Page 90 of The Prince's Curse

“Oh,” Julian said, a smile cracking his somber expression. “I was unconscious, so I guess you didn’t hear. He’s dead.”

“You’re sure?” Paris asked.

“Quite certain. I left his head in the opposite corner of the room from his torso,” Julian said, punctuating it with a sip of his drink. His green eyes flitted to Scarlett, and he spared a little smile.

At that, Paris grinned and raised his glass. “Best news I’ve heard all day.” Then his smile faltered. “And what are we to do about the witch? Given what’s happened to all of us, killing her is dangerous. And our dhampir friend here takes issue.”

Her heart thumped. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I’m not sure it should be your choice,” Safira said, clearing her throat. “Your familial relationship doesn’t trump all the destruction she’s caused. No offense, but we’ve been dealing with the fallout for nearly two hundred years.”

Anger flared in her chest. “The fallout of what you did to her.”

Julian stared at her. “We should discuss this privately.”

“No. I understand your side of it, but I understand hers, too. She lied to me about everything else, but your story and hers are the same when it comes to her husband. You tortured and killed him, right?” Scarlett said.

Julian’s gaze was fixed on hers. To his credit, he didn’t look away. “Yes, we did.”

“Was it your choice? Or were you ordered?”

“Eduardo gave the orders to fight,” Safira said.

Julian shook his head. “Let’s be honest. I called the shots on the ground. I gave the order to get information from him, no matter what it took. And in the end,I killed him,” Julian said. He didn’t plead or whine that he was only doing what he had to do. She wished she had the same courage, honestly.

“And at what point do you say that our penance is done?” Paris asked.

She glanced at him. “How many people would you kill if you lost him?” she asked, pointing to Misha.

His face paled, but he didn’t shrink away. He raised a glass and said, “I am in no position to moralize. But what would you have us do? Let her keep hurting others? Let her kill you again?”

“I don’t know,” Scarlett said. “I’m just saying that you cannot delude yourself into thinking she’s some monster who tortures poor little vampires because she has nothing better to do.”

“That’s enough,” Dominic said. “I suffered for centuries for what I did, and I’m willing to call it just. But the things that Armina Voss has done are far worse. Do you know why Nikko was cursed? He killed a witch who was helping breed more dhampir. The Shieldsmen who claim to protect humanity did not extend that protection to poor teenage girls who happened to be of childbearing age.”

“Dominic—” Julian said.

Her heart raced as his words sank in. Could Mina have been involved with something so monstrous?

Worse, he wasn’t done. Dominic’s eyes went furious red as he rose and pointed to Olivia. “She nearly died. Was that justified? What about what she did to Kova’s lover, Lucia? God, what about you? She wants you dead because it will hurt him. You will suffer and die for no other reason than to give her the momentary satisfaction of knowing that Julian Alcott suffered for another day.”

A high-pitched whine set the hair on her neck on end, and cold air surged through the room. She felt that same strange crawling sensation she’d felt when Shea attacked her. With a series of muffled pops, the lights overhead exploded one by one.

“That’s enough,” Julian snapped, surging to his feet.

“Scarlett, calm down,” Misha said. The temperature plunged, and the last of the lights exploded, plunging them into deep darkness.

“I’m not doing anything!” she snapped. “I don’t know what this is.” Holding her hands up defensively, she drew a deep breath to calm herself.

“It’s the magic,” Shoshanna said. “Dominic is a threat.”

“I’m not?—”

“Dom,” Paris said sharply. A bright white light illuminated his face as he set out his phone with the flashlight facing upward. Several more joined, casting an eerie glow over the dark room. Broken glass glittered on the floor.

The stern vampire had sunk back into his seat, but his eyes were brilliant, ruby red as he stared at Scarlett and said, “I’m sorry you’re facing the loss of someone you cared for, but enough is enough. Armina Voss will keep hurting innocent people until someone finally stops her. You don’t have to be the one to do it, but I will not stay my hand. I’ve seen what she does, and I’ve seen what she will do to you. I can live with your anger, Brigitte.” He cleared his throat. “…Scarlett.”

She felt like she’d been sucker punched. The others stared at her, and she didn’t know where to look, what to say, how to explain herself. And the strangest part of it was that she felt like she had to answer for Mina. Even knowing that all of it was a lie, she couldn’t entirely shove the woman out of that warm space in her heart.

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