Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“My fellow vampires, this case is a joke, a dishonor to every vampire who serves the Swan family. I ask that Jason Silber not only be granted his freedom but that Theseus Thorbørn be charged for false accusation, slander, and trying to insight war between the witches of the Omeron Coven and us.” Namid’s voice rose with every word, but she never quite yelled. However, that wasn’t the most important part. She was looking at us. Daiyu, Taelon, Mikhail…and me.
Were we the jury? We couldn’t be.
“What a waste of time. We didn’t even see his maker beg,” Mikhail grumbled.
“Your vote.” President Swan demanded—so we were the freaking jury. The four us?
Mikhail nodded. “I vote to free the vampire, Jason Silber, but no to the vote on Theseus. Execution is pointless. He’d be back in a few months or a year.”
“He hasn’t been tried yet, brother; you can’t execute him,” Taelon reminded him.
“Trial or not, still pointless,” Mikhail went on.
“The vote,” President Swan pressed on, annoyed with his children.
“I vote to free the vampire, Jason. And Mikhail…” Daiyu glanced at him. “How special you are. If he cannot be punished, his mate can take his place. So, I also vote yes for a trial for Theseus Thorbørn.”
“I didn’t know that was an option. I vote the same,” Mikhail quickly said, as if I were not sitting beside them.
There was a deep growl that ripped out of Theseus, and his hands flexed as he looked up at President Swan. “I was made known of this trial moments ago. Given a day, I will fetch this witch and drag her to your feet to have her confess. I promise that is the lesser of two evils if you dare harm what is mine.”
“You dare threaten me, here?” President Swan snapped.
“I would even threaten the gods,” Theseus sneered, turning to look at Jason. “I will rip your Adelaide apart, starting at her toes, then her eyes, her tongue, and if she is not dead, then I will begin to peel the flesh from her bones.”
With each word Theseus uttered, the shimmer lasted longer. What was this? His gift?
“I need you to drink from him again, Namid, before I vote.” Taelon had his eyes on Jason, and I wondered if he could see it, too. But the shimmer was gone.
No! Don’t stop! You need to threaten her again! I yelled in my mind at Theseus, but he stayed silent as Namid bent down and drank from Jason’s wrist a second time. Although, this time was faster.
“Still nothing.”
“Your vote,” President said to Taelon.
He frowned but nodded. “I vote to free the vampire, Jason Silber; however, I do not vote against Theseus.”
“Your bias is showing brother,” Daiyu sang.
“He should be given a chance to bring this witch to us as we did not tell him when this trial was to be,” Taelon said sternly. “Theseus will go fetch her. His mate will be here until he can complete the task. It is not like the witches can kill him, either. What harm does it do?”
“We will be breaking a treaty with those witches for one,” Daiyu said. “He doesn’t know what the witch looks like. He’s going to kill a few witches before he gets to this Adelaide if she exists.”
“Would you prefer war with the witches or the Thorbørns?” Taelon shot back.
“You voted; can I talk now?” I asked, looking between everyone.
“Vote,” President Swan demanded.
I nodded and looked at Namid, remembering the exact words Taelon said. “But I need you to drink from him again, Namid, before I vote.”
She glared at me, did what I said, kneeling back down and holding up his wrist.
“Wait,” I demanded. “Don’t drink until I nod. Only when I nod, and then as fast as you can.”
She looked at President Swan, but he didn’t stop me. My guess was that since it was my turn, she had to do what I said for the jury.
“I also think Theseus should go to the witches, but I’m sure he will find this Adelaide. I’m certain he will drag her kicking and screaming into the heart of the vampires and into this cave. He will kill her in front you, and not quickly with the snap of her pretty neck, but slowly…so slowly. She’ll hurt so much, and you will have to watch her die because you didn’t know, right?” I nodded when I saw it, and she bit in unison with me, but she didn’t stop this time she just drank, and her eyes shifted to the vampire as she did.
“What is it, Namid?” President Swan questioned when she released her bite but did not speak.
“I saw something, but it was in a fog. A woman, but it was as if I had something in my eyes, blocking me from seeing her...” she said slowly, somewhat dazed as she tried to stand up again, but fell to the side.