Void(10)

When my eyes met Quade’s again, a mean smirk had formed on his plush lips. He obviously liked knowing that I was struggling to compose myself. Our childhood was spent with him one-upping everything I did, and it seemed that hadn’t changed even after I was exiled from my community and my home. He’d already taken my mother and my position, but I guess it wasn’t enough. He wanted to take away my pride, too.

“You two know each other?” Render drawled at my back.

His voice made me jump, and the movement caused Quade’s attention to flick over my shoulder to him. Quade’s eyes briefly took in Render’s scowl, but he didn’t greet the broody vampire. “I’m the Elemental Paragon, Devicka,” he explained in a condescending voice to me, answering my earlier question. “We’re required to attend things like this. It’s supposed to help prepare us for when we take our seat on the council. I’m nearly graduated from Thibault Academy now, did your mother tell you?”

I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes. I wondered if he realized what an ass he sounded like when he bragged about himself in normal conversation. Was he saying it to boost his own ego, or did he just like letting me know that he was living the life designed for me? I had always wanted to attend Thibault Academy, and he knew it. When I was little, Mother used to tell me all about when she’d attended. The instructors, the grounds, the magic she learned, and the friends she’d made. The campus was gorgeous too, and it was every supernatural’s dream to attend, but of course, I was stuck living with humans at Mrs. Coxcomb’s School for Troubled Girls instead.

Oh well. At least I had Reed.

“Congratulations. I’m sure it’s easier for you to kiss my mother’s ass now that you’re working together officially.”

Quade’s little smile slipped, and Render chuckled behind me. I flicked my attention to the vampire, and his laughter ceased the moment I did. He didn’t want to side with me, even though it was obvious that he wasn’t a fan of Quade’s. No surprise there. Usually, members of the council barely tolerated each other. The supernatural prejudice ran too deep.

“I’m surprised you’re here on time, Render,” Quade said, finally acknowledging the vampire. He stepped forward so that the two men were toe-to-toe, sizing each other up. I had a feeling if we weren’t at vamp headquarters, they would’ve whipped out their dicks to start measuring them. There was something about supernaturals with enormous power and influence that made them get competitive. They were always getting into pissing contests, talking the big talk about who could kill the other one in a more efficient or gruesome way. “Last I heard, you were wanting to step down from the position,” Quade said. “What’s the matter, your councilman making you suck his cold, undead dick?”

“The only deadass dick around here is you,” Render replied smoothly, with cold steel in his eyes.

Quade’s eyes narrowed, and I felt his power pulsate. Unlike most elementals, Quade could conjure all of the elements—air, water, fire, and earth. Beads of water collected on his fingers, dripping onto the floor.

Render’s gray eyes flicked down to the floor at the forming puddle and smirked. “Leaking?” He tsked. “What a terrible choice the elementals made. A paragon who can’t even control his own power. That’s just sad.”

“Better than a race who go mad with bloodlust and then have to be put down like rabid dogs.”

I shook my head at the jibes lobbing back and forth between the two. The animosity between them was so thick I could have bound it with rope and dragged it behind me. Every time they threw another verbal punch, their powers fluctuated, slamming into me with wave after wave of painful hunger. I knew they had to be powerful—they wouldn’t have been chosen as paragons otherwise—but this was more power than I’d ever felt before. It assaulted me, and their anger only made it worse. My Void was beating at me with fists, wanting to come out and drink them both up.

“That female is not a rabid dog. She’s sick. Not that you’d fucking care,” Render snarled. “You elementals don’t give two shits about my people. You shouldn’t even be at this meeting. It should’ve been handled by vamps only.”

Quade rolled his eyes, undeterred. “Every council verdict has to be overseen by the entire council, fang fuck. So suck it up.”

Unable to take it anymore, I threw my hands up. “Can you guys stop? You’re both leaking power, and it’s driving me crazy.”

My outburst drew the attention of both men.

“What’s wrong? Your inner monster wants out of her cage?” Quade mocked.

My eyes narrowed. He’d called me a monster when I was a little girl, too, and the term got under my skin. “I’m not a monster.”

Ignoring me, Quade gave me a slow once over. The way he dragged over my body made my skin hum, and I hated that. I didn’t want to respond to him, but I couldn’t stop it. No amount of torture and jealousy could change the fact that I found him attractive. “You look good, Devicka, all things considered.”

What a prick.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped. I didn’t like the backhanded compliment.

Quade stepped closer, and I felt Render shift beside me on my right. Neither of them was touching me, but we were still too close. He leaned in, his lips mere inches from mine. I sucked in a breath and held it, too terrified to let it out. His eyes were so dark brown that they were nearly black. His thick lashes fanned across his lids. He had the tiniest freckle on the side of his nose. He was so close that I could feel his breath against my lips. My brain noted all of these things while my heart beat wildly in my chest.