Chapter 2 #5
Corrine became the cautionary tale of witches changing to vampires.
But she also became a cautionary tale for anyone who betrayed her.
Corrine took the vampire’s life and position as Elite of the house.
According to tradition, the position should have gone to the oldest vampire sired by her partner, but the ruthlessness involved in his death ensured that no one would dare challenge her self-appointed position as the house’s Elite.
Corrine had returned to her sofa, her arms stretched out again.
“Jonah and his community of witches have much untapped ability. They claim to be alchemy witches, but their skills surpass anything I’ve ever seen alchemy witches do.
They’re fascinating and there’s a malevolent depth to their magic I’ve never seen before.
Jonah was given instructions for a modest somber spell, and he made it uniquely his.
Belham would have been treated to a lovely sleep.
We’d all get to enjoy his much-needed rest. I had no intention of killing him, therefore upholding my promise. ”
To keep covens small, they were divided by counties. If Jonah and his cohorts were alchemy witches, they’d be urged to join the Lunar Veil witches, Amelia and Rachel’s coven.
“How did he make it uniquely his?” From previous dealings with Corrine and noting the effort she was putting into the innocuous purse of her lips, I knew there was far more to it than a simple somber spell.
“Corrine, what else did it do?” I probed to pull her from her interest in her nails.
Eyes snapping in my direction, the slow rove of her gaze over me, lingering at the vulnerable puncture spots for fangs, served as her warning that any information she provided was to be kept between us.
“It couldn’t be removed, and any attempt would render the witch in a similar state.”
“For how long?”
Lips curling into a vulpine smile, she shrugged. “He couldn’t give a specific time but assured me that it wouldn’t be indefinite. It was meant to discourage anyone from trying to remove it.”
Jonah wouldn’t last very long in a coven without facing censure and criticism by other covens. I was sure the same could be said about the collection of witches in his quasi coven.
“How long would Belham have been subjected to his slumber?”
“Does it matter?” she said, dismissing the question with a wave of her hand.
“Shouldn’t I have been given some modicum of recognition for my restraint?
Despite the many reasons he’s given me to break my promise, I’ve been steadfast in upholding it.
My promise remains unbroken. My compliance should be celebrated. ”
Before I could respond, she was at the small wine fridge, retrieving a bottle of champagne and two flutes.
Compliance? Unbroken promise? Did she know what those words meant? She was so elated by her circumvention. As if subjecting a person to a nonfatal stabbing was an acceptable alternative to upholding a promise not to kill them.
I took the proffered flute of champagne and placed it on the table next to me. “Your antics severed any goodwill you all had established.” Being vampire babysitter was fine for now, but I hated being the person holding the tenuous thread that kept the supernatural world in check.
“Contrary to what you may think, I am aware of our houses’ roles in maintaining civility among the supernaturals.
A war between us would unravel the delicate balance, plunging us into chaos, destruction, and an obscene number of collateral deaths as the power-hungry scrambled for hierarchy.
I suspect the wolves—those sneaky little bastards—would come out on top.
I know they’re plotting.” Her tone was laced with bitter acceptance.
Werewolves were made—not turned. Unlike true wolves, they didn’t have litters. It was rare for werewolves to have twins or triplets. This limited their population and gave vampires the advantage.
But I couldn’t help but wonder if the witches were the dark horses.
While everyone would look to the werewolves or the other vampire houses to be involved, I suspected the umbral witches would be the ones to take advantage of any instability and make a play for power.
They practiced gray magic only because they’d be ostracized and penalized for practicing black magic.
Their necromancy magic was limited to speaking to dead humans and the ability to control them for a limited time.
They were ambitious and had been working to learn how to control vampires, who technically weren’t among the living.
Corrine had been the only witch with the ability—and the vampires saw to the death of that magic.
Covens of witches with the ability to control vampires would have unbridled power.
I carefully maintained a neutral expression, concealing my feeling of self-righteous vindication at Corrine’s acknowledgment of the need for unity between the houses.
Corrine studied me for a long moment. “You underestimate Belham’s cruelty, deviousness, and thirst for complete power.
He doesn’t want me as the Elite of this house and is just waiting for the opportunity to have me deposed and replaced with a sycophant who’d give the world the illusion of two houses when in fact they both would be controlled by him. ”
“Like what you attempted to do with William?” I countered.
“It’s not the same thing. William isn’t my sycophant. He’d be a worthy Elite and an adversary I could deal with. I guess”—she shrugged—“that role would render you obsolete.”
“That’s assuming he doesn’t possess the same qualities that you loathe in Belham.
It’s quite possible that he’s more skilled at disguising it, offering you a more palatable version of himself.
What if you put him as the Elite and he was more successful at executing the plan that you’ve accused Belham of?
You’d feel quite foolish, wouldn’t you?”
Her eyes narrowed on me as she tapped her nails lightly against her lips.
They were more clawlike than ever and I wondered if she used them as such.
With enough force, they could be deadly.
“When I first met you,” she said, “I found your fearlessness in our presence intriguing. Humans—and lowly witches—always have a whiff of fear and subservience when they interact with us. At times, it can be intoxicating, though mostly I loathe it. But I found your boldness more fragrant and enchanting. Nothing could beat your unflappable confidence. When you chastised us, I found that audacity invigorating.” She leaned in. “That novelty has lost its charm.”
So, I’m the jerk and this has nothing to do with your total lack of self-awareness.
Giving a half-assed attempt to appear regretful and meek, I murmured, “Please forgive my impertinence.”
Corrine had the good manners to pretend it was authentic.
“Are we done here?” I asked.
She took a slow sip from her flute. “Yes. And don’t lie to me again, Kara.”
“Don’t break your promises,” I said, standing up. Exiting the room and peering over my shoulder to catch her eyes, I added, “Make sure my hazard fee is paid in the contracted three days.”
She scoffed. “You’re so different than when you first started working for us,” she said softly to my back.
The change wasn’t by choice. I was forced to be different as a matter of survival.
Corrine understood money. Despite the house having a great deal of it, she preferred to keep it.
Penalties were the limited abilities I had to make her feel some consequences for her actions, and I got a nice little bonus in the process.
It wasn’t enough of a financial burden to deter her indefinitely.
Just an opportunity for her to feel slighted by the wasted money.
I wanted to chalk this act up to Corrine and her mercurial ways. But I couldn’t. So I accepted that it was just a minor solution to what was inevitable. One of the houses would fall and there was nothing I could do about it.