But for now, they were all gathered at the front of the restaurant, an open area that must have been used as a stage for live music some nights. Ivan was facing the men, Nix at his side (as he damn well should be). Sascha and Kai were off to their left, with Cooper and Chaos beyond them, and Alexei and his vampire, Jay, were to Ivan and Nix’s right, with Eric and Wolfe close by.
Jace and Tag were with the men but off to the side toward the kitchens, ready to bring in their cargo when the moment was right.
There was a heady sense of anticipation all around, and Nix drank it in. It was clear the men recognized Alexei and that his presence was a surprise to them.
The men were giving off a lovely perfume of nerves and fear and confusion as well. Not enough for Nix to gather what was innocent anxiety and what was more nefarious in nature, not all tangled together like that, but that would come as Ivan spoke.
Which he seemed ready to do now. Ivan didn’t say anything, didn’t ask for quiet—he just looked on in much the same way he had been. But the men sensed it anyway, their nervous murmurs quieting until there was nothing.
Nix had meant what he said about true loyalty trumping fear, but he supposed fear did have its perks.
“It’s come to my attention that we as a business—as a family—are at a crossroads,” Ivan said, his voice quiet but firm, looking outat the small sea of faces. “I admit the recent years have been…messier than I would have liked, and I take responsibility as your leader for any unease you might have been feeling.” Not one of the men was stupid enough to confirm or deny, and Ivan continued, “But doubt does not allow for betrayal. Not in a business such as ours.”
One of Ivan’s main lieutenants, one of three Nix hadn’t met before, emitted a thick tendril of fear at those words. Nix kept track of his face, aware the others in their group would be looking to him for guidance. Although, that fear had been strong enough he was sure even the other demons and vampires had sensed it.
“What do we do with men who betray us?” Ivan asked, his voice deceptively mild.
Not a single man answered.
Nix’s human was magnificent like this. Immaculate in his appearance, poised and ice-cold, not a chip in his armor to be seen. Whatever Ivan thought about his shortcomings, he had the makings of a leader in him. His father had twisted and turned around his better instincts, but they were there.
Nix would make sure they were straightened out.
Ivan nodded to Jace and Tag, and they went back to the kitchens, returning with Sergei, gagged and bound once again to a steel chair. The man had certainly seen better days—he was bruised and battered, a makeshift tourniquet around his arm where Kai had presumably sliced into him. Nix loved to see it. He’d have loved to seen him torn apart by wild dogs, to be honest, although he didn’t think that sort of punishment was quite the rage anymore.
Nix had no sympathy for the one who’d hurt Ivan so, both as a child and as a man.
Sergei’s appearance finally lifted the silence, the men murmuring among themselves. There were several more sharp spikes of fear, some tinged heavily with guilt. Nix clocked them all.
“Sergei here didn’t like the direction I was leading us in,” Ivan announce coolly. “But we’re making changes, heading toward the future. We no longer have the time or patience for small-minded bigotry holding us back.” Ivan’s hand came to rest on Nix’s lower back, and Nix slid an arm around his waist, settling in close, grinning sharply at the crowd as he nuzzled into Ivan.
He scented the shock coming from the crowd at the little display of intimacy. No surprise there. There was some disgust too, and Nix kept close track of where that came from.
“I’m giving those who haven’t acted in secrecy a chance to walk away if we’re no longer a fit,” Ivan announced, his hand stroking Nix’s back. “For those that remain, my new priority will be making sure we’re all well provided for. Secure and safe. But for those who went behind my back, who thought to betray my family…” He narrowed his eyes, the first sign of his anger. “You may have thought we were weak and fractured, that it was a good time to strike. But as you can see, my brothers stand beside me still, and we’ve gathered new allies, ones I doubt any of you have the gall to cross.”
That was the signal. All those among their group who could change forms did, Nix included. There was a cacophony from the crowd of men, curses and shouts. Nix supposed it was to be expected. Kai was a giant blue monster, after all, and even the vampires were intimidating, with their black eyes and fangs. And while Nix personally thought Chaos was adorable in his demon form, with his black feathered wings and monkey-like tail, he supposed others might find it…intimidating.
“What the fuck is this, Ivan?” one of the men Nix had clocked as a traitor yelled, his gun drawn.
“Why, Gregor,” Ivan purred, still stroking Nix’s back, Nix’s tail curling around his calf. “What the fuck does it look like?”
“It looks like fucking—fucking Halloween tricks,” Gregor protested, all indignation and false bravado, even as Nix breathedin the ripe stench of fear off of him. “A smoke screen. You think this is enough to scare us off?”
“For fuck’s sake,” Wolfe murmured. In a flash, he was off into the crowd, grabbing the dissenter and tearing his throat out with his teeth, leaving the man to bleed all over the floor. Before human eyes could register it, he was in front of Sergei’s chair, serving him the same.
Well.
Apparently Chaos hadn’t been the loose cannon to worry about.
There was a sliding sound and a thump, and there was Sascha unconscious. Kai had him over his shoulder in an instant, growling curses at Wolfe. Meanwhile, the crowd was registering the dead men in their midst, and the blood all over Wolfe’s fanged face.
There was a surprisingly high-pitched scream. “What the fuckwasthat?”
Wolfe ignored the crowd, turning back to his companions, blood all over his bespoke suit. When he found Ivan and Alexei glaring at him, he arched a brow. “Wasn’t that the point of identifying the traitors? So we could do away with them? Eric and I have places to be.”
His words served as a cue for another one of the traitors to attempt to flee, and then it was Chaos leaping into action, knocking him on the floor and slicing through his chest with his talons.
Cooper yelped at the sight, shutting his eyes behind his glasses, but he didn’t pass out, so Nix had to give him points for that.
