CHAPTER EIGHT

“ Y our Highness.”

Vincent glanced at the soldiers as they greeted him and granted him access into the prison.

His damn prison.

Now that his decision had been made, he was here to deliver notice of their pending execution to his prisoners.

Usually, they would be brought before him in the throne room, but the security risk just wasn’t worth it. Anyway, he had legs and could sufficiently walk in here and tell them the good news.

Good news for the race, not their heads.

And he wasn’t fucking sorry for it.

The Russo brothers and their accomplices had had this coming for a very long time. In recent years, their actions had become unforgivable.

Vincent took the role as judge and jury very seriously. He may be the king, but he had many others he referred to for opinion. The buck stopped with him, though, and so did the decision.

Today, there was only one vampire he wanted to face and deliver the news to even though nine would lose their heads. The rebellion leader, Stefano Russo.

The last door slid open.

“Thank you. Now leave us,” he told the guard. Sure, this would be on camera, and a limited number of staff would have access to it, but Vincent wanted the impression of privacy with those who thought to dethrone him.

Craig and Brayden would likely arrive the minute they heard he was here unguarded, but he only needed a minute.

“Vincent Moretti,” Stefano sneered, sitting up on his bunk. “How lovely of you to join us.”

Vincent stood before the bars and placed his hands on his hips.

“The night your father lost his head, Frances Moretti, my father, warned you to clean up your act,” Vincent said. “I know we all remember that night, despite the lies you have spread throughout the past century.”

“Your father was a murderer.”

Vincent ignored the comment. His father had been within his rights, as per the laws of their race, when the throne had been challenged by Roberto Russo.

“Your father, as misplaced as he was, had honor. He requested the challenge and went face-to-face with King Frances,” Vincent continued, his voice powerful. “The three of you learned nothing that night and continued to charge ahead with your narcissistic anarchy.”

Stefano sneered at him. “You know nothing, Moretti.”

“I know you have put all of us in danger. For greed and power and your ego,” he replied.

“Fuck off. You talk to me of ego—you are a king. You didn’t earn your power and status. It was given to you.”

Vincent smiled.

“That is where you are wrong, Russo. Every single day, nearly ten million vampires accept me as their leader. Every day, I earn their trust and work to keep it,” he said. “That is what leadership is about. Something you have no idea about, and never will.”

Stefano narrowed his eyes.

“The decision has been made. Your execution, along with those of your brothers and accomplices, will take place on the full moon.”

If evil had a face, it would be the eyes staring back at him, while he heard the prisoners around him react.

“Another Moretti murderer leading our race. Your time will come, Vincent. I’m just disappointed I won’t live to watch you fall off your throne.”

Before he could respond, Brayden and Craig came flying in.

“Vince,” his brother growled.

“Your Majesty, what the hell?” Craig said over the prince.

The king turned his back on the prisoners, who were banging on the bars and cursing him.

“I am done.”

He walked past them all and went to spend time with his son. Sometimes you just needed the pure goodness of a newborn to remind you that not everyone in this life was a fucking monster.