Page 36 of Feeding Frenzy (Crimson Coven #3)

THIRTY-SIX

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Tobias eyed me through the rear-view mirror. As he’d been doing the entire drive down to the sea front.

“Imogen cannot see you.”

“Tobias,” I gasped, exasperated. “That’s the twelfth time I’ve heard it.” I scratched at the uncomfortable wig. I hadn’t taken a single breath through my nose, because I didn’t want to sniff the god-awful perfume Baron spritzed on me. Since I’d been out of the social media fold, I didn’t know what was ‘in’ right now. But I guess it was popular enough that many people wore it.

“And—”

“No one can smell my blood, got it.”

Most of Bastien’s theories were correct. But a new thing he discovered was that the marker that healed blood-madness was morphed into vampire cells. The way he explained it to me was that humans had red and white blood-cells while vampires had an additional one—black blood-cells.

I’d ask him more about it, if he’d come with us, but he’d had to stay behind, because he’d reverted to his mindless state. Poor timing, but there was nothing to be done about it. Based off their reaction, none of them worried about his absence because Bastien seldom showed. Other vampires just didn’t know it’d been because he’d been blood-mad and chained up. He was just known to be a recluse.

Tobias pulled into the busy gas station and parked between two minivans. I looked over my shoulder through the rear window. The car Talia and Baron followed us in slid into the parking spot adjacent to this one.

“Listen to Talia, Pet,” Asher murmured and took hold of my face between both of his hands.

“And don’t bring attention to yourself,” Jax added from his spot in the passenger seat. I turned to Ren.

“Any words of wisdom?”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

I pursed my lips. Very fair, very valid.

Ren tapped his fingertips on his thigh. He shoved open the door and held it for me. I scooted out of the car; the romper shorts rode up my legs. Once I was out of the car, I tugged them down. Ren caught my arm and pulled me to his chest. I landed against him with a huff.

All he did was squeeze me tight and press a kiss to my forehead.

I pulled away and nodded at the unspoken warning in his eyes. I hurried to the other car as quickly as possible, making sure to keep my head down. Copper strands of the wig fell against my cheek. I slipped into the backseat of the sports car. A luxurious looking one that I was pretty sure I’d seen in the Crimson’s garage.

LED lights framed the inside along the edges of it.

“It’s nice right?” Baron sighed, revving the engine. “Can you convince Asher to give it to me?”

“It’s Asher’s? They didn’t lose their cars?”

“Pft, that was the first thing they ordered the humans to retrieve from the place Imogen burned. We managed to save about half of them.” Baron smoothly pulled out of the parking spot and revved onto the highway.

“Are we close?”

“Yes, we should be there in a few minutes,” Baron answered.

“I should have kept my mouth shut.” Talia sighed from the passenger side. “Asher still hasn’t even looked at me.” Oh, she was talking about her spilling the beans about the trial.

“Well, too late,” Baron said. I couldn’t agree more. “But we do have a few things to go over.” She met my eyes in the rearview mirror. “Stick to Talia’s side. She will get you out of there, if things go wrong.”

“Wrong?”

They only exchanged a look. The car bumped over a little speedbump, and she revved in front of a hotel. Since it was nighttime, there were lights set up at the base of the huge structure. The red beams cast light across the bottom of the hotel, making the roses surrounding the base of the place seem luminescent. Baron pulled around the front of the entrance where there were people rolling luggage—three-thousand-dollar luggage. Oh, this was for the rich of the rich.

I studied the too-pale bell boy. Baron rolled on past him. He smiled at someone, and I clocked the sharp tip of his incisors.

And vampires. The only two groups that would be able to afford it.

Baron rolled through a lifted gate, with a sign across it, stating that trespassers would face consequences. She revved along the side of the building until it spit her out in the back into a parking lot packed with vehicles.

“A big turn out,” Baron muttered.

“How can there not be. You know how many want to see Crimson Coven go down?” Talia scoffed. “Cat, no matter what you see or hear, do not engage. You are an observer.”

I nodded. That had been driven into me, repeatedly, by the guys.

“They’re giving it all up.” She shook her head and turned back around. “It’ll be anarchy, if this goes upside down. All for a human.” She yanked her hands through her hair. “Or well, a vampire now.”

“Don’t lessen what she means to them, Talia,” Baron said. “If it’s as our Sires wish, it is as we will do.”

“I just didn’t expect war.”

“That will only happen, if the trial doesn’t go our way.” Baron flipped her hair. “And it will.”

They went silent. War? At a hotel?

“Why here?”

“One of the Council members owns the hotel. He’s hosting the trial.” She waved her hand. “Neutral ground and all that.” Baron slid between two vehicles. “I’ll stay in the car, in case we need to make a quick getaway.”

I jumped out of the car and hurried to keep up with Talia’s stride. Multiple vampires walked in the same direction we did, toward the glass doors showing the group inside. All vampires—hundreds of them. The chatter and cacophony of traffic caused a conglomeration of noises.

“What did Baron mean about if this goes badly?”

“Imogen thinks you’re dead. If she sees you. Crimson Coven is done.”

“She can’t do anything?—”

“It’s not about what she can do.” She scowled. “You don’t understand.”

“Obviously,” I snapped, having enough of her attitude. “I thought we turned over a new leaf after our conversation.”

She sighed.

“You don’t understand how unique your situation is. If Imogen sees you, there will be questions. We don’t want questions.” She gave me a pointed look. “They will not give you over. They will fight. Five against everyone else. Even then, we will still be outnumbered. That’s why there’s an exit plan. If things go bad, we’re to get you out of here and out of the country.”

The gravity of her words slapped me across the face. They’d choose me over their entire species?

“Where would we even go?”

“If they manage to survive and get out of there. Anywhere outside of the United States Vampire Alliance.”

“So, we’d just disappear into another country?—”

“Hopefully you won’t find out,” she interrupted. “Now shh.” I slowed, stepping slightly behind her and kept my head lowered as I followed her across the carpeted hallway behind the crowd.

I couldn’t believe what she was saying. Why hadn’t they been more direct with me? They were putting literally everything on the line.

Two wide doors were propped open, allowing a peek inside. It looked like an area a convention could happen.

I kept my eyes forward, not looking at anyone directly.

It was set up like an actual court, the kind you see on television, except there was a panel-esque set up, with eight vampires seated in black robes behind a semi circle of tables on a raised platform. Carpet covered the floor, and wooden benches were lined in front of a long podium. The first rows were already packed. Talia grabbed my wrist and guided me to the furthest row. The one closest to the door. Excitement and chatter echoed off the walls and a certain atmosphere filled the air.

Vampires were big on theatrics. I ducked my head, keeping my face angled down. Since I was at the end of the row, I only had Talia to my right side.

The large doors slammed shut and the vampires milling around took their seat, offering me a clear view. Asher, Tobias, Ren, and Jax sat behind a long table on the right side of the room, directly facing Imogen’s side. She sat alone, hugging her arms, curled into herself.

She was going to feed into the poor-me script.

A young-looking, red-headed vampire sitting to the furthest left of the panel stood, his robes rustled with his movement. The room immediately went eerily quiet.

“Witnesses,” he boomed, sweeping his gaze across the crowd. “You are present to spread information of what occurs today as we settle a Coven dispute.” He paused. Dramatic, like I said. “Imogen Crimson has claimed unfair treatment and is formally requesting the restitution of all assets owed to her by Crimson Coven. They will each make their case and then we will vote.” He waved an arm toward Imogen, the sleeve of his robe fluttering.

“Fred,” Talia whispered so low it was practically only a movement of her lips.

Upon him taking his seat, Imogen stood. She approached the middle of the platform and looked up at them, giving her back to us. She’d worn a very basic khaki skirt with a blouse tucked inside the waistband. Her hair was slicked back in a ponytail. She’d made an effort to make herself look plain, like she lacked the necessities needed to make herself look well-off.

“Council members, witnesses. I begin by stating that we all know there is sanctity to a Coven. When one is formed, our alliance becomes only to one another, and yet, they have betrayed that. Betrayed me, and all that a Coven stands for.” Imogen went quiet and her voice sounded choked. She sniffled in. I clenched my hands in my lap. I scanned the platform to study the Council members that had been brought together to vote.

No one I recognized.

I kept perfectly still when all I wanted to do was take off running.

“What is worse, is that their betrayal was not even for a valid reason. They . . .” Her voice hitched, like she was holding back a sob. “They betrayed me for a human!”

There were audible gasps from on-lookers. Several vampires in the audience held their hands up to their faces in shock. My lips thinned. Fred shifted in his seat, alarm crossing his face.

“Well, that is highly unusual. Humans are not a matter of importance to a Coven. Do the Crimson Sires still possess the human that is the cause of this dispute?” a woman with curly hair and high cheek bones asked.

“She killed her,” Asher spat, standing so fast the chair he sprawled in scraped the ground.

She stared at Asher with impatience. “You have not yet been given leave to speak Crimson Sire, and?—”

“I apologize, I don’t see the issue with the human’s death,” Fred interrupted the female Council member. I gritted my teeth.

“I was fond of the human. As were the others. She was our chosen Pet.” Asher sounded like he was forcing himself not to launch himself.

“Her death at Imogen’s hand, as you so state, is still not a crime. There is no reason the female of your Coven, your Sire, cannot remove a human from her Coven, no matter what its status was. They are only humans after all.” The woman with the curly hair and tan skin waved her hand. “But we will take it into consideration when voting, despite your speaking out of turn.”

I peeked at Talia. Roberta , she mouthed.

Well, fuck you, Roberta.

Roberta turned back towards Imogen. “Your Coven members have spoken out of turn, but they seem most insistent. Do you have more you wish to say, other than the written account that was given to us? Or shall we allow them their chance to speak their side?”

Imogen demurely turned her face downwards, in a show of respect for the Council members, her hands laced in front of her. “No Council members. Everything about my grievances and my request for restitution is in the submitted documents.” She kept her eyes downcast as she returned to her seat behind her table, hunching her shoulders to make herself look small and vulnerable.

I simultaneously wanted to vomit from her faux respect, and leap over everyone watching and claw her eyes out.

Roberta turned back towards my guys, her face impassive.

“Very well. Your Coven Sire has said her piece. Present your evidence against her claims.” She turned her focus on my vampires.

There were murmurs from the onlookers. I caught snippets of words about Imogen. Things like outrageous that this happened to her, clearly within her rights, such a tragedy. My teeth were clenched so hard I wouldn’t be surprised if several of them cracked. I dug my nails into the wooden bench.

Tobias stood and gestured for Asher to sit. He waited to speak until Asher had thrown himself angrily back in his chair. “As you have seen in our written report, several key details are missing from Imogen’s declaration. For example, she was no ordinary human. Pets are held to a higher level than?—”

“But it is her Coven as well. Is it not?” the other female vampire with sharp features asked, raising an eyebrow. Her hair was cut in a short bob.

Tobias’s lips thinned.

This did not sound good.

A vampire dramatically shuffled some papers in front of him and set it down. He sat in the third seat, fingers tapping against the surface. Even from this far, he seemed so careless. It was obvious he was preparing to talk, and all the vampires remained silent, waiting.

“Gregor Redford,” a female vampire sitting to the other side of Talia breathed.

“He’s notoriously ancient and a recluse,” Talia whispered in my ear.

“Is it truth that your unique Coven was formed by Imogen?” he asked Tobias.

I gritted my teeth. That didn’t sound like the best start to all this.

Tobias’s eyebrows winged down.

“It is, but?—”

“And who exactly is your Sire, Tobias?” A different vampire asked, cutting of Tobias’s answer.

Talia hissed.

“Fucking Wrenhaven.” That name. He was the one working alongside her. What was he doing up there?

I widened my eyes at Talia, and she only shook her head.

“Why are you part of the Council?” Asher snarled out. “It’s a conflict of interest!”

“Answer the question,” Fred interjected, ignoring Asher’s outburst.

“Imogen.” Tobias hissed.

Talia was shaking her head; tension lined her body. I could also tell this was no good. They were only asking leading questions and giving no chance for my guys to defend themselves.

“And from my understanding she is also the Sire of an Asher and Jaxon Crimson. Two of which are also Sires to your . . . peculiarly run Coven.”

Tobias only inclined his head in answer, unable to dispute their words.

They believed them too powerful. The vampires up there wanted to do away with Crimson Coven because of how they led.

“Well, these unfortunate circumstances are clear reasoning to no longer allow Coven’s with multiple Coven Sires,” Wrenhaven said, leaning his elbows on the surface of the podium.

“While there may be some truth to your words, we must return to the matter at hand, Wrenhaven. That is a matter to discuss at a later time,” Roberta announced.

“Thank you, Council members.” Imogen sniffled. This was all a game to her. She just wanted an event . She wanted to be in the spotlight, while simultaneously destroying Crimson Coven for daring to reject her.

“However, that is not the only proof that they should be unseated as Crimson Coven Sires as Wrenhaven suggests. There is one more thing I did not include in my initial dispute.” She turned to face Tobias. At this angle, her eyes glinted with satisfaction. “They’ve harbored a blood-mad vampire. Against all vampire Council regulations.”

Everyone stiffened. The silence was deafening.

“Bastien Crimson has been blood-mad for decades and they’ve kept him chained, using him to infect other vampires.” An audible gasp crossed the crowd.

I stiffened. The way she said it made it sound much worse. Mingling truth with a lie. I sank my nails into my thigh, making sure not to break skin.

“But that is not the worst of their crimes. They also endanger us as a species, constantly.”

“Imogen,” Tobias hissed. Jax had stood. He looked ready to pounce.

“No,” she cried dramatically, her hands flying up as if to ward them off. “I am done hiding your secrets lest they doom us all.” She sniffled.

BASTIEN

I clutched my head with a groan and the chains around my wrist rattled. I breathed in, smelling the vampire’s blood coating the lab. And a human. I whirled toward the female sitting at the chair with her elbows on the counter. She watched me leerily.

“Um, they told me to tell you they couldn’t wait for you to.” She lifted her fingers and made two hooks with them. “Snap out of it.”

“They already left?”

She nodded.

“How long have they been gone?”

She pulled a device from her pocket. “Almost an hour.” I yanked on the chains. The edges dug into my skin, making my blood drip to my elbow.

“Hand me the key,” I ordered. She only stared at me.

“I don’t think I should?—”

“Now,” I snarled. She jumped and hurried to toss it to me. I caught it and unlocked my chain.

“Wait,” the vampire without fingers croaked. I hastened to my area to collect the blood and return it to storage. I didn’t answer him. They’d been torturing him to get him to speak but had been unsuccessful.

I’d worked with this type before. Imogen would not have chosen a weak-willed vampire to align herself with.

“Will you really be able to heal blood-madness?” he croaked.

I carefully slid the Petrie dish into the ice box.

“Wait.” He coughed up blood and it dribbled on his chin. “I’ll admit who took me, but you have to tell me, please.”

I paused and eyed him. He seemed desperate for my response. I could work with desperate.

“Let’s go.” I pulled on some leather gloves and went to yank his chains off the hook.

“We will talk in the vehicle.” The vehicle I didn’t know how to drive.

“You,” I pointed at the human girl hovering near the door, watching my every move with cautions eyes. “Go collect one of the two vampires upstairs to drive me.”

Her eyes widened on mine, and she quickly avoided them. Many did not like the look of red eyes. They were off-putting.

I didn’t grab the contacts to change the appearance. The Council would need the proof I’d been healed. And there was one thing vampires wanted more than bloodshed—a cure.

Catalina had saved this Coven.