Chapter 462: Queen Batsheva
I know it was childish, but the first thought to cross my mind after their identities sank in was how unfair my life was. Batsheva had been a dumpy, chubby woman with fake, dark blonde hair and weak blue eyes, face lined with those creases around her lips that made lipstick bleed.
And Celeste? Yeah, horse-faced was my best description for the traitor the last time I'd seen her, the braid a thick weave of brown and threads of gray, reminding me of an equine tail.
How come the moment they became vampires they were suddenly gorgeous? Celeste looked like an Amazon, but in a beautiful way, wide jaw now appealing, brown eyes with a hint of gold, her youth returned to her. And Batsheva?
Drop dead hotness. At least, on the outside. No amount of spirit magic could make her attractive on the inside.
My vampire sighed. You have no idea, do you?
What?
Regardless of my internal conversation, the world went on without me. Namely, the furious reaction Pannera had to Batsheva's little statement. I'd always thought of vampires as just folks, growing up with one for an uncle and his sweet girlfriend, loving and kind. Rarely did I get to see them in their unhappy, going-to-bite-you state.
Pannera had no trouble showing she was pissed. Fangs sprouted from her mouth. Not just her canines, but all of her teeth lengthening to pinpoints of deadly whiteness. Her eyes flared with power, skin so transparent her veins stood out in sharp contrast, pulsing despite the fact her heart didn't beat.
She only showed a moment of her displeasure, but it was enough for me.
Guess I wasn't the only one with a temper.
"Our power, you mean." Her voice echoed in the stillness her show of anger left behind.
Batsheva sat back, watching the other vampire Queen with hooded eyes, a slight smile still on her ruby lips. "It remains to be seen who will be strong enough to take and hold it, my dear Pannera."
Nice of them to talk about divvying me up like that. Let them try. In the meantime, I had my own questions to be answered.
"What happened to the other Queen?" I already knew. Batsheva was nothing if not predictable when it came to grabbing for power. Nothing but absolute dominance would do.
Yvette Wilhelm, Sebastian sent.
Nicholas's creator. I'd never had the full story from Sebastian, how he and his brother ended up at odds. The blood clan leader would never talk about it and, to be honest, so much happened between the time Sebastian took Nicholas down and now, I'd forgotten to ask.
Going to resolve that little oversight the minute I had him alone.
Pannera's face returned to marble perfection while Batsheva tapped her long nails on the arm of her chair with irritating tick-tick-tick sounds.
"I killed her, of course," Batsheva said. "Drained her blood and her power." A few of the vampires on her side shifted, a thin wave of unease reaching me.
Not all support their new Queen it seems, my vampire sent.
Batsheva ignored their reactions, spreading her arms wide as she swept to her feet, golden gown in frothing layers a perfect match for the rich shade of her hair, though the fact she was falling out of the front made me a little nauseous. "I now reign as Queen of the Moromonds."
Talk about melodrama. "How nice for you," I said, not rolling my eyes. Not. Rolling. Them. "How's that working out?"
Exultant joy turned to rage in a flash. "Arrogant child." Me, arrogant? Had she done a serious personal assessment lately? "How dare you!"
Whatever. This was so old even immortal me was feeling the weight of it.
"Listen up," I said, arms crossed over my chest, glaring back and forth between the two Queens, "the pair of you seem to have some facts all screwy."
Sebastian looked like he was going to choke on my irreverence and spun to face his leader. "If I may," he said in his suave voice, giving me an ideal sight line to the way his muscular thighs filled out his tight, white pants, the roundness of his very fine butt just visible under the tails of his coat.
I really had to focus.
Sebastian dove into the story of Cesard and the battle for control over the essence while my vampire very firmly took me in hand, forcing me to focus on something other than Sebastian's body.
I refuse to give myself up to either of these vampires. No uncertainty whatsoever.
Well, I'm with you there, I sent back. Not only would it be a very bad idea to offer them access to the amount of power you represent, you've kind of grown on me.
Agreed, she sent, rather softly. It didn't matter how almighty she was, the fact she was ages old and brilliant in many ways, she just didn't get my sense of humor. Oh well. Not many did, even those bonded to me.
I need to neutralize this damned hold over my others. Again anxiety crawled through me when I thought of my demon, Shaylee, the family magic. But not as bad this time, more under control. Though I knew I could turn rabid at any moment and preferred not to drop on all fours and chew the carpet in frustration.
Or on one of the vampires. Pretty sure that would get me in trouble.
We will free all of us, she sent, anger bubbling white and cold, the feeling of her emerging fangs distinct. And when we do, we will destroy any who dare treat us so.
Hmm. My vampire side had always been so reserved. Interesting to see her all wound up.
Even more interesting would be watching her cut loose when the time was right.
"Which is when Sydlynn found me." Sebastian turned to me, gesturing for me to finish, but it took me a moment to understand he'd reached the end of his particular part of the story. I really had to learn to pay attention.
I finished the explanation, Sebastian's freedom, Uncle Frank's healing. Pannera and Batsheva both seemed very interested in the fact Uncle Frank was whole again. Like I cared what made them tick. I wrapped up in my typical aggressive manner, refusing to pull punches.
"If it wasn't for Piotr," I said, purposely ignoring him though I could see him snarl at me out of the corner of my eye, "working with Ameline Benoit to enslave normals-a serious crime, by the way, which I'm sure you know-the power you're after would still be trapped inside the gem my father made." I turned and pointed at Piotr at last, pouring on the scorn. "His meddling created this mess."
He pulled back, head down, as though expecting a blow.
But I wasn't done.
"But if you're looking for the real culprit in all of this disaster," I said, "look no further than the venerable Queen Batsheva herself." She had taken her throne again as Sebastian started his side of the tale and now ignored me, examining her fingernails. "If she and her husband hadn't cracked the seal on the demon prison, none of you would even be aware the vampire essence existed."
And I would still be trapped, she whispered to me. And lost in insanity. Is it wrong I'm grateful?
No, I sent back. But I had to say it.
Pannera bobbed her head slowly as I spoke and, for a moment, I wondered if the end to this laughable confrontation could actually be over so easily.
Leave it to Batsheva to gloss over the facts.
"What you've told us is neither here nor there," she said. "All that matters now is you, a witch, have something you have no right to. The heritage of our race," her voice vibrated with emotion, one hand pressing to her heart as though she really believed the tripe she was handing out, "has been stolen by a child who cares nothing for others, only herself. If you did," she pinned me with her blue eyes, "you would do the right thing and relinquish that which doesn't belong to you."
I'd had enough. "Who says?" Ready for a show? I didn't wait for my vampire to answer, just opened up and let her out.
I wished I could see myself. From the looks on the faces of the collection of vampires, it was quite the view. Not only was my vampire ready, she was able and all over it. I felt my body flood with white light, my feet lifting from the floor as I hovered, a great glow exuding from every pore. My memory ran to Sebastian and how deliciously dangerous he was when he carried the essence, an Angel of Death, perfect and deadly and absolutely irresistible.
They looked at me that way now, though their desire clearly came from the need to possess what I had. Maybe showing off wasn't such a good idea, but I needed a strong front and putting my cards out there seemed the best way to prove the vampire and I belonged together.
When I settled to the floor, arms dropping to my sides, it was a long time before anyone spoke. Sebastian watched me with hunger, though the moment he caught me looking he cast his eyes away.
"In case any of you think I have her inside me against her will," I said, "I've just proven otherwise. She chose me, when she had the chance to be with vampires. I wonder why that is?" So frustrating to understand they didn't get it. "Who are you to tell her the choice she made was the wrong one?"
I expected Batsheva to speak up, but Pannera beat her to it. The vampire Queen seemed clearly agitated, her hands clenched around the arms of her throne, leaning forward toward me while power flashed around her in little lightning strikes.
"The essence inside you created all vampires," she snarled. "And we cannot allow that essence to remain in the hands of one who isn't our race."
All their high and mighty excuses went out the window the moment she spoke.
"You don't want her because I have her," I shot back. "Whoever possesses her has the first power." I looked back and forth between them, disgusted, furious and even more determined to keep the vampire with me. "You just want to be Queen of Everyone. You both make me sick."
Sydlynn, Sebastian sent, an edge to his mental voice. Please, be cautious.
To hell with cautious. "I'm sick of being pushed around," I said, taking a step back, turning in a slow circle so I could meet every pair of eyes in the room before spinning back to the Queens. "You want the essence? Fine. Come and take her from me."
Pannera lunged forward, showing her vampireness all over again. Not impressed. Even when Batsheva hissed, oozing out of her seat, heading for the first step while her people snarled and hovered, ready. Waiting for her orders.
I hope you know what you're doing, my vampire sent.
Um. What?
We can take them, I sent. Right?
She sighed. Oh, Sydlynn, she sent. You are the most courageous and ridiculous soul I have ever encountered. We will certainly try.
Uh-oh. Though not the first time I'd overestimated what I could accomplish. But it never stopped me before.
I didn't get a chance to find out if I had bitten off more than I could chew. The moment I let her out again, the air around me shattered in a million pieces, the breath sucked from my lungs as a horde of Enforcers appeared in a clap of thunder above us.
Stunned, sucking in a new batch of oxygen, I stared up at Mom who floated over me, rage crackling.
"So sorry to be late," she said, power behind her words so strong the floor beneath my feet vibrated with it. "Now release my daughter at once."
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