Kari blinked. "One of you? You mean vampire?"
Cheryl nodded with a sour expression.
"People like you are the reason I hate Noctem Falls. I do not see you as "my people"; you are the reason I have stayed away," Kari admitted. Magnus wasn't the only one who looked surprised. "It was almost preferable to stay and be cannon fodder for the ferals than return here to face such prejudice. If it were not for my brother, I would have chanced staying on my own."
"That animal is not a vampire; he cannot be your brother," Cheryl sneered.
Kari snapped. She stepped forward and grabbed the woman by the throat and lifted her a foot off the ground. She hissed in her face, showing her fangs. "That animal is my family, bitch. It would be in your best interest to remember that. He has more kindness and light in his baby toe than you do in your entire rotting body." She flung Cheryl across the room where Vin caught her easily. He secured both of her arms at her side. "Get her out of here," she ordered.
Grinning, Vin gave a half bow. "At once."
"My things!" Cheryl protested.
"I will go through your 'things'. Anything that is truly yours and yours alone will be sent up later," Kari said, trying to reel in her anger.
When Cheryl opened her mouth to argue further, Kari growled. "I am having a very bad day! I found my mate with his stomach torn open this morning; do not push me!" Cheryl closed her mouth, and Vin practically half-carried half-dragged her down the hall.
Kari took a deep breath and forced herself to turn around. Behind her, Avery, Bethy, and Magnus stood with varying degrees of shock on their faces. "Sire, I am so sorry for my outburst. It was unprofessional and disruptive. I will return to Level Six at once." She looked down and stared at the floor, feeling more humiliated at her own reckless behavior than anything else she had experienced in her long life.
"Like hell you will!" Magnus shouted.
Kari looked up, eyes wide. "Sire?"
Bethy had one arm wrapped around Avery and a hand covering her mouth as she fought back giggles. "He likes you."
Magnus crossed the room and took both hands in hers. He shocked her further when he began to spin her around the room in an impromptu dance. "Please, if we are to be working together, call me Magnus." He dipped her back and brought her upright again. "She is gone! Thank the gods, she is gone!"
Kari laughed as Magnus twirled her around. "Sire, you are the prince here, you could have fired her ages ago."
Magnus stopped and shook his head. "Not without political fallout. She is an Evreux. It would have been hard to dismiss her without a good reason. If I were to simply say that she got on my nerves, I could have alienated the entire family."
"Well it's a good thing Kari and Avery are moving to Noctem Falls, then isn't it. You desperately need a new personal assistant and secretary," Bethy said slyly.
Avery's eyes were as wide as saucers. "We're moving here?" he whispered.
Kari felt her stomach drop. She hadn't made that connection yet.
Bethy took in their stunned expressions. "Sugar!"
CHAPTER THREE
Kari felt the room begin to close in on her. "Declan. Declan is my mate, and he is a unit warrior here; of course he cannot leave."
Avery stepped away from Bethy and wrapped his uninjured arm around her. "It's okay Kari, we can do this! As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we live."
Kari's hearted
melted a bit. "What about our condo? And your library studies?"
Avery tensed and pulled back. "Where will we live now? I thought the guest quarters were temporary."
Kari could feel the mounting panic threatening to overwhelm her. "I do not know Avery, I do not know." She hated not knowing. She was usually wonderful in a crisis; why was she melting down now?
"It could be because you have had a lot thrown at you this morning," Magnus answered wrapping a fatherly arm around both her and Avery.
Kari winced. "I said that out loud?"
"Yes, but don't worry. If anyone deserves to take a moment to reorient themselves, it's you." Bethy smiled at them.