I shook my head, just as the warning echoed through.
“He’s on the ground!” came Lindsey’s shout. “Moving toward you.”
She finished the sentence just as a scream split the air. I thought, at first, it was a wounded animal. But floodlights poured visibility across the Cadogan grounds, putting trees and shrubs and benches in sharp relief.
And the vampire who ran toward us, handgun lifted. Levi looked worse in the harsh lights, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
Connor and I split apart, both of us drawing weapons.
“Levi,” I said, as he blinked in shock and surprise. “It’s done. Put down the gun.” Positions echoed through the earbud as guards and officers moved in, moved around and behind him.
“It’s not done,” he said, hand shaking. “And I’ve got silver fucking bullets now.”
I was in front of Connor before he could object, shoving him backward as guards moved closer, but not close enough.
“Your fight is with me,” I said. “Not Connor. Drop the gun.”
“You protect him!” Levi cried out, his anguish obvious. “Even now. A fucking wolf.”
“My fucking wolf,” I said, putting a hand on my chest, a week’s worth of fear and fury building, exploding. “You don’t even know me. None of you know me—not a single member of the AAM has any idea who I am.”
He lunged toward me, gun lifted. My roundhouse kick had the gun flying, and Gwen jogged forward, badge raised and glowing in the moonlight like Excalibur.
“Chicago Police Department,” she called out, as officers put him on his belly on the grass. “Levi, you are under arrest for the murder of the vampire known as Blake,” Gwen said. “I understand your Master would like to have a word with you before you’re put on a plane for extradition to Atlanta. And now, a word from our sponsors.”
I grinned as a deputy stepped forward with zip ties. “You have the right to remain silent,” he called out, and announced the rest of Levi’s rights and responsibilities as the other CPD officers moved in, tightening their circle.
“That was almost disappointingly easy,” I heard Petra murmur.
Famous last words.
* * *
* * *
There was chaos in my ear as people began to scream, to issue warnings. And then I watched Clive come running toward us.
“Nicole let him in,” someone said. I think Theo.
“Get the hell away from him!” Clive pushed through the vampires to his brother, still on the ground and now sobbing into the grass.
“You hurt him,” Clive said. He went to his knees as Nicole walked toward us beneath the floodlights, two more vampires behind her. Had she wanted Clive to see this? To witness it?
Vampires, I thought ruefully.
“He’s not hurt,” I said. “Just disappointed he couldn’t shoot Connor with a silver fucking bullet.” I was still pissed, apparently.
I walked toward them, leaned down toward Clive. “You knew,” I said and was certain I was correct. “You knew he was broken and dangerous, and you let him keep his freedom. You broke the rules.”
Rage all but boiled in his eyes now, spat from his lips. “You don’t know anything. Everything was handed to you.”
“No,” I said. “It was not.” If only he knew how hard my parents had worked to ensure I took nothing of my privilege for granted.
“You break any rules you want,” he said. “Cadogan House constantly ignores the rules, and they are never punished. If he’d gotten in, he’d have been fixed. He’d have been better.”
And there it was.
“Your brother needs help, Clive. But Cadogan House isn’t the solution. It never was. And punishing me won’t help Levi.”
“But it will help me,” he said. “I invoke the Rule of Satisfaction!”
Oh, the glorious irony, I thought silently, that I’d been denied my chance to fight him, and he’d called me out.
“Stand down,” Nicole said. “Stand down, Clive. You have no basis to demand Satisfaction. The AAM’s business here is concluded.”
“No!” Clive said, throwing out an arm as if throwing off her authority. “I have personal reasons. She does as she pleases and it will stop.”
“Clive—” she said again, the word a threat, but it was my turn.
“I accept.”
The words echoed across the lawn, so there was no doubt of my intentions. I felt magic blossom behind me, knew Connor and my parents didn’t like it. But this was my fight.
Nicole’s brows lifted. “It is unnecessary. Our business is done.”
“My business with Clive is not done,” I said, shifting my gaze to him