Chapter thirty-one
Levi rubbed his tired eyes and adjusted the bow tie at his throat in irritation.
It had been a month since Amaya’s showdown with her family and it seemed the Buru presence in Black Hollow had increased.
His Bayi were battling damn near every night to clear the city.
His men were tired…hell he was tired. The kind of tired that came, not from the actual battle, but rather the number of them.
The strength of his coven was growing, making it easier to dispatch the Buru vampires, but they were stretched thin as the borders in multiple towns were breached.
On the bright side, he had more than enough proof that the border mages weren’t doing their jobs. Now he just had to show it was deliberate.
He suspected that the Buru were getting through the borders to distract Levi from making his moves against the Collective.
He hadn’t attended a meeting with them in two months, and until he got an answer about who poisoned him, he would continue to miss them.
Tonight, at the governor’s ball, he would show his face and let them know despite the pressure they called themselves applying, he was still standing.
So far, there had been no further attacks to his mate, but he couldn’t rely on that.
Amaya had thrown herself head first into honing her magic, pushing past the boundaries and restrictions she’d been taught around using her chaos power.
She was much stronger because of it. The more she learned, the less he worried for her when she was out of his sight.
That wasn’t to say this odd silence from the Collective didn’t have him on edge.
He needed leverage with the group, and his plan tonight was to secure that.
He would step out with his mate to make sure everyone knew that she was his queen and nothing would change that.
He’d make them all bend the knee, if necessary, all to keep his mating with Amaya.
Levi had no intention of hiding it from a single soul.
As a safety precaution, he was rolling with six of his enforcers.
He smiled at the spectacle he knew his men would make in their tuxedos and balaclavas.
‘Coming down, baby.’ Amaya slid into his mind, her warm presence halting his fidgeting.
He turned to watch her descent down the stairs, his heart thumping in his chest. Pride swelled within him.
His mate was fucking phenomenal and it had nothing to do with the way she filled out the gown she wore.
Everything about Amaya, from her attitude to the power she wielded, made him fall head over heels for her.
The blood red gown she wore sparkled as she walked, the mermaid skirt sweeping the floor as she picked her way carefully down the stairs. Lucas rushed to her side and helped her down. The corset top hugged her breasts and pushed them up in a way that made his mouth water.
“How do I look?” she asked him softly as she reached his side.
“Amazing,” he whispered, kissing her ear. “Ain’t another bitch touching you.”
Her smile was radiant. “Shall we, then?”
Levi escorted her outside and his men bowed their heads as she passed.
He helped her into the car and entered behind her.
They left the compound three SUVs deep. Soft R&B filled the truck as they rode and Amaya laid her head on his shoulder, her thumb rubbing along the back of his hand.
More than likely, she felt his tension, and while her soothing touch helped, his mind was already on the confrontation that was sure to come.
By the time they reached the governor’s mansion, he’d quelled any nervousness he had, ready for whatever the night held. He got out of the truck first, helping his mate down. The guard at the front entrance looked like he wanted to say something about the number of men Levi brought with him.
Bas growled. “Back the fuck up.”
The male moved to the side and allowed them entrance. The ballroom was full, the power in the room displayed just as gaudily as the gold and black decorations that dotted the place.
“Fancy,” Amaya muttered, grabbing wine from a passing waiter.
“Aht,” Levi fussed, taking the glass from her. “Don’t drink shit out of here.”
His mate pouted for a second. “I forgot just that fast. I’m a terrible sidekick.”
He chuckled and kissed her lips softly. “Don’t talk about my queen like that.”
She smiled as her eyes lowered bashfully.
That the woman could still blush from his compliments despite what he’d done with her body amused him.
All eyes were on him and his mate as they moved deeper into the room.
No one dared approach them, but there were nods of acknowledgment as he passed some of the city’s movers and shakers.
“They need a DJ in this place,” Lucas muttered next to him.
Amaya snickered and Levi could only shake his head.
“Dance with me, King,” his mate demanded.
Telling her no never occurred to him. As far as he was concerned, this woman could get whatever from him.
They swayed to the music the quartet played.
For a moment, with his mate wrapped in his arms, Levi almost forgot the point of this excursion.
Amaya looked at him and smiled, and he tightened his grip on her waist.
“I love you,” he told her.
She caressed the back of her head, her eyes going soft and dewy. “I love you too, King.”
He chuckled and kissed her softly before spinning her body.
Her giggle as she returned to face him warmed him.
If he could have any wish, it would be that he could keep that carefree expression on her face.
As though the universe heard and conspired against him, Levi spotted his prey and his smile dropped.
Amaya looked around. “What’s wrong?”
He tugged her gently from the dance floor, his gaze never leaving the female moving through the crowd toward a side door, leading to what Levi assumed was a catering kitchen.
He followed her through the door, pleased that it was an empty hallway.
His enforcers quickly blocked the entrance and would keep anyone else from coming in.
Two doors down, the clinking of silverware and hushed firm orders let him know that the catering staff was holed up there.
Catching up to the woman, he gripped her arm and spun her around.
Her eyes widened and fear had her body trembling.
“King Levi,” she whispered.
Before he could speak, his mate was pushing past him and in the female’s face. “You poisoned my mate.”
The woman blanched and her hand started shaking, the drinks on the tray trembling.
“Who do you work for?” Amaya asked.
The woman looked around and his mate stepped closer. “Ain’t nobody coming to save you, girl. Who gave you the order to kill my mate?”
“I didn’t know it was poisoned.”
He opened his mouth, but this time Amaya gripped the woman’s throat, squeezing tight.
“Lie again.”
Levi smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. Oh, he could get used to this shit. His baby didn’t play ‘bout him. His dick filled and Levi was ready to take her down right in the middle of all these finely dressed people.
“It was a messenger,” the woman hissed out with the small amount of air Amaya allowed her. “I don’t know which contingency he worked for.”
“Point him out,” Amaya ordered, dragging the woman back to the door they’d exited from the ballroom.
Glasses fell from the tray, leaving a broken trail behind his mate and the woman.
His enforcers blocked the sight line to the door, so the three of them were unobserved as the woman’s gaze swept the ballroom.
After a few tense moments, she lifted a shaky hand and pointed straight ahead.
Levi’s eyes followed the path and narrowed on the male standing with some of the Collective members.
‘Lucas.’
‘On it,’ his friend assured him, separating from the rest of the men.
Levi trusted his enforcer to do what was needed. He nodded for his mate to release the woman and Amaya shoved her away.
“Please don’t kill me,” the female begged.
It was directed at Amaya and not him. That absolutely pleased him. His queen throwing her power around was exactly as it should be. It confirmed her confidence in both herself and her king.
Levi smiled. “My mate would never kill you.”
The woman sighed in relief.
“That’s what she has me for.” Levi captured her eyes and his magic invaded the female’s mind. Her mouth went slack, her eyes staring blankly ahead as he exerted his will over her. “Take yourself to my compound and wait for me there.”
Her glazed eyes blinked and she turned and walked away, heading straight for the exit. She didn’t even bother to drop the empty tray in her hand. He turned to his mate and Amaya watched the woman until the door closed. Leaning down, Levi kissed the frown lines on her forehead.
“My lil rider,” he murmured.
Amaya scoffed and hit his arm. “I’m queen now. And people gon’ feel me behind you.”
A happy chuckle was his answer to that. He guided them back into the ballroom and they mingled.
Every now and again, his eyes drifted to the male the server had pointed out.
Levi wanted to see if he could tell who the male was associated with.
Unfortunately, due to the setting, it was impossible to tell.
The male was concealing his magic and didn’t spend excessive time with one group over the other.
He did as everyone else was doing at the event, securing contacts and rubbing shoulders with the city’s powerful members.
Amaya’s hand skimmed his chest. “How long will we have to be here?”
He checked his watch and realized they’d been here an hour. “You ready to go?”
“I don’t like the way these people talk to you,” she murmured, her arms going around his waist. “And I’m sick of them staring.”
He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. “Have you seen yourself in this dress? Of course, they’re staring.”
“King,” she said shyly, a smile curling her lips.
“We can go if you’re ready.” He pulled her into his erection. “I been ready to get you out of this dress.”
She giggled softly. “You so mannish.”
Levi looked up and nodded at his men. They formed a circle around him and he clasped his hand with Amaya’s. He passed Lucian on the way to the door.
“You’ve brought your mate out. Bold,” Lucian commented.
Anger clouded his vision for a moment until Amaya gripped his hand, the cool touch of her magic clearing the murderous thoughts from his mind.
“Lucian, I feel like you threatening my mate, and I would rethink that decision,” he said after he’d corralled his temper.
Lucian smiled. “The Buru have been overrunning the city. What good are you to the Collective if you can’t even do the job assigned to you?”
Levi pulled Amaya behind him and stepped to Lucian. “I don’t work for the Collective. Go ahead and say what your scary ass is tap dancing around.”
Like the coward Levi knew he was, Lucian backed down. “You’ve missed the last two meetings. I think at the next one, I’ll make a motion for you to be expelled.”
“That don’t mean shit to me.” Levi jumped at Lucian and snickered when he flinched. “Bitch ass. I’ll be seeing you around,” he promised the border mage.
He guided Amaya around the cowering councilman to their waiting SUV. She clutched his hand tight, not releasing it until he helped her into the back seat. Sebastian slipped off his mask the moment the SUV pulled out and turned to Levi.
“He all but admitted to allowing the Buru past his borders.”
Levi nodded. “Yeah, but he won’t say that shit out loud.”
“Isn’t that some type of dereliction of duty?” Amaya asked.
“Only if we can prove it,” Levi answered.
He leaned his head back onto the seat, his mind spinning. Proving that Lucian was allowing the Buru into the South would go a long way to getting him replaced on the Collective. But would that be enough to keep his mate safe from their retaliation?