Violet Forsythe has finally found peace.
She successfully escaped a coven of malignant vampires, worked hard to get an education, and has actually managed to pull herself together.
But, as old acquaintances begin to resurface, the life that Violet w...
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Anarchy.
That was the first thought that crossed my mind.
As I gazed across the room at the broken bits of Aro and Caius, the more assertive and dominant leaders of the three, I knew our coven was about to face a massive issue.
When the leaders fall, a fight ensues. Who will pick up the mantle?
I couldn't allow more chaos in; it would rip the remainder of our coven to shreds.
"Back me up," I barked at the men as I crouched down to pick up Carlisle's head by the hair. I could hear footsteps pounding down the halls; the rest of the coven would be bursting through the door in mere moments. I needed to assert my dominance fast, and gain control over this shit show.
The men stared at me as I briskly crossed the room, toward the thrones.
"Now!" I snapped as I picked up Aro's head by its long, dark tresses and positioned myself in front of the center throne, facing the main entrance of the room.
The men jumped into motion and fell into an impromptu formation; Santiago stood a few yards behind me, Felix and Demetri stood to my left and right, and the remaining guards stood in line at the foot of the stairs.
Moments later, the rest of the coven came pouring into the room, with Marcus, Sulpicia, and Athenodora leading the way. They stopped short and stared at me when they saw I was fully guarded and waiting for them.
I gave them each a stern look before a dry smile spread across my face. I raised my arms, proudly displaying Carlisle's and Aro's heads in my grip.
No one was willing to speak first, so I did.
"We need to talk."
* * *
Marcus, Sulpicia, Athenodora, and I sat around Aro's desk in his office in the depths of the castle.
We had guards outside, of course, but we wouldn't need them. They didn't know who they were answering to anymore, and they didn't want to piss off the vampire who'd managed to overthrow the two largest covens in the vampire world.
It was an accident on my part, but they didn't need to know that.
They also didn't need to know that in reality, I had absolutely no desire to rule. I didn't care for the power, and I certainly didn't want to deal with the responsibility.
So, I was willing to hand the reins over to the people with experience in the career field.
Under very specific circumstances, however.
"The four of us are in a very unique position," I began coolly. Confidence was key. "We have an opportunity to start anew."
"A much needed fresh start," Marcus said.
I gave him a hard look.
The coward ran. He had no room to speak.
"I'm willing to allow you three to have control over the coven," I continued, "because, at the end of the day, we need strong leadership. I'm not afraid to acknowledge my weaknesses. I know I can't provide that for our people long term."
Marcus, Sulpicia, and Athenodora kept quiet as they listened to me intently.
"We need well-balanced leadership," I said. "It's a deficit that has been inflicted upon the vampire community for centuries."
"Yes," Sulpicia said smoothly. Athenodora gave me a short nod.
"Good," I said, "I'm glad we agree."
"What are you suggesting?" Sulpicia asked, speaking on the others.
"I'm willing to let the three of you rule. The structure of our government has worked, for the most part. The leadership, however, got selfish, and greedy." I shot Marcus another sharp look. "That's not going to happen again."
"And how will you intend to enforce that?" Marcus asked. He didn't sound pleased to be in the hot seat.
"Easy," I said with a sweet smile. "I'll kill you."
"What?" Athenodora asked abruptly.
"If you overstep your bounds, I'll kill you," I said slowly. "I'll replace you."
The others stared at me as I let my words sink in, not only for them, but for everyone who was listening in on us from the hallway.
"What gives you the right?" Marcus asked indignantly.
"You are not a god," I snapped. "You are not special. More importantly, you cannot stop me. I have extremely strong bonds with many of our guards - something you lack. They are not my servants, or my employees; they are my friends. I have a hard time believing they would choose you, if they had to pick a side."
The others sat in quiet acceptance. They knew I had them backed into a corner. They may have been wiser than me, but I was stronger, and in that moment, that's what mattered.
"Do we understand each other?" I asked icily.
The new leaders sat in silence for a moment.
"We are entering a new era," Sulpicia said obediently. "A brighter one."
"As are our people," Athenodora added.
I looked at Marcus coolly, waiting for a verbal response.
"This is an opportunity for change," he said.
"Good," I said as I rose from my seat.
I gave our new leaders one last look.
"Don't make me regret this," I warned them. "I am not kind."
