Constantine snapped his fingers and Penelope tripped over herself to get to us. She was looking a little pale. I should drink from somebody else. But I couldn’t worry about that right now. She pushed her sleeves up. I drank as Constantine went to talk to his men, still lurking protectively around the Bower. Nerves and anticipation danced in my belly. Once the live blood hit my system, I felt like I could take on the world.

Let me out.

Constantine waited with the others. Elijah elected to stay behind. Everyone else was with us. It was a little daunting. Or would have been, if I weren’t intoxicated on blood. Right now it felt like a game, and, at the same time, as if I were fulfilling some higher purpose. It was heady, invigorating. Terrifying.

Constantine’s guards had a lot of weapons.

And a map of the encampment.

“You knew this would happen,” I said, strapping on extra stakes and daggers.

“I prepared for the possibility,” he said. “The prophecy says you will be queen. And so you shall.”

“When dragon fights dragon,” I quoted softly to myself again.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. Never mind.”

Constantine pointed to an area of the map. “This is the only field large enough for the crowning ceremony. Your mother gets officially recognized as queen tonight.” He looked up at the moon and the length of the shadows it cast on the newly snow-dusted ground. “Within the hour. We have to hurry.”

“Bruno will be with them. The rest of his crew will be out searching for Nicholas. There’ll only be a couple left to guard the Bower.” I let my pheromones waft like perfume, imagined the heat waves of lily-scented compulsion reaching everyone. “No one gets staked. Drakes are off-limits. Understand?”

They nodded mechanically. Constantine just tilted his head. “That’s not necessary, love.”

“It is to me. The bats should keep us covered from Chandramaa fire.” Penelope’s blood danced inside me. I felt feverish, strong, confident. “Let’s go.”

Let me out.

We marched out, trailing bats like Aunt Hyacinth’s mourning veils. Bruno’s men dropped the minute I got close enough to compel them. They didn’t stir, even as we filed past them. I didn’t even glance at them, just focused on what had to be done next.

The bats thickened around us as we crossed into Blood Moon territory. Arrows bit into the ground around us. A bat squeaked, pinned to an oak tree. A dagger hit one of the motorcycles outside Duncan’s garage tent, clanging. A warning whistle ululated over the treetops. It was too late for that. I was prepared for this sort of plan and attack. Ironically, prepared by my own family on the best way to take them out.

I could hear drums and smell smoke and blood. Someone cheered. The tents were mostly deserted, except for the odd bloodslave who watched us with wide, fearful eyes. A dog barked. A vampire went flying into a pole when she tried to stop the first of the Bower guards. Her gold-embroidered sari caught the light. Three muscular Joiik men with long blond hair cut us off and were taken down. A vampire wearing the Chandramaa crest got through three of our numbers, reaching me. He wasn’t real Chandramaa, since he let us see his face. And his eyes.

Big mistake.

I stopped, smiled. Pheromones flung from me like daggers. He paused, confused. I kicked him between the legs and he collapsed, wheezing. I stepped over him, Constantine offering me his hand like an old-fashioned gentleman helping a lady across a muddy street.

The field was ringed with torches and various tribes. Isabeau stood with Kala and the other Hounds. Their dogs growled and snarled at us. Lucy’s cousin Christabel stood with Saga and Aidan, looking nervous. Saga held a Hel-Blar on a chain, wearing a copper collar and clacking his jaws.

In the center there was a small mound, where my family stood. My brothers looked impatient. Even London was there, bandaged and wan. Madame Veronique looked haughty and cold, as always. She was the first of the Drakes to see me. She was part of this somehow and I didn’t trust her. Not anymore. Neither did Viola; I could tell by the frigid dip in her voice.

Let me out.

Murmurs preceded us, like wind on water. I could barely hear it over the rush of blood in my ears, the sound of self-satisfied laughter in my head. I shook my head, willing it away. The bats lifted, leaving us vulnerable for a moment, then lowered again.

The drums stopped.

“Solange?” My mother stepped forward; the pearls-and garnet-encrusted crown dangled from her fingers. My brothers reached for their weapons. It made me sick to see it, but I couldn’t turn back now. Vampires moved out of our way as we approached. Bats and sword points made them step even farther back.

“Oh, crap,” Connor muttered. “She’s going Darth Vader on us.”

I climbed up onto the mound. Madame Veronique came at me, but with a flick of my wrist, bats attacked her, tangling in her hair, going for her eyes. Aunt Hyacinth twitched her veils closer to her face.

“Someone here knows where Nicholas is,” I said coldly. “It’s the only explanation.”

“You don’t think we know that?” Duncan snapped. Blood Moon ceremony or not, he was still wearing jeans. “That we don’t have a plan?”

He thinks you’re a useless little girl. He has no idea what you can do. What we can do.

I pressed one hand to my ear. The voice was stronger now, nearly corporeal. My arm dropped. I wasn’t even sure if I was in control of my movements. Or my voice. “It’s time I used all this power inside me. Time I stopped fighting this prophecy and finally used it to my advantage.”