Morvicti Blood (A Morvicti Novel Book 1) (44 page)

“Everyone, please be seated.” The man turned to Octavian, bowing low. “Your court is convened, Your Majesty.”

“Bring in the accused.”

She held her breath.

From the same door they’d entered the court, two guards escorted The Ripper, secured in chains. She was shocked to see him breathing. The image of his bullet-riddled body in the Murphy Street building was still fresh in her mind.
But he’s Morvicti. I should not be surprised, but will I ever get used to seeing people come back from the dead?

The men placed him in front of Octavian.

She found Michael’s hand and squeezed it. They had played this monster’s games and survived.

“Nicolae Nothusson, son of Irina Drake, your mother and your first victim, known by most as Jack the Ripper, you have been accused of slaying Nadia Grollin, Galene Lupei, Prince Romulus Drake, Duchess Lupei, Duchess Turellek and her two sisters, Jadzia and Judith, Sir David Bathry, as well as three innocent humans. You were sentenced to the stake in 1888 for the murders in Whitechapel. Against the will of this council, Sir David Bathry released you from The Sanctuary of the Forgotten. What say you to these charges, Nicolae Nothusson?”

Jack grinned that terrible grin. “It was your own evil deeds that caused these people to lose their heads. I am superior to you, Octavian. Can’t you see that?” The monster turned, looking her in the eye and sending a shiver up and down her spine. “Your daughter, Angelique, is my Eve.”

“Enough.” Octavian slammed his fist onto the arm of his throne. “Take this murderer away.”

Jack flung curses at Octavian and everyone else as the two guards shoved him through the door on the left.

Octavian stood, facing the eight nobles. “This tribunal has condemned executions, both human and Morvicti, for centuries. We are lovers of life eternal, dreaming of the day all our beloved below ground will rise to walk in the sun above. But I implore you, in this instance only; grant me the old power of kingship to remove the head of this assassin so he can never kill again. Lord Darius Vale, what say you?”

“Your will is my duty, Your Majesty. Always. The bloodline of Vale gives its consent.”

One by one, Octavian asked the others, and it was unanimous in their decision.

“Let it be known from now until the end of time the verdict of this body,” Octavian said.

The man in the red robe announced in a loud voice, “Bring in the executioner.”

The door to the right of the thrones opened, and another man carrying an axe and dressed in a hooded black robe walked into the court to stand before Octavian.

He bowed. “Your will is my duty, Your Majesty. Always.”

“Give me the axe, Executioner.”

They walked somberly together out the door that Jack had just gone through.

The door closed with a loud thud.

No one moved.

Angelique could not breathe. The only thing she could hear in the room was the beat of her own heart in her ears.

Total silence.

After a short while the door swung open, and she gasped.

Octavian walked into the room alone. No axe. “It is done.”

CHAPTER 79

Austin recognized the look on Octavian’s face. He’d felt the pain of taking a man’s life himself. Even the death of evil men left their mark on a soldier—
or a king, apparently.

Octavian remained standing, facing the eight. “What I had to do this day I will remember into my eternity and so should all Morvicti. Nicolae Nothusson. Nicolae, son of no one. His mother was my cousin. The blood of kings flowed in his veins. Yet, our laws rejected him, requiring all, including Irina, to shun him. We called him an abomination. But I say we created that monster. His blood and the blood of his victims are on our hands. We, too, are guilty.”

Octavian took off his crown and placed it on the throne.

Austin heard several people gasp.

“I am guilty,” Octavian continued. “These are my children, Austin and Angelique. Their mother, Katherine, was human and the love of my life. My closest Morvicti family kept my secret, including my grandmother, Queen Roxanna.”

More gasps.

“There is no record of twins ever being born to Morvicti until my children. Why do we shun halfbloods when it is so difficult for any of us to conceive? Should not we consider every baby a blessing from the Ancestors? They are part of us. Austin and Angelique share my blood and their mother’s. Their palms and the soles of their feet are violet like ours. Their hearts beat like ours. Their eyes shed tears like ours. They love like we do. My son fell into his first slumber after being severely injured rescuing Lord Darius Vale’s nephew. When he awakened a few days ago, his heroism returned a hundred-fold. He and his sister and her husband, as well as Dr. Thomas Wilson and Githianna Drake, were responsible for ending the reign of terror Jack the Ripper brought, once again, to this world.”

Four of the judges stood and applauded, the other four remained seated. The audience was as split in their sentiment as the judges, as a little over half cheered.

“For their heroic acts and service to the Morvicti, I implore you to welcome them into our society with open arms. They will keep our secrets and will swear allegiance to our Eternal Morvicti Empire. Grant Githianna Drake and Dr. Thomas Allen Wilson their hearts’ desire to marry. Acknowledge the legitimacy of the marriage of my daughter, Angelique McCord Drake Remington to her husband, Michael Lee Remington. And finally, give to my children, Austin Jake McCord Drake and Angelique McCord Drake Remington, the rights and privileges they are due as noble born Morvicti.” Octavian closed his eyes. “Lord Darius Vale, what say you?”

“Pardon me, Your Grace, before we take a vote I have a submission to this proceeding.” The judge sitting closest to the left of the throne stood.

“Duke Marveaux, what is your submission?” Octavian asked.

Austin recognized that tone from his days in the SEALs serving under him. Octavian was pissed.

“Before we vote on this matter, I believe we should hear the two humans and two halfbloods swear their allegiance first.”

“I agree with Duke Marveaux,” another judge stated, rising from their chair.

Four more did the same.

Darius Vale, the United States senator, and another judge, remained seated. Austin had learned the other judge was the father of Gail Simmons and the husband of Duchess Lupei.

Octavian took his crown and placed it back on his head. He glared at Duke Marveaux. A full minute passed before he turned and faced the table.

Doc kissed Gita and stood, turning to Octavian. “May I be the first, Your Majesty?”

Octavian smiled. “Approach.”

Doc Wilson moved to the other side of the table.

“Kneel.”

Doc got down on his knees and bowed his head.

“Do you Dr. Thomas Allen Wilson swear allegiance to the Eternal Morvicti Empire, and promise to keep our secrets, including the one we hold most dear—that we exist at all?”

“I do, Your Majesty.”

Octavian placed his hand on Doc’s shoulder. “Thank you for your solemn promise. You may rise.”

Michael went next, giving his oath to Octavian just as Doc had.

Angelique followed. When Octavian told her to rise, she stood and smiled.

“My sweet princess.” Octavian kissed her on the cheek, inviting more whispers from the Morvicti spectators.

My turn.

Octavian smiled. “Approach.”

He walked in front of his biological father, his former commander, and the king of the Morvicti.

“Kneel.”

“No, sir. I cannot.”

Octavian’s eyes narrowed in disappointment and concern. “Kneeling is only a formality. The oath is the oath. Do you Austin Jake McCord Drake swear allegiance to the Eternal Morvicti Empire, and promise to keep our secrets, including the one we hold most dear—that we exist at all?”

“No. I cannot swear allegiance.”

“Heresy.” “Halfblood.” “He’s an abomination.” The screams were clear from the audience.

Octavian frowned. “Do you realize the cost of what you are saying?”

“I believe I do, but please hear me out, sir. To me, I was shot just a few days ago in Iraq. I was fully human. Just a soldier doing his job. I died. Or so I thought. I’m an American Navy SEAL. I only swear allegiance to my flag and country. But I do solemnly swear to keep the Morvicti secrets, all of them, never to reveal their existence. I need more time to sort things out. Can you understand that, sir?”

He sighed. “Yes.”

Duke Marveaux stepped next to them. “I have another submission, my lord. I will give my vote to grant the other three everything that you requested, but your son must give his allegiance to us before his next slumber, giving him a mortal lifetime to…sort things out. If he chooses to join us, we will accept him as a prince of the Drake bloodline. If he chooses the other path, he must be sent to The Sanctuary of the Forgotten. He says he still feels human, a mortal. After his last breath and when he slips into his second deep slumber, he will not receive the life-giving blood. He will remain below ground forever.”

Suits me.

All the judges, including the senator, stood in agreement with Marveaux.

Octavian placed his hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for your solemn promise, my son.”

CHAPTER 80

Austin was escorted to Octavian’s private office with Angelique, Michael, Thomas and Gita.

The council had more work to see to and bureaucratic and ceremonial requirements to meet before the official ruling would be given. But Octavian had already told them that it was only a formality.

The decision had been made the moment the judges had risen to their feet.

They had won.

Now what? Where do I go from here?

He looked at the two happy couples.
I am a fifth wheel.

The door opened and two young women came into the room carrying bottles of champagne and eight glasses.

They were both slim and blonde, dressed in matching black pencil skirts and crisp white button-up shirts. They wore their hair in sleek chignons and walked gracefully despite their sky-high black stilettos. Before, he probably would have found them attractive, but now they seemed alien, otherworldly. For all he knew they could be old enough to be his grandmother.

They placed everything on the coffee table between the two sofas. Then they turned to Angelique, and bowed. “Your Royal Highness. Permission to speak.”

“Of course. Thank you.” Angelique’s eyebrows shot up and she turned to Michael with a questioning look.

“The king sent these for you and the others to celebrate the council’s ruling,” the taller of the two said. “He will be here shortly.”

“That’s so nice of you to let us know. Thank you. What are your names?”

The women grinned.

The tall one answered, “I’m Lithia Sevann and this is Christina Drake.”

“You and I are third cousins, Princess,” Christina said with a smile.

Angelique shook their hands. “Happy to meet you.”

“Is there anything else we could do for you, Your Highness?” Lithia asked.

“Oh my God, no.”

Austin enjoyed seeing his sister squirm at her newfound position.

Lithia and Cristina left, smiling.

When the door closed, Angelique shook her head. “That was a bit of a shock.”

“You better get used to it,” Gita said. “You’re Morvicti royalty now.”

With a large envelope under his arm, Octavian entered with Belisarius and three other people. “I see they brought the champagne. Before I offer up my toast, I’d like to present to you Deputy Director Amanda Brown of the CIA, Dr. Charles Everett Sevann, head of the Morvicti’s science division, Phoebe Bathry, and you already know Belisarius as Commissioner Poole.”

They had been told the story about how Phoebe Bathry had helped Octavian and Belisarius escape The Sanctuary of the Forgotten. Phoebe wore a maroon dress and her sandy brown hair cascaded down her back. Belisarius couldn’t take his eyes off the woman and did his best to stay close to her.

Deputy Director Brown appeared to be in her fifties and was dressed in a dark gray pantsuit with an American flag pin attached to the lapel. She wore black-rimmed glasses and minimal makeup.

Dr. Sevann was a large man with a shock of white hair and a beard that reminded him of Santa Claus. He was dressed in wrinkled khakis, a sweater vest with a bowtie, and a tweed jacket with patches at the elbows.

Deputy Director Brown shook Michael’s hand. “My Morvicti surname is Lupei, agent. Duke Lupei is my great uncle.”

“Nice to meet you. This is my wife, Angelique.”

Deputy Director Brown bowed. “Your Royal Highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Dr. Sevann also bowed. “A great pleasure indeed, Princess.”

Phoebe Bathry’s eyes lowered and she curtsied. “An honor.”