Half-Blooded | The Dark Child Prophecy Series [✔️]

Chapter 16.5: Flaw In My Code [Part 2]

"You heard the lady, let's get wild," Nik said, grabbing a billfold from a drawer and tossing it to Gabe as our money for the night. "Jacket or no?"

"It's supposed to be in the fifties, so up to you," Krystal said, grabbing her clutch purse from the glass coffee table as she headed for the door. "I'm not taking anything else. What team is on duty tonight?" she continued as she started down the hall.

"Garth's team," Gabe answered her as he and Nikolas followed.

I grabbed the bottle of wine and followed behind them. I pulled out a burn phone from the family collection to see if there were any new messages threaded to me. The screen lit up and I typed in my security code to my inbox. Sure enough, six new messages waited for me. Four from my mother, one from Marc, and the last from Luce. I sighed and shoved the cell phone into the back pocket of my jeans. I wasn't ready to deal with it yet.

The black suede fringe from my vest bounced against my legs as I strutted after the cousins in my black booties. The white eyelet lace shirt beneath was silky against my skin and plunged down to barely cover the gap between my breasts. The bangles on my wrist clinked against my skin when I stepped up my pace, my arm swinging more with the rush. I pulled on my black beaded choker that belonged to Krystal and then touched my messy ponytail to be sure my hair was staying in place.

As we hit the lower floors and began to head for the main concourse to meet up with the four guards that would be accompanying us, I glanced over my shoulder at the diplomats and politicians in their cocktail attire who were moving about in the lobby and halls. I saw a few looks in my direction as they began to murmur to one another. I paused, continuing to make eye contact.

"That one is Avalon's daughter, the new Hybrid," one of the women in the group said quietly.

"The Prodigy Daughter is a half-blood?" the man across from her asked.

"Apparently so. And she's pushing for Her Majesty to align us with the lycans."

I growled under my breath, ready to turn around and stalk back up the hall to demand she say it to my face. One thing I hated about court: the gossip. They would worry the moment they wanted something from the Crown to find they would have to lobby their demands through me, the one person they judged to be disloyal to the coven. All because of a flaw in my code.

"Seren, let's go," Gabe called from the door, breaking my train of thought.

"Yeah, be right there," I said, glaring for another moment before heading after him.

"You all right?" he asked, holding the glass door open for me.

"Yeah, let's just go," I answered. I hurried after Krystal and Nik as they shook hands with our security team before getting into the back of a black SUV. I paused to say thanks when I realized the tall brunette holding the door was Jenny's brother, James. "Hey, man! I didn't know you were doing security," I said, grinning up at him.

James was Jenny's older brother and also Uncle Alphonse's First Fledgling and assassin. After growing up human in a household of vampires, he had trained himself into being one of the top recruits for the Shadow Stalker Vanguard. After Alphonse turned him, he became a full member. Being chosen as Alphonse's First meant he was my uncle's right-hand man. It was a great honor for any fledge.

He grinned, winking. "Yeah, well, someone has to keep an eye on you kids. Given the choice of either babysit a bunch of lush politicians or you, I know I'm gonna have a bigger challenge on my hands if I choose you. I hate being bored," he teased.

"You make it sound like I'm so much trouble," I laughed.

"Nope, I just know you."

Gabriel shook his head at us. "We've been sworn to best behavior tonight, so you may get more excitement with the coven members," he said calmly, stepping past me to get in the car.