Chapter 25 Blaise #2
The two older men in the room looked uncomfortable as Roman and Sorinah greeted each other.
Dorian, Aiden, and I stood with our backs to the doors, essentially blocking the exit.
Both the Mayor and the Senator knew we weren’t human…
two of the few who knew what types of creatures lived in this city and state.
At least for now. And that meant they had an understanding of Roman’s role in our world.
“Mayor Briggs. Senator Miller,” Roman said as he shook their hands. “I guess you know Sorinah?”
“We do now,” Mayor Briggs said with a hint of fear catching in his throat.
Roman smiled at that before giving us all a look. Was that worry? “Please, sit. Have some tea,” Roman continued.
The two lawmakers sat on the leather couch while Roman took one of the wingback chairs. Sorinah refused a seat. “Roman,” she started, her accent still thick after all these years. “We hear you have lost control of the city.”
My boss looked up at her as my insides tightened with anxiety. In the vampire world, one respected the ancients. And it was never good to have them in your lair insulting you. “You hear wrong, Sorinah,” Roman said smoothly, not a hint of trepidation in his voice.
“You smell like fear and blood,” she spat. “Do not insult me by lying to me.”
“Murielle has filed a formal complaint,” Mayor Briggs said.
His round body trembled every time he talked.
His black suit bulged against the weight of him, and sweat glistened on his balding forehead.
I could smell his diabetes from where I was standing, and I was very surprised the man hadn’t yet keeled over.
Senator Miller was in his mid-forties and looked like he ran marathons for a living.
I recalled hearing that he’d once been a track star at the university, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he still kept up a strong regimen.
“I’m trying to keep this quiet at the state level, but I’m worried she’s also been talking to the governor. ”
“Why would the head of the Crescent Coven file a complaint against me?” Roman asked innocently, and Sorinah snapped her head around to stare at him.
“This isn’t a time to jest, Roman. She says you killed dozens of her witches and warlocks.”
The two humans in the room blanched and scooted back into the couch like they could disappear. Sorinah stood her ground, arms crossed and hip cocked and waiting for Roman to confess.
“Murielle attacked us and—”
“And why did you not report it immediately?” Sorinah cut him off.
“Because I don’t answer to you or to them,” he scoffed as he looked at the couch. “This is my city, and I will handle my own matters.”
Sorinah stomped toward Roman, bent forward, and grabbed his chin in her grip.
Her fingers dug into his skin and beside me, Dorian and Aiden shifted on their feet.
“Do not even think about moving from that spot,” she spat at us before jerking Roman’s face up a little higher.
“You have lost control, and you are too arrogant to see that. I can smell the death on you, amant. You are frenzied. And so are your men.”
She’d used the Romanian word for lover while she admonished him.
The power wafting off her was suffocating, making me feel the need to fall to my knees and beg her forgiveness.
Dorian whimpered, and Aiden clicked his tongue as he tried to fight the need to submit.
Amazing how one ancient teenage vampire could have such a hold over all supernaturals.
“It is under control,” Roman said through gritted teeth.
“Murielle is moving against you,” Mayor Briggs added, although his voice trembled with fear. “She’s working on getting the support of the City Council and some powerful humans.”
“Then we stop her,” I said without thinking about staying in my lane. Fuck Murielle and the witches. They came into our home, stole our mate, and killed Pasha. That most certainly deserved a response.
“Blaise,” Roman warned me, his face still stuck between Sorinah’s fingers.
“Sorry,” I muttered, digging my nails into my palms once more.
“We will take care of this like we always do,” Roman calmly said. “We do not need the city or the state involved in our matters.” Then he looked directly at Sorinah, eyes narrowing on her angry gaze. “And we certainly don’t need the Ancients making a big deal out of nothing.”
She slapped him so fast, none of us even saw the action. Instead, we just heard the sharp crack of her palm on his skin. “You are a child,” she shouted. “A spoiled child incapable of—”
A loud howl from just outside the doors overpowered the vampire’s tirade.
The three of us shared another look, and immediately Dorian and Aiden ran out into the foyer.
They left the door open so I could hear Grim’s nails scratching on the floor as he whimpered and barked at them.
He jumped up and down, snapping his jaws as he tried to get inside.
I quickly caught Roman’s attention, and he jerked his chin to tell me to handle it.
Wishing we had the ability to communicate telepathically, I lifted my brows asking him if he’d be all right.
I think I saw him nod; however, I wasn’t sure.
But I did know that Grim had something important to tell us and I needed to trust Roman to handle his affairs in here.
As I walked into the foyer and closed the doors behind me, I spun just in time to see Dorian shift into his wolf. The normally beautiful white beast looked just as haggard as his human form, and once again I found myself feeling sorry for him.
Grim snapped his jaws at Dorian’s wolf and the two of them lowered their heads in a standoff. “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I snapped at them. “Did you not hear what is going on in there? Roman has to—”
“Blaise!” Aiden stepped in front of me and grabbed my arms. “He heard her. Grim heard Katarina!”
“She’s alive?” I asked, surprised by the ball of dread in my throat. How had I not realized I needed to hear those words so badly?
“Yes, and Grim is going to take us to her!”