Cahal’s Vampire sounded low and furious. “Exactly who has been charged and what are the specific charges?”
Elder Harcourt nodded. “King Zeller and Queen Ruckler are charged with possible sexual relations, and King Collins and Queen Cooper are also charged with possible sexual relations. The individual who came to me tonight stated he suspected after seeing multiple odd behaviors on all of their parts, including overhearing certain conversations between all parties on different occasions and even seeing all four of them nude together, doing…acts…in a hot tub,” he waved a hand, “such as two of them disappearing under the water for lengthy amounts of time.” He waved a hand again. “After the Law passed, he believed it to be in all of our best interests to inform me of this possible unLawful behavior.” He shrugged. “I must conduct a trial.”
I was ready to faint dead away, no longer able to keep it together, my gaze flying to Antonio through the mass of enforcers, which I was sure as hell that was what they were, sent to invade and capture the four current Rulers, knowing they would have a battle on their hands if we were found guilty. Antonio’s eyes met mine, and I almost dropped. His gaze said it all. This was exactly what he had seen, and he already knew the outcome. Trembling where I stood, I asked Elder Harcourt without taking my eyes off Antonio, “What is the penalty if found guilty?” They could have altered it since the last time we heard about it.
“Under the circumstances of a possible war, or actual war, I have the option to modify the ruling for Elders, Kings, and Queens.”
My breathing hitched, praying…
“If any of you are found guilty, seeing as you are the current Kings and Queens, I have the power to alleviate the normal jail sentence of five years, which I would do, so that the ruling would stand as a spelled memory wipe, and then a spelled separation.”
My vision swam, and I teetered to the side and stumbled a few steps, seeing Antonio’s reaction to the sentencing. His gaze had lowered, but I had still seen his chin tremble. I shook my head as a flood of tears flew down my cheeks, absolute despair reaching into my soul.
I was going to lose my husband.
Breath catching, I turned my attention to Ezra.
His jaw was clenched, unable to keep his pain hidden as he glared at Elder Harcourt, and he shouted, “Who the fuck brought these charges?”
Elder Harcourt actually smiled. “I thought you would never ask, King Zeller.” He waved his hand toward the back of the room, stating, “The charged seeks the accuser. Please step forward and identify yourself.”
There was a movement on the right, the side closest to me, as one of the men in black began moving forward. I wiped the tears off my face, but more tears came to take their place as I watched a man step out of the mass. His hands raised, and he took his mask off, his eyes intent on me as he stated bitterly, “My Queen should not be fucking the King Vampire.”
A jolt of Mage magic hit my body from the inside, and my gun suddenly pointed. I was unable to stop it, my Vampire speed showing for all to see as I put a bullet through his brain, the sound explosive in the small area.
Everyone froze, their eyes wide on me.
I physically jerked as my right arm, which was still aimed at the falling dead man, burned as a golden ring at my wrist first appeared then sizzled against my flesh. A soft shriek past my pinched lips as it lifted completely from my skin and grew to a large circle around my, now, normal wrist before disappearing.
Clarice’s first ultimatum complete.
Elder Talus was now dead, her dear friend’s murder vindicated.
To everyone else, I had just committed murder against one of my own, an Elder Shifter.
My gaze met Ezra’s, silently telling him I loved him, right before I was slammed in the middle by a pack of Shifters — they had to be, by their strength — and we went down hard even as I heard Ezra’s Vampire roar, shaking the very air around us. I fought, using every ounce of strength I had and every damn skill I had acquired, even using my tiny amount of Vampire speed…but these were enforcers, their skill set greater than mine, not to mention it was ten to one. Eventually, I took a blow to my chest and felt multiple ribs crack, and another to my left arm, feeling the bone break, and the last to my left thigh, the bone splintering completely through my flesh.
I was down.
It took them all of a minute to subdue me.