aSo youave made your choice.a I crossed my arms over my chest, protecting myself from the words I knew were going to come next. aYouare choosing her because sheas human, regardless of what weave got going.a aWhat? Why does this have to be about us?a aBecause if this was some guy trapped with Odelia, you wouldnat care. But Sofia is an attractive young, helpless woman that desperately needs your help and you canat wait to play the role of the white knight. Itas because you canat stomach the idea of being attracted to a nightwalker and would rather be with a normal human.a aThatasa"Thatas ridiculous!a aIt isnat! Being with me terrifies you because you know that deep down you are more like me that you care to admit.a Danaus shook his head at me, taking a step backward. aI wonat discuss this now. I want your help to free Sofia.a aYou also want me to take her back to Savannah with us and serve as her personal protector,a I cried. aI canat do it.a aWhy? You had no problem taking responsibility for Tristan and Nicolai.a aBecause I wonat risk my life to protect another woman that you are attracted to when Iam the one who cares about you!a I screamed, shaking my hands at him. aIave had enough. If you want Sofia free, you fight Veyron for her. Iam leaving for Venice tomorrow night.a Turning on my heel, I briskly walked back toward the bridge, leaving Danaus behind. A lump grew in my throat and it felt as if a hole had been ripped in my chest bigger than the wound that was healing in my stomach. I wanted Danaus for myself, but I knew deep down that I wasnat what he wanted, and it was tearing me apart inside.

Roughly brushing aside tears that had gathered in the corners of my eyes, I crossed the bridge back to Buda, where I snagged the first two available young people that crossed my path and fed deeply. I wasnat much in the mood for hunting, but I needed to replace the blood I had lost, particularly before I returned to Venice. I didnat know what Macaireas grand scheme was, and at the moment I didnat care. I had been dispatched to Budapest to get rid of the naturi problem, and that was all. The naturi were gone, so it was time for me to go home again.

At the hotel, I put out the Do Not Disturb sign and shuffled across the room to the large window that looked down on the city. It was just a couple hours before dawn, and I was trapped in Budapest for the night. Valerio would need to feed and heal for the next few nights before he would be of any use to anyone again. Stefan would need to remain at his side for at least one night to serve as protection and to help him hunt. I had no quick escape to Vienna available to me this morning. And this time I had a dark suspicion that Danaus wouldnat be coming back to the hotel. I had given him his choicea"Sofia or mea"and he was going to choose the human.

Leaning my head against the gla.s.s, I closed my eyes and tried to organize my thoughts. Danaus was determined to free Sofia, most likely leaving me to deal with Veyron since the hunter would need to focus on getting the little pet to a safe location away from Budapest. After my last run-in with Rowe, I had been hoping to avoid another encounter with Veyron and his flunkies.

The whole thing left me scratching my head. The power structure here was unlike any I had seen in any other domain. Nightwalkers didnat play well with other powerful creatures. It just wasnat in our nature. To make matters worse, there wasnat just one powerful creature in Budapest, but four.

Like the coven. Cursing, I stumbled over to the desk against the far wall and brushed off some debris from the earlier fight. The room was still trashed, and I shuddered to think what Danaus had to do or say to keep things quiet with the hotel management. It wasnat the first time a hotel room had been destroyed because of my daytime presence, and the incident was usually smoothed over with copious amounts of money.

Grabbing up a piece of blank paper, I wrote down Veyronas name and circled it. Beside it, I wrote Ferko and Clarionas names and circled each one individually. Reluctantly, I put down Odeliaas name as well. My experience with her had not been impressive, but according to Ferko, she was the one to actually order Mich.e.l.leas death, making her a power player in her own right.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I stared at the four names, and a knot twisted in my gut. It seemed they had formed their own coven here in Budapest, creating a powerful force for anyone to contend with.

But the fact that there were four ruling members in Budapest meant there was always the potential for deadlock, unlike the coven, which had five members. It felt like someone had to be missing. There could be only one lycanthrope pack alpha, so the chance of another lycanthrope was unlikely. Particularly since we had slaughtered most of them and there hadnat been another half as strong as Ferko. Another warlock was a distinct possibility. Valerio had indicated that Clarion was known to work with someone else, and that other warlock could be serving in the background with the other members of Veyronas ruling party. If I had to take on Veyron to protect Danaus and his new friend, then I would have to destroy all the members of this group in order to survive. I did not relish the opportunity to go head-to-head against not just one but two warlocks.

aIf you had just used the half-breed, you could have killed that irritating naturi with little problem.a My entire body cringed at the voice. I didnat need to look up. I could feel Nickas power slowly filling the room as if he were pushing out all the air and leaving it thick and stuffy. If I still breathed, I would have suffocated in that tiny enclosure. I hung my head down and clenched my eyes shut as if I could will him away, but I knew it didnat work that way. Nick wasnat going to leave until he had finally succeeded in pushing me in the direction he thought I should be headed. At the moment, I didnat care what he wanted.

aIam done using Danaus,a I said in a low, hard voice, daring him to argue with me.

He chuckled. aYouare not done by a long shot, my dear.a I slammed my fist against the surface of the desk and twisted around to finally face him. aIam done! Just leave me alone.a Nick leaned against the far wall, looking like my last memory of my father, with his simple outfit and floppy hat to protect him against the harsh summer sun. The smile was all wrong, though. There was no warmth or compa.s.sion, only evil and malicious glee.

aI canat, my sweet daughter. We need each other.a aI donat need you.a Nick walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder to keep me from rising when I tried to get out of my chair. aWithout me, you will never reach your full potential.a aI donat need any more power than Iave already got,a I snapped.

Nick squeezed my shoulder hard enough to make me cringe and try to shrink away from his touch, but he refused to release me. aAnd I need you to help me once again reach my full potential. I want to reach the stars again, escape this weakened state.a I finally jerked out of his touch, but he had me pinned so that I couldnat get out of my chair. aI donat care what you want.a aYou will if it means your life,a he said, a grin growing across his horribly beautiful face. aIf youare not going to help me, I will either impregnate you so you will bear me a child that can help me, or Iall kill you and go to one of my other children for a.s.sistance.a aI will not control Danaus again,a I said stubbornly, daring him to contradict me. When he continued to just stare at me, I finally added, aBesides, Iave already lost him. He wonat speak to me, wonat look at me. Weare going our separate ways.a aYes,a he hissed. aI saw that. Not a good move. You should have just given him what he wanted so you would have his power at your disposal.a Nick paced away from me. Some of the tension drained out of my shoulders as I watched him deep in thought. After a moment he shrugged his shoulders and turned back to me. aNo matter. You still have Jabari. Once you return to Venice, you are to concentrate your attention on him.a aJabari? Are you insane? Heall squash me like a bug if he gets even the slightest whiff that he canat control me any longer, let alone discovers that I can control him.a aAre you saying you donat want to control him?a he asked, arching one brow at me. I couldnat ever recall seeing that particular expression on my fatheras face before.

aOf course I would love to control him. He used me for a century. I would love to have the opportunity to force him to take his own medicine. Iam just not strong enough. Jabari will kill me for even trying.a aThen I suggest that you get it right the first time,a Nick said, and then disappeared, clearly indicating that he would offer me no help whatsoever if I failed to bring Jabari under control when I attempted it.

aNick!a I shouted, but I got no answer. But then, thatas how things were going at this point. I was alone to clean up this mess I found myself in. Nick had helped me to alienate Danaus, and now I was to stick my head in the lionas mouth that was Jabari.

Exhausted, I pushed away from the desk and wandered into the bedroom, where I plopped down on the edge of the bed and pulled off my muddy boots. With my legs still hanging over the side, I lay back against the thick comforter and closed my eyes. I wished for the world to fade away, and that we had never come to Budapest.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

Sofia sat at the small table in the far corner next to Danaus as they shared a tray of food brought up by room service. I watched her cutting dainty bites of her chicken, wishing I could shove the fork down her throat. Danaus had risked both of our lives for this woman, and unfortunately, I was beginning to see why. In the broken, dimly lit room, she seemed almost luminous. Her features were delicate and perfectly formed, from her large innocent eyes to her b.u.t.ton nose to her little rosebud mouth. It was as if she were a fragile, blown-gla.s.s ornament resting in the wreckage of the hotel room.

It didnat take a genius to see why Danaus was drawn to her. It was more than the fact that she was a helpless human tied to a ruthless vampire. It was that she represented the epitome of the beautiful damsel in distress. Danaus had spent a lifetime searching for good deeds, in hopes of winning his soul back from the bori. He had searched his life for just this situation. Now all he needed to do was vanquish the evil vampire and the heroic act would be complete. Then he and Sofia could ride off together into the sunset.

If it had been possible for me at that exact moment, I would have vomited with the thought. Danaus had no business with a woman like that even if her laughter sounded like jubilant little bells and her eyes sparkled when she gazed up at him. Danaus and I were a better fit. Dark, violent, and sarcastic, we could face whatever the world threw at us and still come back for more. We belonged together. But right now all he could see was a pair of wide blue eyes watching him.

Balling my hands into fists at my sides, I searched for an even, reasonable tone. aDoes Veyron know you have her?a I demanded as way of greeting.

aI slipped out just before sunrise,a Sofia said. aVeyron didnat know where I was going.a She wiped her hands on her napkin before setting it by her plate. She rose to her feet and curtsied deep to me.

Meanwhile, Danaus sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest as he stared smugly at me. aThere was no fight. No one was killed. Sofia has been safely hidden here all day and no one has come to retrieve her.a aSheas not hidden,a I snarled. aSheas Veyronas pet. The moment he wishes to know her location, he will. And then he will either come to fetch her himself or he will send some of his flunkies for her. Just because getting her was easy doesnat mean that it will be just as easy to keep her.a A flood of tears erupted from Sofia as she collapsed back in her chair. aOh, sheas right. It is only a matter of time before Veyron comes after me. Iave put your lives in horrible danger.a I shrugged one shoulder as I shoved my hands into the back pockets of my leather pants. aThen go back. If you donat want to selfishly risk our lives, then go back to him.a aI canat,a she gasped, raising her face from where she had it buried in her hands. aHeall kill me. I know he will. Veyron will kill me.a aI doubt that.a aMira, you donat know that,a Danaus growled at me.

aNo, but I truly doubt that Veyron will kill her. Her only fear is that heas going to punish her in some way and she doesnat want to face it.a Danaus shoved to his feet while placing one protective hand on Sofiaas shoulder. aThe only thing sheas afraid of is a lifetime of being a slave to that monster. She wants her freedom.a aThen she shouldnat have chosen to become Veyronas pet in the first place.a aPlease, Mira. I need your help,a Sofia said. aI made a mistake. I didnat realize what I was getting into when I made the deal with Veyron. At the time, he was just so powerful and mesmerizing. I wasnat thinking clearly.a I rolled my eyes and paced away from the woman. aAnd now youare thinking clearly? You want out of your deal and youare expecting us to protect you when it comes time to pay the piper.a aPlease, I have nowhere else to go. No one who will help me. Iam alone, and you and Danaus are the only ones strong enough to take on Veyron. Besides, he said that youare the keeper of the domain now. Canat you just order him to release me?a aI can order him to release you, but if he wants to be able to show his face in this city again, he has to challenge me for you. And truth be told, I donat want you. Iave got enough problems on my hands already. I donat need to add to them.a aBut I wonat be a burden to you. I will leave Budapest. I will go somewhere far from here, like Paris or London or maybe even New York. I will never come to this city again,a she promised.

I turned on my heel and shook my head at her. aDo you honestly think that itas going to work that way? Once Veyron hears that youare out of my direct care and supervision, he will come after you again. And then he will kill you to prove that I wasnat able to protect something that was supposed to be mine.a aBut I donat want to be your pet,a Sofia said in a breathless whisper.

aAnd I donat want you either, but you turned to another nightwalker for help. That means I have to steal you away from Veyron to protect you.a aBut I ran away. You didnat steal me.a aKeeping you alive, keeping you safe, means stealing you from him.a aWe could just kill Veyron and then you wouldnat have to worry about protecting her,a Danaus suggested.

Sofia twisted in her seat and placed a hand over Danausas hand. aMust you? He didnat treat me that poorly. I donat think he deserves to die because I made a mistake.a aI see no reason to kill Veyron,a I said. aWith the naturi dead, Iam prepared to leave Budapest and not look back. The coven is a more pressing matter for us.a aThen send her to Savannah,a Danaus suggested.

aNo!a aMiraa"a aAbsolutely not. If she boards my plane, sheas going to Venice, and thatas where sheas going to stay.a aOh, please no,a she pleaded. At the suggestion, the woman grew considerably paler as she clenched both of her hands in her lap.

aShe wouldnat survive in Venice with the others,a Danaus said, aparticularly since I know that you have no intention of remaining there.a aI wonat take her to Savannah and she canat remain in Budapest. That only leaves Venice,a I argued, struggling to keep the smile off my lips. There was something very appealing about sending a helpless Sofia to Venice. Deep down, I knew that I couldnat and wouldnat drop her off in Venice. I had moments when I could be truly cold-hearted, but there were limitations to even my vicious nature. She wouldnat survive her first night in Venice and we all knew it.

Unfortunately, I was still stuck with trying to come up with someplace to send her where she would be out of my hair, and preferably away from Danaus. Furthermore, the place had to be secure from a potential attack from Veyron should I decide to leave the nightwalker alive. At the moment I didnat care one way or the other. I just wanted to get home again, and now that the naturi were dead, I had no reason to remain in Budapest beyond giving Macaire a chance to kill me.

aWhy not send her to Themis?a I suggested.

Danaus pushed away from the table and rose to his feet, looking far from pleased with my idea. aYou want to put her in Ryanas hands?a aSheas a human who knows about our world. I can wipe her memory and set her free, but thatas not going to keep her safe from Veyron and anyone else who might know about her. Ryan can watch over her, while she gives the researchers some interesting little tidbits about my world. Itas a brilliant idea.a aItas a terrible idea.a aYou had no problem putting Lily in his hands,a I accused, hating to even say the childas name out loud. She didnat need to be brought into this conversation, but it didnat make any sense to me that Danaus would be willing to send something dear and precious to us to Ryan, but not this creature.

aLily was going there under the protection of your name. I know that you wouldnat do the same for Sofia. Ryan doesnat owe me any favors and heas not trying to cultivate my friendship. Sofia would not have the same security that Lily would have had.a aIt doesnat matter anymore. If she doesnat want to stay in Budapest, then she goes to Themis and is out of my hair as far as Iam concerned,a I said, throwing my arms up in the air. aIn truth it doesnat matter to me since sheas not going back to Savannah, which is where I am headed after this coven nonsense is finished.a I c.o.c.ked my head to the side and stretched out my powers as I felt a shifting in the air. Danaus grew instantly quiet when I raised my hand. Someone was coming, and I preferred that they did not catch us in the middle of this particular conversation. Sofia looked from me to Danaus, her expression growing tense.

A couple of seconds later both Stefan and Macaire appeared in the hotel room. A part of me had secretly hoped that the coven Elder had returned to Venice where he belonged, but apparently he was lingering in Budapest to make sure that whatever trap head set was properly sprung on Danaus and me. A frown pulled at the corners of my lips at Valerioas painful absence. The nightwalker had been my personal pocket of mischievous joy when he was around, and now I was just stuck with two nightwalkers that wanted me dead and a hunter that was trying to get me killed.

aHow is he?a I asked, content to ignore Macaire for the time being.

aHeall live,a Stefan replied as he unb.u.t.toned his winter coat to reveal a handsome dark suit. aHe fed heavily last night and I saw to it that he fed again as soon as I rose. He just needs another night of rest and food before he travels again.a aThat is a shame about Valerio,a Macaire murmured, rubbing one gloved hand against his chin.

aValerio will be fine,a I said firmly, fighting to keep from clenching my teeth whenever I spoke to the Elder. aThe important part is that we have rid the city of the naturi. I need to still make a few phone calls to get arrangements in place, but Danaus and I will be returning to Venice tonight. Iam sure you two gentlemen can manage on your own. In fact, thereas nothing keeping you here now.a aWeare leaving Budapest?a Stefan demanded first, his mouth falling open in shock.

I nodded at him, but turned my gaze directly on Macaire, who was looking less than pleased by my announcement. aAs I recall, the only reason for our coming to Budapest in the first place was the naturi infestation, which has now been cleared out. There is no reason for me to linger in this city any longer. We were to reconvene in Venice, and then Danaus and I will be returning home to Savannah.a So, youare going to permit me back in Savannah, but not Sofia? Danaus whispered in my mind, making me wish I could throw something at his head. Yet in all honesty, I wasnat sure which of us was acting more childish at the moment. I had a sick feeling that it was me. Sofia wanted her freedom, and Danaus was determined to give it to her. As his friend and companion, I should be willing to support him despite the fact that it went against my ways as a nightwalker.

It wasnat that I was unwilling to take on the protection of yet another creature, because I felt confident that Veyron would not travel to my domain of Savannah for her. It was more the concern that I would be protecting a creature that seemed destined to become Danausas lover one day. I didnat think I had it in me to be that strong and not allow jealousy to crush Sofia.

aWhat about Ferko and Odelia? What about my Mich.e.l.le?a Stefan demanded, taking a couple of steps toward me.

I smiled broadly at him, placing both of my hands on his stiff shoulders. aAs keeper of Budapest, you have my permission to track them both down and eliminate them in any manner that you see fit so long as it doesnat endanger our secret.a aYouare too kind,a he replied, pulling out of my touch.

aI can well understand your eagerness to return to the coven and home again, but you canat leave this domain in the chaotic order that it is now,a Macaire interjected quickly before I could turn my back on the both of them. aYou need to establish your position of power within the city.a aI have. There was the language lesson at the Szchenyi Baths,a I said, but Stefan was quick to speak up.

aThat was in the name of the coven and establishing yourself as an Elder to be respected.a I forced a broad smile at Stefan as I clenched my teeth together. I didnat need his help. aThere was also the slaughter at Bahnhof just the other night. I do believe that was in the name of establishing my position as keeper, if Iam not mistaken.a aYes, I heard about Bahnhof and that was a very nice start,a Macaire conceded.

aCleared the place out,a Stefan said proudly, referring to the nightwalkers that quickly vacated the nightclub rather than stay in our presence any longer than absolutely necessary.

Macaire heaved a heavy sigh and placed his hands into the pockets of his large overcoat. aUnfortunately, I get the feeling that the whispers of that event are still making the rounds among our kind here in this large city before you can comfortably vacate it, even for a short period of time. You need to make a larger display of your power, Mira. Take the advice of one who has been around quite a bit longer than you. When you took over Savannah, there were few nightwalkers present. Budapest is considerably larger and older. You will need a grander display to have an impact on your people here.a aDo you have something specific in mind?a I asked, knowing that he did.

aThe Solstice Ball,a Sofia said in breathless tones. I turned to look up at her, but she had turned her wide eyes on the other Elder. aTonight is Odeliaas Solstice Ball. Everyone will be there.a aExactly,a Macaire said with a smile, then turned his attention to me. aCollecting another one? She doesnat seem to be quite your type.a aYes, well, Iam open to new experiences,a I said with an ugly smile before turning my attention to Sofia. aWhat can you tell me about Odeliaas party tonight? Have you ever been?a aIave been a few times. As far as I know, every nightwalker in the city makes an appearance at this ball with his or her pets. Itas a very formal affair with elegant ball gowns and beautiful suits. Veyron always called it the only civilized affair of the year because there was no fighting and no werewolves present.a aWhat about warlocks or witches?a Danaus inquired, before I could.

aNot as far as I know. Just vampires and their pets, which are always humans,a she said with a pretty smile for him.

aThen I guess weare going to a ball tonight, gentlemen. Itas a shame that Valerio canat make it, because this is exactly the kind of thing that would have raised his spirits. Where is it held?a aIam not exactly sure,a Sofia said, abut itas always been in a private castle in the Castle District.a aIam sure we can find it with little problem,a Stefan interrupted, arching one eyebrow at me. aWe can just focus on the heavy concentration of nightwalkers in the middle of the city.a aThen we should get going,a I said. aThe sooner this mess is taken care of, the sooner we can get back to Venice. Danaus, stay behind and protect Sofia while I am out tonight. Macaire, Stefan, and I apparently have a formal ball to attend.a aIs that what youare wearing?a Stefan demanded, looking me up and down. I was back in my leather pants and leather halter top with its varied selection of knives spread across my body.

My smile widened for him, allowing my fangs to peek out. I wrapped one arm around his shoulders, forcing him to place an arm around my back so his hand rested on my hip. aMy ball gown is at the cleaners. Iam sure they will understand. Besides, this makes the impression that I want to leave behind.a A reluctant smile tweaked one corner of his mouth. aBlood, fear, and ruthless violence,a Stefan said.

aLike Macaire said, itas all about leaving the right impression, and I have no doubt this is the one I want to leave behind in Budapest if I am to be both her keeper and a coven Elder. Letas dance,a I said, grinning at my companion in violence. Despite the fact that he still wanted me dead, Stefan and I were starting to get along very well. But then he always loved a bloodbath and terror in his victims. Something I was starting to be good at once again.

No matter. It was time to crash Odeliaas party, and for once, I couldnat wait, even if I did have Macaire tagging along.

Chapter Twenty-Three.

O deliaas Solstice Ball was an extravagant affair. But considering what little I did now of her, I had expected nothing less. She was a relatively young nightwalker who liked to pretend to be much older than she was, reveling in the so-called agood old days,a when she never really lived through them in the first place. This Solstice Ball was just another excuse for her to preside over the younger nightwalkers and strut about as if she were something truly awesome to behold.

The only problem was, the three nightwalkers walking into her party were truly awesome to behold, and we didnat like to share the limelight.

Unfortunately, Sofia either lied about the guest list or Odelia made some last minute modifications due to my recent behavior in Budapest. I had expected a lavish party of roughly one hundred peoplea"half nightwalkers and the other half their human pets. When we arrived at the gathering, we discovered that the body count was well over two hundred, and nightwalkers accounted for less than quarter of those people. To prevent any kind of scene, particularly a violent b.l.o.o.d.y scene, Odelia had surrounded herself with humans. We could wipe only so many memories and control only so many minds at one time. This crowd was too big, and Odelia knew she was safe as long as she remained within it. It was a disappointing development, but I was not going to let it spoil my evening.

Macaire and I strolled into a grand ballroom laced in silver and gold decorations. A giant Christmas tree rose up in the far corner, glowing with twinkling white lights that reflected off red globe ornaments. Along either wall, enormous tables had been set up and were laden with gourmet dishes and artfully crafted ice sculptures. On the balcony overlooking the second floor, a string ensemble was playing music for the dancers in the middle of the ballroom.

Standing in that ballroom, I watched the swish and flow of the elegant ball gowns as the women were twirled around the floor. There was laughter and soft conversation in the air. I longed to have Valerio at my side. The scene played before me was like a crisp memory of a time not so long ago. Centuries ago, he and I had attended b.a.l.l.s similar to this one, where we waltzed and laughed before luring our prey off to a secluded dark corner to feed. It had been such a seemingly innocent and light time in my life, which was now so far from my reach.

Stefan leaned close, brushing his chest against my shoulder so he could whisper in my ear. aI think there may be a problem with your attire.a I didnat need to look over to know that Macaire was smirking. Both nightwalkers were at least wearing nice suits under their heavy coats, while I was sheathed in leather and steel. Not exactly what I would have preferred for a winter ball, but then I hadnat thought I would need a fancy frock while destroying naturi in Budapest.

I shrugged and stepped into the ballroom with the rest of the guests. aThe point, I believe, was to cause a scene,a I replied in a low voice. aI think this will help.a My appearance certainly grabbed the attention of the partygoers, as they quickly put some s.p.a.ce between themselves and me while softly whispering among each other. I was proud of the fact that I didnat blush, and even more impressed that Macaire remained standing beside me, while Stefan stood straight and tall behind us both like a proper servant. Considering my aggressive attire, I had expected both of them to distance themselves from me at their first opportunity. It made me worry. What was Macaireas game now?

It took Odelia and Veyron only a moment to notice the uneasiness of the crowd and head in our direction. They had been holding court at one of the three tables at the far end of the room on a slightly raised platform. Odelia wore an elaborate dress of shimmering silver and black, while Veyron appeared in a traditional tuxedo. When they reached us, they both gave a respectful bow of their heads. It was enough to show respect without drawing too much attention from the humans. Unfortunately, that wasnat a particularly easy task, since nearly every human and nightwalker in the ballroom was staring at me.

aWelcome, great coven Elders Macaire and Mira. Welcome, Stefan. Please enjoy our small holiday gathering,a Odelia said, spreading her arms wide to invite us in.

aThanks for allowing us to crash,a I replied. aWe just heard about the party and thought we would drop by for a little while.a I resisted the urge to lay my hand on the handle of one of the knives attached to my hip.

aYouare most welcome here,a Veyron said, though he refused to look directly at me. I had to wonder if it might have something to do with his missing pet. Surely there had to be a few nightwalkers present who noticed her glaring absence.

aIn truth, we had not expected you to linger in the city so long. Otherwise, I would have told you about the ball. It would have given you more time to find a proper ball gown,a Odelia added, as her hand caressed a luxurious strip of black velvet on her dress.

I waved my hand at her and forced out a light chuckle. aYes, it does appear as if I am a bit underdressed for the affair.a aIn truth, it looks as if you should be part of the entertainment rather than a guest, but it is no matter. You are all most welcome here!a aWhy thatas a brilliant idea!a aWhat idea?a Odelia demanded in a rough voice, obviously terrified by anything that I could conceive of as brilliant.

aEntertainment! It would give me a chance to repay you and all the other nightwalkers for your warm welcome into the city as both an Elder and now her keeper. I would like to provide some entertainment.a aOh, please, Mira. You donat have to trouble yourself,a Veyron said, finally starting to look a little nervous. aTonight is for your enjoyment and relaxation. Youave done enough. Weave already heard of the removal of all the naturi from the city. Youave taken over as keeper for our protection. We can ask no more of you.a aBut I insist! It will be fun.a aPlease let her,a Macaire interjected, surprising me. aMira has such a special gift for entertaining those around her. She has such flair.a aThank you, Macaire. Now, please, return to your seats at the far end of the ballroom and allow me to entertain you.a With anxious smiles plastered on their faces, Veyron and Odelia led Macaire and Stefan across the center of the dance floor, with me lagging behind them. I stopped in the center and sent out a slight mental push to everyone, indicating that they should back off to the sidelines and leave the center of the dance floor completely open. At the same time, I mentally directed the orchestra on the balcony to switch to a selection of pieces from Tchaikovskyas Nutcracker ballet. I thought it would make the whole performance seem more festive, since I was limited in what I could do at that moment.

Once Odelia and the others were seated at the head tables, I bowed deeply to them and then to my left and right, offering myself up to the crowd. As I stood upright again, I palmed a pair of knives at my waist and quickly began to juggle them. I wasnat a particularly accomplished juggler, but Iad picked up a couple tricks over the long years out of plain curiosity and boredom. The silver blades flashed in the twinkling light as they rose higher and higher. When they were more than five feet in the air, I added a third blade and pushed them even higher. The audience around me exploded in applause, but I wasnat even half done.

When one knife reached more than ten feet in the air, it became wrapped in a ball of flames. In a matter of seconds I was juggling three flaming knives to an awe-filled crowd of humans and a slightly terrified group of nightwalkers. To the humans, this was a bit of fake magic for their entertainment that could easily be explained away with logic and science. To the nightwalkers, I was a walking threat.

As the music reached its ending crescendo, I dropped to my knees, caught a knife in my left hand and another in my right. Then I tilted my head back and caught the third flaming knife with my teeth. The second the blade entered my mouth, the flames were extinguished. Thrusting the two knives in my hands back into the sheaths at my side, I pulled the other blade out of my mouth. With a wide grin, I puffed out my cheeks and pretended to expel a ma.s.sive breath of air that turned into a ball of fire as it left my lips. Over the round of exuberant clapping, I could hear screams of genuine terror from the nightwalkers in the crowd.

Confident that I had everyoneas full attention, I moved on to some more stunning tricks. With my blades returned to their sheaths, I raised my hands above my head and with a snap of my fingers four orbs of fire miraculously appeared hovering in the air. I waved my hands and the little fireb.a.l.l.s spun and danced over my head in time with the music.

Want to have some fun? I silently inquired of Stefan.

Iam quite enjoying watching you make a fool of yourself. I donat need anything else.

Give me a hand, please. Float Odelia out here to me.

Float her out?

Imagine lifting her out to the middle of the floor like a silver angel descending into h.e.l.l. Stefan didnat say anything, but I could feel his inward chuckle at my description.

As the music shifted, I lowered my right hand and directed it toward Odelia, who magically lifted from her chair and floated out to the center of the floor, thanks to a little a.s.sistance from Stefan. Shock initially filled her face, but she quickly covered it up with a look of serenitya"just like an angel floating down from Heaven. As her feet touched the ground before me, I used my left hand to direct the fireb.a.l.l.s to change direction so they circled around her. With a laugh and a clap, they picked up speed and the ring around her became smaller so that she felt forced to cross her arms over her chest. A fragile smile lifted her lips, but there was genuine fear in her eyes.

We were completely surrounded by humans, and I knew it would be impossible for me to completely wipe all their memories if I decided to burn her right then and there. Of course, the real question was whether I cared if this gathering of humans watched as I burned her alive. No one knew me. I could easily disappear from sight and return to my beloved Savannah with no one thinking to look for me there. The nightwalkers wouldnat murmur a word of my ident.i.ty and would most likely not admit to seeing anything at all. I was a bigger threat to them than anything that the humans could dig up.

I shifted my gaze from Odelia to Macaire, who was lounging in his chair, watching the performance with what seemed like only partial attention. I arched one brow at him, and in return he shrugged one shoulder, as if to say that it was my decision. Stefan, on the other hand, was sitting on the edge of his chair, watching the flames edge closer and closer to Mich.e.l.leas executioner. I tilted my head toward him, and he gave me only the slightest shake.

Smiling broadly, I walked toward Odelia. With a snap of my fingers, the fireb.a.l.l.s stopped circling her and returned to me. They settled on my thin figure and rolled over me, like a cat rubbing against my legs in want of affection. aIt seems youave been given a reprieve. Youave been promised to someone else,a I whispered, winking at her.

Tumbling backward in a series of springing backflips that put some distance between Odelia and me, I came to a halt in the center of the ma.s.sive ballroom and was instantly engulfed in flames as if they were a second skin. I bowed deeply to the crowd, and when I rose again, the flames were completely gone. It was only when I threw up my hands in triumph that the room exploded in applause. For the time being, my odd outfit had been forgotten and the crowd was left pondering my amazing pyrotechnic skills. The nightwalkers were terrified, but given the fact that Odelia had survived the encounter, they were now willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. I was going to behave myself tonight. For now.

I followed Odelia up to the raised dais where the three tables sat and chose the empty seat next to Macaire so that we were in the center of the platform. Stefan was on my right, while Veyron and Odelia sat at a separate table, like a pair of good humble court attendants. Above us the orchestra struck up a fresh melody, and the partygoers returned to dancing and mingling among themselves without casting an eye in our direction.

aCongratulations, my dear,a Macaire said as he surveyed the dance floor before him. aYouave managed to entertain all the humans in here with your amazing feats while openly threatening every nightwalker.a aThank you,a I replied with a slight bow of my head toward him. I sat back in my chair and crossed my left leg over my right, vainly attempting to relax while sitting next to my enemy. I wasnat worried about an attack. We were under the scrutiny of too many humans, and Macaire wasnat one for the direct approach. There was always the chance of things going sour on him and it ending badly for him.

I, on the other hand, had no problem with a more direct approach.

aI must congratulate you,a I said, venturing out onto a very thin limb. I was taking a wild stab in the dark and hoping to hit blood.

aFor what?a aFor what youave accomplished here. It appears that youave managed to set up your own little coven using not just a pair of nightwalkers, but a warlock and a lycanthrope as well. As a people, weare not known for getting along with the others.a aIam afraid that I donat know what youare talking about,a Macaire said blandly.

A smirk lifted my lips as I looked over my shoulder at him. aPlease. Youare not dealing with an idiot, and you know it. You sent me here to show off what youave accomplished. The naturi werenat a problem until I arrived. I must admit that it is quite amazing. The cooperation of nightwalkers, shifters, and magic users is rare. I can only guess that youave set yourself up as the liege figure. While somewhat treasonous, itas definitely interesting in its strength. Itas a shame that all the positions have been filled.a Macaire shifted slightly in his chair so he was leaning forward, allowing him to get a better view of my face as I stared out at the crowd. aAre you saying that you would be interested in such a structure?a aThe addition of Clarion makes this structure very powerful, but woefully weak when you consider Ferko. I know too many lycans that would tear him apart. However, I guess you need that weakness in an effort to find someone who would turn his back on his own people for the good of the power structure.a Macaire said nothing, neither admitting nor denying my accusation as he sat back in his chair again. He stared straight ahead, drumming his fingers on the tabletop before him in time to the music.

aI will admit that the only one that I canat figure out is Sofia,a I said, as if talking out loud to myself.

aShe is quite the lovely pet,a Macaire murmured.

aQuite lovely.a aI noticed that she was with your hunter this evening and not at Veyronas side. Have you taken on yet another new pet? This is becoming quite the trend with you.a aOh, sheas not mine. She convinced Danaus that she wanted her freedom so heas helped her run away.a aWill you be taking her back to your domain?a aDefinitely not,a I said with an absent wave of my hand. aIam not interested in her. Iam thinking of wiping her memory and dropping her somewhere remote, in a naturi country perhaps, like South America.a Macaire fell silent again, but I noticed that he had stopped tapping on the table and his hand had balled into a fist. I pressed my lips firmly together to keep the smile from rising. I was beginning to wonder if Sofia actually belonged to Veyron, since he had shown little concern about her absence.

aI just canat understand why she would take such risks,a I said in a low voice. aShe must have a powerful ally or two in her corner.a Macaire remained silent, staring straight ahead. He was no longer willing to be drawn into a conversation where he knew I was determined to corner him. I didnat know whether Sofia directly belonged to him or if she was simply taking orders from him. All I knew was that I needed to get her away from Danaus as soon as possible.

I looked over at Stefan, who appeared to be more than a little bored. He was another question hovering in the air. When the time came, where did his loyalty lie? There was no doubt that he would do whatever was necessary to get a chair on the coven. Furthermore, I was confident that both Macaire and I had promised him an open chair once the other was disposed of. Unfortunately, I knew there was going to be a point where Stefan would have to make a choice between who he was going to support in the end. While we had a common hatred of the naturi, I also had the nightwalker hunter at my side as a minus.