Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,152

all gawking at Demetria, as she singlehandedly fends off the relentless waves of shifters.

Good to know I’m not the only big dummy around here. I feel better about that.

Van Helsing’s look grows cold when he looks beyond the rushing shifters, and I follow his gaze to where Clyde Neopry stands with his chosen favorites.

He was always insulted that Bobo was his first-born.

He was never nothing more than an embarrassing Simpleton to a man like that.

He’d very likely love nothing more than to obliterate Violet.

I fall from the top, landing in the fray of shifters, and easily thin the herd to make it more bearable for Demetria. Avery comes rushing toward us with a small army of Van Helsing knights, each man armed and capable.

“Can you handle this?” I ask him as I rip out a spine or two.

“I can handle all but Demetria,” he assures me, through calculated movements, as he shows off his impeccable, efficient skills with removing heads.

“She’s currently on our side,” I tell him a little unsurely.

He almost gets his own head removed when he goes still and looks at me like I’ve sprouted a second nose or chin.

Moving like a ghost, my hand stabs through the chest of the man about to best Avery while he’s distracted, and I rip the heart out.

He releases a shaky breath, and gives me a nod of appreciation.

“Don’t get too close to her, just in case,” I add, since Vance would kill me if I was wrong and Avery lost his life for that reason.

Again, literally.

With another nod, he moves, shouting orders to his knights, as they begin corralling the outrageous numbers.

Shifters are lethal and unstoppable when they have strong leadership. They’re all bite and very little brain when they battle without it, and their smartest beta leader is battling against them, driving their instincts into a frenzy.

It’s quite honestly the first time we’ve had this tip in our favor.

My distraction ends when I see Vance leaping over the shifter pack, dropping blade bombs as he goes. At least ten or so shifters die instantly, and Vance lands at my side.

We stare at each other for a silent moment, giving Emit time to come to my other side.

“After all these centuries of wise loyalty, Idun’s favorite vampire and top beta lose their sharp instincts. You weren’t going to have to go underground, Arion. You would have finally been able to rule by her side,” Clyde says, drawing our attention back to him. “You were going to be rewarded, and you cast it all away, thinking with your prick.”

“Yes, because that sounds exactly like me,” I state tightly. “I always wanted them underground and miserable, so I could have Idun to myself. That’s why I went after the woman they all wanted. Makes perfect sense.”

Clyde rolls his eyes.

“It’s a little odd. Even when you were a preacher, you seemed too happy to share the woman you loved.”

“Because, back then, I was weaker. I couldn’t protect her on my own, and they could step up in that area,” I say with a careless shrug, hearing some vicious warring still raging on behind us. “Now it’s because I miss the good ol’ days when we all got along. I guess you get sentimental as you get older.”

I release a wistful sigh, and smile over at Clyde, who narrows his eyes at me.

Emit smirks, as some dark menace rests in his eyes.

Vance grins very subtly, ready for a fight.

I’m running my mouth and pissing people off with honesty.

It really does feel like old times.

“Shame it has to end this way. I had high hopes for our families cleaning up this mess the three of them made with the Portocales in our absence. Monsters rule the world, boys. Not humans. Alphas reign with undisputable supremacy. They don’t deal with constant mutinies or unresolved vendettas toward the weak. You’ve all gotten too soft,” Clyde carries on, straightening his shoulders.

“There’s every possibility your supremacy finally ends tonight,” Vance says, smirking in Clyde’s direction.

“Why’s that, Van Helsing?” he asks.

Idly, I notice Zuela and Marta moving this way, keeping a safe distance. Both of them are smeared in green blood that I can smell.

The battle behind us sounds to be thinning enough for Demetria to handle the rest on her own.

Guess that means we’re all set, and now it’s just a matter of someone throwing the first punch.

“Because I just watched Violet play Idun like a broken harmonica,” Vance says with…a terribly outdated metaphor.

I want to cringe.

Clyde grins. “She