Courts and Cabals 2 G.S. D'Moore (the little red hen read aloud .txt) 📖

also a felony, but it had a much larger connotation to it. By filing that charge against Xamira, they were trying to brand her in the eyes of the world as someone who tried to kill a cop. Something like that stuck to a person. The press was present in force, so even if Xamira was found not guilty, her reputation was likely ruined.

Lilith’s stomach churned with rage as the prosecution moved on to Dani. “The People charge Ms. Underwood with one count of assault and battery, and one count of fleeing the scene of a crime.”

Both sounded bad, but Dani was probably the best off. She could plead self-defense in both cases, while Xamira was going to have a tougher time explaining why she hit the Co-Sheriff of Hamilton County, New York with a Mercedes.

“Lastly, the People charge Lilith Venitas with six counts of third-degree murder,” like a flip was switched, the courtroom went mad.

“Order, order!” the judge yelled as she banged her gavel.

Lilith barely heard her. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe. It felt like a python had wrapped around her and was starting to squeeze. She turned around and looked for her brother.

“It’s going to be fine,” Aden mouthed, but she could see the surprise on his face. This had caught him off guard.

She was turning back to the judge when a flash of golden hair caught her eye. It was just for a moment, but it was long enough for her to see a smug smile, on a familiar face, before they vanished from one step to the next.

“Aveena, you fucking bitch!” she roared inside her head, while keeping her face composed. “Optics,” she reminded herself.

It wasn’t hard to let a few tears fall as she turned back to the judge. Cameras flashed to capture the emotion. It would likely be interpreted many different ways, but she felt Aden nod behind her. It was the right move to start building sympathy with the jury pool right away.

“How do the defendants plead?” the judge asked when some semblance of order had been restored. One by one, the three women rose and declared they were not guilty.

“The People request all defendants be held without bail . . .”

“Objection, Your Honor,” the cabal lawyer finally got to his feet. “Withholding bail for crimes of this nature is unprecedented.”

“The defendants have extraordinary resources at their disposal, Your Honor . . .”

“My clients voluntarily surrendered themselves into custody, whereas the agents of the government opened fire on a man doing nothing but standing there with his hands up,” the cabal lawyer was working up a good head of steam. “Where is Cameron Dupree? Have you shipped him off to some dark hole; some UN black site where he no longer has access to his constitutionally-required counsel?”

“Enough!” Judge Stands Tall cut off the arguing men. The courtroom fell silent as she did what her name implied.

“I find it disturbing that the prosecution has not produced the fourth defendant whom I signed the warrant for this evening,” she gave the government lawyers a hard glance. “Despite their affiliation,” the way she spat out the word made it crystal clear what she thought about the cabal, “it is not commonplace to deny bail for some of these charges.”

“Your Honor . . .” the government lawyer started to say something, but a glare shut him up.

“Xamira Venitas, your bail will be set at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That money will need to be paid in full to secure your release. Danielle Underwood, your bail will be set at fifty thousand dollars, also to be paid up front and in full. Lilith Venitas,” her cold eyes regarded Lilith, and seemed to trace the tear stains down her cheek. “I will honor the prosecution’s request that bail be denied in your case. Multiple charges of murder, combined with the resources you have at your disposal, and even the prosecution’s own failure to produce the final defendant; who I understand you are close with, makes me wary to set you free in society.”

“Objection,” the cabal lawyer was back on his feet. “Why should my client be punished because of the prosecution’s failures and blatant disregard for human decency?”

“Your objection is noted, but my decision is final,” the judge banged her gavel. “The trial date is set for January eleventh,” that said, she rose and disappeared back through the doors to her chambers.

Lilith was a mix of rage and shock. Rage that Aveena had somehow pulled something over on her . . . again, and shock because she was going back to the lonely cell in the depths of the building.

“We’ll fix this,” Dani promised as they were all shackled and led past the press and back to the holding area. “I’ll talk to your mother. We’ll get you out.”

Lilith just nodded as a sense of defeat spread through her. Cam was gone. She could barely feel him through the mark anymore. Dani and Xamira would be out in a few hours, and she’d be all alone. A succubus was not a solitary creature. They built harems and cabals for a reason.

“Let’s go, sweet lips,” the muscle-bound guard, who’d struggled with Dani, took her by the handcuffs and led her back to her cell. “Put your hands on the yellow circles.”

Unlike the first guard, this one did grab her ass.

“It’s only two weeks,” she ground her teeth as the guard gave her ass a firm squeeze.

On the bright side, the man’s lust gave her a jolt of power. Power she might need sooner rather than later.

***

Dani shouldered the door to the conference room open with attitude and a head full of bad ideas. By the look on Venus’s face, she expected both.

“Danielle,” the cabal matriarch was flipping through a large binder. “Please have a seat.”

“I don’t want to