7. Raven
CHAPTER 7
Raven
“ I t's about time we had a proper dinner,” Myrr said, clapping her hands together with a delighted cackle as the servants set down enough platters to cover the entire center of the table from end to end.
Roast duck, creamy parsnips gleaming with melted butter, glazed carrots, braised cabbage, and an array of steaks ranging from medium-rare to near mooing, with mushroom gravy to pour over top.
It was true that, since we'd gotten back from the Demon Territory, Diana had called an end to the sit-down, shared meals at the table in the center of the keep, but we'd still had access to the kitchens and all the food inside, a fact that Theo reminded Myrr of.
“Yes,” she said as she stood up to reach the steaming basket of sourdough rolls, “but it's not the same as having this smorgasbord in front of you, is it? It just makes me so happy I could weep,” she declared without a single tear in her eyes, settling back into her seat and tearing into the roll as if she had a full set of teeth.
“Well, we wanted to make sure we put out a good spread now that William and Bee have come,” the Duchess said with a warm small smile as she gazed upon the Vampire King and his wife.
I tried to think of the last time I'd seen Evangeline give a full, real smile and none came to mind. Not since Lycan had passed.
Maybe she was finally starting to heal a little?
Her face darkened even as I watched, the smile flickering away as quickly as it had come, as if my thoughts had touched hers, reminding her that her beloved was still dead.
As I let my gaze trail toward Diana at the head of the table, I noted that she barely looked better than her aunt. In fact, she'd hardly lifted her eyes from her plate since we'd sat down, lost in her own thoughts…
Trapped in her own guilt was more like it. A guilt I could feel between us, her emotions swirling and slamming against me. Another chasm I could not cross. I wished I could launch myself across the table and take her in my arms and remind her, as I had so many times in the past day, that this wasn't her fault. She had been the victim of a failed assassination attempt—that it was self-defense and no one would gainsay that truth. To my mind, there should have been no sweeping it under the rug or making excuses. We should have dragged Gavin’s whole clan out into the sunlight and tossed his remains on the ground in front of them while demanding to know if there were others who felt the same as he did.
But cooler heads than mine had prevailed. Dom, Sienna, and Evangeline all thought that Diana’s position was too precarious right now. Even if she had been acting in self-defense, it could tip her people over the edge, triggering an all-out civil war. Not to mention that there was also the matter of her killing him…as a vampire. Her scent was getting harder and harder to mask as the days rolled on.
Their reasoning had won out over my fury.
For now, we had to play it cool and keep Diana's role in Gavin Barrach's death quiet, at least until we got back from the summit at the ruins and had secured our allyship with the other heads of territories. Then we could focus on the civil unrest that was brewing amongst Diana's people.
“Have we made any headway with Cleona?” Diana murmured, eyes still lowered as she directed her question towards Loch, who sat to her left.
Sienna wrinkled up her nose. “Cleona is the fae queen? I get her and Rabia’s names mixed up.”
Dom grunted. “Just don’t mix them up in front of them.”
Loch pointed a fork at Sienna and then continued. “My sense is that she'll be there. I promised Cleona that she and Queen Rabia would not be required to be in the same room at any time and she said, I quote, ‘I'll come to hear what the she-wolf has to say, but if that halo-wearing bitch even looks at me wrong, I'm out.’”
Will forked up a piece of duck. “Cleona likes me. I volunteer to act as a buffer between them if the need arises.”
“Better you than me,” Bee said as she swallowed a gulp of red wine and set her glass down. “I met her once when she came to visit Edmund during his reign of terror. If I had to be alone in a room with her or Edmund, I'm not sure which I'd choose.”
I couldn't argue Edmund was a monster, and a good thing that he was dead, but Cleona was equally terrifying in a whole other way. The magic practically poured off her…an almost palpable energy that was unsettling, making even my skin crawl. Her amber eyes glowed with an orange light that seemed to illuminate your deepest thoughts. I’d always got the sense that, although she was slight of build, if you blinked for a second, she could have you flat on your back with both Achilles cut and your severed tongue in her hand before you even saw her move.
“I'm not afraid of her, she’s a child still in her own way,” Diana said flatly. “I'm only afraid of what her lack of support might do to our chances of winning this war. I'm working on a speech now, and it’s going to be a balancing act. I need to appeal to the pride of the Fae, the arrogance of the Vampires, the Angels’ sense of justice, and the thrill of the fight with the Demons. So long as I can keep them from infighting, I think I have a fair shot of convincing them that there is no other choice but to band together if we are to have any hope of surviving. Our proof is too strong when it comes to the dark goddess.”
“I still have concerns,” Dominic said as he settled back against his chair, steepling his fingers in front of his mouth. “I know we said no weapons, but–”
Diana sliced a hand through the air and finally looked up, her eyes flashing green fire. “And I meant it. It's a non-starter. There will be no weapons, or there will be no meeting—if I were one of the other leaders, I would back out immediately if I saw my host was a fucking liar.” Her fork clattered to her plate. “Further, I’d appreciate it if the people around this table, at the very least, stop second-guessing me.”
Dominic, bless him, didn’t back down. “Allow me to finish, sister. I’m thinking as a General, protecting you being my only goal. You’re thinking like a Queen, and that requires diplomacy. My job is to think as a general—and I do agree with you on the weapons front.” He held up his hand. “We will be lucky if we leave there without any bloodshed as it is. If weapons were permitted, I have zero doubt that things would deteriorate rapidly. What I will recommend is bringing some reinforcements. Not just to step in and break up any potential infighting that gets out of hand, but because…” Dominic’s mouth flattened into a thin line as he raised a brow, “the evil bitch goddess whose name I won’t mention would surely love nothing better than to find the most powerful people in the Alpha Territories in one place at one time. I can’t rationalize you being there all but defenseless. We need to protect every one of the leaders.”
I tapped a finger on the table, drawing eyes to me. “If Diana shows up with an army of foot soldiers, the others will turn back, and any trust they've extended will be gone in an instant. We'll never get another opportunity to convince them,” I scratched at my jaw as my thoughts churned. I was with Dom when it came to protecting my mate. Diana needed to be kept safe above anything else, but if anything got in the way of her success in this meeting, any chance she had of uniting her own people behind the cause would be gone.
This had to work. There was no other option.
“Which is why I'm not suggesting foot soldiers…or soldiers,” Dominic clarified with a nod. “What if we get there hours before the others? Sienna can ride one of the Hunters and hide her in the forest. The ruins are a short distance from the shore. We could have Sal and Xephia along with some of our army at the ready in the sea. Back up only if the dark goddess makes a move.”
“I can call to the Kraken as well,” Sienna added, tugging a strand of auburn hair behind one ear.
The table was quiet, and I could see even Diana considering her brother’s suggestion.
“I don't hate it,” I said, my tone careful and measured, “but I don't believe we'll be the only ones to show up early. If we hope to arrive first, we should leave early tomorrow morning. Assuming many of the others come by air, we need to make sure that everyone is out of sight, particularly that Hunter of yours.” I glanced at Diana, brows raised in question. “Your thoughts, my queen?”
Her eyes flickered at the title, as if it almost hurt her to hear it now, but, to her credit, she nodded. “I hear the sense in your words, Dominic. I agree. Despite the goddess being weakened, we don't know if she might see this as a chance too tempting to pass up. Having some safeguards in place is prudent.”
She pushed back her chair and gave a wan smile to the table as she stood.
“If you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend the rest of my evening working on my speech. Loch, can you lend me your ear? I’d like to hear your thoughts on what I have so far. I'll see the rest of you in the morning.”
She swept from the room with Lochlin trailing behind her as the rest of us watched in silence. She'd been gone for more than a minute before it was broken.
“So what did I miss?” Will asked, flicking a glance to everyone around the table in turn.
Theo, bless his old heart, took a crack at it and cleared his throat. “Things have been…difficult here for the wolf queen since we returned. She's not herself.”
More silence.
“You know…maybe we should head down to the courtyard and do a little sparring to work off this food?” I said, tossing my napkin on the table.
I wasn’t about to air out Diana’s dirty laundry in front of everyone. At first, only me, Dom, Sienna, and Nicholas had been privy to what happened last night during the blood moon. Then, we’d let Evangeline and Loch in on the news today. Will would be the last to know, at Diana’s request. Maybe he would be the one to finally convince her that she’d had no choice. That I’d had no choice.
“Aye, that sounds like a plan,” Dom said, shooting Will a pointed look. “Nicholas?”
“I’m in.”
Bee reached beside her and took Sienna's hand. “And while you boys burn some testosterone, Sienna and I can catch up.” She turned to Dominic, “Don't hurt my husband out there, or you’ll have me to contend with,” she added with a warning frown.
I pushed back my chair and stood as Dom, Will, and Nicholas followed suit. We were about to head for the door when I realized Maverick had also stood. In the conversation he’d been so quiet, I’d forgotten he’d been there at all. Unlike him to not air his desires when it came to what he thought Diana should or should not do.
“I think I'll join you all.”
I paused and turned toward him, every muscle tensed. “I don't think you will.”
“And why is that?” Maverick asked, cocking his head in mock confusion. “Are you afraid to spar with me, vampire?”
The rage was instant and all-consuming, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing it. Hundreds of years of control kept me still. I was the predator, he was the prey and that had not changed.
Instead, I smiled, letting him see the fangs now protruding from my gums. “You want to spar with me, Maverick? Let’s go. It's your funeral.”
Dominic shot me a warning glare and then turned to face Maverick. “My brethren and I have a few things to discuss first. Give us half an hour in peace, and if you still think sparring with a vampire that would as soon feed you to the fishes given the chance is a good idea, feel free to come down and join us.”
Maverick popped a wink and sidled toward the door as if he didn't have a care in the world. “Count on it. Thirty minutes, I’ll be there.”
I’d hated him from the first moment we’d met, perhaps even before if I was being honest with myself, and it had only gotten worse in the face of this new and perplexing bravado. My blood was pumping at the chance to take him down a peg. Maybe remove a few of his limbs while I was at it.
“If you hurt him badly, you better finish the job and hide the body because it will only make her more protective of him,” Sienna said softly.
The truth of her words was like a stake to the heart, but I forced a smile. “And with that, I’ll say good evening to the rest of you.”
“Call me down to watch if you all start sweating and shirts come off,” Myrr called after us.
Nicholas, Dom, Will, and I filed out of the room and made our way to the armory. Once we’d stepped inside and the door was shut behind us, Will instantly turned to face me.
“Let’s hear it.”
I shouldered past him to the selection of weapons. “There was an…unfortunate incident last night that has thrown Diana into a tailspin.”
I quickly recounted the events of the night before, as well as the fact that I’d shared my blood, and her wolf had left her.
Will grimaced. “Hell. That must’ve gutted her. Both to learn that she has likely lost her wolf for good, and that she killed one of her own. It’s going to take some time to get past it all. I just wish this meeting wasn’t upon us…that she had more time to her own healing.”
“It can’t be moved,” Nicholas put a hand to one of the staffs. “The moons and the tides are completely messed up, and the weather has been getting crazier and more unpredictable with each passing day. Even if everyone agrees and we’re able to locate all the keys quickly, we still might be too late. Something tells me that when the dark goddess emerges again, it will be in person this time, and she will come with a vengeance.”
Nicholas’s words felt nearly prophetic and they left no room for more banter.
By the time we all selected our weapons and grabbed a couple of spares on the off-chance Mav didn’t chicken out, I was itching for a fight. The tension of the past week had me taut as a wire, and my near-miss with Diana last night had only made it worse.
“I almost feel sorry for you guys,” I rolled the sword in my hand, the hilt warming to my palm. I gave a couple easy swoops with it, testing the weight.
Dom snorted. “The only thing you should be sorry about is getting your blood all over my new shirt and pissing my wife off about the stains.”
“Want to bet on that, big fellow?” I shot back with a grin.
“Naturally.”
Will shared a look with Nicholas, and they both nodded. “We want in on the action. I’ll put a thousand on my brother. What say you, Nicholas of Southwind?”
Nick’s eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down like I was a horse he was thinking about buying—or in this case, betting on. “Dom’s got more experience and strategy, but Raven’s got both unrequited love and celibacy driving him. I’ll take that bet.”
I blew Nicholas a kiss and then turned to face my opponent as the others took seats on the stone wall to watch.
“And what’s our wager to be, Dom?”
“If I win, I want you to build a cradle for the baby. Assuming the world hasn’t ended by then, of course…”
I hadn’t built anything in decades. The fact that he remembered I was passing good at woodwork at one time in my life, surprised me, but I nodded. “Done. I have to think about what I want if I win. I promise I won’t make it too painful, though. And if you don’t agree, I’ll pick something else.”
“Deal.”
I lifted my blunted sword, circling as he readied his own. With an opponent like Dom, it was crucial to have a plan in mind. I had a fairly even sparring record against him, which was something I doubted anyone else in the territories could say, but it always took a little extra to get over the line and actually beat him.
He dashed forward, grunting as he brought his blade down in an overhead chop. The nerves in my arm screamed as I deflected it, and the ringing of steel was still echoing through the arena as I kicked at his knee.
He lifted his leg just in time, meeting me shin-to-shin as his free hand connected with my shoulder. “Fucking hell,” I said, doing my best to ignore the three different nodes of pain that’d opened on my body in the ten-second exchange. In terms of raw strength, I doubted any vampire alive could match him. But speed?
That was my domain and my best shot at whooping him soundly.
I leaped back into range, feinting toward his legs to set up a thrust aimed right at his belly. He spun around it, his blade whirling through the space I’d been a moment earlier as I ducked under it, springing up with another attack.
He brought his fist forward again, but I slipped around the blow, gripping my blade with both hands as I brought it down in a powerful overhead arc. He roared as his blade whipped into position to block.
I couldn’t help but grin as I released the blade, letting it drop uselessly onto his as my hand flew directly toward his chest. My heart thrummed triumphantly in my ears as all five fingers smacked into his chest, taking a solid handful of shirt and dug my fingers into the meat of his pec.
He went still immediately, knowing what it would’ve meant in a real fight. “Well fought. I’ve never seen you go for a heart-strike before.”
“Just when you think you know a guy, huh?” I said, chuckling as I clapped him on the shoulder. I’d had the move on my mind since Diana’s incident in the woods, though I never would’ve expected to make use of it so quickly. Diana still at the forefront of my mind, I continued. “I’ve decided what I want for my win. Try to convince your sister to let me come to the meeting.”
“Gods, man.” Dom winced. “Can’t you just kill me instead?”
“You’ve already convinced her to bring Nicholas, and Dominic,” Mav called as he stepped into the courtyard. “How many other vampires do you think she needs by her side?” he added, a shitty little smile playing about his lips.
“Just one,” I growled back.
“If you say so…” He crouched, picking up one of the blunted sparring swords from the ground. “So, how does this work? Do I have to wait my turn, or can I just hop right in and take on the last bout’s winner?”
I frowned, staring him down. “You can’t be serious.”
“Why not? Worried I’ll embarrass you?”
A growl tore free of my throat, unbidden, and I jabbed my blade toward the center of the ring. “You seem hellbent on your own destruction, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. That all of us didn’t warn you.”
He stepped nonchalantly toward me before dropping into a strange, low stance.
Every muscle in my body screamed for me to charge forward and skewer him right through his midsection, but I let out a breath as my eyes settled on a nervous-looking Nicholas. He gave his head the slightest shake, eyes wide, reminding me of what I already knew. As much as the bastard deserved it, Diana would lose her shit if I hurt Maverick too badly.
I had to win, but in a way that didn’t seem excessive or overly harsh. I loosened my grip on my blade, then leaped forward, lashing out with a mid-paced blow at his stomach.
Mav parried, and then launched into a counterattack. His blade crashed against mine, and I couldn’t help but be surprised by how hard his blows struck. Nothing compared to Dom, of course, but a comparison to the Vanators when they were super charged was far less ludicrous.
But how?
I didn’t waste time thinking about it. Instead, I shot my foot out for a kick, and he spun around it, letting his momentum carry him right into a counter. A rush of irritation coursed through me as I batted his blade aside a second time.
Let's see how you deal with this, chickenshit.
I let loose a little more power as I broke into a flurry of attacks. He barely leapt over the one at his ankle, then ducked under the one aimed at his neck. His fist shot out before I could get off a third, and I dodged around it, knowing that anything less than a flawless victory against this bastard would be a disgrace.
Maverick would crow about a win over me to anyone who would listen. And that was unacceptable.
The rush of bloodlust surged as he swung his sword again, just a heartbeat too slow. It took every ounce of self-control I had to rein it in as I brought my weapon down toward him in a two-handed chop.
His body lurched to a sudden stop, and he dropped his sword, leaping head-first toward my chest. I cursed inwardly as I felt the slice of a blade against my thigh. I had been too careless. That little motherfucker–
My knee shot upward at a speed few others could match, moving on pure instinct. I breathed out in relief as it smashed right into his chest. He dropped backward like a ton of bricks, his head bouncing off the hard packed dirt with a satisfying thunk as the dagger he’d pulled on me bounced a few yards away.
“Obnoxious bastard,” I muttered, wincing as my leg began to sting from where he’d caught me.
Against the rules or not, the fucker had landed a blow on me. And with such a strange move…
I reeled, the truth of the matter striking me like an arrow straight between the eyes.
More than strange.
It had been pre-planned. I’d used the same sequence in my fight with Dom a few minutes before. He’d watched and had been waiting to bait me into doing the same with him. Tricky, and far cleverer than I’d given him credit for.
The rage in my chest burned even hotter at the thought, but I didn’t have time to think on it long as he rolled to his feet and charged at me again. This time, I didn’t hold back. I hit him with a closed fist directly in the jaw, relishing the sound of it cracking.
Diana’s voice cut through the otherwise deadly quiet arena.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”