“How long have you been plotting to kill Ike, Laurel? Since he punished you, or longer than that?”
“You are accusing me? Ike’s second-in-command? I was sworn to protect him.”
“You were also supposed to follow his orders, not question them.”
“I advised my lord, as was my duty.”
“Come off it, Laurel. You fought with Ike over Donita. You were so jealous, you reeked of it.”
I completed my circle around the table, and stood behind Suzy as Laurel drew herself tall.
“You are mistaken. I saw that changing the club would not be in Lord Ike’s best interest.”
“And, since he wouldn’t dump Donita, you decided to run the club without him.”
“You plan to arrest me?”
Saber turned to me and arched his brow.
“Suzy.” I lightly touched her shoulder.
She startled and let out a small squeal. “Yes?”
“Has Laurel changed her clothes tonight?”
“N-no. She never changes once she’s dressed for the night.”
I met Saber’s gaze. “I don’t smell Ike’s blood or anything else on any of them. Not citrus, not even sex.”
Saber looked puzzled, and Jackson scowled. I could’ve sworn something furtive crossed Laurel’s face, but then she laughed.
“Did you hear, my nestmates? The great vampire princess came here to smell us like a dog.”
“Arf, arf,” I said. “Now you can thank me.”
“Why should I lower myself to do that?”
“Because, unfortunately, I just cleared your spiteful self of murder charges.”
Laurel gave me a slow blink. “You dare to speak to me like that?”
I shrugged, and Laurel moved.
Saber shouted even as I sucked her energy like a mega Hoover. This time she didn’t block me soon enough. I had her. She faltered, and Saber was on her like lightning, forcing her to the floor, straddling her leather-clad butt. Jackson had drawn his weapon but kept it trained on the unmoving vamps.
“Laurel, vampire of the Daytona Beach nest,” Saber said over her thrashing and the crash of beads in her hair. “You’re under arrest on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. As a duly sworn VPA agent of the United States, I declare you a Rampant, subject to immediate arrest and execution. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to mediation.”
He jerked her arms back and slapped silver-laced handcuffs on her almost faster than I could see. I expected her to scream when the silver touched her skin. She didn’t. She hissed and spat, and cursed us all while Saber gave her the executioner version of the Miranda warning, but she didn’t seem to react to the touch of silver.
A knot formed deep in my gut.
“Saber, hold on a minute.”
He glanced over as I knelt beside him. “What?”
I peered at Laurel’s wrists twisting in the handcuffs. They were reddening, but because of her struggle or the silver?
“The cuffs should be burning her.”
“They are burning, bitch,” Laurel gritted out, “but I will not show weakness before my nest.”
A chair scraped on the wood floor behind us. Jackson called out, and Saber whirled with his semiautomatic in hand. I spun, too, crouched and ready to suck energy again, but Ray held out his hands.
“Please, I mean no harm.”
No one eased off. Not Jackson, not his contingent of cops, not Saber.
“If I may speak?” Ray said, arms spread.
I gave him a curt nod.
“You know that I am an attorney, but I also have some modest knowledge of medicine. I created a salve for Laurel’s silver burns that also contains anesthetic properties.”
“You mean it numbs her skin?” I glanced at Saber. Had Ray made the salve Saber had given me?
“Yes, Princess. The salve creates a barrier to pain, which may be why she is tolerating the handcuffs, but the silver is seeping into her system.”
“If that’s all you have to say,” Jackson growled.
Ray cut him off. “It is not. Saber, could you perhaps allow Laurel to stand?”
Saber grabbed the back of her sleeveless leather vest and hauled her to her feet. I stood, too, moving so I could keep an eye on Ike’s former bodyguards, Zena and Tower. If anyone objected to taking Laurel out of here, they were my top choices. Laurel stood proud, chin up, black eyes holding scorn. “Ray, you will see to my release, of course.”
Ray slowly shook his head. “I think it is best that you go peacefully, Laurel. You see, Ike willed his worldly possessions and properties to me. I am now in command.”
I wasn’t the only one to suck in a shocked breath. Laurel’s eyes narrowed, and her mocha skin flushed as if she were burning with the fever of bloodlust.
Which, in that moment, I guess she was.
“I will go free,” Laurel snarled. “Then we will see who holds this nest.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Saber said, keeping a tight hand on her jacket. “Jackson, I take it there’s a vamp cell available in lockup?”