The air around Theo went icy cold. "Is that so?"

He moved forward but did not get between Rowan and Victoriana. It would weaken them both if he went too far, but his rage was palpable. If Rowan didn't kill Victoriana, Theo most a.s.suredly would. But Rowan had every intention of doing it herself. She'd wanted to push Victoriana into a challenge, and it had worked. The timing wasn't what she wanted, but Rowan could make it to her advantage in any case. And the bonus would be Victoriana gone.

"She's insulted me. Honor demands I have the right to challenge."

Rowan smiled, showing her teeth. She didn't need sharp incisors to appear scary. She just let her bloodl.u.s.t show in her features, and Victoriana faltered.

Yes, that's right, b.i.t.c.h. You made a mistake. Now I'm going to make you own it.

The room had gone utterly silent.

But before Victoriana could wise up and rescind, Rowan stepped forward. "Challenge accepted." She turned her back and began to walk to the door.

"It can wait until after dinner," Victoriana called out.

"No, it can't. You challenged me. I answered. Let me kill you and be done so my meal isn't ruined." She looked at Roth, who stood near the doors with Rex and Celesse, wanting him to understand she had no fear when it came to getting s.h.i.t done. Rowan called back over her shoulder, "The gardens out back have a wide open s.p.a.ce in the center. It's suitable for a challenge. I'll be there in fifteen minutes. If you're not, you forfeit your life."

Without waiting, she stalked toward the stairs leading up to her rooms. She needed to change from her formal clothing into something she could fight in. And she needed her blade.

Celesse caught up with her. "I won't ask if you're sure about this. What can I do?"

"She challenged first, so I really had no choice but to accept. Hunter Corp. is fine if I kill her. Which I will."

"I'm not concerned about the paperwork, Rowan. She's old."

"Meh, not even five hundred yet. Though her maker was well over fifteen hundred when he made her. She's powerful. But like most Vampires who are young but carry that much power, she's stupid. And that will get her killed, which will underline my power with the bonus of weakening hers."

The guards moved from her way as they headed down the hall to her suite.

"Security is different up here from where we're at," Celesse spoke quietly.

"Yes, well." Rowan didn't want to say it was where Theo's daytime resting spot was. She didn't want to endanger him, though it wasn't that hard to figure out.

"Do you need a second or anything like that?"

David opened the door and ushered them in. "I took the liberty of laying out something more suitable, Deesse."

Rowan began peeling off her clothing as they both followed her.

"You're a kicka.s.s b.i.t.c.h, Celesse. But you can't be my second. Even the strongest human being would be ill-suited to that position. If by some chance she does beat me, if I had a second, she'd be able to challenge them too. There's not a Hunter here who could do it."

"You're doing it."

Rowan zipped her pants and pulled on boots. "I'm not human."

Celesse sighed. "Susan is going to be really angry with me if you get killed. She's a harpy at the best of times. If you get killed on my watch, she'll make my life a misery until I jump off a building to rid myself of her voice."

That made Rowan laugh. "She totally would. Though Rex would suffer her wrath first since he's here too. But I'm going to win. I'm going to win, and she's an idiot because she's just handed me a huge advantage in these negotiations. I'm going out there, and I will kill her and that will end all her silly Vampires-are-superior-beings bulls.h.i.t. A Hunter will kill her, and that will remind every last Vampire here that the amendment is the easiest way to keep the peace."

"It's barbaric! A fight to the death is ridiculous. Over what? A stupid insult?"

"They're not barbarians, Celesse." Rowan tucked her hair back in a low ponytail and then into the collar of her shirt to keep it out of the way. "They're Vampires. I'm speaking to them in a manner they'll understand. And maybe now Roth and his little group will understand a few things, as well."

They went back out into the hall, and she sent Celesse ahead, saying she'd meet her downstairs. "I need to get my blade. I'll be down shortly. Will you please check with Rex and one of you phone the Motherhouse to let them know what's happening? I don't want the news to come from Roth."

Celesse nodded and then took Rowan's hands. "Good luck. And kill her fast."

Rowan nodded and turned to head around to where she knew they'd been keeping her blade, only to find Recht approaching, holding her sword in the scabbard. He knelt and held it out. "Your blade, little G.o.ddess."

She took it and David helped her secure the rig so it sat at her back and wouldn't impede movement.

"Thank you."

"I would like to be your second."

She paused, surprised. "Recht, I don't think that's wise."

He stood. "Do you doubt I can defeat her?"

Rowan shook her head. "Not for a moment. But my hesitance isn't about that. You know it. You're one of his Five. He'd be taking a side if you were my second."

"I asked his leave to do it and he agreed instantly. He bid me come to you immediately. He took a side long ago, Rowan."

She blew out a breath. "All right. I accept. Thank you again."

He nodded and took up on her other side.

"I've seen her fight before. She's one for the nails. Leads with her right a lot."

"d.a.m.n it with you guys and your nails and venom. David, be sure to have the holy water ready in case she scratches me." Vampires had a venom in their nails meant to poison and incapacitate their victims. Rowan was immune to the poison and incapacitating effects, but it still hurt like a b.i.t.c.h and she needed to wash the wounds out with holy water, which hurt even more.

Rowan was going to kill Victoriana extra hard for that.

She listened as Recht told her all he knew about the other Vampire and her fighting style. Since Rowan had trained with Recht, he knew exactly how to give her the information so she could apply it.

Just before they reached the back doors, Clive stopped her. "I've been looking for you. A word?"

"I'll join you momentarily." She nodded to David and Recht, who moved some feet away.

Clive drew her into a small antechamber and closed the door. His mouth was on hers so fast she didn't have time to be surprised. Instead she leaned into him, opening to his tongue, to the press of his kiss. His hands roved over her back, around her sword, and grabbed two handfuls of her a.s.s, squeezing as he broke away. His eyes had changed, bloodl.u.s.t that he normally hid from her in them.

"You're a foolish f.u.c.king human, do you know that?"

"I'm not human. G.o.ddess, how many times do I have to tell people that?"

He growled but kept her close. "Kill her, Rowan. Do not show pity. Do not show softness. Do not show any hesitation. Her biggest flaw is her ego. By the way, she named Collette as her second."

Rowan grinned. "Is that so? After I kill Victoriana, I might challenge Collette too. Why not Marcilius, though?"

"I don't know where he is. And I don't like that. He's taken a back seat this Tribunal. Which might be why he's been such a petty, grumpy a.s.shole. Then again, he's naturally that way. But we'll keep an eye for any rule breaking. You're going to be victorious. That's why The First didn't argue the challenge."

"He couldn't anyway. But yes, I will win."

"And then I'm going to f.u.c.k the h.e.l.l out of you. Remember that out there."

"Such soft words." She kissed him once more, and he let her go. "Let's be on our way. I have some killing to do."

"One last thing. Dina came to me and wanted me to tell you she and a few others would be sure no magic could be used. If they see anything untoward, they will tell The First."

Rowan nodded. "All right then."

Rex met her at the doors. "Sweetheart, you are a test of the blood pressure." He gave her a raised brow. "I've delivered the news to the Motherhouse. My lovely wife said a word I don't think I've ever heard before, and then she told me that if you did not win she would skin Roth Wesslyian alive and wear him when she went skiing."

Rowan burst out laughing, and when people turned to look, she wanted them to see just how unworried she was by this whole thing.

"It would nearly be worth dying to make that happen."

"I'm sorry he's here. He has enough support in Hunter Corp. that he appealed to their sense of fair play. He told them he'd wronged you and desperately wanted to make things right. You and I know better, but the best I could do was come along to keep him in line."

"That's what I figured. This is a good thing. I want him to see this. I want him to understand who and what I am and what I will do to make this amendment happen."

Rex winked, and she separated herself, heading down the last row toward the open s.p.a.ce at the end.

Above, in a dark, totally clear sky, the moon had risen high, casting a white glow over the garden. Enough that she could easily take in the people who had lined up to watch. Rowan kept her head high. She had a job to do and she would do it. And she'd enjoy it.

Theo stood, regal and horrifying, on a dais at the edge of the wide, flat open s.p.a.ce in the center of his hedge garden. He caught sight of her and smiled. It was brief, but it was enough.

The snow had melted, but it was still cold, and the ground was slightly slick under her boots. She made a mental note to adjust her movements to keep from falling.

David moved to the dais, standing to watch. His face impa.s.sive. But before they'd left the house, he'd leaned in and told her he had every intention of making her tea before bed so to hurry it along because he was hungry and dinner was waiting for this duel.

Recht bowed to her and turned to face Theo. Though Recht spoke to her and a few others while they were in private, in fact four of his Five did not speak in public, so Recht looked to Nadir, the Voice of the Five, to speak in his stead.

"Ovilius, I pet.i.tion to stand as second to Rowan Summerwaite."

Gasps rushed from the crowd, but they silenced rather quickly as Theo cast his gaze over them before looking to Recht once more.

"You are aware that should your Champion fall, you might be called to take her place?"

"Yes."

"Permission granted."

Marcilius, who'd been lurking, burst into the s.p.a.ce. "I object!"

Theo looked at him with such violent hatred Rowan had to steel herself from stepping back.

"Sire," Marcilius added quickly as Victoriana approached.

"I am not your Sire. You are not my get. And those who are know what to call me."

"Ovilius. My apologies. My emotion got the better of me. I object, Ovilius, to a member of the Vampire Nation seconding this human sc.u.m."

Theo waved a hand. "Noted. Victoriana, do you have a second to declare?"

"Have you no answer to my objection? Are you so completely in her thrall?"

The silence, which had been of a morbidly curious quality, shifted into sharp horror and disbelief. Vampires hissed and moved away from where Marcilius stood.

Nadir stood forward, but Theo lifted a finger to stay her.

"This is your third infraction. I will deal with your insolence after this challenge has finished." He addressed one of his guards. "Take him into custody."

Victoriana's face fell, but she said nothing. Enyo walked forward. "Ovilius, I ask for mercy. He's young and spirited."

"Mercy? Pah. I grow impatient with all of you. We have a challenge to administer." Theo ignored Enyo and looked to Victoriana. "I ask for the last time. Do you have a second to declare?"

Collette took a step forward, but it was Enyo who spoke. "I will be her second."

Recht froze for a moment, but said nothing.

"We have no objections." Rowan shrugged, though she allowed that fear to give an edge to her state of mind. Enyo could very well end her if she chose to challenge Rowan after Rowan killed Victoriana. But there was nothing else to be done than to trust the all-encompa.s.sing sense of honor bound so tightly to the Challenge arena. So Rowan kept her face free of any emotion but disgust. "I'm sure everyone would like to eat, so I'm ready whenever she is."

"Everyone knows the rules. Any move by either side to break those rules will result in immediate and harsh penalty." Nadir spoke in Theo's stead. As his ranking lieutenant she'd be his voice in such matters.

Victoriana addressed the crowd. "I want to make clear, this is an Ultimate Challenge."

As if Rowan had any plans to stop until she'd killed this stupid b.i.t.c.h.

Rowan waved a hand. "Naturally."

Rowan bowed to Recht, gave Clive a small smile and then turned, stepping into the challenge s.p.a.ce.

Victoriana did some stupid s.h.i.t off to the left. Trying to look mysterious and Vampiry, Rowan was sure. As if it would save her life.

Instead of reacting, Rowan stood, gathering her power, centering herself. She called to Brigid, opening the way, making herself a Vessel as she was born to be.

The G.o.ddess came, not hard and fast as she had the day before, but slow. Warm like honey. She filled Rowan from the tips of her toes to her scalp. It was the first stretch of the morning. Pleasure filled Rowan's cells as She inhabited Rowan fully.

That powerful magic seemed to have a life of its own as it lifted tendrils of hair at Rowan's temple, tickling her skin. The warmth of that power brushed against her skin, and she smiled directly at Victoriana as she stepped over the line and into the challenge s.p.a.ce.

Within, Rowan thanked the G.o.ddess for Her presence and asked for Her strength to defeat her foe, right before she focused on Victoriana's face and let the Vampire see her death.

"Die well, Vampire." Rowan gave Victoriana the first words she said to a Vampire she was about to execute.

In a movement she'd made dozens of times, she reached back, gripping the handle of her blade. The power of it sang through her veins as she closed her eyes and tipped her head slightly, savoring that connection.

Then she rolled her head on her shoulders and cleared the blade from the scabbard, turning it so the silver caught the light just so.