Gypsy Moon (All The Pretty Monsters #4)(41)
“Portocale gypsies don’t have to register,” Damien points out.
“You’re holding back,” Arion states like it’s a slight accusation, turning and intently glaring over at his sister now.
Emily is tapping her foot, casting a sideways glance at Isiah, before looking over at her brother.
“His House or not, it’s my job to put the alphas in their place when they step too far out of line. Violet is under my protection, and was even before the vampire attack. It’s your duty and obligation to answer the fucking question to the fullest extent,” I caution, drawing Emily’s narrowed glare.
Honestly. One poor fight and suddenly my skills seem to be called into question by everyone. Bloody fucking nightmare.
Emily, the daft cunt, smirks at me like she’s ready for a challenge.
The swords shoots out of the hilts, as I pop to my feet, and Arion steps in front of me in a blur.
“I’ll deal with my sister. Not you. Not in my—”
His words end on a pained grunt as his head jerks hard to the right, compliments of my left fist. Damien casually stands and moves out of the way, before Arion topples to his abandoned chair.
The vampire blinks a few times and rubs his jaw, and then shoots me an incredulous look.
“You usually tap your right foot before you lead with your left,” Arion states as he stretches out his jaw.
I smirk over at Emily this time, as my swords retract, the silver manipulated back into the crafted place for it.
Lots of smirking going on in this room today. That’s what happens when too many alphas all want to be the one in charge.
“Bloody fucking nightmare,” I mutter, regurgitating my own thoughts.
Arion moves quick, and by some divine luck, I dodge the punch like I knew it was coming. My elbow comes up, knocking him in the side of the face. Then I swing around and catch him in the temple with the blunt end of one hilt.
He curses as he staggers back this time.
“When the hell did you stop doing the eye twitch before you swing an elbow?” he snaps, wiping blood away from his eyebrow.
“I’ve been doing some work, recently,” I decide to inform him, smiling like the arrogant ass it feels good to be again.
I like life better when he’s the one bleeding instead of me.
“Emily, could you answer the question before this gets messy?” Damien drawls.
“It’s Portocale politics, Arion. It’s not our concern. Don’t put yourself in the line of Edmond’s fire for a girl you barely know. Especially not when Idun is so close to returning,” Emily says, playing Arion like only she can.
“I asked the question,” I remind her, not even glancing at Arion. “Damien restated it. Arion isn’t involved. I’m your fucking Van Helsing. You answer to me right now.”
She makes a frustrated sound before eyeing me again. “One Portocale gypsy goes dead in this town after making simple business ties to the three of you,” she tells us, oblivious to the situation pertaining to Violet’s mother’s alleged identity.
Thankfully.
“What do you think is going to happen to the second?” she asks like we’re idiots. “It’s easier to see when you’re on the outside looking in, instead of sitting inside your stale towers that don’t even catch a breeze anymore. Judge me for my life, but at least I have one instead of just wasting the gift we have.”
“Well, if all of us shirked our responsibilities as you do, the world would very likely end at the hands of the very thing we created by chasing this gift,” I remind her as I crack my neck to the side and adjust my shirt sleeves.
“Edmond Portocale hired unregistered vampires to kill one of his own?” Damien asks on an unconvinced scoff.
“She’s not of his family’s thread. She’s not a single thread of the four Portocale first-borns, as a matter of fact. It still looks real bad when the Portocale name is tarnished by a foolish girl who plays too closely with monsters,” Emily answers, eyes averting mine.
“You’re still holding back,” Arion tells her, and quickly moves much faster than that punch came, grabbing both sides of her face. “The whole truth, sister.”
I hear it in the way the words almost chime from his lips that it’s a command, and Damien casts me a worried glance. Emily’s an alpha, but still much weaker, so I’m not overly concerned with how her pupils quickly dilate to the command.
“Edmond Portocale thinks the alphas are slacking too much on their jobs, and organized a trifecta of events to put you all under at once. Violet Portocale was in the wrong place at the right time when she became immediately connected to the wolf, the Van Helsing, and the Morpheous—all Alpha Heads of Houses. She was the quick weakness in a tough armor to lead them into a trap. The vampires were supposed to rally, along with the purebloods, but Edmond, of all people, should have known wolves and vampires don’t play together. One always wants to trump the other. Still, putting three alphas under while the most vicious was still down was the plan. The problem was, the vampires and wolves both wanted to credit for being the ones to pull it off, without using the other’s help.”
“I’m curious what specifics her source couldn’t obtain, since this all seems rather elaborate and not at all what I was expecting,” I note as I take a seat, content to let Arion continue to pull information from her, even as her nose and eyes start to bleed.