Chapter 40

The members of the Night Council were filing out of the room, their figures disappearing one by one. Hadrian rose to his feet, his movements deliberate as his sharp gaze followed their departure. His fists were clenched, but the faint curve of his lips betrayed his satisfaction. I stayed in my seat, rooted in the massive, uncomfortable chair, my heart pounding like a war drum. Relief coursed through me, though the weight of what had just transpired left my nerves frayed.

My hands wouldn’t stop trembling, despite my repeated attempts to assure myself it was over. It was over.

When the room finally cleared, only Hadrian, Mr. Larkspur, and I remained. I fixed my eyes on Hadrian, silently demanding his attention until he finally looked my way. His smirk was as infuriating as it was calculated, and before I could stop myself, I shot to my feet. He met me halfway, his presence looming.

"You used me," I accused, my glare sharp and unwavering.

"I didn’t use you," he replied with a casual shrug. "We may have had different motives, but the goal was the same."

My frustration boiled over. "Do you have any idea how terrified I was? You could’ve at least told me something about your plan. And who the hell is this Judge Kessler?!"

"Penrose Kessler is my sister," he said, calm as ever, as though it were the most natural revelation in the world.

"You’re kidding me," I spat, my voice rising. "So you knew she’d fake that test? You let me stand there freaking out—"

"I didn’t fake it."

The smooth, amused voice came from the side of the room. Penrose entered through a side door, her entire demeanor transformed. Gone was the austere figure of authority. She now wore a fitted burgundy dress with a deep neckline that exuded effortless confidence. Her Louboutins clicked against the floor as she approached, her eyes scanning me with curiosity.

"I used my full strength to get into your mind," she said with unnerving frankness, "but it just didn’t work."

Her honesty sent a cold wave down my spine. I stammered, "B-because I’m human?"

"Of course not!" She laughed, a sound both sharp and cruel. "It should’ve made your head explode. But after hearing Hadrian’s dramatic ‘I don’t care’ proclamation, I figured you were somehow… protected." She winked at her brother.

Her nonchalance left me speechless. The resemblance between them wasn’t just physical—they shared the same calculated attitude that left no room for compromise. Penrose sauntered past me and greeted Mr. Larkspur with a smirk, while Hadrian leaned back against the table, arms crossed, exuding confidence.

"We should head home," he said, his tone lighter now. "This calls for a celebration."

For the first time, the tension in his posture seemed to ease, as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted. Despite the storm of emotions still raging within me, I could almost envision the same relief washing over me. I had done everything in my power to honor Amara and the others. My only hope now was that those responsible for their deaths would meet the same cruel fate they had inflicted.

"Let’s get moving already!" Penrose’s voice cut through my thoughts. Her excitement was unmistakable. "I’ve got a whole box of Grand Cru’s Pinot Noir in the car." She giggled, her mood infectious.

Hadrian arched a brow. "Came prepared, did you? So sure we’d win?"

"I trust my little brother," she replied, practically beaming. "You’ve never let me down. And you even knew Ms. Drayton saw that vile wolf at the banquet."

"I didn’t," he said simply, a sly grin forming.

"What?!" Penrose and I exclaimed in unison, our disbelief echoing through the room.

"I took a gamble," he admitted, the grin widening. "And it worked."

My frustration flared again. "And what if I hadn’t seen him there?"

Hadrian’s expression remained maddeningly calm. "Then we’d be having a very different conversation right now."

"Well, Gareth would’ve tortured the wolf a little more, and he would’ve confessed. Either way, the result would’ve been the same," Hadrian said with a casual toss of his hand before striding toward the door.

Mr. Larkspur, Penrose, and I followed him, with Mr. Larkspur quickening his steps to match Hadrian’s pace. I lingered behind, walking beside Penrose, two steps slower.

"You’re quite irresistible, you know," Penrose murmured, leaning in close enough to sniff my neck. "I could just munch you up..."

Startled, I stepped away, forcing an awkward smile.

"Relax," she said, snorting in amusement. "I’m not going to bite you. I just meant that you smell ridiculously good." Her gaze flickered with mischief. "Besides, I wouldn’t dare challenge my brother’s possessiveness. I’m not suicidal."

Her words hung in the air, leaving me flustered. Did she genuinely believe I mattered to Hadrian? It seemed far more likely he was invested in my work, nothing more. Shaking my head, I tried to dispel the knot of confusing thoughts.

We stepped outside, and Penrose immediately made her way to a bloody-red Porsche parked elegantly at the side of the council’s headquarters. I paused for a moment, watching her, captivated by her unshakable confidence. Every movement she made carried an almost regal grace, commanding attention.

"Thalassa, you’re coming with us," Hadrian said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation as he grabbed my arm and directed me toward his black limousine.

I let him guide me, my mind still spinning from the events in the courtroom. The door was opened for me, but I barely noticed. My thoughts churned as I slid into the car, the engine purring to life. We began the drive back to the castle, and though my gaze was fixed on Hadrian, my mind replayed the session’s memories.

I studied him, certain that he was the reason I’d accessed those deeply buried memories of the auction night. My stare didn’t go unnoticed.

"Do you have a question," he asked, his lips curling into a sly smile, "or are you planning to keep staring at me?"

Heat flooded my cheeks, but I decided this was my chance to get answers.

"When you told me to recall what happened before the auction... was that one of your abilities?" I asked hesitantly.

He chuckled softly. "Yes and no. You did it yourself, but I gave you a little… nudge."

"What kind of nudge?" I pressed, desperate to understand.

"You don’t need to know," he replied, his smirk deepening.

Of course, he wouldn’t tell me. I muttered under my breath, "I thought maybe you hypnotized me..."

"Do I look like some kind of Dracula to you?" His laughter filled the car, warm and rich.

"Well, how am I supposed to know what you can or can’t do? You’re the first vampire I’ve ever met!" I shot back, pouting.

"Fair enough." He leaned back, amusement still dancing in his eyes. "Okay, I admit it—I gave your mind a little push, but only because I had access to it."

His words made my stomach drop. "Access? What does that mean? Can you read my mind?" The very idea sent panic rushing through me. Had he seen those forbidden thoughts, the ones where I couldn’t resist imagining his hands on me?

He laughed again, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction. "No, I can’t read your mind. But when it comes to you, I don’t need to." He leaned closer, his breath brushing my ear. "You’re far too easy to read."

A shiver rippled through me, betraying every attempt to keep my composure. He knew—he had to know how he affected me. Every second in his proximity heightened my awareness of him, from the subtle shifts in his posture to the way his presence seemed to fill the space.

Desperate to divert the conversation, I cleared my throat. "So, do you have abilities like your sister?"

"No," he said, his voice softening. "My sister is unique. She’s like a walking lie detector. My powers… well, they’re a bit different." His eyes glinted teasingly as he let his gaze sweep over me.

I swallowed hard. My traitorous mind immediately imagined what those powers could entail, and I cursed my inability to rein in the thoughts. My gaze dropped to his hands, to the long, deft fingers that had already proven how skilled they could be. I forced myself to look away, ashamed of my runaway thoughts.

The rest of the ride passed in silence as I glued my gaze to the window, resolutely avoiding his. When the car finally stopped, I bolted out as quickly as I could, relieved to put space between us. But my relief was short-lived. Hadrian caught my wrist, pulling me close once more.

"I’ll give you twenty minutes to freshen up. Dress yourself and meet me in the dining room," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.

"Yes," I replied automatically, my voice barely above a whisper.

Satisfied, he released me and headed toward the castle. I followed, my heart pounding. Something about tonight told me this would be an evening I’d never forget.