Page 108 of Wounded Soul
Raph sat back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. His gaze drifted to the cell next door. “If you choose to invoke this law, you do realise it’s to the death, right? Peter might kill you.”
“Will kill you,” Peter hissed. “There’s nomightabout it. We’ll be out of here in a few years—assuming they don’t burn me to a crisp, of course—why would you even suggest this fucking nonsense?”
Jesse refused to acknowledge him. He was so done playing Peter’s games. “I know the risks. And yes, I’m sure.”
“And there’s nothing I can say to change your mind?”
“I told you what he said, what hedid.” Jesse took a moment to calm himself and let his fangs slide back in. “What would you do?”
Raph gave him a long steady look, then stood. “I’ll go talk to whoever’s in charge while Harper recovers. There’s no guarantee they’ll agree to this. It’s not an area we covered when drawing up our agreement, but I can’t see them being opposed to two vampires fighting to the death.”
Raph left and Jesse felt oddly at peace for the first time in a long while.
He’d made the right decision.
“You fucking idiot,” Peter spat. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? What you’ve put into motion?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to kill you, Jesse. It’s the fucking last thing I want to do, but you’re going to give me no choice. Why?”
Jesse turned to face Peter, imagining him doing the same on the other side of the wall. “It’s like you said... You either learn to like your sire or you try to kill them.”
RAPH RETURNED an hour or so later, face grim, and Jesse stood, going to the front of his cell.
“They said no, didn’t they?” He couldn’t keep the disappointment out of his voice.
“Thank fuck for that!” Peter muttered from next door. “At least someone’s got some se—”
“Actually they said yes.” Raph took a seat opposite both their cells. His gaze flicking from one to the other. “I got Liam to take a photo of the book, and the law states quite clearly, ‘A vampire may challenge their sire at any time if they feel aggrieved and wish to sever the tie between them. Proof must be shown to the coven elders, and their decision is final.’ That’s the newer version of it anyway.” He glanced Peter’s way, then back at Jesse.
Peter scoffed. “Since when do the boys in black take any notice of our old laws?”
“Since they realised they would only have to house one vampire in their building instead of two.”
“So it’s on?” Jesse asked, a strange mix of excitement and anger running through him.
“It is.” Raph walked closer to him. “As the resident coven elder, I’m satisfied you have proof enough to support the challenge.” He ran a hand through his hair, dark-blue eyes fixed on Jesse. “You can still change your mind, it’s not too late.”
“Yes, Jesse.” Peter chimed. “Come to your fucking senses already.”
Jesse ignored him, eyes locked with Raph’s. “When?”
“Tonight.”
“WHAT?” IAN STARED at Raph, hands clenched at his sides.
“You can’t be here, Ian.” Raph gestured at Liam, who stood off to the side.
Ian had only just been introduced to him, and no offence to Liam—he seemed okay as vampires went—but Ian wasn’t going anywhere with him. “If Jesse and Peter are having a fight to the fucking death, then I’m not going anywhere.”
Up until that point, Raph had been so calm and softly spoken for the whole time Ian had been with him that he’d forgotten he was the head of the coven. Now his expression hardened, gaze boring into Ian with an intensity that had Ian taking a small step backwards.
“I am the leader of this coven.” Raph still spoke softly, but there was no mistaking the cold edge to it. “If you want to join us, you will do as I say when it comes to matters that concern the coven as a whole and your wellbeing as a coven member.” His features softened slightly. “You’ve only been a vampire for little more than twenty-four hours, Ian. How do you expect to control yourself in a room full of humans when two vampires are fighting to the death in front of you? It’ll be ugly and violent. There’s going to be blood. Can you imagine what that’s going to feel like? Especially when one of those fighting is Jesse. Someone whom, if I’m not mistaken, you care deeply for.”
Ian wanted to protest, wanted to insist that he’d be fine, but his mind rushed back to what he’d almost done to the guards earlier, and he swallowed the words. Would it be different with vampire blood? Ian had no idea, but he didn’t want to risk it.
“Fine,” he muttered, not liking it at all. “But I want to see him before I go?” He refused to believe it might be the last time.
