“But…they’re people,” I said, aghast.

“Prisoners convicted of heinous acts to their fellow man. The vampire that illegally turned them thought their past would enhance their maliciousness. She was right. They are a danger to both the magical world and the human world.”

“They’re like the vampire you brought with you last night? The one that almost killed me because you didn’t properly guard him?”

Darius’s lips thinned, the only indication that what I’d said cut him. “That vampire was the best of the lot and from a previous turning. His inclusion was a test…which he failed. Have no fear; he would not have reached you. Had you not reacted, another would have.”

Something—a vampire, I now knew—snorted near the door. The sound was inhuman. They were all likely in their swamp thing forms.

I wanted to ask just who Darius thought would’ve helped me from across the room, but I didn’t have the luxury of talking back. I had other things on my mind right now. Like the five hungry and out-of-control vampires waiting outside of this room, blocking my exit.

“Why aren’t they coming in?” My voice was high and tight. “Are you going to let them bite me?”

“I am their master now. They will listen to me until provoked beyond their limit. They will not enter this room while we sit idly at this table.” He put his hands on the table, palms down. “They won’t bite at this age. They will tear into your skin. I will not let them do that around a vital nerve, but otherwise…”

He let the sentence linger. It was probably better that way.

I blew out a breath, good and slow, trying to still the tremors racking my body. It didn’t do much.

“Why the hell did Reagan bond you?” I asked. “You are, quite possibly, the worst person alive.”

“I am not alive.”

“That just makes it worse!”

“He has your best interests at heart,” Marie said, finally looking at me. I saw a burning hunger in her eyes. She was reacting to my fear. Her hunger was rising, and her desire with it. I could feel them both. “He is being more lenient than I would’ve been. We fought side by side. I felt your greatness. These parlor tricks are beneath you. And so is that hideous dress.”

“Nope. They sure aren’t. Neither of them are. I think you are greatly overestimating my prowess, here. And my bank account.”

Darius pushed back his chair and stood. “It is time you started your training, Miss Bristol. And please remember, you are welcome to stay here, should you wish—”

“You’re out of your mind.”

“—or stay with Reagan—”

“How am I going to get out?”

“—but please respect my wishes and stay out of the Bankses’ home. While it is as safe as can be at the moment, soon it will be a target. The Bankses would never shift their allegiance, I am certain, but they would be in the way of those who did. Not to mention they’d find themselves in the crossfire.”

“Fine, fine. But that won’t be a problem if I’m bleeding from a dozen fang marks, will it? This isn’t the right way to train, Darius.” I pushed back from the table, my shaking body giving away my utter terror. “I am in control here.” I struck a finger toward the ground. “I hold the power. And I say that I do not want to be trained by you. I do not. This ends now. Get rid of those vampires and let me out of here.”

His expression didn’t shift at all.

“No,” he said, neither firmly nor angrily. He was completely unaffected by this whole scene.

“What do you mean, no?” I hollered. The time for decorum had long since ended. “I don’t want to train with you. I have the power to choose. So end this.”

“Only you have the power to end this.”

I gaped at him for a moment. The other two vampires stared up at me calmly from their seats at the table.

“That is completely untrue.” I lifted my hands and felt the magic slide through my fingers, ready to be used. “You know that you are in control of this situation.”

“Yes, I do.”

“And you also know I can kill you.” I hadn’t known that string of words was waiting to be said, but I didn’t want to take it back. He was needlessly putting me in extreme danger. A threat or two was hardly amiss.

“I doubt you know you can kill me. Which is why we must start at the beginning.” His gaze flicked to the door. “But I would advise against attacking anyone in this room before dealing with the vampires waiting behind it. You’ll need your energy.”

I clenched and unclenched my fingers. Then clenched and unclenched my jaw. Callie had been dead wrong. Darius held all the power in this situation. And he’d continue to hold all the power until I mastered my craft enough to put him in his place.

Which I would absolutely do.

“That’s how it’s going to be, is it?” I asked, my voice hard and rough and reminding me of my mother. For once, that wasn’t a bad thing. “You’re going to put me in your enemy corner?”

“If that is how you choose to view it, then yes.”

“Fine. Fuck you.”

His lips tweaked upward just a little and his eyes glittered. “Those words have much more weight when they are seldom used.”

“When she finally lets out her fire, it always scorches,” Marie said in approval.

I nearly swung my finger at her and delivered the same threat, because she’d put herself squarely in my enemy corner as well. But I resisted the urge and turned away. They weren’t my problem right now.

Still, it would be so gratifying when I finally got to punch them right in the kissers.

“Good luck, Miss Bristol,” Darius said as Moss walked through the door of the dining room without turning his back.

“Wait…” I could feel all the blood drain from my face as Marie followed, connecting eyes with me for a moment before she disappeared. “You’re leaving?”

“Of course. I must strip away all your safety nets. You’ll do fine.” He offered me a slight bow before gracefully striding toward the door. Almost there, he paused and half turned back. “I will keep them at bay for a few moments to let you get your bearings. After that…”

I’d never snarled in my life, but there was a first time for everything. Unfortunately, it didn’t sound quite as forbidding as I would’ve liked.

“You will regret this,” I ground out, anger flaring deep inside of me.

His smile was as slight as his bow. “I surely hope not.”

And he was gone, leaving me in an empty room blocked off by new, bloodthirsty vampires.

11

“I’ve been in worse situations,” I muttered, retreating toward the wall. For the moment, anyway, I was sheltered from visibility by the inwardly opened door. My breath caught in my throat, my panic working to override any pretense of thinking. “You’ve been in much worse situations. You’ve broken into a compound full of highly skilled magical people. You took them out in groups larger than five.” My breath exited my mouth shakily. “But how?”

The answer rose, unbidden.

By running at the enemy and letting nature guide my hand.

I zipped my gaze to the far corner of the room where a leafy potted plant sat idle. I remembered the flowers I’d noticed on the way in—sitting on the shelves and draped down the banister. What I’d seen indicated there were plants in each room.

This house ruled by death was a haven for the natural.

Had Darius planned that?

I didn’t know or care. I had to bust out of here, and that wouldn’t happen if I wallowed in a puddle of fear. I needed to seize the moment.

“Okay. I can do this.” I shook out my arms and welcomed the pump of adrenaline through my body.

I closed my eyes again, taking a moment to feel the energy of that plant, of the wind softly whistling through the window. Magic throbbed around me, alive and vibrant. It collected just above me in a cloud, my organized mass of the elements I could pull from this room.

Without thinking and before I could stop myself, I pushed off from the wall. I’d need to blast my way out, that was certain.