Drink Deep - Chloe Neill [123]
A vein in his neck pulsed with fury. “You will swear your loyalty to the GP,” he gritted out, “or you will regret it from here ’til eternity.”
The doors burst open. “Like hell she will.”
All heads turned back to the doorway. Malik stood there, fury in his eyes, his arm around Ethan’s waist as he helped him into the room. A complete hush fell over the crowd, just before the room erupted in noise and sound and joyful tears. Vampires rushed toward the door, and Malik gave them a moment to welcome their fallen hero.
I took the opportunity to look back at Frank and savor the shocked expression on his face. That expression, after the grief he’d put this House through, almost made it worthwhile.
And then Malik called the vampires to order again.
“Quiet,” he said, and the room silenced immediately. “For your information, Mr. Cabot, the vampires of this House take oaths to the House and its vampires, not the GP.”
Frank composed himself and offered him a dubious look. “And by whose authority do you challenge mine?”
Malik gave back a look that was just as imperious. “By the authority instilled in Cadogan House and its Master by the Greenwich Presidium.”
Frank looked from Malik to Ethan. “A Masterdom that appears to be in some state of disarray.”
Ethan cleared his throat. “Malik Washington is Master of this House. He was duly Invested by the GP upon my death, such as it was. He will remain in that position until I am Invested again.”
In other words, Malik was Master of the House, and Ethan wouldn’t challenge his position.
The crowd rustled with anticipation.
“The vampires in this House,” Malik said, “including the captain of its guards, have proven their worth time and time again. Tonight, we saw their willingness to head immediately into battle, the danger to them notwithstanding, to protect this House. They are brave and honorable. And in response, you accuse them of disloyalty and demand new oaths? I seriously doubt the GP would condone such behaviors. You are hereby ordered to leave this House, Mr. Cabot.”
“You have no power to order me out.”
Malik arched a very Ethan-like eyebrow at Frank. “I have power to remove any forces that are disruptive to this House, and Ethan is in agreement with me. No one would argue that you fall well within that category. You have ten minutes to remove your belongings.”
“I will report you to the GP.”
“I’m sure you will,” Malik said. “You may report that our House is well in order, that it is home to brave and true vampires. Oh—and you can also advise them that Merit has been reappointed Sentinel.”
He smiled a bit evilly, and I had to bite back my own wide grin.
“Take that back to the GP, Mr. Cabot. And should the urge arise, feel free to tell them to fuck off.”
With Frank expunged from the House, the rest of the vampires surrounded Ethan with joyous celebration. As if energized by their affection, he managed to stand on his own again.
When the vampires quieted, Malik put a hand on his shoulder. “This House is yours, by blood and by bone, and you are welcome in its walls at any hour.”
Ethan had once said something similar to me, assuring me that I was a member of his House “by blood and by bone.” Maybe it was one of the phrases vampires used, part of the collective vocabulary, the communal memory, of a people bound together by the need for assimilation.
“When the time is right,” Malik said, “I will hand the torch back to you. In the meantime, the city will undoubtedly have questions. I’ve no doubt the mayor will be pounding on the door soon enough.”
“Quite possibly,” Ethan said, and then took my hand and grinned at Malik. “But if you don’t mind, I plan to use the last bit of the evening to full advantage.”
I felt my cheeks warm, but I was in good company; even Luc blushed at that one.
With Malik’s assurance that Ethan’s apartments were his to use, we returned to his room, hand in hand.
We’d barely closed the door before his mouth was on mine, hungry and insistent. Passion flared and spiraled around us with the magnitude of ancient magicks.
I didn’t argue with