The Vampire's Fated

Chapter 11

EMMETT

I reached the bottom of the stairs and stared at the man who caused all this.

They chained Marshall to the wall of the foyer. His eyes were blood red as he glared at me.

I move toward him but stop in the center of the room and growl. “Everyone gather around,” I shout.

Everyone comes around and stares. A few people murmured, wondering what the hell was going on.

“Quiet,” I growled, making the whole foyer go quiet. My eyes scan around. “You may wonder why Marshall is chained here,” I said. “As he mentioned before, I have a human here.”

Murmurs erupted around as I circled, but I ignored them and continued. I knew I had to tell them the truth.

My eyes scan around. “It is true,” I said. “I have got a human girl here. But there is a reason. Fifteen years ago, I met my mate.”

There were some shocked expressions, but some were confused. “You found your mate!” one shouted. “You lie. Why would you wait for so long to claim her?”

I growl.

“I will answer all questions,” I shouted, but my eyes went to Marshall. “I couldn’t claim her because my mate was too young to be claimed when I found out. I had to hide in the shadows and watch her.”

My eyes darted around as I carried on. “I had to watch her live her life—” I said, but someone started laughing.

“Oh, how sad!” Marshall chuckled, making me turn around and glare at him. “We don’t care about your pathetic human mate, and if you hadn’t stopped me, I would have drank her.”

I growl as I stroll toward him; my fangs prod through, but he continues.

“You are not in charge of us,” he gritted out. “Not anymore. You can’t control everyone here. We don’t have to follow your rules, not anymore. We’re vampires, not your slaves or people you can walk all over.”

Growls erupted around the foyer as I stopped in front of Marshall. His eyes bore back as anger flared. “No one will stand by and let you kill me,” he growled.

“We will see,” I grit as I lunge at him and grip his shoulders, forcing him to the ground, to his knees.

I looked around; everyone was glaring at me. I didn’t care, but they needed to learn I was in charge. “ENOUGH!” I shouted, anger fueling my veins. “Does anyone else believe everything spewed out of Marshall’s mouth?”

Looking around, there were a few nodding their heads, which only made my anger grow. “Fine,” I growled. I move back and let go of Marshall and step back. He stays still and where he is, as a smirk inched the corners of his lips.

“You think I will let all of you leave?” I growl, making them all tense. “I won’t. There are rules in place, so no one knows about us. I give you blood when there are no humans around. I keep us and even live amongst the humans. Most of you have lives outside here amongst them.”

My eyes lingered between a few as I noticed a few people were changing their minds. “I opened my home to you all,” I growled. “I made this a place where you can all feel safe, and I have never made out I am your boss or leader. I use my own funds to help you all. To keep a roof over your heads. Make sure there are enough blood bags.”

I turn to look at Marshall and glare. “And you,” I gritted. “I opened my home to you and your sister. I made sure you had blood and a place to stay, especially when the hunters were after you. Who killed them?”

Marshall stared at me blankly. I knew I had him. Hunters chased him and his sister here, which led to Gage and me killing them. They were weak from hunger when they arrived. I gave them a room each and food.

After he had arrived, he kept to himself and withdrawn. Over the years, he distanced himself. I never flashed my money around. I made sure no one knew what I had or where I kept it. That was my business, no one else’s.

I move my head to the side and step toward him. “Why?” I asked. “Why go against the person who helped you?”

“Because it should be all mine,” he spat as he tried to lunge at me, but I moved back as the chains held him in place. He falls to his knees and growls. “I should be the one with all the money. Why use it to help others? Why not kill humans and take over their lands? We should have everything.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded. Was he living in a different decade or planet? He believed everything he just said. Looking around the foyer and glancing at the others, I could tell everyone had changed their minds and shook their heads, not listening to his bumblings. They weren’t taking him seriously anymore.

“What happened tonight?” I asked, going with my gut. He had to have started what happened at that party. “Did you start what happened?”

Marshall grinned and leaned back on his heels. “It took one little thought,” he said, looking around. “One little saying that they could drink whoever they wanted, and they did. I knew mumbling in some ears and getting them to do what we were supposed to. We are killers, not humans. They are our food. We should get to eat what we want.”

Marshall looks back at me as his face hardens. “You put a stop to that,” he growled. “You make us be part of the human community than have them as—”

“We don’t need to eat them, brother,” someone said as I looked over my shoulder at his sister—Rosemary. She looked dressed to go out, but her face held more. “We can live a life alongside them. That is what Emmett has been trying to do.”

“Why would you take his side?” he growls. “I’m your brother.”

Rosemary steps closer and looks at him. “You are my brother,” she whispers as a lone tear escapes. “I know what Emmett has to do, and I agree. You have never followed his rules. I have. I want to live amongst the humans. I want to live and even find my mate.”

Her eyes met mine as they softened slightly, but she looked back at him again. “You only see power and money as a thing to make everyone fear you,” she said.

That makes total sense. It explains why he acted like this. This isn’t the first time he has stepped out of line, and many times I let it slide, but I can’t now. Not after he threatened Lena’s life.

I stepped away and walked around him till I stood behind him. Rosemary moved and knelt down, placing a kiss on his cheek. “I love you, brother,” she murmurs. “I can’t let you carry on doing what you are doing. You tried to kill his mate, and that is one thing I won’t stand for.”

Rosemary got up and looked at me. I gave her a nod. She turns and walks away.

Marshall looks around. “What you all going to follow, this asshole?” he growls.

I kick the back of his knees, making him fall on the ground, and place my hands on either side of his head, but I lean close to his ear. “You should have never threatened what is mine,” I growl and move up, snapping his neck with one motion.

His body falls, and I throw his head to the ground, looking around at everyone. “I am stating this,” I shouted. “If anyone doesn’t follow the rules of this compound, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Fear ripples through the air as I continue. “If anyone goes near my mate,” I growl. “Or threatens her, or even tries anything with her without my say-so, I will kill you.”

There was silence as I stared at everyone.

Gage stood on the stairs. His eyes were on me. I could tell he blamed himself for what happened to Lena.

“Now, go to your rooms,” I shouted. “I will set up an emergency meeting later today to let you know what is happening with the blood moon.”

I watch as everyone disperses and walks away. A few murmurs escape, but I ignore them as I walk toward the stairs. But I get stopped by Gage.

His eyes grim. “I won’t go up there,” he said, but I growled as I tried to pass him, but he pushed me back.

I attempted a few times, but he stopped. “What the hell, Gage?” I growled. “I want to see—”

“She doesn’t want to see you,” he said, cutting me off. My eyes stayed on him as he sighed. His eyes softened. “While you dealt with Marshall, Whitney, and Sasha tried to calm her down. But she had a cut on her knee, which made Sasha reveal who she was.”

I close my eyes. This s**t isn’t happening.

“What?” I grit, opening my eyes and looking toward the stairs where Sasha and Whitney stood. Concern plastered as they looked at me, then back at my bedroom door.

“She screamed at them,” he said, making me look at them. “She told them she wanted to leave. Whitney told her she needed to calm down when she tried, which only made things worse.”

“I tried,” Whitney blurts, making me look up at her as she moves toward me. “She knows we are vampires. And you are someone who took advantage.”

I growled.

“I didn’t,” I muttered. “I need to explain to—”

“I won’t,” Sasha said, sounding defeated. “She needs space.”

My eyes go to where they came from, but I felt their eyes on me. “Emmett,” Gage whispered. “Let her be for tonight. It’s too much to sink in. Maybe try tomorrow.”

I frown.

Whitney placed her hand on my arm, making me look at her. “She just learned that monsters exist,” she murmured. “Marshall nearly fed on her, and she also saw your true self. It is a lot to take in. Not to mention what happened before, being with you. She hasn’t been with anyone since—”

“Don’t say his f*****g name,” I gritted, cutting her off.

There was silence between us. I knew they were right. I had to let her calm down for a while. I will give her that, but how long?