“Very good, they come.”
“Strawberry,” I hissed under my breath as Jacob’s coach door opened.
***
Standing in front of those wide, extremely high, double doors and wearing that ridiculous ball gown, made me feel just like I did back in Cuba; not when they first opened the door that I was walked through and introduced as Martin’s whore, but when I stood in front of the room on the stage and shown as a piece of cattle to a group of sick bastards who would pay a price so they could do whatever they pleased. At that very moment, I went from being scared to death to being so pissed that all I wanted to do was kick those doors in and start killing the depraved beings on the other side. The laughter that I could hear was making the rolling waves of blood in my stomach form an eruption just waiting to spew up my throat and out of my mouth.
“I think I may be sick,” I spoke to no one in particular.
Tammy took my hand and squeezed. “Take in a deep breath, you can do this.”
“No, I mean, I think I may really be sick, as in throw-up.”
“She does look a bit green,” Cates said, taking my other hand.
“It is too late. They come to open the doors.” Jacob was saying, as two men in black suits opened the doors wide and my people escorted me in.
The music was loud and nothing that I had ever heard. There were so many breeders that it was hard to see the decoration on the tables that lined the walls and all looked very much like we did. My senses were on overload. I didn’t smell anything but bloodbreeders. Had there been normals anywhere, I wouldn’t have been able to track them with the amount of blood drinkers that filled the large room. I now knew why Martin had been so afraid for us. He was right. There was no way in hell that we were going to fight our way out of this. There was no other choice but to take down the head of the house.
“I should have brought my club,” Sydney whispered, getting as close to me as he could.
“You didn’t have anywhere to put it. I want you to stick as close to your maker as you can tonight. Keep him safe, Sydney. I’m depending on you,” I grabbed his hand and leaned in to his ear. “I need that from you for the rest of Garvin’s life.”
He stepped back and smiled, showing a beautiful set of fangs then kissed me on the cheek saying ‘thank you’, and went happily back to his maker. Garvin glanced over at me and mouthed the words thank you. I simply winked back. Cates came up behind me putting his hand on my shoulder and his nub on Tammy’s. Jacob stepped up beside Tammy and Derek stepped in closer to my left side. We started making our way down through the middle of the crowd of demented breeders.
Jacob had explained that some owners brought their favorite slaves to these events, using Bernard and Alex as examples. That’s when I understood why there would be so many when I had heard so much about there being few heads, and even fewer ancients. It made sense about the ancients, with so many like Yvette, trying to knock them off for a power base. Now, here I was, doing the same thing; Different reasons, same form of tactics. However, I’m more than sure that few, if any, before me had much care of whom they put in harm’s way.
Growls of some sort of a beast reverberated through the room and none of the party goers seemed to take notice…other than our group. It rang out again, only this time louder and it was apparent there was more than one. I reached back and touched the human flesh of Fala’s arm wishing he were in his other form. And I wanted nothing more than to ask him what it was that I was hearing. As if reading my mind, he slid in between Derek and Cates.
“I believe they are cats,” he spoke as he leaned down and pretended to kiss my hand. “Like the ones from the collapsed village.”
As he stepped back my head popped up and I went on my toes. I had to see where the sound was coming from. Jacob bumped Tammy and she pulled down on my hand. I gave Jacob my famous ‘kiss my ass’ look and walked a little faster. The crowd pressed in around us and I pushed back. I could feel eyes on me as I made my way in and around the gaudy ball gowns and bowing men, but then I saw the two thrones on a stage. There were two women sitting on the thrones, and both held a leash that was attached to a black, diamond adorned collar that encircled the necks of two beautiful black cats.
“Hold your calm, Renee,” Jacob moved Tammy and took my arm. “I fear we have been tricked and now stand in their trap.”
“Yeah, well, we expected that. What I want to know is, are those cats the boys we met the night we saved Martin?”
I could feel Fala breathe on the back of my neck as he came in closer behind me and the warmer it grew, the more I knew that I had my answer. Those two large, black cats were Luther and Lane, and they did not like being bound by the neck and held by chains. It was a bit shocking seeing the twins hold a leash in their hands but I was well aware that the sister’s came from the same sick line. Maybe I was hoping Inara would be showing a little restraint knowing that we would be here and that we did unspeakable things to those who committed acts of unnamable mention. I knew we were no better when it came to our method of stopping this crazed madness but we were getting our point across and that was all that mattered.
“I thank you all for coming to our annual Moon Gala,” Angelica said, as she stood handing the leash of her black cat over to a male dressed much like my boys, then lightly brushed her hands together. “This is a very special night indeed. I have just been given word that our very esteemed guests have arrived. And I, more than any of you, would like to welcome them into my home with a full round of applause.” At that point the entire room erupted with clapping and all that stood, pressing in around our group spread out, leaving us standing in the middle of a ten foot circle.
Bernard walked into the room from behind the thrones with a slight limp and Inara smiled as she got to her feet. She too, handed off the leash she held only this black cat was hissing and swiping out at the young man who took it. It was then that I saw droplets of blood dripping from its collar, and my blood began to boil.
“We just came for our friends,” I yelled out. “We don’t much like it when they’re treated badly.”
“Are you blind, little bloodbreeder? Or are you just too stupid to see how truly defeated that you are?” Inara said, stepping up beside her sister.
“Good to know Alex was never on the top of your list, Inara. We killed him before we came here,” I snorted. “We knew you were going to stab us in the back. You didn’t really think that we came this far by believing blood suckers like you…did you?”
The whole room fell silent as the sisters looked at each other. Derek threw his head back and burst out laughing. “She believed it…that ignorant bitch believed that she had one over on us. Just how stupid do these things get around here?”
“Now, young one, have I not taught you to respect your elders? They do not know the ways of the modern world,” Cates said, patting Derek on the back.
“Yes, they still believe in the old ways of tears and trickery. But, they did not plan on such a young breeder as our Lady Renee, taking down not one, but two ancients in but one night.” Jacob walked up close to the stage where the sisters stood back by their thrones. “My Ladies, you have misjudged this night and you and many others will die if you do not comply.” Jacob snapped his fingers and we all pulled our blades; my and Tammy’s display not being as smooth as the others. It was harder getting the hilt out of my pocket this time than it had been every time I had practiced.
“He lies, they are few to our many,” Inara hissed. “They would not kill my son. Martin said they were good to their word.”
“He and anyone else would say anything on a torture bed!” I yelled. “And how do you know we didn’t kill your son? Did you go look? Is he there? What did your men say when they came back from our home?” I was guessing with my questions. I had no idea if they had been waiting for us to leave, or if they believed anything we were saying, for that matter. They had the jump on us and we were just trying to talk our way into a semi-fair fight.