I jump because Miranda is nervous. This woman has jet-black hair, all natural, and narrow eyes that show zero mercy. The copper rings in them are redder than I’d like.
“Which coven are you from?” she asks, nostrils flaring.
She's hungry, and despite Lily standing here with me, she's focused on me. I'm scentless probably, so this woman knows I must be a Nightside.
“The new Johnson coven,” I state. “Riley Johnson is my master.”
Her eyes turn to slits. “He has a poor choice of company, then. Someone so young should not run a coven.”
I don't know what to say. I expected some hostility, but not the in-your-face type. No matter what I say, I'll fail. If I defend Riley, I'll be stepping out of my place. And if I don't, he'll look weak.
“He took me in,” I say, frowning. “He's been an excellent master so far.”
“What do you do at the Johnson mansion?” she asks.
She's rude, not even telling me her name. The pressure builds in me, but I keep it in my chest and in reserve. I've practiced, but one slip will reveal that Riley's not the true master. “I've been doing some cooking, and I sweep the floors and make sure the laundry gets folded.”
“And does Riley Johnson have any Truebloods to his name? Any heirs?” She flashes her fangs. This woman is hungry and I fear she'll go after Lily to get to me. But Lily stays beside me, silent with her head raised.
“He said he was planning to bring more in, but he had to settle into his new role first,” I say, praying for Riley's backup. I must get this woman away from me and Lily. She's anti-Nightside for sure.
“Ah. And who is this lovely lady?”
Riley's right behind me. Thank God.
“Ah. Riley Johnson,” she says, spitting his last name. “The heir of Dominic Beaumont.”
Riley doesn't react to this hostile creature. “And you are?”
“Zaza Scotelli. Scotelli coven,” she says proudly. “We have been together for fifteen centuries. And you?”
“We are new, but I have learned a lot about keeping control,” Riley says. Then I notice him glaring at me from the side and I back away, as Riley said Nightsides should when two Truebloods are talking. Lily does the same and tries to blend into the background, but a Trueblood man bumps into her from behind, eager to get in on the conversation.
“So you're Riley Johnson? You're the youngest master in recent history.” The man draws his hand from his pocket and offers it to Riley for a friendly shake. “It must be a lot, taking on a coven without the help of any other Truebloods.”
At least this Trueblood is friendly, and Zaza backs away. Riley shakes his hand and nods to me. “Check the schedule and report back to me,” he orders. “I want to know whether the dinner begins at one or one-thirty.”
“Yes, sir,” I say, not missing how he's looking at the podiums on the other side of the room, and at the closed side door I've only just noticed. Riley wants me to spy in that area, and also to get away from any hostiles crawling around here.
Lily and I leave Riley to the snakes, which I hate doing. I walk across the room, to where the Convening billboard is hanging above the semi-circle of podiums. I cross the empty floor, ready to hold rows of chairs. I haven't seen the High Council enter the room yet, and Lily walks behind me like she's tagging along and trying to hide from the small army of Truebloods.
“Where are we going?” she whispers.
“Riley thinks that area is important,” I say. I imagine the High Council hanging out in some side room until it's time to come out and announce our fates. They must not want to mingle with all these common Truebloods. That, I don't mind, because Stella and her goons probably scare the other Truebloods, too.
The area by the podium is empty except for a human servant in a gray uniform, marking down the schedule I now realize hangs under the word Convening. It's stupid work, because every Trueblood and Nightside can see the print clearly from across the convention center, but I'm getting the idea the Convening is a match to see who can win the Most Domineering award. Who has the best servants and slaves?
And most of all, who has the most control?
I walk up to stand in the semi-circle of podiums, eyeing the schedule as the servant woman finishes writing, in meticulous detail, the schedule for the night. She hurries off, leaving me and Lily standing there, though Lily waits like she's not sure what to do, and she stands back from me like I'm not her friend, but some acquaintance she follows around at a party.
“I guess I'm supposed to listen,” I say, focusing on my hunger.
I think of the blood glasses back at the tables that smell sweet, and my stomach obeys and my senses sharpen. Snippets of conversations meet my ears. Business deals. Truebloods ordering human and Nightside servants to bring their glasses. One Trueblood woman bragging about the size of her coven and how she brings in a human servant every year. Even hunters gathered in their own groups and commenting on the crowd. But I have to get my senses away from that, and make sure that the High Council, wherever they are, don't realize Lily and I are standing here.
They must be close, if Riley wanted me over here.
And we need to know our chances of handing Stanley to them. I've rehearsed the plan in my head so many times I know it by heart. We have a gift for you. The first Nightside has been plotting against the Convening and against Truebloods for some time, and here he is. Stanley, would you stand up?
Of course, Riley will get that line, and I'll just be there to make sure Stanley doesn't run away. And I'll also be there
