Holding my head up high as we strolled in, I noticed quickly we were the last to arrive since the room was filled with people, most of which I didn’t know. Besides the dictator on my arm, I knew two others, my mother and that snake, Alec.
He smiled charmingly at me and approached the councilman and me. Ironshot let go of me and shook Alec’s hand happily.
“Welcome, my boy,” Ironshot grinned.
“Thank you, sir. It’s an honor to be invited.” Alec was positively beaming. “Emelia, you look lovely.” He picked up my hand and kissed the back of it. I warred with wanting to rip his arm out of its socket and playing nice.
“Excuse me,” Ironshot said to us both but gave me a ‘be good’ look, and went to greet someone else.
When he was several feet away, I changed my fake smile to a scowl and snatched my hand away. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I asked.
“I’m great, thank you for asking,” he mocked. “You know, you should really be thanking me for getting you away from those animals.”
I felt the color drain from my face. “What do you mean?”
“Well, when I left just now they were… Oh look! It’s time to sit!” He interrupted himself in an attempt to drive me batshit crazy and led me to the table. His hand didn’t touch the exposed skin on my back, it hovered just above it but I still felt the cold sting from his hand.
Alec pulled out a chair and slid me into it before pushing me further into the table. He took the chair to my left and I gave him another incredulous look.
“What the fu…”
He pointed toward my plate. “Place cards,” he said. “We’re supposed to sit by each other.”
Son of a bitch.
I turned to my right and saw Ironshot sat at the head of the table and my mother was opposite of me at his right. Ironshot smiled down at me then to the rest of the people seated around the table.
“Welcome, all!” he exclaimed happily. “I’m so excited you all could come to welcome my stepdaughter, Emelia. It’s been incredible getting to know her and I hope you can all do the same as well. She’s a delightful, intriguing creature and I’m happy to have her in my home.”
What the fuck was he going on about? My expression must have shown my confusion and disgust because Alec pinched my arm just above my elbow. When I looked at him to see why he did that, he made his eyes go wide and then smiled at Ironshot again, ignoring my probing look.
“Emelia, let me introduce you to the rest of the people here,” Ironshot then said, making me turn my attention back to him.
He proceeded to tell me the names of the other four couples there, but I honestly forgot them the moment they were mentioned, not that I cared to learn them. Although, it was interesting to learn one of the couples was actually the other two caster Council members. They were a mated pair. It was also interesting, but not surprising, that everyone there was a caster. It was just Ironshot’s way to only surround himself with his own kind.
The first course was served and I tried extremely hard not to eat it all in one bite. One half meal preceded by only days of bread did not do anything to sate my appetite, but I was sure my captor knew that. No blood was served, not that I thought it would be, but there was plenty of wine to go around. Conversation flowed effortlessly as everyone took their time eating, but no one really spoke to me, which I was glad about even though I got a lot of curious and disgusted looks. That was until the main course was taken away.
“Miss Stratton, may we see the mark on your back? It’s quite an exquisite curse and the fact you survived it…” One of the men, whose name I’d forgotten, said to me. His words were gentle, almost kind but his tone said otherwise.
I glanced at my mother, then to her mate before returning my gaze to the brave motherfucker. I took a sip of my wine to make it seem as though I was considering his thoughtless remark.
“I don’t think it’s in good taste to lay down on the table so you can look at it at this moment, but thank you for your observation. I’m glad you find it appealing.”
“It’s quite beautiful,” he agreed. “I imagine it goes down further than your dress even allows us to view, doesn’t it?” He smiled, taunting me. He either wanted me to cry or throw a tantrum, but I wouldn’t give him the benefit of seeing me do either.
I picked up my glass of wine and took another sip, allowing me to calm myself down before saying something truly shocking. I nodded once before turning my attention toward my mother instead and smiling.
“Lucia, you’re the one who gave it to her, weren’t you?” the fool with a death wish asked.
She looked extremely uncomfortable. Michael took her hand on top of the table and squeezed it.
“Yes, she did. Quite the powerful mate I have, don’t you agree?”
Ironshot leaned over and kissed his mate on the cheek, making her smile a tight lipped smile toward him while nods and words of agreement were made around the table. I wanted to vomit.
I took another sip of wine, noting that I was on my second glass. I hadn’t had any alcohol in months, long before becoming a vampire and I started feeling the effects. I also took into account that I was severely malnourished, so after almost two glasses, I was tipsy. The room tilted ever so slightly and my brain began to feel fuzzy.
I closed my eyes and shook my head, then popped them open and smiled reassuringly at my mother. But then, through the fuzziness, I felt a
