Chapter 69

“Just who the fuck do you think you are?” Xavier demanded.

“The evening’s entertainment, remember?” He jerked his head toward the cage. “And if you don’t want to end up looking like a Picasso, I suggest you get in there where I can keep an eye on you.”

Xavier looked over his shoulder to Jesse and then back to Gideon, like he was weighing his options. The humans around him shifted, looking at the cage in disgust, but nobody made a move. Cristi clung to Xavier’s arm, genuine fear reflected on her face.

“You’re going to regret this,” Xavier warned, leading his wife into the cage.

Flashes of strobing scarlet danced behind the drawn curtains, followed by the distant sounds of doors slamming. Gideon caught Jesse’s eye and nodded toward the door before nudging the nearest human with the blunt end of his stake.

“It’s going to be hard for you to do anything when you’re behind bars. And I don’t mean these.”