Crimson Truth (Onyx Assassins 4)

“They wouldn’t dare,” Lachlan spat, his Scottish burr thickening in his anger.

“They might,” Alek said, his fingers still drumming as he looked us all in the eye in turn, but pausing on Zachariah. “The days of authoritarian regimes are over. While this is still a monarchy, and I am the king of the species, I will not endanger the entirety of the species for just the hope of getting Avianna back unless my fellow Assassins agree. I would ask no more of you than I do myself.”

There was a grunt of approval.

My hand shot into the air. “I say aye. War comes for one of us, it comes for us all.”

One by one, hands rose as we voted to save our princess at the risk of the hierarchy itself.

Hawke lifted his dagger and glanced at the hunters. “Aye. And know that when I find your brethren, I will slaughter them, regardless if Avianna is unharmed.”

A muscle ticked in Zachariah’s jaw, but he nodded slowly. “If there is no other explanation, if in fact, they stole Avianna for their own selfish—” he shook his head and swallowed. “I’ll help you.”

Hawke nodded.

“It is done,” Alek said, pushing away from the table. “Benedict and Ajax, you’re coming with me.”

Lachlan startled. “Alek?”

“I may need his abilities in the Conclave chamber,” Alek explained, turning his gaze to Ajax. “Are you willing to stand at my side?”

The position wasn’t just an honor, but one of trust. Alek was telling Hawke with one action that we had to let the Hunters into our circle, that they too were Assassins, even if they’d taken their vows hundreds of years before us.

Ajax stood, the giant vampire standing at least five inches over my six-foot-five frame. Fucker was massive. “I serve at the pleasure of my king.”

I fucking hated the Conclave chamber. It was dark, dank, and smelled like someone had left the laundry in the washer for two days. But it was safe, secured by centuries of secrecy and an alliance we’d forged for the good of all supernaturals here in Edgemont.

Weapons were left behind the steel doors that marked the entrance to the tunnels into each of the territories, but it wasn’t like any of us needed something more than our hands—or minds—to take a life.

Patrick O’Flannery was definitely at a disadvantage, seeing as he represented the human consortium that knew about our existence and accepted us. Both he and his two advisors fidgeted as we waited in the Conclave chamber for Genevieve to arrive.

Go figure, the witch queen was late.

Luka—alpha of the lycans—conversed with his advisors in a hushed tone, like most of us didn’t have supernatural hearing.

Xavier, the demon king, was fucking asleep in his chair, one of his advisors picking his green nails and the other eying the human to Patrick’s right like she was a snack.

“I thought this was supposed to be dangerous,” Ajax muttered over Alek’s head as our king sat in his chair with us flanked at his sides. “Sleeping beauty over there doesn’t seem too concerned.”

“Sleeping beauty finds absolutely zero interest in anything going on in here,” Xavier answered without cracking a lid. “And though I thank you for the compliment—we all know I’m goddamned gorgeous—but I hardly think the lion needs to watch his back when surrounded by gazelle.”

“Gazelle?” Ajax’s eyes widened.

Xavier opened and rolled his eyes and sat up fully in his chair. “I thought calling you sheep might offend your delicate sensibilities, and nothing else really fit. Would you prefer to be some other prey animal?”

“The fuck—” Ajax tilted his head.

Alek lifted his hand. “Stop hazing the new kid, Xavier.”

“How’s Daphne?” Xavier asked, leaning back into his chair.

“My ward is doing just fine,” Alek answered. “And seeing as she’s Lachlan’s cousin through his marriage to Valor, you can stop asking. She’s protected. She’s safe. She’s seventeen.”

“Did she get my gift?” Xavier cocked an eyebrow.

“She did receive one terrified professor from Harvard who’d been told he was supposed to catch her up in her theology classes.” Alek shook his head. “I wiped his memory and sent him home.”

Xavier rolled his eyes. “The girl needs to know her theology if she’s going to make it in the supernatural world.”

“Theology is only core instruction for demons—not vampires. We’re handling her education, and besides, you can’t just go around kidnapping humans and forcing them into subjugation with your brainwashing powers, Xavier,” Alek snapped.

“I wouldn’t have kept him there forever,” Xavier answered with a shrug. “I was thinking something like a rotation. I already have my eye on a gifted math professor out of Yale.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake—”

The door to witch territory opened and Genevieve flowed in, dressed like she was about to either head off to meet the fellowship of the ring on their quest to Mordor, or she was late for her shift at the Renaissance festival. Power crackled around her, lifting her hair.