A Warrior Wedding (The Protectors #7)(53)
“I’m here for the—” Jill started, but was interrupted.
“Step to the side and let these people pass,” the officer ordered.
Jill did as she was told. Tension rolled off Adam and Hunter who flanked her. Steve’s face was even pinched in a very pissed-off sneer.
Getting a little angry herself, she looked at the reporters and cameramen before trying to walk through again. This time, the officer stepped from behind the screening counter and started to reach for her.
“I’m going to put this as politely as I can and believe me that is not easy for me to do especially when I’m staring into the face of ignorance.” Hunter stepped in front of Jill, blocking the officer. “What you are doing is against the law. If she passes through the metal detector without incident, she can legally walk into this building as a US citizen. You are profiling her because she is a half-breed.”
“I asked her a question.” The officer didn’t look too sure of himself.
“Which has no merit,” Hunter replied before looking at a pretty reporter with a wink. “Isn’t that right? You rolling on this?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.” The reporter smiled back at Hunter, then to the officer she held out the mic. “Would you like to explain your reasoning on questioning this young lady when not questioning others?”
The officer gave the reporter and Hunter a dark glare before going back behind the screening table. “Go ahead,” the officer snapped.
Jill gave the woman reporter a nod of thanks before walking through the metal detector then waited as Hunter, Adam, and lastly Steve who stared wide-eyed at the officer showing his golden vampire eyes as he passed.
“Maybe you should do the talking.” Jill glanced at Hunter.
“Nah, I just used up all my nice,” he replied, coming to a stop and looking around. “I’ll end up shooting off at the mouth and all will be lost.”
“I think that’s the room you’re looking for.” The reporter pointed to a room people were filing into.
“Thank you.” Jill smiled as she made her way inside. They found a place to sit near the front and waited. Six men and three women sat on a podium that stretched across the room. One man was talking, but Jill wasn’t listening; instead, she focused on what she needed to say and hoped with everything she had she didn’t screw this up. She started to turn to see how much media was in the room, but Hunter stopped her.
“Don’t,” Hunter whispered. “No one other than you and those nine people up there are in this room. Fight, Jill. You’re not only speaking for yourself, you’re speaking for a whole race.”
“We’re going to open up now for citizens to express concerns,” one man said, drawing Jill’s attention.
“You’re on.” Hunter gave her an encouraging nod.
Steve and Adam touched her as she passed in encouragement. As soon as Jill stood and started toward the podium, a man stood also heading that way.
“Hey, dude,” Hunter called out. “Ladies first.”
The man, embarrassed, nodded and sat down. A few people snickered.
Jill walked to the podium staring at the microphone. “My name is Jillian Bucha...”
“You need to speak up.” One of the men on the council said, looking irritated to have to even say anything.
Her eyes searched each and every one of them and only two, maybe showed any interest in what she had to say and that set her soul on fire adding fuel to her growing anger.
“My name is Jillian Buchanan.” Her voice was strong and clear this time.
“I take it you are the reason for all the media here today.” Another man who sat on a platform higher than her looked down his narrowed nose.
“Yes.” Jill nodded, knowing they were only seeing her mismatched eyes. “I most certainly am and I’m glad I made that call because just getting into this building proved difficult. Only with the help of a reporter was I allowed to walk inside.”
“State your business.” Another man looked at his watch, not even at her.
“There is only one thing that sets me apart from you,” Jill began, taking time to look at each council member. “I love like you. I breathe like you. I even have a heartbeat like you, but the thing that sets me apart from you is I’m a half-breed who has been sentenced to death. As you sit on your platform playing God, I, along with hundreds more are slowly starving to death.”
Murmurs from the crowd echoed throughout the room, but Jill wasn’t finished.
“By no choice of my own I was given a manmade serum to turn me into a half-breed. The serum is making us sick. The only way to save us is to change us, but a new law you proposed and had passed prohibits any half-breed to be changed. I refuse to let my husband, Dr. Slade Buchanan, change me because of this law. He would lose his VC Warrior status, be jailed, and lose his medical license.” Jill’s throat swelled with emotion preventing her from saying anything for a second. Jill swayed, black spots dotted across her vision. Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat. “You have already jailed a highly regarded VC Warrior for changing his loved one, I’ll be damned if you jail another.”
Jill watched as one council member leaned over whispering something to another.
“I am standing before you today to fight for my life. I deserve to live whether I’m human or vampire.” This time tears filled her eyes. Her body was weak and the room swayed, but she kept a death grip on the podium because she was not going down until she finished. “This happening to me means it can happen to one of your loved ones, even yourselves.”