Reign of Night (Thorne Hill #7) - Emily Goodwin Page 0,87
Ruby and back again. “Two witches.” He tips his head up and inhales. “And someone else?” Lucas told me vampires can smell that a woman is pregnant. Is that what Eamon is picking up on? Or does my angelic side give off a different scent to vampires?
“What do you want?” I repeat. “I’m getting bored.” I hold up my hand, rubbing my thumb over my fingers and summoning a string of white light.
Eamon inhales again, breathing in the smell of the magic. “You’re a powerful witch at that. What really interests me is how you and the infamous Lucas King met.” He rests his chin on his fist. “Now that has to be a love story for the ages! Especially when you throw in that he didn’t disclose his new bride was a witch on the legal papers.”
“So what?” I say, aware my heart is speeding up. “You came here to tell me you’re going to turn Lucas in for marrying a witch?”
“Oh, goodness no. That law went out of fashion centuries ago. We live in a different time, Mrs. King. Vampires aren’t your enemy, and witches aren’t ours. We share a common enemy, and I think it’s time we bury the hatchet—and not in each other’s backs.” He laughs at his own joke.
“What are you talking about?”
He steps forward, getting dangerously close to my warding. The magic sizzles against his skin, and he purposely extends his hand, burning the tip of his finger against the invisible wall of protection. “I’m talking about couples like you. A powerful witch. And a vampire as old and strong as Mr. King. Together.”
“I’m not following.” Binx sits between my feet, tail swishing. He’s dropped his shield so his eyes glow red in the night, and his power can be felt by this vampire, even though he’s yards away.
“Vampires came out, and it’s time the witches do, too. Step out of the shadows,” he says, and my blood run colds. Scott is working with him. “Stop letting humans push you around. We are better than they are. They’ve ruled for too long, but it’s time we take back the night.”
Chapter 26
“Take it back from who?” Ruby moves forward, taking a spot by my side.
“You know.” Eamon smiles, and light from the lamp posts glints off his fangs.
“Humans,” I say.
Eamon winks and points a finger at me. “Bingo.”
“It was you,” I start, going down the first step. “You were the pain in the ass making things difficult with Lucas’s businesses, weren’t you?”
“A vampire Mr. King’s age leads a great example. If he retaliated, if he revoked the laws and limits put in place on us, others would, too. And you…humans haven’t been kind to you. Not even those who were supposed to be family,” he tells me and then looks at Ruby. “Humans haven’t been nice to either of your kind throughout history. You witches claim to be human, but we both know you’re not. You’re better. You’ve evolved. Just like vampires. Aren’t you tired of hiding? Of living by their rules?” He gets a crazed look in his eye. “I waited centuries for the vampires to make our presence known, but it didn’t go as it should. We should have come out as rulers. We should have let the humans know we are supreme.”
“Us witches have already kicked your ass once,” Ruby starts. “You know we can do it again.”
“Oh, I do.” Eamon steps back, puts his hand on his chest, and gives a bow. “And I come, humbly, to present my case. And that is all I came to do. Think about it, Mrs. King, and know if we were to unite, we could revoke silly old rules that say witches and vampires shouldn’t be together. Think about that as your dear husband is being questioned by the Vampire Council at this very moment. Who are they to stop true love?” He flashes a grin and then turns, moving with vampire speed and disappearing from sight.
Shivering from the cold night air, I stand there for a second, staring into the dark yard. I look at Ruby out of the corner of my eye, and her expression mirrors exactly what I’m thinking. What the fuck?
“It’s freezing out here,” I say, and we turn, going into the house. Binx shadows off the porch, doing a quick lap around the house before coming in with us. I close the door and seal it with magic. Ruby and I stand in the foyer, both stunned.