Dark Seduction (Vampire Royals of New York #2) - Sarah Piper Page 0,77
a handle on the situation unfolding beyond our walls, but I assure you, we will. As for House Redthorne…” Dorian glared at Malcolm, who sat primly with his hands folded on the table, a smile twitching at his lips. “We are experiencing some personal difficulties following the death of our father and former king. All shall be resolved in time.”
“Of course,” the upstart said. “And I’m sure I speak for all of us here when I say I’m sorry for your loss. But in the meantime, I think reuniting the council is a good start. We’re your allies, Mr. Redthorne. We want to help.”
“Do you, now, Mr.—sorry, what did you say your name was?”
He puffed out his chest. “I’m Dominic of House—”
“Stop.” Dorian cut him off with a raised hand and a steely glare that instantly drained the blood from the young man’s face. “I don’t actually care what your name is, vampire. And do you want to know why?”
“I… I…” He stammered like a sodding fool, all of his bravado evaporating. “Yes, sir.”
“Because you’re a sniveling cunt with a bubblehead full of idealistic nonsense. Yesterday you were undoubtedly still trying to give yourself a blowjob in the bath, yet here you are, elbowing your way to a place at the grown-ups’ table.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Redthorne, sir. I—”
“Yes, you are. And from now on, you’ll address me as highness or king, if you address me at all, which I prefer you don’t.” Then, whirling to face Malcolm again, “And you, brother? What are you proposing? Would you like to see us fall at the feet of King Renault Duchanes as well?”
“Don’t be melodramatic, Dorian. I simply want everyone’s voice to be heard. That’s why I’ve decided to reconvene the council, along with new delegates representing a diverse cross-section of the community at large.”
Dorian made a show of glancing around the room, seeing many of the same old faces of the past. Even the new ones looked the same to him—an endless supply of wealthy, privileged vampires, the sons and daughters of those who’d come before.
“No shifters represented?” Dorian asked. “No witches? No fae? I hardly think this room represents a fair sample of the so-called community at large.”
“The other supernaturals need our guidance.” Malcolm got to his feet, the facade of cool superiority finally beginning to crumble. “Vampires are the ruling family for a reason.”
“You are a prince, Malcolm,” Dorian warned. “Not a king. It is not for you to decide how and to whom such guidance is given.”
“Yes, I am a prince. But you, highness…” He sneered at Dorian, contempt rising in his eyes. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a vampire king who lives and dies by the fickle whims of his cock.”
Dorian blurred through the crowd, stopping just before his brother and lancing him with another warning glare, but Malcolm was just getting started.
“Your blindness is the only reason House Redthorne even exists,” Malcolm spat. “If you’d been a bit more discerning as a human, you might’ve noticed your whore was a vampire before—”
Malcolm blurred inexplicably from Dorian’s view, crashing hard into the adjacent wall.
Gabriel, who’d just arrived, had him pinned by the throat. “Easy, brother. No need to air the Redthorne laundry in front of our distinguished guests.”
Before Dorian could even process the fact that Gabriel, of all vampires, was actually defending him, Malcolm fired off a few more rounds.
“You killed our witch!” he shouted. “You tore apart our city, slaughtering entire families with no remorse! You destroyed this family, Dorian!”
Dorian stood there, taking every bullet to the chest, knowing each one was true.
“Even tonight,” Malcolm said, his teeth gritted, eyes glittering with malice, “you’ve brought a human traitor into your bed. A woman connected to Alexei Rogozin.”
A collective gasp spread around the room like wildfire, igniting the gossip as sure as it ignited Dorian’s wrath.
Everything else had been fair game. Cruel, perhaps, but fair.
But Malcolm had no right to bring Charlotte into this. No right to put her in danger.
Malcolm’s vacated chair was close at hand, and Dorian grabbed it without a second thought, smashing it against the table. Gripping a sharp, jagged piece of wood, he turned to the mob and shouted, “Who among you can claim innocence? Who among you hasn’t spilled a single drop of blood?”
Dozens of eyes stared back at him, shocked and vacant in their pale faces.
No one uttered a word. Not the assembled guests. Not his brothers. Not Aiden, who’d just joined them.