Crave: Shadow Bred Book 4 by Grace McGinty

Author:Grace McGinty [McGinty, Grace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

24

TANNER

We sat around the diner for an hour before someone was sent down to fetch me to stand before the Town Council. I’d tried to make the Manix stay at the diner, happy that Beatrice would protect them—no one fucked with Beatrice—but that stubborn Pack refused.

“If you don’t think we’re coming with you to defend you, then I’d worry some kind of crazy Australian brain-eating parasite was living rent-free in your skull,” Susannah had muttered, which was both gross and endearing.

This Pack was getting to me. The only parasites worming their way into my body were these guys, right into my heart.

None of that mattered right now, though, because I sat before the full Town Council and held in a groan. Obviously, it was a slow day, because all five members had shown up—including Grim. His name wasn’t actually Grim, it was something Raine and her consorts called him due to his penchant for wearing a black cowled cape, and being tall and skinny. And pasty pale.

Murphy leaned closer to Merrick and whispered, “I get it now.”

I gave them a frown. The Town Council weren’t like Raine and Nico. They were traditionalists as much as they could be, most of them being old as hell and stuck in the seventeen hundreds with their ideals. That meant these proceedings were done with some kind of pomp and gravitas. Except Nico, who always looked bored, despite being the oldest of them all.

Raine sat in the back row with Lucius and Judge, who were watching the proceedings. The idea of such dangerous vampires—who made my instincts go haywire—sitting behind my Manix made me feel squirrelly, but I ignored it. I trusted Raine and her consorts, mostly.

“So you hold no remorse for the murder of these two men?” Grim asked, and I winced. I couldn’t even fake remorse for the death of Wilkie and his Packmate.

“No, sir.” I wanted to correct him that they were Manix and not men, but I held my tongue. Talking back wasn’t going to change the outcome of this trial, and I knew it. I knew what the result would be as soon as Grim and Eduardo sat down. Nico and Catherine, the head of the Council, were pragmatists, but the rest? Not so much. They’d have the majority, and I knew the result wouldn’t be in my favor.

“If presented with the same scenario, would you do it again?”

I looked Tomas—Grim—dead in the eye. “Without hesitation.”

He huffed and looked around at his counterparts. “So be it. I find Tanner McCulloch guilty of breaking the covenants of our community and suggest execution immediately.”

“What?!”

“That’s fucking ridiculous! You can’t!”

Susannah and Quinn’s protests were loud, and I almost smiled at their defense of me. Looking over my shoulder, I gave them what I hoped was a reassuring look. It’ll be okay, I mouthed, projecting way more confidence in the outcome than I actually felt.

Catherine snorted. “Unlikely, Tomas. We aren’t in the business of executing perfectly fine vampires to satisfy your repressed bloodlust. I vote we find him not guilty and let him get back to the business of healing.

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