House Rules - Chloe Neill Page 0,61

disrespect for the GP has gone on long enough. You presume because we are located an ocean away, you can act with impunity. You are incorrect. The House’s contract includes a proprietary clause allowing us certain damages in the event you breach your obligations to the GP. We have concluded you’ve breached those obligations throughout your history, and, as such, we claim the House by right. And obviously we have the muscle to back that up.” He gestured vaguely at the fairies.

Ethan made a sound of disdain. “Because your pride has been hurt, you threaten the very vampires you just invited back into your fold? You kick us out of our home and incite a war between fairies and vampires for the sake of your egos? Peter Cadogan would be ashamed, Darius, but of your behavior. Of the entire Presidium.”

“You’re only making my point, Ethan. You bring drama, consternation, and media attention to the vampires of this state and nation, and you blame us for taking measures to protect our institutions? How very shortsighted. How very . . . human.”

“I take that as a compliment.”

“You would,” Darius said. “Regardless your opinion of it, you should accept the state of the world you have created. In consideration of the rising sun and the number of vampires you’ll need to displace, we’ll afford you some time to gather your personal belongings and vacate. You have forty-eight hours. By then, you should be resigned to your fate and out of this House. Should you fail to do so, you’ll find a contingent of armed fairies ready to escort you out. And think on this, Ethan: In consideration of the bridges you’ve burned, who will help you now?”

* * *

The GP and fairies disappeared. For a moment, we simply stood there in shock.

“The fairies,” Ethan said. “The goddamn fairies.”

The fairies weren’t known to be lovers of vampires, but that didn’t diminish the insult of their actions. They were our guards, for God’s sake. They kept watch over us while we slept. Or at least they had.

“What could possibly motivate them to do this?” I asked. “What could they possibly want badly enough to do this?”

I looked at Ethan . . . and understanding dawned. It wasn’t what the fairies wanted . . . it was what we had.

“Upstairs,” Ethan said. “Check our apartments.”

Already knowing what he was thinking, I ran back into the House and up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I reached the third floor and was nearly home when I stopped short.

The doors to our apartments were open. Alarm quickened my heart.

Malik appeared in the hallway behind me, his breathing quickened by the run. “I expect you know what you’re looking for.”

“I think I do.” I waited outside for a moment to let my vampiric senses scan the room, and when I was sure it was empty of trespassers, I walked inside and looked around.

Nothing seemed immediately askew: no cushions ripped or bleeding their stuffing, no drawers or lamps overturned. In fact, nothing was disturbed at all . . . except the glass case in the corner of the room.

One side was completely shattered, and the dragon’s egg was gone.

“Malik,” I called out, as I moved closer to the case.

“A GP affiliate must have taken it,” he said, disgust in his voice. “Undoubtedly during the ceremony. Even as they insulted us, they sent someone in here to retrieve an object to which they have no right. As if there wasn’t enough drama in the world, Darius had to create more of it.”

Malik moved closer, head tilted as he looked over the remains of the case.

“Should I clean up the glass?” I asked, but he shook his head.

“Leave it. Ethan will want to take a look anyway. We’ll ask Helen to take care of it.”

“We could file a police report,” I suggested.

“For what purpose?” Ethan asked, stepping into the room behind us, Luc and Lacey with him.

Luc gave me a nod, and Lacey ignored me completely. Her eyes, and quite likely her mind, were on Ethan. Was it stupid to hope she’d see reason, forget about what she’d imagined she’d seen, and let us get through this crisis before creating another one?

Ethan deposited his suit jacket on a table by the door and walked toward the case. “I seriously doubt they’d care much for the missing trinket of a vampire.”

It was an unfortunate point, but no less accurate for that.

“It was trinket enough for the GP to steal and hold