“I don’t have it.”
Marius dropped me and I sank to the floor, a shattered heap at his feet. I brought my fingers to the back of my pounding head, rubbed the wet, stringy surface and placed them in front of my face. Blood greeted me. Lots and lots of blood.
“She said she would bring it with her.” Goose shifted from confident to uncertain. If it wouldn’t have given me away—revealing my determination to defy Marius by any means possible—I would have laughed in my former ally’s face.
“Why didn’t you bring it?” Disco asked.
“Attacked,” I blurted, studying my fingers and the blood staining the surface of my skin. “Outside the club.”
Disco came to me then, shouldering Marius aside. “What?”
“Deena was attacked by the men who were killing strippers. I was leaving when it happened and got caught in the middle. Things got nasty before the cops arrived.”
“They took the knife?” Marius sneered. “Is that what you’d have me believe?”
“No.” I winced as Disco urged me to lean forward so he could see the back of my head. “I didn’t have time to retrieve it after the attack. The police came. That’s where I was this morning.”
“Convenient,” Marius retorted.
“She wouldn’t lie about something I could so easily discredit,” Paine said as he came into the room. I could see the anger in his eyes, the absolute outrage over my rough handling. “I have an informant at the station. It would only take one phone call to learn if she’s telling the truth.”
“Make the call,” Marius barked.
I heard Paine leave. Disco was shaking—hard. Our mark opened just enough for me to know he was furious. “I’m going to close the wounds on your neck. Stay still.”
I closed my eyes as he ran his tongue the length of my throat—one, two, three laps. His hand covered mine and squeezed as he silently offered me comfort and support. The blood I’d taken from him was already working on my body, but it was a slow process. I’d drained a lot of my energy fighting off murdering rapists and using the amulet.
Fuck me. The amulet.
I searched for the vampire who had taken it from me. When my gaze rested on Marius, I wanted to rush him, tackle him to the ground and take necklace back. He saw me staring and slipped the amulet into his pocket.
“I will keep this until I have total faith in your loyalty to the family. Do not speak of it and do not seek it out. Doing so will not bode well for you.” He righted himself, standing regally, as though he was delivering an important message. “We have a guest arriving this evening,” he said in an even tone, once again calm, with a face so expressionless one might think he was carved from stone. “When he does, you will show him respect, fealty, and devotion. If you don’t, I will no longer be able to help you.”
“Help?” I laughed even though it hurt. “You call this help?”
“You stupid, selfish girl.” It seemed so odd to hear Marius speak with so much vehemence when his face was so smooth and unreadable. “You think I’m the enemy here. You have since I arrived. I know Ethan tried to explain my reactions and treatment, but you still refuse to see. What I’ve done to you is nothing. A mere scratch on otherwise pristine armor. I hoped it would be enough to demonstrate why it was so imperative that you listen to me, the importance of your deference to those around you. Now I know nothing will cure you of your pride and recklessness but my sire.”
“His sire?” I looked at Disco for confirmation, making sure I’d heard right.
“Revenald Bhevencourt,” Marius answered before Disco could. “My maker, the true ruler of this house and the absolute authority over everyone who exists under its power.”