Not Her!

Emory

Lola?

Lola!

The word my father has just spoken fills my head with shock as I try to process what is happening. For the second time in only a few minutes, I cannot believe what my father is saying.

My eyes immediately go to the Vampire King who is clearly surprised by what my father just said, too, because he is sitting bolt upright in his chair.

For a brief second, my eyes meet the king’s, and we are looking at one another intensely, sharing a moment of disbelief, sharing a moment of surprise. And in my mind, I am also wondering if I see a hint of disappoint in his eyes as he realizes it is not me that my father is beckoning.

As far as I know, the king should’ve had no idea which of us was Lola, but with that reaction, I am thinking he must have. But then, he is an intelligent leader who has been the king of Crimson Peak for decades. His youthful looks are a common deception amongst vampires; he is old and wise. He must know his enemies well.

He must know that Lola is my little sister’s name, but for a moment, I am wondering if my father knows that. Has he accidentally called out the wrong name?

I look to my mother and see that her smile has widened.

Suddenly, it all becomes clear. Yes, my father did mean to say my little sister’s name. His motherless child, the one who was born to him from a scullery maid who allegedly died in childbirth, though now that I am questioning everything, I have to wonder if that is the truth.

As Lola’s sweaty palm starts to leave mine, I am too terrified to let her go. I can see on the king’s face that he is unimpressed with my father’s offer. Lola is a child. What in the world would a vampire want with a child?

But as Lola steps forward on shaking legs and goes to my father, the Alpha of Moonrake pack begins to explain.

“I know she’s young, but she’s a good girl.” Father puts his arm around Lola’s shoulders, and she begins to cry loudly. I step forward, wanting to go to her, but Coit reaches out and lashes onto my arm. I feel Darius’s presence right behind me as well. They don’t want me to interfere.

Father continues. “She’s intelligent and strong. She’s a hard worker. You’ll see. Really. And… if at some point you move your designs past simply feeding, well—”

“That’s enough.” King Kane cuts my father off before he tries to prostitute my underage sister to him, and I am at least thankful that the bloodsucker seems to have some moral scruples. More than my father, anyway.

“You want me to take this little girl from you in exchange for the money you owe me?” Apparently, I am not the only one still in shock.

“That’s right.” My father is stepping forward now. He attempts to remove his arm from Lola, but she clings to him. While I can only imagine what she is thinking, who else can she turn to for help, for mercy?

That Vampire King, apparently. “You have two other children, don’t you? Why did you choose this one to bargain with?”

My father is back to clearing his throat. “Well, uh… you see… I only have one son. And he will be Alpha one day, so I couldn’t possibly offer him. And my older daughter, well, he is a strong warrior. Intelligent, a vital part of our pack.”

I feel the weight of that icy blue stare on me again, but I am having trouble processing. My father’s words continue to shock me. My brother will be the Alpha one day? But… I have always been told I would lead the pack.

My head turns toward Coit, and I see that his grin has widened as well. It’s not quite as broad as our mother’s, but he is happy to hear our father proclaim him the next leader in front of our sworn enemy.

‘What is he saying?’ Darius’s voice fills my head via the mind-link ‘I thought you were meant to be Alpha.’

I can’t answer him. All I can do is shake my head.

Lies. Everything my father has ever told me has been a lie. From my place in the pack, to who started the war, to why we have been fighting for so long. Is there a single word he’s ever told me that is true?

“She’s worth the money, I promise you.” My father frees himself from Lola’s grip and gives her a little shove forward.

The moment I’ve been expecting and dreading unfolds before me as Lola completely loses it. Her soft cries turn into shrieks as she throws herself back at my father. “Daddy, no!” she begs, latching onto his arm. “Please, Daddy! Don’t make me go with him. I love you, Daddy! Luna Vivian, please!”

“Lola, stop that this instant!” my father barks pushing her off again. “Lola! I command you as your father and your Alpha to stop this blubbering right now! Show the king that you’re an obedient child!”

“She is a child!”

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them as I yank my arm free from my brother and step forward against my father’s orders. He had told us before we even left that no matter what happens, we had to remain together. Solidified.

But he is the one who threw that out the door when he offered to leave one of us behind.

I go to Lola, and she turns and runs to me, throwing her arms around me. “Please, please, Emory! Please, save me!”

I keep my eyes locked on the man on the dais as I hold her against me. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. I won’t let this happen. I will never let anyone hurt you.” I mean every word I say. I have no idea how I can be successful against a room full of vampires and my own traitorous parents and pack members, but I will not let my father do this.

“Emory!” my father scolds. “Get back in line.” He is looking at me, his eyes turned from the king. In my head, I hear his voice. ‘Don’t fuck this up!’

I shake my head. “I’m sorry, Father, but if you want to leave Lola here, you will have to kill me first. It was one thing for me to stand here and listen to you barter for what I could’ve only assumed was my own hand in all of this, but now, to hear you say you will leave your twelve-year-old here, alone, in the castle of your greatest enemy? I am beginning to question everything I've ever known about you!”

“How dare you say such things to your Alpha!” The voice booming comes from my left—my brother. “Show some respect, sister! As the next Alpha, I command it.”

“You have no authority over me, little brother.” I narrow my gaze at Coit, knowing I could beat his ass without ever even letting go of Lola. He knows it, too. That’s why he doesn’t move. He is only trying to show Father he’s made the right choice for the next Alpha.

With Coit back in his place, I turn my venomous gaze to my mother. “I can’t believe you’d approve of this.”

She lowers her eyes, knowing I’m right. I can’t even look behind me at Darius and his family. If Darius were truly to be my mate one day, wouldn’t he stand up for me? But he’s not saying a word. He doesn’t want to ruin his chances of being Beta one day—Coit’s Beta.

“You are Emory.” The words leaving King Kane’s mouth are not a question.

I nod. “I am Emory Moonraker, first born of Alpha Bernard Moonraker, leader of the Moonraker pack.” I keep my chin held high as I speak. “I’m sorry to cause a disturbance in your throne room, King Kane, but I’m afraid I can’t stand idly by and let you take a child as repayment for the debt owed to you.”

He arches an eyebrow at me. “I don’t believe I ever said I accepted the girl as payment.”

I swallow hard but try not to show him any fear. He can sense it, though. Like wolf shifters, vampires have incredible capabilities when it comes to all of their senses. He can likely see the fine hairs on my skin, not to mention smelling the change in pheromones when I began to realize what my father was doing and terror filled me from head to toe.

“Miss Emory,” he says, his gaze unwavering. “What do you propose I do in order to clear up this debt? Your father says that you are intelligent and an asset to the pack. Surely, you must know quite a bit about the financial state of Moonraker pack.”

I take a deep breath before I decide it is best to work with the only possible ally I have in the room, and right now, that’s him. “I must say a great deal of information is being revealed to me for the first time today, Your Highness.”

A rich chuckle escapes his lips, and while I don’t find what I said funny in the least because it’s true, I am glad he is at least at ease.

“I do know of our financial struggles, and I am unfortunately able to confirm that we cannot possibly pay you such a steep debt, not any time soon. I would be more than willing to do whatever I can to earn the money for you.”

Before he can comment, my father asks me, “Doing what? No one in our pack has that sort of money. We have no allied packs anymore. You’d never be able to pay off that debt if you live to be two hundred years old.”

“A short life,” I hear the man to King Kane’s left say, and they both snicker. My eyes go to him only briefly. He is not quite as tall as the king but his build is much broader, with muscular shoulders and powerful arms. He has a mop of curly black hair that is different than most of the other vampires I’ve seen.

The man on the king’s right is older in appearance, shorter and not as muscled, with spectacles which must be left over from his human life because vampires do not need eyeglasses. He is a vampire, though. I can tell by his skin tone and eyes.

The king is still staring at me, and I can’t tell if I’m meant to say something else or if he’s only thinking.

“What about you?” King Kane asks me, standing. He takes a few casual steps in my direction, descending to the second step of the dais. “Emory Moonraker, are you worth five million drakes?”

My heart stops beating for a moment as I contemplate what he is asking me. Am I worth the money—am I willing to say that I believe a trade for me would be worth forgiving my father’s debt?

For a moment, I let my mind wander over what will happen when we leave here. If King Kane accepts Lola, I will fight. I will lose. Either the vampires will kill me, or my own family will. And Lola will have to stay behind. I’ll be dead. I’ll never be able to help her break free.

If he doesn’t accept her, he will likely kill my father. Coit will become Alpha, and I will be forced to help my cocky, untrained, ill-prepared brother rule the pack. But if my father does live, he will never forgive me for speaking out against him.

So… I can never go home again…. Not to the home I knew a few hours ago before this disaster began to unfold.

I don’t want to stay here. Images of pale, thin, dying feeders come to mind, their lips dry and cracked, their eyes sunken. I’ve heard the horror stories. They live in squalor and pray for death.

Lola’s crying isn’t as loud now. I know the answer I give will cause her to begin to cry again, and there’s no one to protect her but me.

And… now, there won’t be me.

I nod. “I will make myself worth it. Take me instead.” That’s all I can say. He can interpret it however he wants. Am I truly worth five million drakes. No. But… if he takes me and lets my sister go, I will find a way to convince him I am.

I hope my blood is sweet like honey to the king or whoever else feeds from me.

King Kane’s eyes stay locked on mine for another beat before his lips are moving and he says, “Take her away.”