Her struggles ceased and she lifted her chin, defying me even though I knew she had to be terrified. I’d killed Anton before her eyes, and she already knew I’d vowed to kill her after I destroyed her brother, Graham Tavish. When I glanced at the corner of the room, I saw the two teenagers were now huddled together, holding each other tight. They didn’t know what to make of me, staring in my direction with eyes like saucers, expressions grim but hopeful.
Damn it. I couldn’t leave their memories intact. The world didn’t know vampires existed, and I couldn’t allow them to return to their lives to spread the gospel. However, they deserved better than what they’d gotten tonight. In the very least, I could give them good memories to erase the horrific ones.
“Joseph,” I said softly, knowing he was still in the room, on his knees where I’d placed him. “Come here.”
I almost laughed when he came to me with Sonja at his side. She gripped his arm, as though she could keep him upright. One of the strongest of his kind in the city, reduced to hiding behind a woman. The big, bad vampire used his necromancer to protect him. Sweet, yet laughable.
“You need to clear their memories and replace them with something better.” I knew Joseph could do it, having been under his control once before. “You’ll have to think of some accident to explain their wounds, but make sure nothing with fangs or sexual games is involved. Once that’s taken care of, I want you to take them from this place and go home. Don’t speak about what’s transpired this evening to anyone.” I looked at Sonja, expecting her to do as I said although she was under no compulsion to obey the order. “Comprende?”
“We understand,” Sonja said briskly, with a hint of uneasiness, and quickly looked way.
So that was the way of it. Although I’d helped her send Baxter to the other side, any kind of friendship we’d had was coming to an end. The woman had never liked me to begin with. Now that she was terrified of me, she probably wouldn’t answer my calls. That sucked, since I needed her help finding Marigold. Maybe we could continue sharing information on a less cordial level. Only time would tell.
“Much appreciated.”
They walked to the corner, talking in low voices as they neared the kids who were staring wide-eyed at them. Perfect. The kids were already horrified. No need to make things worse. Joseph and Sonja were doing exactly what I wanted them to.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Victoria informed me, green eyes unblinking as I met her gaze. “You killed my brother. I was entitled to the offer I was given.”
“By changing a girl against her will who has never done anything to you?” I asked, standing before her. “You were entitled to that?”
“Graham never did anything to you,” she retorted bitterly. “Yet you killed him. How is it any different?”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I remembered seeing Disco on the ground, betrayed by those he trusted, all because Graham Tavish wanted control of New York. “Your brother tried to kill my lover—my master. It is my duty to protect him. The comparison is weak, and you know it.”
She laughed derisively. “It only goes to show just how little you know and understand about our world. Demons and their creations don’t ask for power. They take it. It’s been that way since the dawn of time. If your master was attacked and lost the battle, he was too weak to sustain the position. Your involvement only proves what I say to be true. Gabriel Trevellian should have died, not my brother.”
“I wish Revenald hadn’t hauled ass out of here just so he could hear you say that. Somehow I don’t think he’d appreciate Graham’s involvement against one of his own. How do you think he’ll react when he learns your brother attempted to destroy his house? My survey says you fucked up. Big time.”
She paled at my words and I bit back a grin. True, I might not know everything about the vampire and demon world, but I did know that Graham had instructed another vampire to kill Gabriel so that he could attempt to claim control of the city without going against Revenald. Half-demons didn’t fuck with half-demons. If Graham’s plan had worked, Revenald would never have known he’d been played.