One of the men seated at the table lifted his hands above the table and began to clap. “Eloquent speech, Kent. It’s the least you could have done. But how dare you accuse the Council of turning its back on you? That simply isn’t possible. The Council does not issue loyalty. The Council demands it.”
“No!” Sebastian shouted. “The Council has to earn it. And that is your greatest flaw and most vulnerable weak point. You rule over hundreds of thousands of vampires, yet have never earned any of their loyalty. It is why you will fall.”
Alice watched the heated debate, immensely proud of Sebastian. It would have been easy to drop to his knees, crawl over to the men and women who held their lives in their hands and beg for forgiveness.
Another man shot to his feet. Hands pressed against the pristine table, he leaned forward, glaring at Sebastian. “How dare you—”
“How dare you,” Sebastian returned. “I gave you my life. And this is how you reward me.”
“Enough!” shouted Sage. He resumed a normal tone after clearing his throat. “We accept your resignation, despite the ridiculousness with which you reasoned yourself out of an enviable job serving us. However, that still leaves us with two very important matters. The first of which has been a very long time in coming.”
“The question of your birth has finally been answered. You were never explained, and we all witnessed the reason firsthand.” A blonde woman spoke in a low, soft voice. For some reason it drew Alice’s attention more than the people who’d been yelling had. “Do you deny that you are a dragon? A creature not seen by anyone for more than five hundred years. A creature that once systematically killed every human, vampire or whatever life stood between it and its wealth. A creature of war. A creature brought to extinction for very good reason.”
“I don’t deny it. I can’t. But I submit that I am as much vampire as you are. My heart has been with our community, despite its readiness to turn its back on me.”
“The ability to subsist on blood does not make you a vampire. You might be nothing more than a parasite. After what we saw, how do you expect us to call you vampire?”
Alice found her voice. “Because a parasite can’t make another parasite. But a vampire can.”
Gage’s dark eyes burned with malice. “You will have your own trial shortly. I suggest you stand quietly to the side until then.”
Motherfucker.
Alice took a step forward, eyes narrowed, readying herself to call down the wrath of someone who knew how to survive on the streets. Sebastian grabbed her hand, though. Squeezed.
She drew in a deep breath, almost laughing at her learned method for calming herself. Didn’t need to breathe anymore, but a measured inhale and exhale still did the trick. And as with everything else Sebastian had taught her, Alice gave him her trust. He would get them both out of this. She just had to give him the chance.
“I’ve spent almost my entire life questioning who I am. What I am,” Sebastian said after a pause. “With the help of my mate, I no longer question it. And right now, I refuse to let a bunch of men and women who don’t have my best interests at heart challenge me or us.”
“We don’t challenge it any longer, or do you deny that you shifted into a—” a derisive snort, “—dragon not two nights ago?”
“I don’t deny it,” he replied. She thought he sounded rather proud.
“So you are a dragon. And now you insult us by calling this woman your mate.” Sage sounded resigned. “After your envoy had been instructed to let you know that your immediate presence before us was required. Or had you not received the missive?”
“I had. And under other circumstances, I would have requested sanction to turn her before the deed was done. Your executioner knows well enough why I was delayed. Something—someone—more important than the Council needed me.” Sebastian squeezed Alice’s hand tighter during grumbled protests. “I also knew the Council that I’d served so faithfully and so well would not deny me this chance at happiness. That the Council wanted what’s best for the warriors who put the lives of Council members before their own.”