I’d been so preoccupied with Drew that I hadn’t looked more into the Wright family’s background. “I knew this, of course,” Graham boomed for everyone to hear.
Smug son of a bitch.
“Furthermore,” Graham continued. “After taking Drew Lane’s statement, I believe that she was aware of Mr. Wright’s status as a vampire and went willingly into the alley, hoping to be turned.”
The entire arena gasped and collectively turned to stare at Drew, who looked like she was about to burst out of her seat and go after Graham herself. That would not help her case.
“I move to charge Drew Nicole Lane with persuading a Level One vampire to turn her illegally,” Graham said, addressing the council directly.
“That’s bullshit,” a feisty voice rang out. “She just wanted some dick. She might be dumb as a bag of bricks, but she was horny. She was jonesing for some cock, not eternal life.”
Betty. Beautiful Bitchy Betty.
Some of the council members coughed to hide their chuckles. Graham, however, was not amused.
“I suppose we should ask her then,” Graham said while staring pointedly at Drew. “What was your purpose for meeting Lawrence in the alley on October thirteenth?”
Drew stood up and peered at the crowd. I wasn’t a religious man by any means, but I considered praying that she did not fuck this up. “I shaved my legs,” Drew calmly said.
“I beg your pardon?” Graham replied.
“I shaved, Graham. I removed every piece of hair on my body from the neck down, put on a skin-tight dress without panties, and went to a three-star restaurant with a man named Joseph Sloth, all because I wanted to get laid.”
“It’s true,” Betty chimed in. “I saw her lady bits when I fed from her.”
That awkward interjection had my dick twitching, and I wanted to call my therapist about how the weird visual of Betty and Drew turned me on. Oh fuck. Something was wrong with me.
“That means nothing,” Graham replied. “For all we know, she could have been seducing her way into Lawrence Wright’s bed for a chance at eternal life. It wouldn’t be the first time a woman has done it.”
“We know that’s how most of your fledglings come to be, Graham,” a cheeky member of the council said. Everyone in the arena laughed, making the asshole turn an angry shade of red, his skin almost matching the brightness of his hair. Normally I would stop interjections like that from happening, but I said nothing. Fucking Graham.
“I wasn’t asking for it!” Drew yelled. “I didn’t want to become a vampire!”
“Everyone wants to be a vampire!” Graham replied.
“Not me,” Drew growled. “Lawrence did a really shitty, selfish thing. But until a week ago, I thought vampires sparkled and existed only in angsty tween books. I don’t know what angle you’re trying to exploit here, Graham, but I didn’t want to do this. Sometimes a woman wants sex and has no ulterior motives. Spoiler alert! We love orgasms just as much as the next guy. And honestly, this entire situation could provide some really kick ass commentary about how a woman’s wardrobe shouldn’t determine a man’s actions, but I’m afraid you’re so sexist and ignorant that it would go over your big head.”
Some people in the arena laughed. Some gasped. Most watched her in awe.
I could have kissed Drew right then, but I was too concerned that she was pissing off the entire coven to really act on the impulse. I needed to intervene quickly, or this hearing would be a mess.
“Not only did I not try to convince Lawrence Wright to change me, I didn’t consent to it either. Don’t you dare victim shame me,” she boomed. “And not that my opinion matters, but Lawrence deserves prison. It seems the vampire community already took away his mother and offered up this shitty existence as some sort of consolation prize. Fuck that. What good has it really done him? None of this would have happened if the council had done a better job of policing their people in 2000. And where were you when he turned Betty? Was there any accountability or monitoring? I’m living in a dorm that looks like some nineties grunge music video, and I can’t take a shit without Rocky practically following me into the stall.” Shit. I didn’t really want the coven knowing I had her under 24-7 surveillance. “If I had any say, I’d let Lawrence live. It’s the fucking twenty-first century. The death penalty is so medieval.”
“It’s time to vote!” I yelled, cutting