2
Marcus
The blood lust in Piper’s face made me proud. Who knew someone so small could be so fierce? She was almost more deadly than any of us combined, especially since she has been training every day.
It made me happy that she has found her strength and place among us. And yet, I worried for her. I did not want her whole life to be violence and bloodshed. Piper was a beautiful woman who, as Wynn had stated, deserved to be adored and pampered. She should not be the one keeping us safe. It just wasn’t right.
“Someone best go with her or she’ll quite literally have Morpheus pinned to the kitchen table.” Wynn mused, surveying his nails not seeming particularly worried about the club owner’s safety.
There was a thud from above and all of us, even Wynn, jumped to our feet. Another bang and then a curse from Piper and we were rushing up the stairs.
“Ten to one she’s already bloodied him,” Drake commented from the back.
“I’ll take that bet.” Allister commented. “There’s no way she hasn’t stabbed him at least. I say she’s cut off a limb.”
Rayne snorted, pushing the basement door open. “Neither of you know our girl like me.”
“We’d know her better if we could read her mind too,” Drake pointed out, trying to shove his way forward. “Come on, move. I don’t want to miss the action.”
“I think you mean, you wish to stop it, correct Draconius?” Antoine called out in his commanding tone that made us all still.
Drake flinched, turning back toward our leader. “Uh, sure. Yeah. That’s what I meant of course.” He let out a nervous chuckle and dragged a hand through his short dark hair. “But you gotta admit...it’s pretty funny.”
Antoine walked between us, shifting us out of the way as he made his way to the top of the stairs. “You will not encourage her. She has not had the wrath of the vampire council down on her and we want to keep it that way.”
“Are they really that bad?” Rayne questioned standing by the basement door already in the dining room.
“I had forgotten you have never come in contact with the council.” Antoine pursed his lips and closed his eyes. A dish breaking broke whatever he was thinking about and turned away from Rayne. The conversation put on pause for the time being while we continued on to the kitchen.
The sight that greeted us was a surprising and yet amusing sight. Though, I would expect nothing less from Piper.
Morpheus scrambled away from Piper and Gretchen as they threw dishes at his head, each one crying out in excitement when one of them hit him. Shards of previously broken glass decorated the floor around Morpheus as he tried to fend off their attacks.
Drake moved to assist. Antoine held up his hand to hold him back. Seemed he wanted to see how it would play out as well.
“I only meant to get a taste,” Morpheus explained as a dish bounced off his hand covering his face. “I wasn’t going to kill her. I swear.”
Piper scoffed, tossing a teacup up and down in her hand, the other on her hip as she glared down at the vampire. “Yeah, sure. And I’m sure you intended it to be the most thrilling thing she’s ever done.” Morpheus opened his mouth likely to lie before Piper cut him off, gripping the teacup tight in her fist. “You forget, I’ve been at your tender mercy before.”
Morpheus had the decency to flinch at her words. “I don’t kill the help. I mean, who would take out the trash if we didn’t have them?” He gestured to Gretchen in a last-ditch effort.
Gretchen gaped at him, stepping forward. “I’ll have you know, I am the cook. Not the trash person. You’d do well to get it right else you end up on the chopping block.” A wicked gleam glinted in Gretchen’s eyes that made even me feel pity for the vampire.
Finally noticing our presence, Morpheus turned to us. “Antoine, please. Call off your pet. You know I didn’t mean any harm.”
Antoine tucked his hands into his pockets and turned to our cook. “Are you alright, Gretchen?”
The plump older woman jerked her head in a nod. “Yes. Thanks to Piper here. Never thought I’d see the day a vampire squealed like a pig at the sight of a human woman.” Her lips curled up into a positively gleeful expression.
Piper wrapped an arm around the older woman and laid her head on top of hers. “No one messes with my Gretchen.” She shot a sharp look at Morpheus. “No one.”
“Yes, yes. Very well. Apologies and all that. I will take my dining elsewhere tonight.” Morpheus inched up to his knees, brushing the mixture of glass and porcelain off himself.
“That you will,” Antoine commented in a tone that left no room for argument. If anything, it seemed as if he were angry at the vampire. The barely held back anger in his tone made the club owner wince and turned promptly toward the back door.
“Oh, and Morpheus,” Piper called after him. “Be sure they are willing victims. Or I’ll know.”
Whether or not Morpheus believed her remained to be seen. The club owner scurried out of the house like the rat I’d always thought he was.