Wicked Bite (Night Rebel #2)(6)

I showered, taking my time. After that, I dropped my glamour, losing the appearance of a blue-eyed, petite blonde I normally wore. When I looked into the mirror, I now saw my real image of a taller, curvaceous woman in her mid-twenties with silver eyes and long, almost-white hair streaked through with gold and blue. I dried my hair, put on a robe, and went back into the other room. I’d log in a few more hours of online research trying to find the next resurrected soul before I allowed myself to sleep. This was my life now. It might be emotionally empty, but at least it was productive.

Silver was on the bed, his gaze following me with drowsy expectation. He was waiting for me to cuddle him before he fell asleep. Cuddling Silver would be the highlight of my day, but first, I picked up my mobile.

Nine unread texts. My stomach clenched. Only Ian left that many in a row, though I never read them. My father assured me that all of Ian’s memories of me had been wiped from his mind, so I surmised that Ian kept calling and texting because someone had told him we were married.

He needn’t worry. I was getting the few people who’d witnessed the ceremony to “forget” it and thus nullify it. Until then, I didn’t need to torture myself by listening to Ian’s voicemails or reading his texts, though I’d accidentally caught, “I’m warning you,” from him yesterday before I hit delete.

He had nothing to threaten me with. Ian couldn’t hurt me more than he already had if he made it his life’s goal to try. Seeing his dead body had ripped my heart out. Weeks later, I was still trying to put myself back together.

But these texts weren’t from Ian. Serious charges have been filed against the council because of you, read the first one, from Xun Guan, my oldest friend and a fellow Law Guardian. Come in at once. The next one was from Felix, another Law Guardian. You must appear before the council immediately to answer charges involving you.

What? I scrolled to the next one, from Thonos, the council’s official executioner. Your presence is required. The man who claims to be your husband has refused to leave until the charges he’s brought against the council regarding you have been addressed.

“He what?” I shrieked.

That scared Silver so much, he flew up and hit the ceiling. I was too shocked to comfort him. I scrolled through the remaining messages, their pertinent parts burning into my brain.

Ian is accusing the council of forced spousal abandonment . . .

Claims the council is keeping you away from him in violation of our laws and your will . . .

Refuses to leave until you present yourself to confirm or deny these charges . . .



“You arrogant, reckless maniac!” I raged, hurling my mobile across the room. It shattered and I cursed myself next. Now, I had to use someone else’s phone to call and beg the council not to kill Ian before he did something to merit a death sentence, if he hadn’t already.

“How could you go to the council?” I continued to fume as I threw my clothes on. “Bones told you our marriage was a fake! And you never cared about the law. Why would you do this?”

I’m warning you.



Ian’s partial text flashed across my mind. So much for thinking he had nothing to threaten me with! But how could I have guessed that he’d sue the highest ruling court of vampires? Here I was, running all over the world fulfilling the vow I’d made to bring Ian back from the dead, and he was daring the Grim Reaper to come back for seconds!

Now, I had to go to the council, talk them out of whatever retribution they were planning, then abandon Ian all over again. It would hurt less to tear my guts out and stomp on them.

But I had no choice. I couldn’t leave Ian at the council’s mercy. I also couldn’t ignore a direct summons from the council. If I did, I might as well resign as Law Guardian on the spot.

I ground my teeth until my jaw crunched. Ian wanted a meeting, probably to have me formally renounce our marriage so there’d be no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was a free man?

Fine. He’d get his meeting, and I hoped I could convince the council to let him live long enough to regret it.





Chapter 3


The rugged limestone peak of Mount Lycabettus jutted above Athens, Greece, like an imperious stone giant. I remember when people said that this spot was created when the goddess Athena accidentally dropped a mountain after receiving bad news. Later, it was said that this was the home of fearsome wolves, hence its play on the word lycos—Greek for wolves. Both legends had it wrong. As was often the case, the truth was much stranger.

Mount Lycabettus was the official location for the ruling council of vampires. Oh, the council had other, lesser courts across the continents, but this was where all eleven members of the council presided when court was in session, and they only all came together when the charges were truly severe.

Like, for instance, the entire council being sued by a vampire known more for snubbing the laws than following them.

I began my climb up the worn stone steps that led to the modernized amphitheater at the top. The cable car wasn’t running tonight since none of Mount Lycabettus’s famed attractions were open. The surrounding city of Athens might be as boisterous as ever, but the silence on the mount was almost eerie. Normally, this was a bustling tourist attraction, with its rich history and unparalleled views of Athens. Now, it was as quiet as the grave.

No demon should be stupid enough to attack the vampire’s highest court while it was in session. Still, I scanned my surroundings with every upward step. Had news of this lawsuit reached Dagon? It might have. Vampires were as prone to gossip as any species. If Dagon had heard of tonight’s events and decided to risk an ambush, I was without weapons to fight him since defendants could hardly arrive armed at court–