"Probably," someone else answered.
"Cool."
"I'm going to count to five. If you haven't come forward, one of these children will die." The man's voice was low, but carried like he spoke into a microphone.
The other chayot moved silently.
I frantically searched the room for Cindy. Where was she? I'd lost her in the shuffle when the chayot showed.
"One."
Gabe glanced at the man, and I instantly understood he was Gabe's father.
"Two."
"Get her out of here," Dorian said.
"I can't leave. They'll hurt someone." I had to find Cindy.
"No." Dorian shook his head. "They're bluffing. Gabe said the chayot are like divine creatures. Intentionally hurting an innocent would be against their laws."
"Three."
"I don't think he cares about their laws." Anger trickled along my spine and bloomed in my chest.
Gabe whispered something in his father's ear. With the flick of his wrist, two chayot men came up behind Gabe, and held him fast. Gabe fought against them. I saw the ugly fury in their expressions.
"Four!"
"I've got to go. I don't have a choice." Leaving the brothers, I pushed through the crowd.
"You always were dramatic, Oberon."
I slid to a stop and spun in the direction of her voice. It was the Vampire Queen. How did she get in the ballroom? Behind her were dozens of vampires-males and females-Workers and Drones.
"Oh crap," Sebastian said, sliding next to me. All the brothers, except Gabe circled me.
Suddenly Professor Pops and Kenmei were there. "Boys. Snow. I want you to gather the kids, tell them this is part of the festivities, and lead them through the secret door." His intense eyes found mine. "Use your powers of persuasion. Convince them. Can you do that?"
I nodded. I'd have to hold the gaze of every person. "What are you going to do?"
"Stall and then end this. Now go. Hurry."
Chapter 12
The guys circulated, rounding up the students into six groups. I stopped at each one, using my newfound vampire gift to convince the students this interruption was a surprise portion of the party. I just hoped the chayot and the Vampire Queen allowed the students to leave.
"Sharra. Oberon. This isn't the place for a dispute. There is a room full of human children. Let them leave. They are innocent." His voice rang through the room, loud and strong.
"I've given you my ultimatum, Adam." Oberon waved his hands at the students. From behind him, and along the borders of the room, the chayot pulled swords. "Either Snow White steps forward and accepts her destiny, or the accidental death of a human will be on your conscience."
Destiny. The word Kenmei used to describe what I needed to do with the Seal of Gabriel. The same word the Vampire Queen used. I was sick of hearing it. My life was my own. Regardless of what Kenmei, the Vampire Queen, or Gabe's father thought. I wasn't a puppet on a string. My story hadn't been written.
Oberon expects you to die. The Vampire Queen believes you are to be her next body. And Kenmei imagines you to be the one who will restore balance to the Earth. That's a lot of destiny for one person, my inner voice criticized.
I snorted.
Chayot men and women continued to roam along the edges of the ballroom. Spreading out. Though they kept their distance from the back wall, where the vampires stood. I did a quick run through on how to kill Workers and Drones.
To slay a female required sunlight or a stake through the heart.
Males had to lose their heads.
My body inadvertently shuddered.
I had no idea how a chayot could be destroyed.
Dorian grabbed my hand. "C'mon," he mouthed.
I nodded unsure what else to do. We needed to get every non-supernatural creature out of the ballroom. That was most important.
"Have you seen Cindy?" I asked Dorian, still searching for her. She hadn't been with any of the six groups the brothers rounded up.
He shook his head. "I'm sure she's fine. That girl can take care of herself."
And I can't, I thought, momentarily irritated. Did Kenmei, Professor Pops and the brothers believe I was too weak, or too much of a coward to face the chayot, the Vampire Queen, and her followers.
Maybe it's all of them at once, my inner voice quivered.
"Do you see her?" Gabe's father called out.
"Not yet."
"No."
"Negative."
Oberon shook his head in exasperation, as though he felt sorry for what was about to happen. "Five," he said softly.
One of the chayot grabbed a student that hadn't made it through the secret door yet. She screamed as he took her by the neck and held her against his chest.
Oberon nodded. The chayot turned the shaking girl and forced the sword through her stomach. A gurgling noise escaped her lips as he withdrew the blade, letting her body fall to the floor.
"No. No. No. Stop. Stop it," I screamed, kneeling next to her, ignoring my sudden and profound hunger for blood. My canines grew, cutting the outer edges of my lips. I snarled at the chayot. He winced, stepping back, but quickly recovered, turning his bloody sword my direction. Using my powers of persuasion, I said, "Leave now. Harm no one." The chayot obeyed and took off toward the exit. When he reached the large double doors several chayot grabbed him and did something to release him from my hold. I growled, as an overwhelming frustration suffocated my insides, driving my desire for blood.
"Snow."
It was Gabe's voice, soft like a summer wind. I would know it anywhere. I found him. He was near the doors, but still being constrained by chayot guards.
The look Gabe gave me, one of love and devotion, it was all I needed to center my thoughts. The anger within boiled brighter, and I recalled what Gabe once said while we trained, "During battle anger is good, necessary in fact, but it must be controlled." I inhaled deeply.
My fangs retracted, and I rose, my eyes zeroing in the Oberon's. I could persuade him to do what I wanted. Why hadn't I thought of that before? Moving slowly, deliberately, I stepped over the girl and spoke directly to Oberon. "You will let every human leave. You will let the wounded girl be treated and taken to the hospital, and you will get the hell out of Adam's house." I pointed toward the doors as I spoke.
He stared blankly, and I thought it worked, until he laughed. A hearty, evil, irritating laugh.