Chapter 50
Fifty
Gabe reached out to every vampire worth contacting—the rest would come anyway. Or not; Antoine didn’t really care.
Anastasia assured him she’d be there, but offered no reply to his warning about Lena. He hadn’t expected one.
There was no point arriving early, and Belle had insisted Cally look the part.
She shepherded her upstairs, Cally throwing a helpless look over her shoulder as she went.
With similar builds and only an inch between them in height, Belle’s wardrobe offered possibilities, and it would take them a while to get ready.
Antoine returned home via the smashed skylight, and changed into something more fitting: a tailored light blue suit over a white shirt, open at the collar. Gabe was in a suit, so a tux felt like overkill. He returned well before Cally re-emerged.
She descended the stairs with her jaw clenched, as if she’d spent the last two hours gritting her teeth.
No doubt she resented being styled by the vampire who had killed her mother, but Belle knew what she was doing.
The emerald velvet column dress Cally wore clung like a second skin, her blonde hair smoothed into loose waves, eyes shadowed in plum and rimmed silver, bringing out the steel in their gray.
His gaze lingered, and at his reaction, her tense mouth softened into a beautiful smile.
The dress might not have been her style, but vampires reveled in performance, and he had no doubt Cally would rise to that challenge.
“Ma chérie, it would be my honor to escort you to the ball,” he said, deciding that a courtly bow was justified.
A delighted laugh escaped her. “Sharp suit. You clean up well too, monsieur.”
The night was cloudy and the rain had passed, the ground still wet, reflecting the light.
It was bitterly cold and Cally’s dress offered little protection, but they wouldn’t be out for long.
They took Belle’s car; his Audi only had two seats and was probably impounded again.
He and Gabe sat up front. Tobias rode in the trunk, carefully chained up.
It was the early hours of the morning by the time they arrived at Roberto’s house, and the driveway was already full of cars.
“We’re late,” Cally said from behind him, a hint of worry in her tone.
“No, ma chérie, we are deliberately arriving last.”
“Making an entrance,” Belle added with her usual amusement. “Vampires love drama.”
Roberto’s thralls were out in force, armed as always, and Cally’s hand settled on his shoulder as he put the car into park. “Won’t they just shoot you?”
“To do so would be the height of bad manners.”
“Are we crediting Roberto with good manners?” She didn’t seem particularly reassured.
He turned in his seat far enough to give her a smile.
“Your point is valid, but Roberto knows how the game is played, and opening fire is not it. Besides, if they tried, we would be well within our rights to kill them all. Roberto would lose face, and a fair proportion of his thralls. He’d be far more concerned about the former than the latter. ”
He reached up and gave her hand a pat, then opened his door, Gabe and Belle following suit. Cally took a breath then got out too, giving the area a lazy once-over, as if she didn’t even see the thralls. From anxiety to affected disinterest—her strength always delighted him.
“Perfect, ma chérie,” Antoine murmured as he offered her an arm. “Have I mentioned how ravishing you look, and how much ravishing will occur when this evening is finally concluded?”
She lay her hand on his forearm, a spot of color high on her cheeks at his words. “You get through this without dying, and you can ravish me as much as you want.”
“Your terms are acceptable.”
Gabe adjusted the cuff of his dark suit, then fetched Tobias from the trunk, holding a chain that ran around his neck like a leash, and looped several times around his body, securing his arms to his sides. His legs were free so he could walk, and he showed no signs of his earlier injury.
Belle hung back, waiting for them, looking as bored as she always did, as if everything was beneath her.
He knew it to be the show it was, but she did it so artfully that it was convincing every time.
She’d chosen a dress in ivory satin that hugged her curves, any suggestion of virginal innocence undercut by a daring neckline and the vivid scarlet on her lips.
Her raven hair fell in a luxurious sweep over one shoulder, half braided, half loose, a sharp counterpoint to the pale fabric.
Antoine led Cally toward the main door, shortening his steps to match hers, Gabe and Belle falling in behind.
She cast him a grateful look, and her throat tightened as she swallowed.
Then irritation flashed across her face and she looked away as though she were angry at herself for showing any weakness, her back straightening and her chin coming up.
Who else would stroll into a house full of vampires with such courage?
Antoine straightened his own spine, letting his anger fill him with cold resolve. This wasn’t a social event; he was here to end the threat of Roberto, if only to keep Cally safe. Her strength was his strength too, and together, they were formidable.
“Open it,” he said curtly to the thrall by the door, and kept walking.
If the man didn’t oblige, Antoine would simply kick it in.
Belle was right: vampires loved an entrance, and some drama.
But the man hastened to obey, and Antoine walked straight through into the wide, open-plan ground floor of Roberto’s house, Cally at his side.
It was like it had been when the Curia came to visit.
Vampires from all over Greater Boston waited within, though their numbers were clearly less than for the last gathering.
Maybe that was because some hadn’t come, or weren’t well enough connected to hear of this last-minute session, but he suspected they were missing for other, more permanent, reasons: the effect of the Curia’s edict.
Matteo, Minh, Nico—they weren’t the only ones absent.
Roberto lounged in a chair at the head of the large meeting table, a few of the other seats filled.
Anastasia had one of them, as befit her age and rank, with Lena sitting beside her.
That meant nothing either way; Anastasia was too savvy to tip her hand.
Valeria stood poised against one of the nearby pillars with feline grace and watched him approach, her gaze hungry and unsettling.
Various vampires at the edges of the room came forward, sensing the entertainment was about to begin. Tobias’s appearance had caused a stir, but Belle more so, as she was recognized by all.
“The Outcast arrives,” Roberto said lazily. “I thought you’d be busy packing, but instead you’ve called a party.” He leaned forward, resting one arm on the edge of the table. “Lady d’Aubigny. Still here, then? And still in the company of an outcast. One might wonder why.”
Belle smiled without humor. “Like many here, I had nothing better to do tonight.”
“Shall we get on with it?” Roberto drawled. “Unlike you, my lady, I do have things to do tonight.”
“Yes, why don’t we.” Antoine placed his hands on the back of the empty chair before him, and fixed Roberto with his stare. “I ask the vampires of Boston to bear witness,” he began, not bothering to raise his voice. “I accuse the Curia of Boston of breaking our Code.”
A stir ran through those gathered, but Roberto simply leaned back in his chair, a smirk on his pudgy lips. “You’re an outcast. Who cares what you think?”
“You have banished me, that is true. You attempted to claim my marked chattel by right of jus dominii, and when I refused, you enacted expropriatio terrae, stripped me of my territory, and split it among your own spawns.” Murmurings grew among the listening vampires.
“But the seven-night window has not closed, and I am not an outcast yet. My accusation stands.”
“I acted within my right as Curia,” Roberto replied. “Whether or not you are aware of our older customs, I have not broken the Code.” He barked a laugh. “You bring the chattel in question here tonight. Have you come to hand her over, and beg for mercy?”
“The chattel in question can speak for herself,” Cally said, her voice strong, and several of the vampires muttered their disapproval that she had spoken at all.
Antoine’s reflex was to wave her down, knowing how offensive some would take her answering back.
But he trusted her enough to know she wouldn’t have spoken without a point to make, so instead he let his head tilt thoughtfully, as if giving the floor to her.
“Why don’t you tell those here exactly why you tried to claim me? ”
Roberto ignored her, focusing on Antoine. “You let your chattel speak for you, then wonder why I named you outcast?”
Antoine only smiled. “She asked you a question.”
“And I don’t answer chattel.”
“I am not chattel,” Cally said clearly. “I am a witch.” Again there were stirrings in the listening crowd, more of confusion and disbelief than gasps of shock, as if most present had no awareness of such matters.
Antoine couldn’t blame them for that. But Cally’s voice cut over it all.
“This is the truth of why you attempted to claim me, isn’t it, Roberto? You wanted my power for your own.”
Roberto curled his lip. “What use would I have for a witch? No, that was not my reason. I claimed you in order to punish you.” He raised a hand and leveled a finger at Cally. “This witch is working with the Order! An organization intent on hunting vampires!”
“How could you possibly know that?” Cally asked, like the answer was of mild interest.
“You were seen, witch!” Roberto said. “Nico felt your magic, and saw you with his own eyes.”
That confirmation stirred more reaction than Cally’s original assertion.
“What you say is true,” Cally said boldly. “Yes, I worked with the Order to hunt Nico, and I left him a prisoner in their cell. He didn’t stay there long, did he, Roberto?”
“He did not!”
“How did he escape?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know, witch.”
“You say that word like it’s an insult,” she said mildly. “But I do know. You found him, didn’t you? As his sire, you could track him.”
Roberto looked momentarily confused. “What of it?”
“Nico was your spawn. So are Lena, and Tobias.” Lena stiffened in her seat, but Cally continued. “When Antoine rightly refused your archaic demands, last night you sent two of them to attack Antoine and capture me.”
Another susurration passed through the assembled crowd, this time with no hint of disbelief, but with mutters of outrage that a Curia member would act so directly.
But Roberto merely sneered. “Your claim is petulant. It’s no surprise to any here that Antoine has enemies. To throw this at my feet is an act of desperation.”
Antoine inclined his head as though he anticipated the rebuttal.
“What those gathered here tonight may not be aware of, is that Roberto’s bloodline allows him to subjugate his spawns.
” If there had been murmurings before, now there were involuntary gasps of outrage and horror, while Lena sat rigid, staring at the table.
Given how reserved vampires usually were, it was particularly satisfying, but Antoine spoke over the noise.
“Both Nico and Tobias were compelled to attack, against their will, and controlled by you.”
“An amusing theory,” Roberto said, his eyes narrowing. “But I have no intention of discussing my bloodline here tonight. You forget who you are addressing. I am the Curia of Boston.”
“That is exactly why we are here.” He turned to Tobias. “Your testimony?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tobias said indifferently. “We attacked because you’re an outcast, and you don’t deserve to live.”
Roberto laughed. “And there goes your case, Outcast. We’re done here.”
“On the contrary, my lord,” Antoine said, letting his disdain into the title. “Given what I accuse you of, did you think the demonstration you just gave does anything other than prove your abilities?”
“Oh!” chortled Roberto. “So I’m guilty if I admit it, and I’m guilty of controlling someone if they deny it all! How convenient!” Some of the other vampires laughed with him, the noise cold and cruel.
Antoine smiled thinly, letting them have their moment. “Of course, despite Tobias’s assertion to the contrary, we do have witnesses.”
“Your lackey Gabriel, huh?” Roberto said, but his eyes had tightened. “I wondered when you’d call on him, with your hand so far up his ass it’s amazing he can stand by himself.”
“What a curious turn of phrase,” Antoine said pointedly, then continued before Roberto could be certain of his jab. “You are correct. Gabriel did witness Tobias’s compelled behavior. But he wasn’t the only one.”
“Let me guess. Your witch?” Roberto scoffed. “This charade has gone on long enough.”
“I quite agree.” Belle spoke for the first time.
“Your guilt is evident, for I, too, witnessed Tobias acting under your direct control. Everything Antoine has stated is true.” This time, there were no murmurings.
Instead, the room had fallen silent. “The only question remaining is how the vampires of Boston choose to deal with you.”
“Entomb him,” Anastasia said into the quiet.
Lena twitched beside her. “I dissent.”
Gabe scoffed at her, then gave Roberto a dismissive shake of his head. “Entomb him.”
“Entomb him.”
“Entomb him.” The call was taken up, vampire after vampire adding their voices in unison.
“I am a Curia member!” Roberto shouted, rising to his feet. “You think you can treat me like the kind of scum you are?”
“Entomb him,” Antoine replied coldly, holding his gaze.
Roberto had gone red in the face. He leaned on the table, eyes narrowed, and bit off every word. “I challenge you.”
“Curia members do not challenge territory owners,” Belle said in a bored tone. “Didn’t Leonard remind you of that, just a few weeks ago?”
“Do not, not cannot.” Roberto didn’t take his eyes off Antoine. “It is my right to challenge him, and nothing can stop me enacting it.”
“It won’t change the outcome,” Belle said. “The vampires of Boston have decreed you will be entombed.”
Roberto smirked. “At least I’ll have the comfort of knowing he will be dead.”