Fangs of Desire (Book II) (Completed)

Chapter XXII

Emma nodded, "I'll make an oath once this is all over."

She felt tense, it felt like she would never be able to completely comprehend the actual repercussions of the deal she just made, but she didn't feel like she had the time or luxury to consider other options. She had none, and time was running out. Marius stood up.

"I make sure to honor my promises so you will get my full support in this matter, and if you try to back out I will make sure you regret that decision."

Everyone else in the room seemed to be in disbelief at what was happening, but none of them could speak out. Marius reached his hand out to Emma one more time and after a second she took it. He leaned down while holding her hand, it felt like a respectful gesture.

"Cheers for a long partnership in the future."

He pulled back, leaving a paper slip in Emma's hand and heading to the exit. The silence ensued up until he walked out of the front door, leaving it open and not looking back once.

"Emma..."

Dominic looked at her in disbelief, so did Danielle and even Camille. The only person that seemed to keep her cool was Kat.

"It was the only way."

"We could have found an alternative way, we did it before-"

"By stabbing her in the heart with a wooden stake and keeping her locked up for decades, left to rot in a cell?"

Her words were cold. She didn't even know if she was alright with the deal herself, and she was doing her best not to lose it every passing second. That sentence seemed to quiet Dominic down, but Camille started getting mad.

"We have been here since before your grandparents were even born. Just because your intelligence was praised a few little times don't think you are superior to any of us here."

Emma didn't answer, looking up to meet her gaze. Camille looked like she was about to lose her cool and the silence made it worse.

"Fine. Go do your god damned blood oath. It will be a good riddance."

She turned and headed upstairs, her boots clacking on the ground loudly with her angry steps. The silence continued for a while before Dominic finally broke it.

"She doesn't mean that, but you pushed on a sore spot there."

"You made the right choice.", Kat joined the conversation for the first time since they arrived here, "None of our feelings matter here if we can't take the right steps to break Jean out of her frenzy. Not even Jes can do a thing against Jean, nor any other ancient. Not when she's protected and manipulated by some psychotic supernaturals."

"Jes...? The rotten gal?", Dominic seemed a bit confused, "What does she have to do with any of this?"

Emma shook her head.

"Nothing, she just saved my life during my stay in the Underworld, that's about it."

Dominic creased his brows, looking doubtful. He opened his mouth but then changed his mind, letting out a sigh.

"Nevermind... We can talk about that later."

When the tension in the room calmed down a bit Emma looked at the paper Marius had slipped into her palm. It was matte black with a handwritten phone number and a short quote, 'I love the name of honor, more than I fear death'. Emma raised a brow at that, then looked at the number long and good to memorize it, pocketing the card afterwards.

*    *    *

"You can't be serious... You just arrived here, at least rest for a while."

Danielle was pacing around the bedroom in worry, trying to convince Emma to somehow change her mind.