Page 10 of Beauty At Stake
“Enough!” I hissed.
“You're right,” Star said. “I failed God and Seren. But then I sacrificed for her. And now—”
“You sacrificed?” Killian gaped at him. “Are you fucking kidding me? You don't know what genuine sacrifice is. My brothers and I havesacrificedfor Seren. We've faced certain death, insanity, and war. We've given up the chance at a monogamous marriage for her. Sever even gave up a throne. What did you do? You ran off with my dying wife, leaving us all behind to worry, and when you got her to Hell, you took a teeny tiny piece of your magic and put it in her so your fuck-up wouldn't result in her death. And you haven't stopped talking about it ever since. Crowing on and on about your enormous sacrifice. How you gave up a part of your soul and you're bound to her forever. You try your damnedest to make us all feel likeshit about it. Well, enough, dude. I've had enough. Fucking get over yourself. You gave her a little magic, and she gave you the fucking throne of Hell! Even if she hadn't, in the grand scheme of Seren's men and what we've done for her, you're at the fucking bottom.” He leaned in to add, “And you always will be. No matter what you do.”
Astaroth, King of Hell, clenched his hands into fists, narrowed his eyes at my husband, and disappeared in a rain of embers.
“Killian,” I whispered in horror.
Kill looked at me and shook his head. “Don't, Seren. I'm right at the breaking point. Don't fucking push me.”
I held up my hands and walked over to the group of staring bystanders. They didn't pretend that they hadn't heard our argument. That would have been silly. But they didn't ask about it either. One of them handed me a bottle.
“Thank you,” I said.
“We need someone to interrogate the prisoners,” Trez, the Tider Vex, said, an underlying offer coming through.
“I'll do it.” Killian accepted, storming past me to the hallway.
“I almost feel sorry for them,” Extinguisher Tanya Murdock said.
Chapter Six
“Son of a bitch!” Killian shouted.
The rest of us went running into the room—a room completely devoid of vampire hunters.
“Where are they?” Rue, the Pack Vex, asked. If Biters were vampires, then Pack Witches would be werewolves. And Rue was big even when he was in his human form. His low voice made the question sound like a threat.
“That's what I'd like to know.” Killian waved at the empty chairs, the ropes still tied around them. “What the fuck? I thought you guys had this place secured?”
“Weare the security,” Melissa said. “And we were right in there.” She waved at the doorway. “You are included in that 'we.'”
“Unbelievable.” Killian clenched his fists. He looked like he was about to ram something. With his head.
“They're human,” Vanessa said. “I'm absolutely sure of it. They shouldn't have been able to get away.”
“Then someone helped them.” Extinguisher Gavin Sloane crossed his arms and looked around the group. “Does anyone remember seeing someone leave the party?”
“You mean besides the Ambassador?” Rue motioned at me.
“My wife was talking to Anu, asshole.” Killian turned toward the Pack Vex. “There's no better alibi than God.”
“It's not as if we can verify that.”
“Oh, puppy, you're about to get put down.” Kill headed for Rue.
“Kill.” I laid my hand on his arm—his muscles were tight. “You're the one who can tell us who helped them.”
Killian jerked to a stop, his face twitching and his stare still on Rue. “When I find the traitor, you're going to apologize to my wife. Or maybeyou'rethe traitor. In which case, I'm going to have fun chaining you up and delivering you to the High Councils.”
“And Coven Elders,” Melissa said. “We're your allies, Ambassador. Remember that. If one of us here proves to be a traitor, the Coven Elders will decide our punishment.
“I'm a Witch too. You don't get to lecture me on who my allies are.”
“And yet I do. Because you seem to have forgotten.”
“Bitch, I'll—”
