, pointing a long, elegant finger at me. “Take him!”

“My Lady Headmistress, it’d be an unlawful arrest,” I shouted. “I want my attorney, and you haven’t read me my rights!”

Outraged shouts and curses came at me from every direction, especially from the mob. If they had eggs or stones, they’d throw them at me.

Facing me, Mistress Ethel looked hot and murderous. The druid appeared cold and cruel. America lifted her chin high and glanced at the princes to see if their eyes were on her. Unfortunately for both of us, every eye was on me. Bea stood at the edge of the ice rink, her eyes wide with shock and dread.

I wheeled slowly in order to find the weakest link where I could break out. There was none.

As my gaze skimmed the princes, Cade arched his long dark brows, not concerned. Silas glared at me, the promise of punishment in his dark amber eyes. Louis regarded me, calculation whirling in his pale blue eyes. Rowan sniffed again as he scented Sy, confusion and intrigue coating his silver eyes.

Killian smiled at me cruelly, like he had something really bad in store for me.

The druid led two sentinels toward me. They didn’t need to wear skates, since their magic allowed them to traverse the ice. I would make them fall on their faces before I let them cuff me and take me away.

Before I could strip their magic, Killian moved like a flash, standing between me, the druid, and the sentinels.

---