Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1)(110)

“Go ahead then, chérie.” Rahab smiled. “Enjoy it. I know we will.”

Not the pie, Gerlinda! No! The burger has no poison! I leaned so hard against the table that it moved, and I almost fell forward. Gerlinda dropped the fork with a clatter and crammed her fingers into her temples, shutting her eyes.

Good girl! I told her. It’s the second plate. That’s the one.

Panting, she picked up the burger, and Rahab frowned. The pie Dukes hollered angrily at the change, and the burger Dukes raised a triumphant cheer. She held it in front of her face and grimaced as if it were a live rodent. And then, with a deep breath, she stopped crying and steeled herself. She took the bite.

The room went silent. She chewed and chewed, bending over and dropping the rest of the burger on the plate, covering her mouth to keep from spitting it out. She swallowed the bite and placed both hands palms down on the table, gasping to catch her breath. Finally, after what felt like forever, she stood up straight, not looking at any of the Dukes. She lifted her chin and stared straight ahead. She had survived.

When it became apparent she wasn’t going to give them a show, the Dukes went ballistic, standing and shaking their heads, shouting over one another. I slid back into my seat, biting back a smile. We did it!

Rahab raised a hand to silence his fellow Dukes. They settled down and watched as he made a slow circle around Gerlinda, hands clasped behind his back.

“Do you think you are a clever girl? Or merely a lucky one? Hm?” She did not respond, only continued to look dead ahead. Rahab sidled up next to her.

“You were promised one year, yes?” She was silent. “It’s too bad for you that honesty is not our strong point.”

He reached behind his back and pulled out a gun with a silencer, which he placed to her temple. The room went quiet, but the glee from the Dukes and spirits was palpable. Gerlinda closed her eyes, and Rahab’s hand tightened as he tensed to shoot.

“No!”

I was as surprised by my outburst as everyone else in the room. I pressed the fingertips of both hands against my lips. Every head in the room faced our group. My friends stared straight ahead like statues. I dropped my hands, knowing it was too late. I’d condemned myself.

“Which one of you dares to speak out at this sacred summit?” Rahab demanded.

Grabbing the table edge, I stood up, praying my friends would keep silent, unlike I had.

“She’s mine.” My father also stood, wearing a dark expression of stress and annoyance. “She’s still in training. I should have warned her. She’s not used to our ways.”

“That may be so, brother Belial,” Rahab said. “But the girl must be taught a lesson for her interference and insubordination.”

“I agree. And I’ll take care of it. Let’s finish this meeting and get down to our real business out there.” He pointed upward toward the city, then turned and glared at me. “Now sit down, girl, and keep your mouth shut.”

I sat.

“That is not the proper protocol, brother.” Rahab’s tone was as irritated as that of a spoiled child who hadn’t gotten his way. “A breach such as hers should be dealt with immediately.”

“With all due respect, Rahab,” said a mellow female voice. Everyone turned to Jezebet. “That may have been the case when there were thousands of Nephilim at our disposal. With their small ranks now, I personally believe punishments should be dealt at each Duke’s discretion. Kobal wanted his daughter’s to be public. Bravo to him. Belial wants his private. I say we allow it. I trust her suffering will be adequate. A little leverage for Belial, hm? It is his first offspring, after all.”

Rahab snarled at her. “We will put it to a vote! All in favor of immediate punishment for this girl, raise your hand.”

All but the four Dukes at my father’s table raised their hands. Eight to four. We lost. Fear coiled within me. My father stared around at the Dukes, cracking his neck, then his knuckles while working his jaw side to side. I regretted that my actions were putting him through this.

For a moment during the summit, I’d let myself believe I would make it through the night after all. But there was something to be said about refusing to be a bystander. My heart was tender and vulnerable, but even now I refused to see that as a weakness.

“Daughter of Belial, come forward. Now.” Rahab’s eyes bored into me, daring me to challenge him again—something that had probably never been done at a summit.

I couldn’t feel my legs as I stood and began to walk. I wondered vaguely whether I looked as funny as I felt. There was a barrage of scratchy noises in my brain as the legion of demons whispered above me: hundreds of voices compounding like the sound of rushing wind through dry trees.

I came up to the stage on my father’s side of his table, steering as clear as I could of Pharzuph, but it wasn’t far enough. As I stepped onto the stage next to Gerlinda I heard a cough and a theatrical gagging sound. Pharzuph waved a hand in front of his face. Drama king.

“Good Hades, Belial! She’s still a virgin!” The Dukes all gasped.

My father stood, leaning down on the table with fists like rocks and a face even harder, and told Pharzuph to mind his own business. He threw in some colorful words, and I got a clear image of the life he’d led with hardened criminals.

“You think I don’t know she’s a virgin? She’s a virgin because I’ve damn well told her to stay one. It’s the leverage we’re using on a boy who’s proven to be a hard sell. She’s on the cusp of breaking him down, and her virginity will be gone by the time it’s over. It’s all been included in my reports to the boss, so shut your trap.”