‘Raven? Is that so?’
I nod, still shaken. ‘Yes.’
‘But you are – forgive me?—’
‘I’m the heir.’ Yeah, I know I don’t want to be. But still… I hold his gaze, daring him to challenge me, to say what I really am. Useless. Human.
Ira blinks. ‘Of course,’ he says. ‘Tell me, do you like wine?’
‘Yes, I do.’Though I usually drink alone.Ira bends down under the bar. I hear clinking and rummaging. The cage closest to me holds the young man who refused the vampire. He’s watching me. I meet his gaze, then wish I hadn’t. His eyes are dark brown and filled with endless pain. There are puncture wounds on his neck, scratches under the hair on his chest, blood running from the wound in his arm. His genitals are barely covered with a suede loincloth. He holds my gaze briefly before looking down.
Ira emerges, a dusty bottle in one hand and a glass in the other. He opens the bottle and pours the wine. It’s dark red, like old blood, the candlelight waking ruby glints in its depths. I pick up the glass and take a sip. It’s sour at first, then I taste the sweetness of grapes, the heat of the sun. ‘It’s very good. Thank you.’
Ira visibly relaxes. ‘I’m pleased,’ he says. ‘Raven is always welcome here.’
Well, we would be,I think.This is our realm, after all.I drink more, finding I need it.
‘What can I get you?’ Ira turns to Kyle, indicating the caged humans. ‘We have all blood types, plus these two—’ he points to a stocky man who is staring and laughing, and an older woman, her blue eyes glazed ‘—have a little extra added, if you know what I mean.’ He tops up my glass, looking expectantly at Kyle. ‘We have blood dancers, too, if you prefer,’ he continues. ‘The Ravenna group brought their own, plus there’s a few regulars. They cost a bit more, but free range always costs extra.’ He nods conspiratorially. I avoid looking at the cages.
‘Yeah. I might have something later. What do we owe you?’ Kyle nods towards my wine. Ira steps back, hands up, looking scandalised.
‘Nothing, nothing at all. It’s an honour to see you here, really it is. Let me know if you need anything else.’ He leans in close, jerking his head towards a darkened corridor to the left of the bar. ‘There are human facilities down there, if you have need. And we’re well guarded tonight, my lady – you need have no fear of any unrest in here.’
‘Unrest?’
Ira seems about to say something more, but Kyle beats him to it. ‘She’s with me, Ira – what more protection could she need?’
ChapterFour
FEELS LIKE FLYING
Ira raises one scarred eyebrow, then his expression relaxes into a grin. There’s something else in his icy gaze, though, when it flicks briefly to me. ‘Of course. I mean no disrespect.’
Kyle laughs, clapping him on the shoulder. ‘None taken, old friend. I know we have nothing to worry about.’
Kyle can speak for himself. My brows draw together and I open my mouth.
But Ira is already gone, moving along to another customer. Kyle leans over the bar, reaching for the bottle of wine. ‘What?’ He raises an eyebrow. ‘Seems a shame to open the bottle and not drink it all.’
I’m not that easily distracted. ‘What did Ira mean, about unrest?’
Kyle tops up my glass. ‘Do you really think your parents would send you anywhere dangerous?’ His voice is heavy with scorn.
‘No, but?—’
‘And,’ he leans in closer, a glint in his silver eyes, ‘don’t you think I’d look after you? It’s what I’m paid to do, after all.’
I narrow my eyes. ‘Stop.’
‘Stop what?’
‘Treating me like an idiot.’
‘Fine,’ he says. ‘I’ll stop treating you like one when you stop acting like one.’
‘What?’
‘Look around,’ he says, still close to me. ‘What do you see?’
