Ripper(122)

He cursed up at Quinn, saying what I could only imagine was some truly filthy stuff in Italian.

“She had to know the truth, Marcus,” Quinn defended himself.

I stood quietly, numbly in Marcus’s arms, letting him hold me up.

The queen was on her feet. “You didn’t have to do it in front of an audience, Devinshea. And you, Daniel, you should know better than this.”

Gray looked liked someone had punched him in the gut. He stood silent for a moment, ignoring my brothers’ growls and the crowd looking on. He focused solely on me and his eyes went red. His skin lost its color and I wondered if he was going to lose control of his form, but he didn’t. He seemed to shrink instead.

“Don’t lie to me, Quinn,” he said in a voice that must have cost him so much. He was practically begging his worst enemy. “Is it true? Her emotions were affected by the drugs Syl gave her? She said she loved me.”

Quinn had the grace to look sympathetic. “I’m sorry, but that magic is powerful. It can act like a love spell. She would fall quickly. In bed, she would probably be very submissive. I believe it had the added punch of making both her and her lover adverse to using anything that would stop the intended effect.”

Gray shook his head. “I had a box of condoms in the dresser. I never thought to use them.”

“And she wouldn’t have thought to ask you to,” Quinn explained. “If it’s true you had nothing to do with giving her the drugs, then I’m sorry Lieutenant. You were tricked, too. Your father was determined to have that child.”

Gray’s eyes closed and I could see what it was costing him to survive these moments. I wanted more than anything to walk to him and take him in my arms and tell him I loved him. Instead, I stood quietly, allowing Marcus to hold me while the only man I’d ever loved turned and began to walk away.

He was at the door when he stopped. He didn’t turn around. “Vorenus?”

Marcus didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I will take care of her. I promise.”

Gray nodded and walked out.

Marcus’s arms tightened around me. “I cannot believe you have done this, Daniel. I could believe it of Devinshea, but I thought you would have more compassion than to do this to her. She’s fragile and you seek to break her.”

“I didn’t like it, Marcus, but it had to be done. I cannot allow her to fall into demonic hands.” Dan sighed and braced himself. “If you didn’t like that, old friend, then I doubt you’ll approve of my next move.” He turned to the Council. “I move to declare Kelsey Owens a ward of the Council. If you look in the packets Trent is passing out you’ll find a schedule of her training and all protocols concerning handling the Hunter. When her training is finished, she will hold the office of sheriff.”

“What if I don’t want to be sheriff?” I asked, but no one cared.

Marcus was livid. I could feel it. I could practically feel the emotion pouring off him. “Nay. My vote is nay. We are not the old Council to come in and change a person’s life on our whim, Daniel. How can you do this?”

The King of all Vampire crossed his arms and allowed everyone around to feel his will. Even I could feel it. “It must be done. She’s a dangerous creature. She must be controlled or put down.”

“Danny?” The queen breathed out his name, her eyes wide.

“Master, she’s my niece.” Zack put himself between me and the king.

Daniel stared at Zack, his lips in a sympathetic frown. “She’s also capable of enormous destruction. You haven’t read the files I’ve read. Hunters, when left to their own devices, always kill, and she’ll do it indiscriminately. If I let her go, she won’t be able to stop herself. She is completely undisciplined. She nearly killed Dev just for touching her when she was in that state. Tell me, Kelsey, do you want to be responsible for killing someone or perhaps many people because you can’t control your power?”

“No. You should put me down.” There was a hollow place inside me, an emptiness I was fairly certain nothing could ever fill.

Dan sighed. He walked up to me. “I am not going to kill you. I’m going to train you. I’ll teach you to control the power inside you. You can use it for good, Kelsey. You can help people with it.”

He was talking to the wrong girl. “I really don’t care.”

That wasn’t the answer he was looking for. It seemed I was turning out to be a disappointment to the king. I didn’t care about that either. “You will care. You’re in shock. I’ll give you time, but I want my vote.” He turned back to the Council. “I move to recuse Marcus Vorenus from this vote. He’s obviously emotionally involved with the female in question. As he holds the vampire seat, I invoke my right to vote in his place. Vampire votes aye.”