I paced her throne room, my heel boots clacking on the marbled floor. “We need to bring the humans into the fight.”
“They’re not ready.”
I whirled to face Lily-a name I used to address her only in private-where she sat slumped in her throne. Her usual proud bearing wilted under the growing pressure. Never before had I seen her so defeated, and this before the battle was fully engaged. “I don’t give a crap if they’re ready to handle it or not. If we don’t tell them, they’re going to die. Besides, don’t you think they’re about to start noticing that more and more people are dying? It’s kind of hard to hide bodies torn to pieces and eaten. Has it occurred to you who they’re going to blame first?”
Lily sighed. “I know we’re about to get tarred, but truthfully, I’m more concerned about the widespread panic once we announce the daemons are coming.”
I flung my hands up, my tone and body language beyond exasperated. “Coming! They’re already bloody here.”
“And so far, you and the army have managed to take care of them.”
“For how much longer? I’m stretched thin. Too thin. We need numbers to bolster our ranks or they’re going to wipe us out even before the main forces arrive.” If only fledgling vampires weren’t so damned blood thirsty, I’d go on a creation binge and increase the ranks of the army myself. “How are the talks with the shapeshifters going?” With them at our side, we’d have the strength and numbers to stall a while longer.
Lily’s eyes sparked. “Stubborn animals. I had them this close,” she said holding her fingers a half inch apart. “Then, wham. All of a sudden all the alphas started beating their chest like the primates they are and claiming they needed to choose one leader to hold sway over all the clans.”
“So they hold an election and choose one.”
“I wish,” Lily sighed. “They’re holed up in my guest quarters right now trying to decide who will battle who for control of the clans. They claim it could take weeks for a final decision.”
I slumped onto the steps leading up to the dais and lowered my head to my knees. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“What about Dr. Angelus? Have you thought about approaching him again? Ask him to speak to whoever is in charge of his people.”
I growled in reply. I’d of course told Lily that Rafe wasn’t human even as I hid how he’d affected me. Some humiliations didn’t bear repeating. I also didn’t mention the fact that Rafe had called me daily asking to meet since I’d booted him from my house and life. I had no interest in speaking to him.
“Just give me a little more time,” my queen pled.
It angered me to see her acting so helpless. Over the years while I’d grown harder, she’d gone in the opposite direction and grown softer. No, that wasn’t the right word, she’d become more diplomatic as she prepared us for the day of our eventual outing. Turned out she needn’t have bothered. Movies and books had done to our reputation what actual acts couldn’t. Well, the acts that came to light that is. “Fine, handle the humans whatever way you like. But I want it noted that as your general in charge of your protection and that of our people’s, I think the time to arm the humans is now.”
“Duly noted.”
“In the meantime, may I talk to the shifters and reiterate the need for speed in their decision?”
Lily eyed me with trepidation. “Ellie, you’re not going to do anything crazy are you?”
“Who me?” I smiled at her, and not reassuringly judging by the frown knitting her brow.
I left the throne room with the sound of my queen’s resigned sigh drifting along with me. I thumped down the halls, the clacking of my heels and the vicious scowl on my face scattering those in my path. I loved my queen, but I really felt she was putting the petty fears of humans before common sense. Yes, what we had to say would freak them out, but it wouldn’t get any better a day, or two, or even a week from now.
Frustrated, I made an executive decision and headed towards the wing housing the guest quarters where the alpha leaders of the shapeshifters were residing with some of their people while negotiations occurred. I had a simple solution to our current problem with them.
The vamp guard I had posted outside the guest wing stood up straighter at my approach.
“Don’t interfere no matter what you hear,” I instructed, striding past him into the gathering area for guests. My eyes quickly scanned the space, taking in details. The ceiling stretched above me almost three stories, the upper levels ringed with balconies where a few faces peered down at me with curiosity. The main floor contained scattered couches and chairs filled with a few human types who also didn’t look upon me with the right level of respect-or fear.
One large brute-who stank of bear-stood at my approach. “We are done talking for the day,” he told me in a gruff voice.
“I’m not here to talk,” I replied.
He smiled at me. “Ah, well why didn’t you say so, sweetheart. I’m always up to pleasing a lady.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please, cub. Give it a break. The only thing that would please me would be you and your buddies getting your shit together and signing the agreement.”
He scowled at my rebuke. “We will sign the treaty when we can come to a consensus on a leader for all the clans.”
“So what are you waiting for?”
“The strongest, of course,” he said, flexing his impressive biceps.
“Let me get this straight. Whoever fights and wins gets to be in charge?” I questioned.
“More or less.”
“Perfect. I challenge you all.”
There were gasps and the behemoth in front of me chuckled. “But you are not a shifter.”
“Is that all it takes?” I replied sweetly. I shifted, my form melting and reforming into that of a large black kitty. I’d once ingested a whole big cat shifter pride who’d pissed me off by eating one of my servants. Apparently the assimilation of so many souls in quick succession gave me a power that most vamps didn’t have-and I wasn’t about to let them in on my secret. And I didn’t consider my answer to Rafe a lie-he’d asked if I turned into a bat. I couldn’t. He should have asked me about other animals.
I roared and swished my tail while the wide eyed alpha beheld me with a hanging jaw. I melted back into my human shape-complete with clothing, which I’ll admit I didn’t understand-and smiled. “Now that we’ve ascertained my eligibility, I repeat my challenge for leadership of all the clans in the coming war.”
“Never. I won’t follow a blood sucking bitch,” he snarled, no longer smiling.
“Pussy,” I taunted. “What’s wrong? Afraid a woman will beat all of you?” Growls erupted around me and I grinned wickedly.
The big guy in front of me gave me a fierce scowl. “There’s only one of you and a dozen alphas. You won’t win, so butt out. We will choose a leader for the clans in our own time.”
“I’m tired of waiting,” I growled. “None of you seem to grasp the fact that we are about to face an enemy of gigantic proportion. Fuck you all. I’m done being nice. Now we do things my way. All alphas not willing to bow to me as leader will meet me in the courtyard in ten minutes.”
“And if we don’t?” he crossed his arms over his wide chest.
“Then you are of no use to me, and I will have you all placed under arrest and thrown in the dungeon.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” His face flushed red with anger.
I stepped closer and met his glare. My tone emerged low, but I amplified it so all could hear my words. “I am the general of the queen’s army. I am also a really nasty bitch when pissed off, which would be right now. I would suggest you take my offer because I can guarantee one thing, I will follow through. If you’re not with me then you’re against me, and unlike some other cowards out there, I have no problem eliminating all of you to protect my back.”
Something about my words, tone or posture must have convinced him I spoke truth. That, or I was just more alpha than him. Shifters had a tendency to bow to those stronger than them, a trait I intended to cash in on.
“What are your terms?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“If I win, I control the tribes during this crisis.”
