The lessers spotted him immediately, and they fell into attack posture, their knees bending, their arms coming up. To corral the bastards, he jogged in a fat circle around them, and they flowed with him, turning, coalescing into a triangle that faced him. When he backed into the shadows, they followed as a unit.
After darkness had swallowed them all, Zsadist lifted his black dagger high, bared his fangs, and attacked. He prayed like hell that when the violent song and dance was over one of the two dark-haired lessers had white roots at his scalp.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Dawn was just arriving as U walked up to the cabin and opened the door. He slowed as he stepped inside, wanting to savor the moment. The headquarters were his. He had become the Fore-lesser. O was no more.
U couldn't believe he'd gone and done it. He couldn't believe he'd had the balls to petition the Omega for a change of leadership. And he really couldn't believe that the master had agreed with him and called O home.
It wasn't in U's nature to lead, but he couldn't see that he had a choice. After everything that had happened yesterday with the rogue Betas and the arrests and the insurgencies, total anarchy among the slayers was coming fast and hard. Meanwhile, O was doing jack shit at the top. He'd even seemed annoyed that he had to do his job.
U had been put back against a wall. He'd been in the Society for almost two centuries, and he was damned if he was going to see the thing devolve into a loose confederation of sloppy, disorganized contract killers who occasionally went after vampires. For God's sake, they were already forgetting who their target was supposed to be, and it had been three fucking days since O had let things slide.
No, the Society had to be run with a focused, heavy hand in the temporal realm. So O had to be replaced.
U sat down at the rough table and fired up the laptop. First thing on deck was to call a general assembly and Page 228
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make a show of strength. That was the one thing O had done right. The other lessers had feared him.
U called up a list of Betas to find one to sacrifice as an example, but before he got far, he was IM'd with a nasty news flash. Last night a bloody fight had taken place downtown. Two members of the Brotherhood against seven slayers. Fortunately, it looked as if both the Brothers had been hurt. But only one of the lessers had survived, so more Society members were lost.
Man, recruiting was going to be paramount. But how the hell was he going to find the time? He had to gather the reins first.
U rubbed his eyes, thinking of the work in front of him.
Welcome to the job of Fore-lesser, he thought as he began to dial his cell.
Bella glared up at Rhage, not caring that the male had a hundred and fifty pounds and eight inches on her.
Unfortunately, the Brother didn't seem to mind that she was pissed off. And he didn't budge from the bedroom door he was blocking.
"But I want to see him."
"Now's not the best time, Bella."
"How seriously is he hurt?"
"This is Brotherhood business," Rhage said gently. "Leave it alone. We'll let you know what happens."
"Oh, sure you will. Just like you all told me he was injured. For God's sake, I had to find out from Fritz."
At that moment, the bedroom door swung open.
Zsadist was as grim as she'd ever seen him, and he was marked up badly. One of his eyes was swollen shut, his lip was split, and his arm was in a sling. Little random cuts were all over his neck and skull, like he'd bounced on pebbles or something.
As she winced, he glanced at her. His eyes flashed from black to yellow, but then he just looked at Rhage and spoke quickly.
"Phury's finally resting." He nodded in Bella's direction. "If she's come to sit by him, let her. He'll be eased by her presence."
Zsadist turned away. As he walked down the hall, he limped, his left leg dragging behind as if his thigh wasn't working right.
With a curse Bella went after him, even though she had no idea why she bothered. He would accept nothing from her, not her blood or her love... certainly not her sympathy. He didn't want a damn thing from her.