“Wonderful. Now the meeting.”
“You aren’t attending, Aefre. Don’t even try to sway me,” he warns.
“Who says it’s up to you?” I ask sweetly and give Remiel my brightest smile, which he returns instantly.
“I think she will be an advantage,” Remiel says. “Plus, she will be the voice of reason when it comes to her little Fae friend’s fate.”
I gape at him openly, as does CK. Who knew that Remiel had an ounce of benevolence in him for anyone other than Delinda and me (on occasion)?
“Great,” I say with a beam at my sire. “It’s settled.”
CK glares at me and then goes off to perform the spell, I assume, that will keep the girls and Marguerite safe.
Not long after, there is a knock at the door and the Vampires are ushered in by Nico. CK leads them into the large dining hall, to my surprise. Although, it makes sense, as everyone can be seated at the huge, twenty-chair table.
Everyone that is, except me.
I stand behind CK, fuming that I am being treated like an accessory. Or worse, a maid!
S
till, I don’t let it show on my face as I cross my arms defiantly, more out of somewhere to put my hands than anything else.
I get a few curious looks, well, I should say, my flat stomach gets a few curious looks and I can hear mutters about my baby. Maybe CK was right to exclude me, I didn’t even think that everyone would even know that she had been born. Duh! All I wanted was to be a part of this negotiation so that Vito didn’t end up with a raw deal. He is doing this to save me, it is the least I can do.
“Constantine,” Dmitri says, clearing his throat. “The presence of your wife is not necessary.”
“Grrrr,” I growl at him. Is that all I am to him now? Constantine’s wife?
“She stays,” CK says shortly.
“But she is no longer a Vampire,” another Vamp that I have never seen before argues.
I push CK out of the way and slam my hand down onto the table with a hiss and a flash of fangs and claws. “Good enough for you now?” I snarl.
CK pushes me gently back but I am still bristling. Arrogant fuckers.
I do get some satisfaction in seeing the shocked faces, however.
“Aefre is a Vampire. My Vampire. She stays,” Remiel says calmly, leaning back in his chair as if he has no care in the world, but one would be a fool to think he isn’t ready to pounce.
The gaping that follows, brings a smug smile to my face. “Not just any Master Vampire,” I state, unable to help myself.
CK elbows me surreptitiously and I shut it. I am not helping matters, as faces have gone dark and foreboding now that I am, once again, something more than them.
“Anyway,” CK says, ready to draw the attention away from me. “I trust that your test proved positive.”
Dmitri tears his eyes away from me and back to CK. He briefly scans the room for Vito but thankfully he is not in attendance, as the predatory air is completely noticeable.
“Indeed,” Dmitri says, bringing his eyes back to CK. “However, we are still unsure that going back to the old ways is the right thing for us.”
“It won’t be the old ways,” CK says blandly. “Within reason, we will abide by the new laws you have set.”
Dmitri slides a folder across the table to CK. “These points are non-negotiable.”
CK picks up the file with a moue of distaste and opens it. His face goes dark and he flings the folder off to the side, where Remiel catches it and gets up to speed on what has pissed CK off so much.
“Never,” he states.