Page 34 of Benicio

“Yes, I can,” Benicio said, his gaze never leaving Matteo.

“No, you can’t.” David explained why. “Unless you want a microscope turned on our community, you can’t kill them.”

David spun when the front door opened. In walked Eleazar and his coven. What stunned David beyond words was that Rayne and his pack was with them. This was bad. There was about to be a bloodbath, and David had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to stop it. The Council of Darkness had wrought too much destruction, had claimed too many lives. The vampire and wolf shifters wanted revenge. They wanted those responsible to pay.

Although there were at least thirty humans there, they were no match for the combined force they were up against. The preternatural would show no mercy. It wasn’t their way. Preternatural policed their own kind, and they lived by their own set of rules.

One of Eleazar’s coven members had been killed by them. Too many had been hurt, their lives destroyed, and some independent preternatural were missing. David didn’t think they would ever be found.

This group deserved what they had coming to them, but David didn’t want preternatural to suffer because of their actions. Human police would investigate. People would snoop around.

“I don’t fear human law enforcement,” Benicio said, as if reading David’s mind. “The true culprits for the chaos in Ridgeway are in front of me, and I am judge, jury, and executioner. I am the final verdict.”

It was as if Benicio was addressing everyone in the foyer, not just David.

“We outnumber you,” Hound said. “There is going to be justice, but you’re not the one who is going to dispense it.”

Benicio walked down the remaining stairs. David stayed where he was. Whatever his mate was going to do, David wanted to be clear of the area in case that power accidentally hit him.

Benicio didn’t stop until he stood in front of Hound, who was still holding Matteo at gunpoint. To David’s delight, Matteo didn’t look the least bit concerned. It was like he was humoring the human, as if the theatrics were giving him a kick.

“Tone it down,” David said to Matteo. He didn’t have to shout. Not when preternatural had heightened hearing. “You look like you’re actually enjoying this.”

Matteo chuckled. “I’ve never been used as a shield before. Now I can check that off my bucket list.”

“You’re twisted,” David replied, though the humans seemed baffled at their exchange.

Matteo spread his hands. “I take my fun where I can get it.”

David saw Benicio’s profile and saw his mate roll his eyes. “Move so that I can talk to Hound.”

Matteo sighed. “There you go taking all the fun out of this.”

When it looked as if Hound tightened his grip, Matteo moved so fast that he was nothing more than a blur. Hound stood there holding his gun to a temple that was no longer there. Matteo stopped next to David and whispered, “You’ve never seen Benicio when he’s this pissed off. Watch what happens.”

“You really are twisted,” David whispered in return.

“Hound,” Benicio said. “Real name Clarence Shapiro. Born to immense wealth.”

“Liar,” Hound snarled, though his men were looking at each other as if wondering if that was true.

Most of the humans in the foyer looked as if they’d had a hard life, as if they’d had to scrape for everything they had. David noticed a few expressions of resentment before he turned his attention back to Benicio.

His mate tilted his head slightly. “Your parents haven’t been traveling for enjoyment your entire life. They saw you for what you were and are traveling to avoid you.” Benicio took two steps closer, but his voice was raised enough for everyone to hear. “You’re a psychopath. You derive a sexual thrill out of seeing others hurt, though you don’t do the hurting yourself. You use these men to do that for you.”

“Is that true?” some guy behind Benicio asked. “You using us, Hound?”

Benicio turned to look over his shoulder. “Why are you surprised? It’s not like you don’t get a kick out of hurting people, too.” He turned back to Hound. “I came here to pass judgment on a vampire who couldn’t seem to keep his city in order, but it is you who has caused all this. I think the council will be satisfied with my verdict when they learn what you’ve done and that you’re the one who’s responsible for all of this.”

“I haven’t been leader long,” Hound argued.

“And your predecessors have already paid with their lives,” Benicio reminded him. “You took up the mantel, so you took up the responsibility of your group.”

David’s brows shot up when Hound tried to run. Where in the hell did he think he was going? Not only did his men stand in his way of escape but so did Eleazar, Rayne, and their men.

It was Eleazar who stepped forward. “Because of your actions, and the actions of those before you, I lost a good man. Alaric. Your group tried to burn my house down with my coven and mate inside. You’ve tortured and killed many humans, vampires, and wolf shifters alike.”

David hadn’t known that wolf shifters were killed. He thought the group had only targeted vampires and those who helped them.

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