Page 40 of Midnight Queen

“That willneverhappen.” It’s now my personal mission to make sure Quincey isn’t in the same zip code of Gideon. I would prefer to keep them states apart, but right now, that’s simply not realistic.

The grin remains on his face, unwavering. It looks as fake in person as it did on camera. “If you want your answer, you will bring her here.”

“You seem to believe I don’t have other ways I can get information from you, Gideon.” Itskunder my breath. “I thought you would know my ways better than that.”

I raise my hand, motioning the guard over to this side of the cube.

“Yes, sir.”

“Has he been fed today?” My eyes remain on the crazed man behind the glass.

“Not yet. The last time he was given blood was yesterday, but it was just the allotted amount as you instructed.”

For Gideon to suffer as much as possible, he must be fed if he is to live as long as I want him to.

Depriving him of blood for a couple of days won’t kill him, but it’ll be unbearable.

“Let’s see if he feels like talking when the hunger pains are so intense he can’t see straight,” I instruct Franco. “Let’s see if we can’t make you beg for mercy like you thought you could do to Quincey.” With that, I leave him and his mumbling alone in the room.

The basement level is cooler than the rest, and as I climb the stone stairs up, the air warms. This is a building I spend as little time in as possible. Usually when I’m here, it means a vampire disobeyed me or broke a law, and their punishment needs to be carried out. Gideon isn't the first vampire in the glass box, and he won’t be the last, because they never fucking learn.

This place once was a place of worship, now it’s where the council meets when I feel inclined to entertain their incessant demands. It’s a taxing task pretending to be engrossed by their words, but if it makes them feel like they have a voice in my kingdom and keeps them in line, I’ll bear the boredom.

I purchased this church when I arrived in New Orleans. It was just a decaying building. I restored the inside and ensured the structural soundness of the exterior, but to any human passing by, they’ll simply believe it’s another abandoned building located off the quarter. There’s enough security kept here that if someone does venture through the metal gate around the perimeter, they are taken care of swiftly and efficiently.

My phone rings in my suit jacket, the sound bounces off the stained-glass windows and high ceilings of the space as I walk down the aisle between the pews. Concern instantly fills me that something has happened to Quincey when I see Lorcan’s number on the screen.

“What’s wrong?” I answer without a formal greeting. When the sound of loud music and joyous laughter comes through the speaker, I stop in my tracks. The concern is replaced by anger in a second. “Where the fuck are you?” I bite out.

“I will be the first to admit that mistakes have been made,” Lorcan answers, the regret clear in his voice. “I thought I was helping, but it appears things may have gotten out of control.” There’s a crashing sound, like glass breaking, followed by a warning growl. “Hey, dumb fuck! Yeah,you. If you don’t get the fuck away from her, I’m going to put my foot so far up your ass, you will be able to taste the Italian leather of my boot.”

“Lorcan!” a female shouts over the booming music. “Dance with us!”

Us?

The anger rushes through me, making my muscles vibrate. “I will ask once more; where the fuck are you, Lorcan?”

“We’re at St. Sin.”

A herdof deer know when a mountain lion is close. They can sense the danger. It’s no different with humans. They might think they’re at the top of the food chain, but really, they’re prey animals and they know when a predator is among them. They behave accordingly when that happens.

I don’t have to push them out of the way or weave through their drunk, sweaty bodies. They simply see me coming and get out of the way, creating a direct path for me to get to her. Their eyes go wide, and their concerned whispers follow behind me, but I don’t pay them any mind.

My attention is on the blonde female that dances on the bar top with her childhood friend while men stand below her, cheering her on as if she’s their own personal exotic dancer.

I should be relieved to see the smile I adore so much spread across her pretty face, even if it is alcohol induced, but I’m too livid to truly appreciate it. I’m livid at Lorcan for bringing her here when he’s fully aware the danger remains and the attacks are still happening. And I’m livid at her for willingly leaving the safety of my home to comeherewhere drunk human men can paw at her like they have the right to do so.

Lorcan stands below them, trying to keep the crowd of men that had formed under control, but he’s outnumbered and it’s evident he’s trying to do so without becoming too violent. Violence is Lorcan’s specialty, but he’s smart enough to keep a low profile when among humans.

It’s usually a rule I follow myself, but I can’t be bothered to do so right now, especially when a staggering man reaches up to stuff a dollar bill in the back pocket of Quincey’s shorts.

Before he has a chance to retract his hand from her body, I’ve appeared next to him, and his fragile human bones are cracking under my fingertips when I grip his wrist. His head snaps in my direction and he chokes on a pained scream when he looks at me. Whatever he sees written across my face steals his ability to make any noise. The friends that surround him take large steps back, their faces falling.

“I will give you thirty seconds to leave this place.” The time allotment is long on purpose. I want him to feel each agonizingly slow tick of the clock. “If you or your companions are still here, I will shatter the bones in your hands so severely, you will never be able to wrap your fingers around your own cock again.” My hand tightens around his wrist to enhance my point. “Your time starts now. One… two… three…”

By four, his friends are dashing for the door. He tries to pull from my grasp, but I keep in place until I reach twenty. “You have ten seconds. You betterfuckingrun.” My fingers loosen and he pulls free, sprinting after the rest of them.

The crowd, having witnessed this, disperses until Lorcan and I are the only ones that remain in front of where they dance.

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