The impact launched me backward, right into Rourke’s body. His hands steadied me and a fierce growl erupted from his chest. “I’ve had enough,” he snarled. “No one strikes us and lives. We came in here to offer you a deal, which could’ve been beneficial to you, but I see you’ve lost your touch when it comes to negotiations, Eudoxia.” Power radiated off of him, his muscles tightening under his skin. “But you’re not the one doing the killing here. I am. I will tear your head from your shoulders so fast your body won’t have time to react.”
Eudoxia’s hands were fisted, and she vibrated with anger, more livid than I’d ever seen her. She was beside herself that her magic had not worked against us. By all rights I should be a babbling puddle on the floor. And as much as I wouldn’t mind seeing Rourke tear her to pieces, I still needed her.
I wrapped my hand around his arm lightly, tugging him back. “Nobody is killing anyone,” I said. “At least for the moment. Because the bigger problem here is the man you’ve trusted for years has turned against you. Valdov’s a spy. You can’t ignore that.”
“How dare you make such accusations. You know nothing!” the Queen spat. “He has been my loyal servant for centuries and I will not listen to nonsense spouted by a lowly dog like yourself.” Her power continued its assault against me, my wolf working diligently to keep her out. At this pace, she was going to break down our barriers shortly.
Valdov had risen from the ground already healed. He moved forward, spitting his malice, but his Queen put her arm out to stop him.
She wanted me for herself.
Tyler and Danny both stepped toward Valdov and they all eyed each other critically. Nick slid to the right, ready to come up from behind if necessary. Valdov was outnumbered.
“Eamon couldn’t have been a traitor on his own. You and I both know that,” I pressed. “Even if you don’t want to admit it, it’s clear Valdov has been with you from the very beginning, and how very tired he must be of taking orders from his lowly pupil. He betrayed himself to me a moment ago, but if you need more proof, ask yourself this: Whose idea was it to bring in the goddess when you cornered me? Yours or his? You don’t seem like the type to hire an archrival to do your dirty work.” It was a hunch Selene and the Queen were rivals based on what Naomi had confided to me on the road. When the Queen’s eyes flicked quickly to Valdov, I knew I’d guessed correctly. “Once you ordered Eamon and Naomi to accompany me, it must have played perfectly into his hands. Get Selene to kill me, finally get the cross from Naomi for himself—something you had failed to do—and finish you off so he could finally rule. Over five hundred years of taking orders from a nineteen-year-old girl. I bet he didn’t even like you that much when you were human.”
“You speak filthy lies,” Valdov snarled as he came forward, ignoring his Queen’s objections. “And I will enjoy ripping your neck out for speaking them.” His face morphed further, and energy ricocheted around the room, bouncing off everything.
Before he could reach me, Rourke stepped deftly in front of us.
The vamps around the room went crazy, hissing and chomping their fangs. Rourke’s snarl was enough to stop Valdov in his tracks, but Valdov was so worked up it wouldn’t last long. There was going to be a serious throw-down in less than one minute unless I could end this and make some kind of deal to benefit me, as well as free Naomi and Ray. I wasn’t going to leave here without them, especially now that I knew they were in trouble.
The Queen’s eyes darted to Valdov.
I smiled inwardly. “You know what I’m saying is true.” I addressed only the Queen, dropping my voice. “I bet he leaves sometimes and you don’t know where he’s been. You don’t torture him like the others because of his loyalty and servitude. You have given him incredible freedom. The kind most vamps don’t get. You thought in exchange for your leniency there would be unconditional—”
“Stop!” she commanded. My mouth snapped shut and so did every vamp’s in the room. Mine shut because she surprised me, everyone else because she was the boss. She turned toward Valdov. “You will join me in my chambers now. The rest of you go back to sleep.” She gnashed her teeth once and all the vamps slid out of the area as quickly as they’d come, including a reluctant Valdov. She hissed, her fangs still down, “I will make you suffer for playing me the fool, starting with your cherished friends, who are being tortured as we speak. Leave this house now before I rip your heart from your chest. Your chaos will not be tolerated here any longer.”
“If I leave now, I leave with everyone,” I said. There was no way I could go without them now. “In my world, exposing a traitor wins the recipient a favor. You have honor, Eudoxia. I can smell it on you.”
She lashed at me, her curved nails coming within a hairsbreadth of my chest. I didn’t flinch as she screeched, “I owe you nothing!”