The Wicked (Elder Races #5.5)(15)

Olivia groaned under her breath. “This has become a disaster.”

“It’s perfect,” said Sebastian.

Chapter Five

In just a few moments, Phaedra had affirmed her worth in Sebastian’s eyes and justified his decision in keeping her on the team. As far as he was concerned, she and the Vampyre could tear each other into pieces. Then he could call the Elder tribunal, rightfully claim he had nothing to do with any of it, and they could all sit back in comfort to watch somebody else clean up the mess.

In the meantime, hoping that Bailey was within telepathic range, he said, Where are you?

Bailey said, I’m in my bunk. What’s up?

He didn’t waste time on details. Call everybody who left for shore leave. Tell them to haul their asses back to the ship now. No excuses.

Bailey’s telepathic voice turned crisp. You got it. Where are you?

On deck. Julian’s here.

Do you need me there?

I’ll let you know. Stay put for now.

Huddled into his chest, Olivia still trembled in his arms. He glanced at her, and something powerful and violent surged up inside him at the expression on her tense, pale face. She looked shell-shocked and very frightened.

“It’s all right,” he whispered. “You’re all right.”

“I don’t feel all right,” she confessed. Her fists remained clenched in his T-shirt. “I really want to go to him. I don’t, but I do.”

“Dammit,” he muttered. He wanted to punch something. Someone. He tightened his arms around her.

And somehow, in spite of all that, he liked the fact that she had reached for him when she needed to, and that she still held on to him.

He was a dickhead.

On the dock, Julian and Phaedra remained locked in their standoff, their individual Powers clashing like thunder against Sebastian’s magical senses.

This time when Julian smiled, it was like watching a sword being drawn. “Our Power is designed to draw and trap our prey,” he said. “In a few of us, the trait develops quite significantly as we age. You cannot dematerialize when I have a hold on you, Djinn.”

Phaedra’s expression never changed, and she gave back to the Nightkind King hardness for hardness, blade for blade.

She told him, “I have no intention of dematerializing. I am not, nor will I ever be, your prey. Leave the human alone, explain your presence and then leave.”

Eyes glowing red, one of the ghouls hissed, “How dare you lay hands upon our King and speak to him in such a fashion?”

Sebastian wasn’t very good at distinguishing individual features among ghouls, but he thought this one was female, and she wore the uniform of a captain. The ghoul prowled forward, followed by the other Nightkind, closing in on Phaedra and Julian.

The Djinn’s eyes went supernova, blazing as bright as any other beacon in the night. She said, “You would be wise to listen to me. My grandfather is Soren, first generation Djinn and head of the Elder tribunal. My father is Khalil, prince of the House Marid, the strongest of all five of the Djinn Houses. Do you really want to make war upon me and my associations?”

Sebastian almost wished he had a bowl of popcorn. He could watch the shit they threw down all night. But Olivia’s distress was deep and genuine, and nothing of what had just happened had anything to do with the job he had promised Carling that he would do.

He rubbed Olivia’s arms as he raised his voice. “Phaedra, back down.”

The Djinn’s attention snapped to him, her eyes glowing like lampposts. Clearly not happy at the order, she scowled. Then she snapped open the fingers she had closed around Julian’s throat, displayed her flattened hand in front of Julian’s face and pulled it away.

She had no shortage of attitude. Sebastian would give her that. Phaedra was definitely a loose cannon and, as Olivia said, she was clearly not housebroken, but he liked her more now than he had before.

He turned his attention to Julian. “Please unhand my Djinn.”

Julian cocked his head to one side as he contemplated Phaedra. “I’ll get my hands on you again one day.”

She smiled at him. The expression was a remarkably nasty one, a mere widening of the lips on a very cold face. “When that happens,” she said, “I will not be bound by my word to obey someone else. Then we will see what comes next, Vampyre.”

Julian did not just let go of Phaedra. He shoved her hard. Her physical form flew back in the air, but before she could impact the hull of the yacht, she dissipated in a swirl of black smoke.

When Julian turned to look up at them again, Olivia flinched away, averting her head to focus her attention on the body of the yacht. Sebastian felt again that wild, violent upsurge of emotion, a combination of fury at Julian for frightening her so much and the very real desire to do him damage.

He said through his teeth, “I take it that you had some point in coming here tonight.”

“Yes, I did,” said Julian. “I know that most of your crew are enjoying the many fine things my city has to offer, at places like the Rockit Room, the Red Devil Lounge, the Club Deluxe and the Hemlock Tavern.”

Sebastian went rigid. Julian had specific locations on every one in his crew. When the Nightkind had arrived, Sebastian had taken note that Xavier del Torro, Julian’s second, was absent from the group. Now he thought he knew why. Julian had his crew followed.