One of Jared’s brows slid up. “You’re saying that happened because she’s stressed? Her gift had a tantrum?”
“Taking into account recent events, I would imagine that Sam is a bubbling cauldron of various emotions, for want of a better phrase. Her gift of absorbing and harnessing energy is strongly linked to her emotions. As such, the energy inside her will be bubbling just the same. Pent up emotions will manifest themselves some way or another. They eventually find an outlet.”
“All right, I can accept that my gift ran riot because I’ve been keeping a lid on my feelings. But I’ve never formed a whirlwind of energy before. It was huge, and it was bloody powerful.” I’d always been able to call on the natural element of air, but that was totally different from actually forming a whirlwind of energy.
Jared shook his head in wonder. “I swear it was almost like it was alive.”
“Just as every human produces energy, every vampire produces preternatural energy,” said Luther. “Preternatural energy is the fuel that fires vampiric gifts. The preternatural energy that Sam now produces is hybrid energy. It is powerful, and it calls to the surrounding energy like a magnet. The two energies mingle together inside of her, creating one hell of a cocktail, and strengthening her gift. Have you ever seen a mixture of chemical substances bubbling inside a corked bottle?”
Jared nodded in understanding. “The cork came off.”
“I would say so, yes.”
I massaged my temples. “I blame the brothers.”
Jared gave my wrist a squeeze. “I should have made their deaths more painful.”
I went to assure him that their deaths had been satisfyingly painful enough, but then the doors were barged open and in marched Eloise and Collins. Oh bloody great.
(Jared)
They truly couldn’t have picked a worse time to piss around. Now that I fully understood the toll these assholes had taken on Sam, I didn’t have the patience to deal with their shit. And of course Collins and Eloise had shit to dish out. What was new?
Eloise stomped towards where each of us had risen to our feet. She snarled at Sam before addressing Antonio, her head held high. “Your commander attacked me! I expect her to be reprimanded!”
“Oh you do, do you?” drawled Antonio. His tone was menacing enough to make Eloise take a cautious step backwards. It wasn’t often that Antonio was anything other than cool and collected, but right now he was clearly on the verge of snapping.
Dexter hissed from his place on the sofa, his scales now red once more. Clearly only just noticing him, Collins jerked away and involuntarily bumped into Eloise.
She went to snap at him but then gripped his arm instead and urged him toward Antonio.
“Fredrick witnessed the whole thing. Go on, tell him, Fredrick.”
Clearing his throat, Collins nodded. “I did indeed witness Commander Parker attack my colleague, and I will be reporting this incident to the Prelature. I will also be reporting that she has hindered my investigation several times. It is quite clear that she does not deserve her position, and I will be making that clear in my report.”
Sam gave a humorous laugh. “Mr Collins, I’ve cooperated with you even though your investigation is way too intrusive for my liking.” Her tone was business-like and brisk. “I’ve answered your questions, I’ve let you watch my training sessions, and I’ve let you shadow me. But I will not allow you to bully me, and that is exactly what you have repeatedly attempted to do. You have thrown your authority around, expecting me to hop, skip, and jump at your say-so.” She took a step toward him, wearing that haughty, all-knowing, school teacher look that always made me want to fuck her within an inch of her life. “As such, you should know that I’ll be making an official complaint about both of you.”
Collins gaped. “Excuse me?”
And this was where he would learn that Sam wasn’t to be fucked with. And I had a front seat. Smiling, I folded my arms over my chest and watched my mate at work.
“I have witnesses to attest to the fact that Miss Montana dresses inappropriately, spends much of her working hours at the pool – oh and I have photographic evidence to support this, should you wish to see it – and persistently makes inappropriate comments to Jared. Had she been a male and Jared been a woman in that situation, it would most likely be classed as sexual harassment. Worse, Jared is Bound to another. That bond is considered very sacred, is it not? She shows no respect for it, which is a very serious thing, as you are both fully aware.”
Pausing, she shot Eloise a withering look that actually made her cower. Turning her attention back to Collins, Sam continued. “As Jared pointed out earlier, vampires have gone to war in the past in order to protect such a bond. It is instinctive for us to vigorously defend it, even if violent measures are needed. Even knowing this, she behaves inappropriately, which puts both of you in danger – it can certainly be counted as reckless among many other things. We all know how you feel about recklessness, Mr Collins. She also invaded my home on one occasion, which is not at all tolerable. And let’s not forget that she’s been sleeping with some of the guards when she is here to work. All of that, I think you will agree, is totally unprofessional behaviour.”
Collins just stood, dumbfounded, and looking at Sam as if seeing her for the first time. I noticed that Antonio and Luther were as equally amused as I was. Eloise, on the other hand, was staring at Sam; her eyes glimmered with a mixture of horror, shock, and fury.
Eventually Collins gathered himself. “W-well your complaints are indeed s-serious,” he allowed. Eloise gasped, glowering at him. “But I must point out that these only apply to Eloise.” It was typical that the slimy piece of shit would only be interested in saving his own skin, happy to hand his colleague out to dry.
Sam smiled. “Oh I’ve got a number of complaints that I can make against you.”
His expression turned wary. It definitely should. “I know that you have felt shadowed, Commander Parker, but protocol states that I stay here as an observer.”
“But bothering my squad during their free time isn’t protocol, is it? Asking them personal questions and requesting to see their personal files isn’t protocol either. You also publically revealed the identity of the complainant when, according to you, they wished to remain anonymous. That not only went against protocol, it placed them in danger – after all, the rest of the squad would not have reacted well to such betrayal, had they believed any betrayal had taken place. As it turned out, you purposely accused the wrong person; that, in and of itself, is appalling. And let’s not also forget that you interrupted a training session by participating.”
His face flushed with outrage. I half-expected him to stomp his foot. “You invited me to participate!”
“But you’re here in a professional capacity, Mr Collins. You should have declined. As you have repeatedly stated, protocol says that you stay here as an observer. There’s also the fact that you persistently ask my PA to do things for you. That interrupts his work and, therefore, interferes with the quality of it. You’re also very rude to the Heir – again, many witnesses can attest to this. As if all that isn’t bad enough” – she took a step closer to him – “you’re sleeping with an old consort of Jared’s.”
The others all gasped in shock. I’d been a little surprised myself when Sam told me a week ago.
Sam grinned. “Yes, Daniela told me all about this very unprofessional behaviour. Unlike Joy, she’s not jealous of my relationship with Jared, and she’s loyal to the people in The Hollow. You ask her a lot of questions about Jared, don’t you? Personal questions related to his past, his behaviour throughout the years, his relationship with me, and even his strengths and weaknesses. You’ve been using her to get information. No woman likes to be used, Mr Collins. So you can bet your arse that any answer she gave you was a load of shite.”