Page 37 of Feeding Frenzy (Crimson Coven #3)

THIRTY-SEVEN

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“They have exposed our existence to multiple humans. Ones that are not feeders in a Coven.” Imogen’s voice rang out in the silence.

“Those are grave accusations Imogen, that go beyond your initial Coven dispute.” Roberta said, her eyes narrowed.

“I have proof of their wrongdoings.” Imogen announced and threw her hand out dramatically. “Here is one of the humans they exposed our existence to.” She snapped her fingers. She turned to look to her left where there was a door, expectantly waiting. The door swung open and first there was a flash of long flowing hair and the grin of the vampire who was tugging something behind her. This was giving me flashbacks to Calliope’s little show back?—

I sucked in a breath as the human being dragged in became visible in the doorway. No! A scream stuck in my throat. Talia grabbed my wrist, stopping me from lunging forward. I turned to look at her, my eyes wide and horrified. She frowned, looked at Peter and returned her gaze to me.

She squeezed my wrist and shook her head, mouthing for me to wait.

I felt simultaneously frantic and frozen. When had she found him? How had she known about him? The how, why, and whens swirled in my head. Talia squeezed my wrist harder, and the pressure pulled me out of my thoughts and back to whatever bull shit Imogen was saying.

The vampire offered the rope to Imogen and glided back through the door she’d entered. I couldn’t look at anything. I couldn’t look away from Peter’s bruised face and bloodied lip. Bites covered the side of his neck. This bitch had left him all bit up and bleeding.

“You are saying that the Crimson Coven Sires were so careless that they let a human know about our existence and sent him back out into the world? I find that difficult to believe. Why can we not simply compel this human to forget as he surely was in the first place?” Gregor drawled, and thank God he’d said that. Yes, just compel him. Then let him go?—

“There is proof Council members. They did not compel him. They could not. He has some sort of immunity to compulsion.”

The Council shuffled, obviously shocked by this.

“Impossible,” Roberta spat, shoving her nose in the air, pompously.

“You’re welcome to attempt it yourself,” Imogen said sweetly. Roberta flicked her hand toward a female vampire standing to the side of the podium. There were six of them. As many as there were Council members. Likely there to step in should there be efforts of retaliation between the disputing parties during the trial.

The female approached Peter. She grabbed the rope at his neck and dragged him close to her face. The frayed edges dug into the back of his neck. Talia forced me back down. If I started something now, it’d all go to shit. She’d kill him once she saw me, just to see my horror. I had no doubt she knew who he was. She was so sick.

“I do not recognize this human. And it is impossible for a human to resist compulsion. Imogen has lost her mind,” Tobias said bitingly.

“Such a good brother you are,” she said, heavy with the sarcasm.

“That was a lie,” Fred interjected, staring directly at Tobias. The crowd broke out in whisperings.

“He can sometimes sense when people are lying. It comes and goes, but it is never wrong,” Talia whispered.

We were fucked. It felt like she was about to take off with me.

The female vampire looked into Peter’s eyes.

“Stop breathing.”

I sucked in a breath. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself from breathing. He held his breath. I could tell, he was really, really trying. The vampire continued to stare into his face and I saw the moment he could no longer hold out. His breath whooshed out of him and his face crumpled.

“Is it true. She’s dead?” Peter croaked, staring at Tobias.

My heart shattered. It felt like I was about to vomit it up.

I couldn’t do this.

The crowd gasped and whispers filled my ears.

“He can’t be compelled. This is unheard of!” Wrenhaven shouted. Tobias didn’t answer. Peter’s eyes filled with tears, spilling down over his cheeks.

The back door slammed open. I turned to find Bastien entering. He had a hold of a very bloody man. The clothes. This was the guy they’d dragged into the house. The one that had a part in burning Crimson Nights.

Bastien dragged him forward. Blood dripped on the ground, leaving a trail behind them.

“Bastien?” Imogen asked, sounding confused.

The vampire sitting in front of us leaned to the one next to her.

“This is better than a telenovela .”

“What is this tomfoolery?” Roberta shouted. She glared down at Imogen. “You said he was blood-mad and chained.”

“Ah, did she? Well, I will get to that in a moment.” Bastien’s voice was smooth and calm.

Bastien tossed the vampire forward. He caught his balance and staggered.

“Your eyes,” the female vampire with the bob whispered as she watched Bastien.

“Who is she?” I whispered.

“Louisa,” Talia answered.

“I have proof of Imogen’s treason against Crimson Coven. That she has been behind the attacks on us, sabotaging our lives, refusing to follow our law even after her trial request.” Bastien pointedly cleared his throat.

The bloodied, beaten male with fingers missing, struggled to stand.

“I was ordered to oversee that Crimson Nights was burned down. I was also to provide Imogen with any assistance she might need in order to bring down the Crimson Coven.”

“Who ordered you to do this?”

His head lowered.

“I am sorry, Sire.” He lifted his eyes to Wrenhaven. “I do not betray you lightly. But . . . he has the blood-madness cure.”

Wrenhaven hissed and slapped the surface of the wood. A crack opened down to the base.

“This is good,” Talia whispered in my ear.

Roberta’s glare turned and settled on Wrenhaven. “This is outrageous! Have you helped Imogen circumvent our laws?”

Wrenhaven met her stare, but made no attempt to justify himself.

“Wrenhaven broke the sanctity of our laws.” The Council members murmured between themselves. They seemed more upset about Wrenhaven than anything else I’d seen the Council talk about.

He raised his chin with a smirk.

Roberta glared at him and flicked her hand up. Wrenhaven stiffened and his body jerkily stood, the robes dragging around him. He flew over the podium and dropped in an unceremonious pile on the other side of the platform. He quickly got to his feet, brushing himself off with a sly grin. He turned to look at his Progeny.

“I’m sorry, Sire—” Wrenhaven rammed his hand into his chest, and he turned to dust. He brushed his sleeves off.

“Idiot.” Wrenhaven sighed. “Yes, I have helped Imogen.” He shot her a sneer. “Mistakenly. She clearly was not as capable as she made herself out to be.”

Roberta did not look even a little happy.

“All in favor of sentencing Wrenhaven to five centuries of the coffin,” she sneered down at him. I didn’t know what that meant, but based off the gasps from the others, it couldn’t be good.

Roberta raised her hand and all the rest did as well. Wrenhaven’s shoulders stiffened. “We will deal with you later,” Roberta spat.

Fergus put his hand out and Wrenhaven dropped to the ground, unconscious. “Bastien, it ‘as been centuries,” Fergus said with a thick brogue, nodding.

“Now, back to the matter at hand that gathered us today.” Roberta began imperiously, obviously trying to get this train wreck of a trial back on track.

“You can do away with blood-madness?” Fergus interrupted, leaning forward, his bulging biceps flexing with his movement.

“I have engineered a cure.” Disbelieving silence. “If you need proof, simply take a look at my eyes.”

“How did you do this while you were ill?” One of the Council members interjected. They were poking holes?—

Bastien remained calm under their questions. “I discovered it before I became ill. Upon moving locations?—”

“I found it,” Asher said, standing. “We had all his things stored in a different location when he became ill. When the manor was suspiciously burned down, we thought it prudent to look through all our belongings.” That was a straight lie, but it sounded so believable.

“This is ridiculous,” Imogen snarled, standing and slamming her hands down on the table in front of her.

Roberta put her hand up. “Silence. Further outbursts will not be tolerated. This trial has been getting wildly out of hand.” She no longer seemed to be on Imogen’s side. “It looks to me that the female, Imogen, is simply an upset cuckold.”

“It does seem rather unfair to strip them of everything they have accumulated,” Gregor said.

“I agree,” Fergus grunted.

Bastien had simultaneously turned everyone against Imogen and kept my existence and my differences secret.

“I will gladly keep all Sires informed of my discoveries. Once I finalize it, we can work together to distribute an antidote.”

A small smile played on Louisa’s lips.

That was why Bastien was so focused. He’d known he could use it as leverage.

“I believe I have heard enough to conclude this trial. Imogen has stated her piece, and the rest of Crimson Coven has as well. I feel no more explanations are needed.” Roberta stated.

Fred and the rest of the vampires stood. “All in favor of Imogen’s request, raise your hand.”

The only one who did was the last member I didn’t know the name of.

I drooped. We’d won. I blinked. Not believing it. A smile began to crest across my lips. Now just to get away from here with Peter.

“Your claim for restitution from Crimson Coven is denied and your case is dismissed, Imogen. However, before we disband this session, there is one more thing to vote on. A Council trial is not to be borne lightly, only for the most serious of situations, and Imogen has, for the lack of a better phrase, fucked around.” Gregor smiled. “And now it’s time for her to find out. I motion she face punishment for her attacks on Crimson Coven. Whatever assets she believes are her due will no longer apply after insulting the sanctity of our Council agreements. I motion her punishment be that she must leave the United States for five centuries.”

“Aye,” Fergus agreed. “’Tis only fair.”

“As the keeper and organizer of our summons records, I will ensure Imogen departures from the States,” Roberta said.

My mouth dropped. Thank God for Gregor.

Imogen finally lifted her head. I couldn’t see more than her ponytail.

“I respect and will adhere to the Council’s decision.” Every vampire was absolutely silent. “And I will always uphold the law of the alliance.” She turned to smile at the guys. I leaned forward, too focused on Peter, which was why I knew what was coming as it happened. Imogen reached for him and with a quick twist, snapped his neck.

Talia yanked me down and slapped her palm across my mouth, cutting off my scream. His body crumpled forward and landed on the floor with a hard thud.

Imogen’s gaze settled on me, her eyes widened, then the corner of her lips twitched up—smug. The crowd stood, cheering and clapping like it was some show. My screams were swallowed by the hand over my mouth. Talia dragged me backwards and my body refused to work. The snap of his neck, the blank eyes. It wouldn’t leave me.

She moved so fast that my surroundings blurred, and my tears gathered at the corner of my eyes. The sounds of celebration sounded like a buzz. I regained control of my body as soon as the outside air hit me. I lurched forward, to get out of Talia’s grip, but she yanked the back of my clothes.

“Let me go,” I screamed and punched her right in the face. Whirling away, I smacked into another body. Hands grabbed at me and more joined. My feet went out from under me and the sound of an engine revved. I screamed, thrashing and hitting, ignoring the hisses of pain from whoever held me.

One breath later, and I smelled the sweetness I could no longer live without.

“Shh, Kitten,” Jax murmured in my ear. Another flurry of movement and my stomach dipped. Jax was running. I couldn’t see through the tears spilling down my eyes. He pulled me tight to his chest and the creak of leather told me we were back in the car.

Another body-shaking sob wracked me.

“We have to get out of here,” Baron whispered. I swiped the back of my hand across my eyes to glare at her. She stayed at the door, baring me from leaving.

“No, I can’t leave him,” I screamed, lunging for the opposite door. Ren blocked it from outside. Jax wrapped his arm around my waist, fighting to get me to his chest. He grunted, arms enveloping my waist to drag me back into his lap. I kicked out, slamming my heel into the back of the seats. Asher pushed past Baron and caught my calves.

“You’re going to hurt yourself, ?lskade, ” Asher said, his voice choked.

“Catalina, I will go get h—” Jax grunted from my elbow connecting with his stomach.

“No. Jax, you need to stay away from Imogen,” Tobias said sharply.

Ren opened the door he’d blocked and tossed in the keys.

“Go, take her home. I will collect the boy’s body.” Ren slammed the door. “You, come with me,” he ordered Baron.

His body . . . my stomach lived in my throat. The SUV roared to life, Jax hadn’t let my arms go.

Everything was a painful blur. I lashed out, thrashing and fighting to get out of the car.

I dragged my nails down his chest, ripping his clothes and leaving behind bloody gashes on his arms. The car revved, detaching from the curb, leaving Peter behind.

I cried. Jax held me tight, refusing to let me go.