Page 134 of The Last Sacrifice

Something that his sister. His replacement could sense. Once he himself would have fed on that brewing energy. He would have inflamed it till war broke out. Harnessing the energy and the hate that had existed between the vampires and wolves of this country for centuries for his own uses.

“But genocide is fun” cocking her head to the side, she smiled at him the same way she had when she was just a fledging.

“I need you to stay out of this” shooting a frown down at her, he tried not to smile. God help him if Ghost and Zipporah ever teamed up on him.

“You’re kidding, right?” Rolling her eyes, she sighed. Turning to look back at the milling crowd, “The whole thing is begging to be pushed over the edge,”

Full scale war was the very last thing he needed. As much as a demon lord such as his sister would be able to reap immense energy. It would be a sure way to get the old blue bloods involved. The last thing anyone wanted here was the antiquated European council interfering.

“I need you to leave this alone,” his tone was firm.

Laughing softly, she shook her head. “Think, brother, remember the plan, claim your bride. Bridge the worlds and grow fat in the chaos,”

Her eyes narrowing as her face became serious.

“Everything went perfectly to plan.” shorter than him by almost a foot, she wasn’t at all intimidated. Energy brimming off her in small waves of heat. Her words were quiet but pointed.

“I spent years gaining Draven’s trust.” Her face morphing for a brief moment into the visage of the priestess Simone. The human guise she had used. “So many fine warriors I choose for him. Men that would be strong alphas, worthy to be a Titan. By the time I whispered your name. Telling him of the general you would be.” she smiled. “He didn’t even hesitate.”

“It was you?” for years he had wondered how Draven picked the humans he ordered to become werewolf feral’s.

“You told him about me?”

“Gifting you with the very beast that enslaved you and freed her,” she nodded. Taking a sip of her wine with a smile, “Your plan,”

“You’re the one who chose which humans Draven ordered to be turned” Orders he had hated carrying out. Hunting down certain men only to mark them. To tie them to the Pack, to Draven.

“You are a prince of war,” her voice was arrogant. “Demon or not, you would need an army.” Gesturing a hand towards the large gathering, she smiled proudly.

“Strong, capable warriors, and I was right. What an army they have become. Every one of the alphas. Loyal to a fault. Yours to command. This country could be yours in a few short years,”

“I don’t want that,” his voice was final. Full of command. “Stay out of it”

Her smile faded as she stared at him. He was asking. No. commanding a lot of her. To give up what would no doubt be an almost perfect plan to gain power. More power than ever feasible in the hell realms alone. Her loyalty always unquestionable.

“This was not what you promised, Brother,” her eyes flashing with her newly bestowed power. “We had a Plan,” Moving away from him. The goblet disappearing from her hand, she stared over the crowd. “I even made sure he found his bride... ever so fucking helpful and you won’t let me play?”

“Plans change,”

“You do remember that I outrank you now, right?” Turning, she met his eyes with an icy stare.

“I’m not asking you” the words were soft. Unrelenting. there was no way he was going to let his sister unbalance everything.

Giving a light laugh that rang through his ears. A memory of a life-time ago. She let a smile bloom across her lips. Changing the spark of challenge that had lured in the red depths of her eyes to one of amusement,

“So serious all the time. Whatever does she see in you?”

Returning her smile, he let himself relax. While he highly doubted that she would let it go so easily. He was grateful that they would fight about it another day. Pushing away thoughts of politics and coming trouble. He rolled his shoulders against the tightness of the white shirt that Grandma Simmons had insisted he wear.

“You came all this way. Are you going to attend my wedding or lurk in the shadows?”

“I came all this way, as you say, to bring you a gift.”

Holding out her hand, a photo appearing on her palm.

His human mother. Looking no older than the day he last saw her. Her face looking up out of a window. The colour of her eyes, exactly how he remembered them.

Lifting the photo, his eyes narrowing. The quality of the photo was too good. There was no way it had been taken half a century ago. This was a modern photo. The colour was too crisp not to be.

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