Allegiance by K. A. Tucker

Julian. “So? What’s going on? Where is everyone?”
    “Sofie and Mage said they had some preparations to take care of. Max is hunting,” Caden answered. “Where have you been?” I couldn’t help but catch the harsh tone in his voice, his eyes skipping over Julian ever so briefly.
    “Oh, we’ve been … indisposed for a while. Julian’s needed his rest.” She giggled with a mischievous smirk. Julian had the decency to blush, all while stealing glimpses of Amelie’s profile, his chocolate irises drawing up and down the length of her, admiring her, as if in awe. I knew exactly what that felt like. I remembered it well. It was the same awe I felt every time I looked at Caden. Under other circumstances, I would be exploding with happiness, seeing them both like this. Now, though, my inner voice couldn’t stop screaming, “Fire! Run!”
    The young servant finished setting up refreshments. I peered down to see what I could force into my body. “These ones are my favorite,” she whispered in a beautiful French accent, pointing to something that looked like a messy grilled cheese sandwich.
    I smiled at her and scooped one up. It was crunchy and filled with ham and swiss cheese and smothered in a creamy sauce. I moaned in appreciation and nodded vigorously.
    “Heavenly,” I said. She responded with a wink and smile that transformed her into a pretty woman. I watched as she quietly gathered up a platter of empty glasses from earlier and began toward the door. As she passed Julian, her mouth crinkled with a smile. “You should eat, Julian.”
    And then all hell broke loose. It was as if someone had hit the pause button and then cut out a few minutes before restarting time. In a split second, the maid’s platter was airborne, glass smashing into the wall, and Amelie had the poor girl pinned to the ground, her teeth bared like a wild dog.
    “How dare you!” Amelie shrieked. She straddled the girl, her savage hands gripping tightly onto her biceps. Of course, the girl was too petrified to answer, staring wide-eyed at the hovering crazy woman, which only seemed to infuriate Amelie. “He’s mine! Mine!” she screeched, shaking the servant like a rag doll, the poor girl’s head slamming repeatedly against the floor.
    Julian stood frozen, his eyes popping out with shock, as he witnessed the attack. Thankfully, Caden seemed to have his wits about him. “Amelie!” he shouted, immediately beside them, yanking his fanatical sister off before she bashed in the young servant’s skull. Amelie fought him like a caged cat, all claws and feet. “Snap out if it, you crazy bitch!” he roared, giving Amelie a hard smack upside the head.
    That seemed to reset something inside her because she calmed down immediately, a flicker of bewilderment passing across her face. “Here,” Caden said, shoving her over to Julian, who immediately wrapped his hands around as if to restrain her. I thought that was comical, given she could pummel him to a pulp if she wanted to. Luckily, Amelie stayed put.
    Caden reached down and gently helped the ghostly white servant to her feet. Before he guided her out of the room, his hand gripped her chin. He held her gaze. “You tripped over the rug and dropped your platter … it was an accident …,” he crooned softly. She nodded numbly. Compelled. That was good. The poor girl didn’t need to be afraid of being murdered each day she came in to work.
    Once the girl was on her way, Caden spun on his heels, throwing Amelie a look of pure disgust. “What the hell is wrong with you? It was an innocent smile!”
    “Yeah, but … she didn’t have to remind Julian to eat! And what’s with referring to him by his name? She’s a servant!” Amelie snapped back petulantly.
    Caden’s arms crossed his chest. “Probably because she knows Julian and Evangeline are the only humans in this room, and the staff is under strict orders from Sofie to make sure they eat.”
    “Oh … right. Sorry. I don’t know