blood 03 - blood chosen (21 page)

Marcus correctly interpreted what Truman was steering toward and intercepted the pass like a quarterback. “I know that Anthony Laurent attacked Adrianna... and absconded with our newest Singer, Cynthia.”

Karl's brows popped to his hairline. “Okaaayyy... so, what do we do about it?” Karl thought his question was logical.

“We?” Marcus asked, his tone full of the autonomy of his station. “That is entirely the wrong pronoun. Anthony Laurent is a Were, as is Adrianna. However heinous his deed, it is pack business and doesn’t fall under my purview.” He pushed his perfectly black hair away from his forehead and looked Truman full in the eyes. “It is you who shall take action.” Then he sighed. “It cannot be his death. For he is the sire to your own Moon Warrior.”

Julia frowned. She could see why a Rare One was needed. Nobody gave a crap about each others' groups. It was all for themselves. And that was why there was a problem.

“Okay... I'm just a tad confused, so sue me. But,” Truman swept his palm at Reagan, noting her resemblance to the criminal who was her father, “she is the product of a rape. I saw the evidence on the old microfiche. Before computers, people—there was this. Some was erased but not all. He's a thug that happens to be a werewolf. Period, end of story. Who gives a rat's ass if he's supernatural or not. He needs to be held accountable for his crime.”

“How can we protect our people if every bad guy gets a pass?” Michael added and Truman inclined his head in tacit agreement.

“Would we kill
everyone
?” Julia asked softly and Jacqueline laughed at her. Julia glared at Jacqueline. “How can you find any humor in this? Haven't you hurt me enough? Hurt the Singers—your own people.”

“I grabbed what is rightfully mine. I, and I alone, have the fortitude to see a reign of this magnitude through. You are a weak link.”

Julia felt it was all about perspective and for Jacqueline, hers was the only one who counted.

“She is blood chosen,” Scott reminded in a flat voice. It begged for confrontation from its very emptiness.

“And now both my son and daughter, Singer and vampire, preside closely with the Rare One.” She said
Rare One
as a curse instead of the honor Julia knew it was supposed to be.

“Strength isn't about dominating, its about doing what's needed no matter how ugly, how frightening, how sacrificial. Being a leader is holding up those who can't hold up themselves,” Julia said.

Many eyes went to Julia's face as the passionate sentiment dropped from her mouth. It wasn't hard for people to sense what was genuine and what was false.

“And therein lies the difference,” William said to Jacqueline. “You will live in a Region, ostracized by the very people you wished to rule because you could not contain your greed. It has come wonderfully full circle.”

Julia watched Jacqueline's eyes narrow to slits, aimed at William.
Probably because he was making sense
, she thought.

“She cannot truly be punished,” Delilah broke into the perfect silence that followed William's truth and everyone looked at the newcomer.

“And
you
would punish me?” Jacqueline scoffed, her voice holding her disdain, her disbelief.

“No. It is punishment enough that you lay with the vampire who was my sire and pimped your royal Singer blood in a bid to bear children who would later hold court to you. But we will not. For as willful as you are, we are more so.”

Julia just stared at Delilah, so smart that she cut the very air they breathed with her intellect. It was something to see another being as smart as William. Julia wondered if Vampire were underestimated for their intelligence. Maybe that was a mistake.

“You speak for me, drinker?” Scott asked and Julia's hand tightened around his.

“I do... brother,” she replied, while a mocking smile ghosted her lips as she spoke that last word.

“From another father,” Michael chortled and Julia couldn't help it, she laughed out loud in a surprised bray.

“Shut up, Michael,” Scott said and gave a small frown at Julia even as he tucked her against himself.

“You have to admit how weird all this is, Scott,” Jen began, “there's all these... relatives, crawling out of the woodwork.”

Julia put up her hand, having put a lid on her humor. “I have a lot of stuff to say. But the main points are as follows,” Julia put the tip of her index finger against the opposite one, “Tony is dangerous. He's proven that, and needs to be treated with as much caution as what I've heard they had with Jason when he was the Feral.” She'd captured everyone's full attention and went on, “Jacqueline can't be allowed anywhere near me. I understand we can't do anything,” Julia moved her hand back and forth, “too extreme ... as a punishment, but the hands of the Combatant are tied if she makes a play for me again, because they can't defend me with say- deadly force.” Julia's eyes came to rest on Jacqueline. “And finally, I won't be forced into a union with three men based on a loophole in the Book. I would do it because it was a sacrifice worth making, for the good of everybody. Not because Jacqueline screams the 'royal' card.”

“Maybe I underestimated you,” Jacqueline noted coolly.

“Yeah... maybe you did. While you've been busy being pampered your entire life, which I know is long, I've been making my way without back up, no parents and two years of running and hiding. Only to find out that there
is
no escape. This is what I am. Where I need to be.” Her eyes glowed with the truth, amber shot through by the sun, though the night lay like a blanket of black all around them. “Maybe- whatever higher power, God, or whatever everyone believes in,
knew
what He was doing when He allowed these powers to manifest and blood to choose. Maybe He didn't want it easy. Maybe He wanted it
right
,” Julia finished to the stunned silence of the room.

“I stood behind you Jules,” Jason said quietly in the wake of her words.

Cyn raised her hand. “Ah, hello? Forgetting me already?”

Julia looked at them both. “I could never forget you guys. But there were two years when I believed I was alone. I didn't know Cyn had never given up on Jason and me... I didn't know Jason was held in the hope he'd someday be... okay.” Julia felt her lip tremble and she bit the inside of it hard. “I didn't know. So I was alone.”

“And now?” Scott asked from her side and she looked up at him and shook her head in the negative.

“Not anymore.” Julia knew it was all false, that her blood hummed in synchronicity to the man beside her. But, it was still her reality. He was blood chosen of her and his very presence eased her. After so long of not belonging and strife, she'd take it.

“Marcus, you know what the Book of Singer states. That once the Combatant is assembled, one such as she must take the leadership of all regions. We also know the triad of advisors will form, that if she takes a true mate from each species, then, and only then, will true harmony fall on the supernaturals.”

Julia watched the colors of everyone in the room mingle, auras touching and swirling with others and thought it was time for her to have some crazy ear thing manifest. First, it was telepathy, now her sight was all screwed six ways to Sunday with this aura stuff. And let's not forget the untrained telekinesis. It wasn't like her to get distracted but she'd had almost all she could take of this circular argument. Jacqueline needed to be banished and Tony as well. Then she could have time to get used to the idea of being with all three men. If she even could.

If she ever could.

Marcus looked at Scott.

“Oh no. Please, don't tell me that there's some other clause I have to deal with. I don't want to know.”

“She has put a claim on Tony.”

“Yes, I have put a claim on Tony,” Jacqueline repeated, looking as pleased as the proverbial Cheshire cat.

“I don't get it? They're perfect for each other,” Adi said like
so what?

Marcus put his hands on his hips and glared at Jacqueline in blatant accusation, his head swinging back to look at the female Were. “It protects them both. The Were suddenly unites with a Singer royal, and she unites with the sire of the Moon Warrior. Apart, they are nothing, together, they afford themselves much protection.”

“Protection from what?” Julia asked slowly, knowing she had to ask for an answer she wouldn't like.

Marcus' silence spoke volumes. Finally when he did speak, the murmurs of the crowd died. “There is a role for every supernatural. There are roles within each group. In the case of a joining, some of these roles overlap within the groups.”

Julia glanced at Jacqueline and saw that her smile couldn't get any wider. This could not be allowed. There's no way that Jacqueline and Tony uniting could help anyone but them and Julia didn't think they needed any aid in their goal to screw everyone over.

“Let me get this straight,” Adi began. “Jacqueline's going to mate with Tony, the rapist, to solidify her power base within two groups. And she can do this? How? How does she almost kill Julia then hook up with Tony and suddenly... she's what? Absolved?”

Julia nodded. Adi was completely able to say her thoughts aloud.

Marcus gave a serious expression. One that Julia wouldn't have wanted directed at her. “She will never be absolved and there will be a fitting punishment. Like the human judicial system, she will be brought to a trial of sorts.” Marcus looked at Julia. “However, I can't stop what she has begun. Not even for you, not for all the Singers within all the Regions.”

“She's screwed the pooch and sold the pups,” Michael said and Jen punched him in the arm.

“Ouch!” he replied, rubbing the spot she'd hit.

“Shut. Up,” Jen hissed, her fair complexion coming to life in an angry flush as she folded her arms across her chest.

Marcus sighed and Scott smiled.

Then he gently let go of Julia's fingers and circled Jacqueline. “You hate Tony.” Scott's words were hard, his eyes narrowed. His voice—certain.

Julia watched Jacqueline straighten the long-sleeved cuffs of her blouse, picking imaginary lint off her clothing. “I tolerate him,” she replied, never rising her eyes to his. Scott slapped the table beside her, rattling a glass paperweight shaped like a sphere on the delicate antique tabletop.

Her eyes rose and coolly met his.

“Having tried to kill Julia was not enough. You've got to stick your nose in everyone's shit, and maneuver and manipulate every scrap of our blood history against your own people.”

“Scott,” Marcus warned in a low voice. “This is not helpful.”

Scott stood straighter, as he'd been looming over Jacqueline and the disgust was plain in his voice. “What are you going to do, father?” he asked, his hand flinging in Jacqueline's direction.

Marcus let the silence roll out like the tide in the ocean, as silent as its progress. “Exile,” he said and Jacqueline stood, trembling with rage.

“No.”

“Do you want me to dig for deeper magic, Jacqueline, monarch of Region Two?”

They faced off and Marcus stalked her like a panther who knew it had time to toy with its prey. Jacqueline held her ground, only the ebony of her eyes reflected her rage like dark glass, her true emotions laid bare in that black gaze.

“Wait.” All eyes turned to Slash. Adi saw his discomfort in speaking in front of everyone. Adi knew Slash, it might not be obvious to the rest. “Every Were, regardless of what pack they hail from, will know if they are true mates, or if this Singer engages in a sham, for some future plan on her part.”

Scott folded his arms and Julia asked Marcus, “How long? How long will Jacqueline be somewhere else so I don't have to worry about the next bomb she'll ignite.”

Marcus paced, palming his chin then stopped abruptly in front of Julia. “There is a place... near here.” Jacqueline stiffened and Julia swept her eyes back to Marcus', nearly as dark as Scott's. “It is a void. None of our powers work there. It's as if...”

“We were human,” Jen said and Marcus nodded.

“I thought we were just a sub-species, but still human,” Julia said, looking at the assembled Singers peppered throughout the confines of the formal parlor.

“We are.” Scott looked at her and suddenly she knew.

“We're like some kind of
X-Men
thing?” Julia asked.

Michael laughed. “I wish. No, it's just...” he looked for help and it was Brendan who expounded. “We think that more humans will evolve into Singers as time passes. As it stands, we're still rare. But necessary,” he finished, his eyes touching on the Were and William, who stood not too far from Delilah.

“If we were not meant to be what we were and be interconnected, then I would not be here and neither would she,” Delilah said, sweeping her hand to Reagan, who flanked Julia. “Vampire and Singers have been enemies for so long they have forgotten what caused it. Now they are enemies because it has always been.”

“But no more?” Julia asked, feeling one brow rise in question.

Delilah shook her head, her black hair like a curtain of ink as it slithered over her shoulders. “No. It will continue, but, as our respective prophesies all compel us to believe: we are meant to unite.”

“Why?” Julia asked, feeling like she was circling a yet unrevealed truth.

“What would compel three species of paranormals, known for warring for centuries, to lift up arms together?” Victor asked and Julia was startled to hear his commentary, as was Jacqueline, who visibly flinched at his voice.

He was Julia's now. Jacqueline had lost him when the circle of the Combatant had formed and she knew it, her already hard heart turning to stone within her.

Jason pushed away from the wall, his eyes flicking to Julia then away. “There is a threat. A threat that we can't meet unless we unite- all of us.” He didn't say it as though he liked the idea, only that it might be the answer.

Victor and Slash smiled, seemingly satisfied by his spoken thought.

Jacqueline gave a sharp look at Marcus and he nodded. “Yes, Jacqueline. There might be something more important than your pursuit of the crown. Something that rings strongly of survival.”