Daire

When we’d left Skye Tower a year ago, I’d sworn to never come back. Not for myself, but for Rik. I’d always known he’d be an alpha to be reckoned with, but with Shara’s blood pumping through his veins, he was a fucking giant that made all of Keisha’s previous males look like teddy bears.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t fucking terrified to watch him step back into this hellhole. Let alone with our queen on his arm.

Oh, my fucking goddess, Shara looked incredible. She was the most powerful, motherfucking blow-your-mind queen I’d ever seen in my life, and I’d grown up with some powerful women around me. Ezra’s formidable mother would make any male Aima twitchy, and our queen had kept her and her other sibs well in hand. Shara eclipsed them all. She’d give even Marne Ceresa a run for her money, and I’d swear off purring altogether if our goddesses didn’t intend to put Shara on the Triune.

Assuming we survived this fight.

With any other queen, I’d laugh and joke about how quickly we’d be flying back to Eureka Springs, victorious and high on new blood our queen had claimed for House Isador, but Keisha Skye was not a queen to trifle with. She wasn’t stable—which made her unpredictable. She couldn’t be reasoned with. There was no alliance or compromise to be formed here.

It was kill or be killed, and though my head knew Shara could beat this queen with one hand tied behind her back, I couldn’t help but worry.

Keisha had to know she was in trouble. Shara had broken Skye’s geas on House Zaniyah that no other queen had been able to break for fifty years.

So what nasty surprises did Keisha have in store for us?

Two beefy men stood guard as doormen, human, both armed. They gave Itztli and Tlacel a hard look, did a double take when they saw Rik, and promptly lost track of Ezra, who slipped off down the alley.

“Name?” One of the men asked.

Carrying a large leather satchel, Gina stepped up beside us. “Shara Isador to see Keisha Skye.”

Even though we were dressed like fucking royalty, they made us stand on the sidewalk while the other man made a big show of scanning a clipboard, flipping through several pages. “Ah. Here you are. Go up to the hundredth floor.”

Shara inclined her head like the fucking queen she was. The twins pulled open both glass doors, and she swept inside like she fucking owned the joint. Which she would, when we were done here.

Her face didn’t betray a single doubt or hesitation, even though she asked us in the bond, :No blood circle yet?:

:The bottom floors are rented out and open to the public,: Rik answered. :The elevator will only take us to the fourth floor, and then we’ll have to switch to a secured, warded elevator to get to the rest of the building.:

We stepped into the elevator, and she aimed a frown of displeasure at the rude doormen’s backs. Somebody would be looking for a new job tomorrow.

“Gina, make a mental note that we’ll need to buy out whatever leases are in effect. When this building’s mine, I’ll bleed a circle on the sidewalk outside. Nobody gets in that I don’t want here.”

“Excellent idea, my queen.”

We stepped off the elevator into a grand foyer complete with a huge chandelier, white marble, and lots of gold frames and vases. The public access areas were down a hallway to the right, with the second elevator directly across the foyer, where six women waited.

Women I recognized as Keisha’s Blood, or, as she called them, her Furies. At least there were only six. She certainly hadn’t sent her alpha, and couldn’t be bothered to come welcome a visiting queen herself.

I took a deep, calming breath, and put on my most winning smile as I took the lead. “My queen, let me introduce you to Ashlee, Caryl, Melissa, Aliyah, Bethany, and Lissa Skye, six of Skye’s Blood. Furies, this is my queen, Shara Isador.”

Lissa smiled broadly. “Daire! We missed you. Welcome home.”

It took all my training not to grimace. This place had never been my home, and after finding Shara… I would only equate Skye Tower with hell.

Each of them sidled up to one of us, and Lissa twined her arm with mine, leaning in to make sure she brushed her breasts against me. “No kiss?”

I pulled away slightly and gave a quick, apologetic glance at Shara. “No, I’m sorry. My queen doesn’t like other women to touch me.”

“Oh, she doesn’t? Well that’s too bad, isn’t it, sugar. Let’s get you upstairs. Her Majesty is excited to meet her new sib.”

Shara arched a brow. “Excuse me? I’m not here to become a Skye sibling.”

Lissa’s eyes rounded and she laughed nervously. “I guess that’s between you and my queen. We’re here to escort you into the nest and upstairs to her throne room.”

Shara nodded, stepping closer to Rik. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her firmly up against him, while Ashlee, a tall slim woman with blue-black hair, took his other arm.

Shara’s mouth flattened out in a hard, grim line. “Daire spoke truly. I don’t like anyone else touching my Blood.”

The woman laughed like it was a joke. “But we have to touch you to get through the nest.”

“No, you don’t. Not my three Blood who were formerly Skye. Hands off. Nevarre, Gina, with Rik and me. Itztli, Tlacel, with Daire.”

Caryl, a petite red-head, asked “Where’s Ezra? He’s supposed to be here.”

Shara shrugged. “He is, somewhere. He said he had some business to take care of.”

The Furies looked at each other, and I felt the tickle in the back of my mind. They were using their bonds to talk.

Since Lissa had allowed me to feed once or twice…

She remembered it at the same moment I did and gave me a hard, toothy smile. “Let’s go.”

The twins came up on either side of me and with a hand on my shoulders, we three crossed into the warded nest at the same time. They immediately moved closer to the elevator, taking up a protective stance in case anyone popped out unexpectedly. I turned and watched as Rik led Gina, Nevarre, and Shara through the blood circle. She didn’t shiver or make any indication that she felt the magic sliding over her skin. Once they were through, we pressed into the elevator.

Thirteen adults made for a cozy fit, which the Furies took full advantage of.

“Mmmm.” Ashlee made a great show of leaning in closely to Rik and smelling him. He bared his teeth and rumbled a warning, but she ignored him. “Such a tasty alpha. But I remember when you were just a shy, awkward sib from an obscure house.”

“Please back away from my alpha and kindly remove your hands from his person.” Shara’s flat, cold voice cut through me like a knife. Lissa shifted closer to me, whether for protection, or to try and draw Shara’s attention away from her friend, I wasn’t sure.

“He’s one of ours,” Ashlee insisted. “He passed through the circle. By Skye law, I could feed on him if I wanted. I’m Blood, and in Skye’s Tower, anyone’s game.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Ashlee gave her a snotty look and then met the other Furies’ gazes. “Her Majesty said to make a statement. I think taking a bit of Isador blood will show them who’s house they’re in. Don’t you agree?”

The women all nodded.

Shara smiled, her eyes flaring. “Anyone who tries to feed on my Blood will die, and I won’t have to lift a finger to accomplish it.”

Ashlee narrowed her eyes, her jaw firming. “I think my queen will have something to say about that. Furies, feed.”

Ignoring the suit coat he wore, she sank her fangs into Rik’s biceps through the material. She was tall—but not tall enough to reach our alpha’s throat. Lissa hesitated a moment, meeting my gaze. I shook my head, trying to warn her off. She’d been nice enough to me. Not all of Skye’s people needed to die.

With a shrug, she leaned in to nuzzle my throat above my collar. I clenched my jaws, fighting to control my reaction. I’d never had a problem feeding anyone before, but something about her made me want to flinch. Nevarre and Tlacel both moved back against Itztli, shielding him from the woman who’d paired up with him.

“Feed on me, if you’d like,” Tlacel said. “But spare my brother. He cannot abide the touch of another.”

“Oh?” Melissa drawled. “Your queen treats you so badly, then?”

Itztli jerked open the front of his shirt to reveal the long scar over his sternum. “Until you can take my heart out and put it back again, I’ll pass.”

She shrugged and sank fang into Tlacel. Bracing myself for Lissa’s bite, I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. Every cell in my body rejected her. Her touch, her scent, how sharp her fangs would be in my skin. If Shara had bitten me, I’d be melting and purring, crazy for her. But this…

This would be a violation.

Lissa bared her fangs, ready to bite me, but hesitated at a strange noise.

Ashlee spluttered, dribbling blood down her shirt. Eyes bulging, she backed a step away from Rik and slammed up against the elevator wall.

Lissa lifted her head. “Ash? What’s wrong?”

She tore at her throat, bloodying herself. Gasping and spewing blood, the other Furies jerked back too.

Whirling on me, Lissa grabbed my arm. “What’s wrong? What did she do to them?”

“Nothing,” Shara said calmly. “I warned you. I don’t take kindly to anyone touching my Blood, let alone feeding on them. I told you anyone who did would die.”

By the time the elevator doors opened, five of the Furies were down on the floor, gurgling and choking as their throats swelled and blackened. Vega, Skye’s female alpha, fisted her hands on her hips and glared at us all. “What the fuck happened here?”

Shara grimaced at the blood and black fluids on the floor, so Rik scooped her up in his arms and stepped over Ashlee’s bloated body. “I warned them not to feed on my Blood, but they refused to listen. They paid the price. Look at my Blood if you don’t believe me. They each bear fang marks.”

Vega narrowed a hard look on Lissa. “Is that true? Or did the Isador bitch try something?”

Vicious sounds rumbled from our throats. Rik sounded like an earthquake. Itztli growled like a rabid dog. My fangs ached and my chest rattled on a warning hiss. Nevarre’s eyes flashed, his head tipped like a raven ready to peck someone’s eyes out. Even mild-mannered Tlacel was poised to strike, his hair flared up on the top of his head like a spiny ridge.

Lissa squeezed my arm, her nails digging into my skin. “It’s true. She told us. We didn’t listen.”

Vega looked her up and down, her lip curled in disgust. “Yet I see you’re still alive and kicking, Lissa. Are you taking up with another house over your own?”

“No, no,” she babbled. “I started to bite you, didn’t I, Daire? I did. But Ashlee started choking. I was trying to help her.”

She made another grunt and turned to glare at Shara. “What the fuck do I tell my queen?”

Clear of the elevator, Rik set her back down on her feet, but she leaned against him, the white skirt scandalously thin. I could easily make out the dark cleft of her buttocks. The long curve of her thighs. I could smell her heat and need, despite the magic trick she’d figured out to contain her blood. Rik tucked her up against his erection, folding his big body around her protectively.

“Tell her exactly what I said.” Shara didn’t even look at the other woman. With the scent of our blood in the air, her voice had gone husky with hunger. Something Rik wouldn’t ever ignore. He lifted her up so she could get to his throat. “I asked them nicely. I warned them they would die. They ignored me.”

She sank her fangs into Rik’s throat. He groaned deeply, not trying to hide the fact that he was coming. His hips jerked, his big palms kneading her buttocks, pulling her harder against him. His eyes blazed with heat and he glared at the other alpha. He was so fucking big, pumped up, hormones blazing with the drive to protect our queen. Even while vulnerable in release, he was primed to kill in her defense.

Skye’s badass alpha bitch couldn’t fucking hold his gaze.

Vega’s face reddened, her lips tight and jaw strained. She jerked her head at Lissa. “Get a clean-up crew up here. Not a word to anyone. Do you hear me?”

Lissa nodded and hit a button to close the elevator doors. Wide-eyed, she met my gaze and she didn’t have to touch that old blood bond for me to read her mind.

Holy fucking shit.

Five minutes into Skye Tower, and we already had five bodies on the ground. It was going to be an epic trip.

Shara

Standing outside massive double doors, I had flashbacks to the first time I’d been presented to House Zaniyah. That first night, our reception had been rather chilly from her people. They hadn’t had any idea what kind of queen I would be. How much I would take from them. I hadn’t had any reason to raze them to the ground, other than the geas Mayte hadn’t warned me about on her nest.

These people…

Already, they’d fucking pissed me off.

I’d been fine, until I felt Daire’s uneasiness and Itztli’s panic as the two females moved in to take what wasn’t offered to them willingly. How many times had someone been forced to give blood in this building? Penetrated by fangs they didn’t want, forced to give up part of their own bodies and power to another?

They’d raped my men for their blood, used them against their will, and they’d paid for it with their lives. If I had my way, everybody in this entire building who’d ever taken anything from anyone against their will would meet the same fate.

:You can absolutely do that,: Rik whispered in the bond, his voice a soothing, deep rumble. :But let’s take care of Keisha first. Without her influence, I think you’ll find that most of Skye will be more than agreeable to your rules.:

:I shouldn’t have to make it a fucking rule that no one takes something from another against their will.: Itztli took a hesitant step closer, his shoulders tight, hands fisted at his sides. I held out my hand and he immediately came to me, pressing up against Rik. For protection. Goddess, it broke my heart. :I’m so sorry, Itztli. Go to the car. We’ll be fine without you.:

:I would never leave you to theses vipers, my queen, but thank you. I’m not afraid of them, only terrified I might slip and unleash my darkest desires. I don’t want to ruin your plans entirely when I start ripping hearts of their chests to feast.:

Gina set the satchel on the floor and bent down to reverently lift out Isis’s crown. The sight of the golden crown with arching horns holding the dark red sun disc centered me. I pushed my fury aside. I wouldn’t give Keisha Skye the fucking satisfaction of rattling me in any way, shape, or form. I wouldn’t be swayed from my purpose.

I was here to end her rule of torture and fear once and for all.

Gina set the crown on my head and helped adjust my hair so that tendrils curled down around my face.

:The presentation room is one long, narrow hallway that runs the entire length of the building,: Rik said. :Her throne will be at the end against floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Her sibs will line the walkway, shoulder to shoulder and likely several people deep to get them all in.:

:She’ll want to impress you with her numbers,: Daire added. :So they’ll be crammed in like sardines.:

:Will these sibs include other minor queens, or just weaker Aima?:

:Both. Minor queens that have been assimilated with their Blood and sibs from all over the country.:

I touched Mayte’s bond and she flooded me with warmth. Her arms came around me and I felt the softness of rose petals against my lips. :Shara, be careful.:

:Always.: I concentrated on Xochitl’s bond and sparkles filled my head like a glitter cannon had gone off. It made me laugh softly. :Have her unicorns shown up yet?:

:Not yet, but she insists she dreams of them every night.:

:Good. I hope they’re on their way to her.:

I pulled back gently and focused on my Blood bonds. Xin glided unseen up a series of staircases. He’d be here shortly. Ezra felt further away, perhaps even underground. He moved slowly and carefully through dark, empty halls, his senses alert for the slightest whisper or sign of life.

Guillaume had his head tipped back against the leather seat in the car, pretending to sleep, his body completely relaxed. His scarred hands rested lightly on his thighs as he thought of each blade on his body like a mental exercise. Mehen had been driven out of the limo by his boredom and leaned back against the hood of the long car like a negligent lord surveying his kingdom.

Before I opened my eyes, I focused on the pocket of magic I’d used to hold the period blood inside my body. I cracked it open a little so the blood would start to trickle free.

Time for the demonstration of my life.

I opened my eyes and slipped my arm through Rik’s. He wrapped his other hand over mine on his arm and slid closely enough to me that my skirts fell over his leg. “I’m ready.”

Of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy. Trying to get into my head and rattle my nerves, Keisha had evidently decided to make us wait. Forever. Long enough that my feet—trapped in ridiculous high heels—were starting to ache. Sweat trickled down Rik’s face, his body so hot against me that my thigh and side were sweaty too. But neither of us moved a muscle. I didn’t fidget or shift my weight or look at the woman guarding the door.

I refused to let any impatience tighten my face.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Vega turned and pushed the doors open.

Noise flooded my senses. The clamor of a thousand voices or more, also bored to tears and talking among themselves. The clink of glasses, the murmur of staff passing through the press of people offering trays of hors d’oeuvres.

Then, to make sure I fully understood how thoroughly Keisha Skye was trying to insult us, Vega didn’t announce our names or provide an escort down the hallway.

Daire stepped forward, turned sharply like he was in a military formation, and shouted, “House Isador has arrived!”

The people closest to the doors whispered to the people beside them, spreading news of our arrival through the press of people, even if they couldn’t see us at the door. Slowly, the crowd quieted. Many of them knew Daire and recognized that a good show was about to start.

:Would it be considered rude for each of you to shift?: I asked through our bonds.

:Extremely rude.: Daire’s bond chortled with glee. :You heard our queen.:

“Her Majesty’s Blood, Nevarre Morrigan Isador.”

Nevarre shifted into his glossy black raven, leaving his kilt and suit jacket puddled on the floor. He let out a raucous screech and flew down the hallway, dive bombing at people and tearing at hair and clothes to be as annoying as possible. I hoped to goddess that he crapped on somebody. Hopefully Keisha herself.

Daire scooped up the kilt and handed it to Gina for safekeeping.

“Her Majesty’s Blood, Itztli Zaniyah Isador.”

Itztli shifted to his gigantic black dog and bayed like a hell hound to start the Wild Hunt. Tongue lolling, he sat on his haunches, waiting for his brother. Tlacel picked up the obsidian blade and handed it to Gina with a flourish.

“Her Majesty’s Blood, Tlacel Zaniyah Isador.”

Tlacel leaped into the air, shifting so quickly into his Great Feathered Serpent that some of the people closest to us gasped with wonder. Bright green and teal feathers dotted with red, he cut through the air with a sinuous swipe of his tail that did look like a flying snake. His twin trotted beneath him. People oohed and awed as they passed when they caught a glimpse of such rare Blood.

“Her Majesty, Shara Isador, last daughter of the Great One, Isis, She who is all that has been and is and shall be, with her consiliarius, Gina Isador, and Her Majesty’s alpha Blood, Alrik Hyrrokkin Isador. Not present are Her Majesty’s Blood Guillaume de Payne Isador, Leviathan Gorgon Isador, Wu Tien Xin Isador, and Ezra Ursula Isador.”

:Do you want me to shift?: Rik asked.

:No. I think we’ll have more fun interacting this way, and I’d rather them not know what you are yet.:

Rik and I stepped up beside Daire, and Rik used his booming voice to announce, “Her Majesty’s Blood, Daire Devanna Isador.”

Daire shifted into his warcat and padded along with Gina behind us.

Head high, I stepped into the long room. I didn’t look at anything or anyone, and I kept my pace slow and deliberate. I could feel blood smearing on my thighs as I walked. Spreading to the tulle skirt as it moved against my legs.

The first shock rippled through the crowd. Sharp inhales. Gasps. A woman, visibly bleeding from her period, in public, without a care. Entering a huge room crammed with ravenous vampires. Even more…

I was breeding, something that was so rare that their own queen had resorted to torture to try and recreate.

People started to inch closer to us, drawn by the smell of my blood and the promise of my power. Daire roared and snapped to keep them back. Itztli paused, bristling with a vicious growl rattling his deep chest. Tlacel and Nevarre swooped lower, sharp talons and beaks to add to the blood frenzy building in them.

Rik tightened his grip on me. :This could get ugly.:

:I’m counting on it.: