“I’ll be there with the information you require if you will just tell me a time and a place,” the vampire king snapped.
Thad’s face remained as impassive as always.
“We will meet you at the veil to the fae realm tomorrow at dusk.” Thad’s voice rose louder as well. He looked as if the carefully controlled mask he always wore was about to slip. “She will speak with you there.”
She? Alston’s breathing picked up. Were they talking about Peri? Was that bloodsucking tick actually working with Alston’s nemesis?I’m going to kill them all.
* * *
Cain watched Thad and Jezebel’s retreating forms until they eventually faded into the darkness. He’d managed to do the impossible—gain an audience with a powerful djinn and live to tell the tale. Cain was a bit disappointed there was no one of consequence around to see the exchange. But now he didn’t have time to dally. He still had another important meeting to make with yet another surprising ally. Not that he would actually call Thad and his mate allies. They were more like the enemy-of-my-enemy sort of people.
The vampire began ambling down the dark street, not really headed in any certain direction, just whistling as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Cain glanced at his watch and then took off at a speed so fast the human eye wouldn’t be able to track. Despite his speed, his incredible sight kept him from slamming into objects as he ran. He slowed as he reached his destination: a seedy-looking bar in New Orleans. He continued his whistling and a moment later, a form emerged into the glow of a streetlight.
“Your vampires need some lessons in manners.” The fae’s lip was curled in disgust.
Cain chuckled. “Yes, well, baby vamps are still driven strongly by their need for blood. It’s hard for them to focus on being cordial when everything within them is telling them to rip out the throats of anyone within striking range.”
“Regardless.” The male sniffed, pointing his stuck-up fae nose in the air.
The vampire king ignored the male’s irritation. “Do we have an accord or not?” Cain didn’t know the fae’s name, and he didn’t want to. All he wanted was the fae’s help.
“Why should I stand with you and not with one of my own?”
The vampire king fought back the need to snap the fool’s neck. “Because refusing to side with the winning team is simply foolish. Alston’s time is over. The sheer number of my vampires will overwhelm him. But when the times comes, I won’t even need to use them. The wolves are going to take care of Alston’s forces for me. They actually think I am working with them.”
The fae narrowed his eyes. “Why on earth would they think that?”
“It was easy to convince them that when the former vampire king died, the vampire’s desire to come out of the shadows was a fool’s errand. They think I am abandoning those plans in return for peace with Fane and his allies.”
“Do you really believe the alpha is going to let vampires continue to feed on humans?”
“Obviously, I’ve promised not to feed on any human against his or her will. I plan to tell the idiot alpha that I will endeavor to create a community of humans willing to feed us, so we needn’t harm any human who doesn’t wish it,” Cain said, hearing the smugness in his voice. “So, yes, I think he will.”
Of course, there was much more to his plan than how simple he was making it sound, but there was no need to go into the specifics with a foot soldier.
The fae laughed, throwing his head back. “And here I thought Alston was delusional. Humans will never work with vampires.”
The vampire king shrugged. “Wake up, fae, it’s already happening.”
The male’s mouth snapped closed, and his brow rose. “You have humans working with you? Willingly and unafraid?”
Cain smirked. “I wouldn’t say completely unafraid, but a certain kind of people will do just about anything for the right price. Even acknowledge the reality of vampires. Some are working with me simply out of fascination.”
The fae stared at him for several minutes before he finally sighed. “Fine, I’ll take you. I don’t know why I’m helping you. I’ve stayed out of all of this mess for so long.”
“Yes.” Cain ran his tongue across his fangs. “But that was before you were made an offer you couldn’t turn down.”
“I miss my home,” the fae admitted.
“Well then, perhaps you shouldn’t have gotten yourself banished.”
“Whatever,” the male snapped. “Let us be done with this.”
Cain walked over and placed his hand on the fae’s arm. “She said to meet her just outside the forest of the Romanian pack mansion. Do you know where that is?”
“Pfft.” The male huffed. “Who doesn’t?” Then he flashed.
They reappeared less than twenty feet away from a sprite female with wide, green eyes, pale cheekbones, and dark hair wrapped tight in a bun. She looked to be around twenty human years, but her eyes spoke of someone much older.
