Chapter 25
A New Power
Each council member from every branch of fey is gathered here, all of them squirming uncomfortably before us.
"What's the meaning of this?" a widow spews, hissing under her breath as she glares at us.
"You have no right to summon us here," a witch from the light council barks.
"Actually," I mutter, "I do. As a descendent of Freya, I have the right to assume the throne and dismiss the councils from existence, if I so choose."
Whispered gasps and ghastly faces spread across the room. Kane steps back, watching as they all scramble to lean back in their seats, suddenly seeming more like the cowards they are than the intimidating dominants they pretend to be.
My eyes flash silver at my behest, and then they crawl to gold, proving a strength they've never seen before. My hair shifts, mingling blond with black. I smile as the scent of fear coats the room, but I see no black hearts or dark souls—only trembling fools.
Kane's eyes flash silver—he's loving his new self—and they are suddenly scared shitless. I can't help but bask in their horror.
"The councils no longer exist as they are. One person will be appointed as the governing leader over each fey. Most of you know Gage," I murmur, motioning for the dark user to take my side. He does so willingly and crosses his arms over his chest. "He'll be the leader of the dark users, and he'll also have full control of the Somage. As my advisor, he'll appoint certain people to various positions, considering he knows the other fey groups better than anyone else in this room."
I wait, secretly hoping someone has the balls to object. None do.
"And Reese," I say, watching the alpha make his way closer, "will be leader over the Were."
A snarling alpha wolf growls at us, but when Kane takes a step toward him, he backs down instantly, proving he's more equipped to be a beta.
"Chaz will lead the dusters. Deke will lead the night stalkers. Sierra will lead the lycans. Calypso will lead the light witches and warlocks. Thad will lead the changers. And all of them will be a part of the new council I've designed to reign over all fey—a united council. We won't be divided by class anymore. Everyone will come together for decisions and we'll be better because of it. Consequences are about to become very real, so keep that in mind when you feel like crossing a line.
"At the end of the day, Kane and I will have final say. Though I'll tell you right now, we'll never go against these people. I can see truth, lies, betrayal, and more. I'm not blind to our world the way I once was. I see it for how it really is. I see you for who you really are. Things change. We evolve. We change—starting now."
My rehearsed speech has all the authority of a real leader, though I have no intentions of actually leading. I'm just the scary freak that's here to put them in their rightful places. The others will do the leading. Me? I'm finally going to live my life.
The same thing that condemns me is my saving grace. I'm the creature they'll fear too much to cross.
"One more thing," I add to the silent room. "Drackus Devall no longer stays confined to his home. He's no more deadly than I am."
They all look at each other as though I've lost my mind, but no one dares to challenge me. It feels pretty damn good, actually.
"You ready?" Kane murmurs against my ear, tugging my hand.
"Very."
Gage takes charge, just as he was born to do, and starts working on putting my commands into effect. He offers me a wink before Kane whisks me away. When we reach the hallway, I look over to see Dice talking to the small girl we know very little about.
"Considering she was locked up for her entire life, she's actually very sane. For the most part," Kane says, smiling as Dice falls on his ass. She's a powerful visionary. Only some hexers were known to have such power after the visionaries were hunted into extinction—or so we thought.
"Don't do that," Dice gripes, shaking his head free from whatever image she just planted. She just giggles more, enjoying torturing the incubus. I really like her.
"She can make you feel like you're falling, place the image clearly in your head as though it's real. She's going to be incredibly powerful when she turns immortal," Kane murmurs softly. "She's going to need powerful people to help her learn control and discipline."
I look at him, slowly wrapping my mind around what he's saying. "You want to adopt her?"
He smiles, making my heart flutter a little, and making this all the more real. He glances down to my night stalker blue mood stone.
"Figures. You give me this so that your eyes represented happiness, and now your eye color changes."
I look up, and he shifts his greens to that predatory blue that makes my knees wobble.
"Now I can be anything you want," he murmurs before bringing his lips down to mine, heating me to the core when his skilled tongue slips into my mouth.
"You two are animals," Dice quips, forcing a groan from both of us for his terrible joke.
"What do you say?" Kane asks, nodding toward the little girl.
I smile as I look her way, and she comes to stand in front of me. "They called me the key. I don't know another name. You were going to ask."
My heart breaks a little. She has probably seen what else we plan to ask.
"What name do you like?"
"I've always been fond of Kimber. There was a girl who passed through the dungeon named Kimberly. I liked her name. She was too special. Like me. Do you know where she is now? I do."
The council never knew they had a gate keeper there. They only knew she was a visionary, and they broke so many laws by keeping the endangered fey there for no other reason than fear. Same with many fey, or so I'm told.
"I don't know. But we'll be releasing all the ones that were too special if you'll tell me where to find them."
Her grin is breathtaking, and it helps to relieve some of the tears in my eyes.
"I'll make a list. Will you go now?"
"I'll have people release them the second I know where they are. It'll be faster than going myself."
She pauses and then smiles. "You're being honest."
It's sad that she has to question that.
"I'll live with you," she finally says, and then grins. "After you get back."
I tilt my head, and Kane chuckles lightly to himself.
"Back from where?" I ask.
Kane pulls me to him and wraps his arm around my waist. "I think we need a night or two to ourselves. Finally. I'm almost positive we've earned it. Consider it a pre-honeymoon."
Gah, that sounds so good.
"But what about Kimber?"
She giggles in delight at the sound of her new name, and I discreetly wipe a tear from my eye.
"She can stay with your father and me," Mom says from behind me as she joins us.
It's still weird to see them together.
Kimber walks over and eyes Drackus warily. "You're not as bad as they think you are," she says, prompting him to chuckle.
"Care to keep that a secret?"
She smiles and nods, and Mom kneels before her. "You need a good bath, some nice clothes, a comfortable bed, and some good hot food. Ready to come home with us?"
She almost squeals and rushes toward the door to lead the way. "You two have fun. You deserve it," Mom says as she snickers and follows our newest member.
Kane pulls me away before anyone can object, and I grip his hand tightly, letting him set the rapid pace that promises a few days of escape.
"No phones, no calls, no worries for two whole days. Agreed?" he asks while opening the door to the car for me.
"Definitely agreed."
When we walk into the hotel suite, I'm met with rose petals, champagne, soft music playing, and every other form of cheesy romance there could be. I cover my mouth as I look around, and Kane's arms come to wrap around my waist before he guides me directly toward the bedroom.
I laugh as he tosses me to the bed, and then he vaporizes through the air and appears on top of me, his lips already devouring mine.
"That's really sexy," I murmur against his lips, feeling him start to grin.
"Wait until you hear me roar."
I burst out laughing and break apart from the kiss, as he rises up and pulls his shirt over his head. When his eyes meet mine, they're silver. Now that is really sexy.
"Like what you see?" he murmurs before leaning down and pressing a kiss to my neck, smiling when I shudder beneath him.
"Love it," I mutter breathlessly.
"Good, because you're immortal now, and I think I promised we could have some real fun."
Oh damn.
"Yes, you did," I breathlessly mutter mid-shiver.
When my clothes are stripped from my body and I'm bare beneath him, he smiles down at me and draws his bottom lip between his teeth.
"Then let's get started."