“Lucien!” She rushed forward, only to be grabbed by several guards before she could reach him. She quickly grabbed the daggers from her boots and slashed out, cutting two of them at the throat. She could feel the blades meet their spines, but the bone did not snap. Blood sprayed out as guards rushed them and Livia shrieked.

“Murderer! She brings weapons to my home to assassinate me. Seize her! Arrest Beatrice De Novo. Take her away!”

Beatrice heard Emil shout out over the gathering furor. “Hold, immortals of Rome! Listen to me and hold!”

Rough hands grabbed for her. She whirled, slashing at any that came close. Two went down at her feet, their blood spilling over the marble mosaics on the floor as she severed their spines. Another. Two more. Beatrice cut and kicked at anyone who approached her as she fought her way toward Lucien. He was crumpled on the floor, and she feared he could be trampled as the crowd began to panic and churn.

She felt water dash her face and glanced over her shoulder to see Livia raise her arms to command it. Beatrice raised an arm, swiping the wave that Livia aimed at her back toward its source. As she did, she felt multiple hands grab her legs. She growled and kicked them away. She needed to get to Lucien, but kept tripping over vampires in her path. She looked around in confusion. The hall had turned into a near riot as humans fled toward the doors, but where was Tenzin?

Beatrice reached Lucien, only to kneel down and have four of Livia’s guards dive on top of her, kicking her face and hitting the sick vampire in the process. She screamed and lashed out, but more still came.

“Seize her!” Livia continued to scream. “Seize her and bring her to me!”

It seemed as if dozens of hands grabbed her and tore her from Lucien’s side. She was dragged in front of Livia, but the crowd still churned in confusion and she couldn’t see Tenzin anywhere. Suddenly, Lucien disappeared from in front of her. Beatrice looked around in panic, only to see Tenzin hovering in a corner of the room, cradling the tall man in her arms. She relaxed for a second before they dragged her in front of the screaming Roman matriarch.

Emil was shouting over the crowd. “Livia, you must not do this! She is protected. Do not lay a hand—”

The crowd drowned him out and the guards pushed him back. Beatrice stood in front of Livia, secured by Livia’s guards. The Roman was spitting mad, but Beatrice ignored her as she noticed the new addition to the room. Lorenzo. He was standing behind Livia, surrounded by guards, and his canny eyes watched the chaos breaking out across the room.

Beatrice finally caught his eye and grinned. She mouthed, ‘You’re next,’ and kicked at one of the bodies near her feet. Her boots were sticky, and she could feel the spray of blood cooling on her face. Giovanni’s shirt hung in tatters and trailed thick drops on the intricate mosaics at her feet.

Beatrice no longer cared.

The hall finally seemed to quiet down, and she could hear Emil’s shouts again. “Do not allow Livia’s rash actions, immortals of Rome. Beatrice De Novo is the favored scribe of Penglai Island. She is the granddaughter of Don Ernesto Alvarez. A favorite of those in power across Europe and the East. Do not let Livia’s vindictive actions go unchallenged!”

Just then, Beatrice heard it. The water in the fountain near her quivered and shook in excitement. A hush fell over the room as a gusting wind approached. She heard a commotion in the outer chamber and the smell of smoke reached her nose. Her eyes followed Livia’s, glued to the giant doors at the back of the hall. They suddenly burst open with a rush of wind and fire. Humans around the room screamed as three immortals passed over their heads and the room filled with heat.

Carwyn dropped to her side with a crash. The marble floor burst open beneath his feet.

Tenzin circled overhead, hissing and spitting at any guard that drew near.

And coming through the crowd, blue fire swirling over his body, Giovanni walked. He looked for her, and Beatrice reached out a hand to her mate. Their fingers twined with a hiss as water and fire met, then both of them turned to Livia.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Castello Furio, Rome

November 2012

As his fingers tangled with hers, Giovanni thought that there was no other time in five hundred years of life when he’d had so much to say and so little ability to say it. He linked his fingers with hers as their friends flanked him. Their amnis tangled together, twisting in relief that mirrored the sense of relief he’d felt as soon as he entered the hall and sensed her.

The room was frozen in shock for a few precious moments until Livia screamed out, “Arrest him!”

Giovanni glanced up at Tenzin. She nodded. He let go of Beatrice’s hand and shoved her behind him. Then he snapped both fingers, immediately bringing the fire to his hands. He threw out two streams of flame that Tenzin whipped into a circle, surrounding them, holding off Livia’s guards and causing the vampires in the hall to skitter back in fear. He could hear the few humans left in the hall weeping as Livia bared her fangs and hissed.

She raised her arms, calling the water in the room. It rose up, a glistening shower over their heads, the tiny droplets poised to spear down on them, but then Giovanni felt Beatrice’s amnis rise behind him and the water halted, suspended like a quivering chandelier, frozen as it scattered the light of his flames.

Matilda took to the air to face Tenzin. Bomeni crouched down in front of Livia. Giovanni recognized the Russian standing behind her, surprised to see Oleg in Livia’s company. He met his fellow fire vampire’s gaze and saw the other man’s eyes narrow to a calculating stare. Giovanni’s collar began to smoke as he caught the smell of the other immortal’s fire.