Darius said, “Really, Julian, a human and two Light Fae? This is an emergency council meeting. Not even Xavier should be present.”
“Shut up,” Julian said. His icy voice cracked like a whip.
Reaction rippled through the council. Gustave and Jaylinn looked outraged, while Marged, of all people, appeared unsurprised.
Darius snapped, “You dare talk to us like that? After slamming martial law down on this demesne then disappearing into thin air – And now you’ve killed two members of this very council —”
Julian had stood in such a neutral posture that when he exploded, Melly startled violently.
Oh, shit.
He had said he needed to kill Darius. He didn’t say he needed to do it right now.
Julian body slammed Darius into the wall. Both Vampyres blurred into vicious movement. Snarling filled the air.
Shane shoved Melly back into a corner and covered her body with his, facing outward. Xavier did the same with Tess.
Julian and Darius tumbled along the length of the room, striking blows at each other. Like an avalanche or some other natural disaster, they seemed utterly unstoppable, until Julian slammed Darius’s head into the floor so hard, the crack resounded through the hall.
The blow would have killed any number of other creatures, including younger Vampyres. Darius struggled to get to his hands and knees.
Some of the council members had stepped forward, as if they might plunge into the fight as well, while others moved to block them. Tension held everyone at some kind of brink. They stared at Julian and Darius with shocked faces and reddened eyes.
Before Darius could fully rise up, Julian kicked him. The blow flipped him onto his back. Coming down hard with both knees on the other Vampyre’s stomach, Julian drove one fist into Darius’s chest wall, pulled out his beating heart and crushed it in his fist.
Darius’s body collapsed. Julian stood. He looked around the rest of the group. His face was so savage, several council members took a step back.
“I just executed Darius for crimes of treason,” he growled. “Just like I executed Dominic and Justine earlier today. For the record, Justine tried to kill Xavier. She slaughtered her household, kidnapped the Light Fae heir and tried to kill me more than once over the last few days. Dominic tried to take Evenfall and murdered several innocent people in the process, and Darius colluded with them both. Now, do I need to execute anybody else today?”
The resulting silence was so profound, Melly swore she could have heard a pin drop from across the hall. Several council members looked at her, their expressions appalled. She gave them a grim nod, silently confirming the story.
Julian took a step forward. Death covered him in an invisible mantle, present in his aggressive posture and his transformed features.
To a person, all the council members took a step back.
“Now, this is also for the record,” snapped the King. “You are not here tonight to debate by committee. I am not your servant. I do not ask for your permission when I take action, and I do not owe you explanations. I am done with your petty shit. I’m done with working to hold this demesne together while you all indulge in self-serving attitudes. Do you hear me? I am done.”
Annis made a placating gesture with both hands. “Tempers are running hot right now,” she said. “Why don’t we all take a day? We can talk tomorrow night, when we’ve had a chance to cool down.”
“I won’t be here tomorrow,” Julian said. “Melly and I are leaving.”
“What?” said Marged. “You’ve been gone for several days already.” Julian hissed at her. Marged took another step back and muttered, “I recognize that wasn’t your fault.”
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” said Julian. “I’m taking a vacation. I’ll be gone for a year. Frankly, I don’t know if I’m coming back. Xavier will act as regent, and you will either finally commit to this demesne and work toward something bigger than yourselves, or you won’t. If you do, I might return. If you don’t, I’ll wash my hands of you, and you can each go to hell in your own way.”
The council erupted.
“You can’t just leave!”
“— an entire year? You’ve got to be kidding —”
“— some of us have businesses to run —”
Blah blah protest, blah blah, dismay, blah blah what about me?
Melly let it all wash over her while she watched Julian. Only Julian.
He turned to her and said telepathically, That’s our cue to leave.
Halle-fucking-lujah.
She wiggled out from behind Shane and kissed him on the cheek. Then she hugged Tess and Xavier quickly. She told Xavier, “Keep in touch.”
Wry amusement showed in Xavier’s gaze. “Oh, you know I will.”
Then she left them to walk to toward Julian, who held out his hand. The murderous fury in his expression had faded, to be replaced with a look that made her pulse pound and her heart sing.