“He got over it. Werewolves are exceptional healers,” Damek says with a grin so similar to Dominik’s I feel tears prick at the back of my eyes. “Anyway, I wasn’t quite myself when I did that.”
“And you’re fine now. In the very middle of a vampire hunter’s lair, with me, a traitor to their cause?” I raise my eyebrows.
“I’m not sure I’m ever going to be fine,” Damek says with a show of fang. “Once you’ve seen the inside of the vault, it never leaves you.”
“But you wanted to open it. You wanted to undo all the good work done by Dominik and the others,” I say, my teeth gritted. “And all the monsters around the world who were and are carving a life for themselves out in the open.”
“I did, which is why I set my brother a challenge. One involving you,” Damek says, taking a step closer to me.
“Oh, no.” I flash the knife. “I’m not going down without a fight, and no, I’m not the vampire you said I had to become.”
“I know.” Damek stays where he is, his eyes on the knife. “I know you are not a vampire. It was a test I set my brother.”
“A test? Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with vampires? Couldn’t you two have a wrestling match or whatever it is males do to prove who has the biggest dick?”
“I can see why he chose you.” Damek laughs. “Feisty.”
“Misogynistic, much?”
He gives me a deep bow. “My apologies. I have been in the vault a long time. But I appreciate a consort who has her own mind.”
“If Dominik was around, you would lose your head for saying something like that.”
“I would.” Damek grins. “I probably will.”
I stare at him, a lump in my throat which means when I say the words, it doesn’t sound like my voice.
“You can’t. My uncle ended him.”
“Unlikely.”
“I saw it.”
“Was he staked?”
“Yes.”
“Then he hasn’t been ended. The Király are immune to stakes,” Damek says, as if this was common knowledge.
“Wait. What?” I feel my heart flip over in my chest.
“It’s part of how we were turned and some other reason I’ve long forgotten. But if someone staked my brother, all they’ve done is ruin his suit and piss him off.”
“Why…why the hell didn’t he tell me?” I blurt out.
“He thinks it’s funny if no one knows. He likes to surprise them.”
I cannot believe it. I feel my jaw slacken as I take in what Damek has said. Dominik isn’t dead.
But my uncle thinks he is.
And now I have my army.
Providing Damek doesn’t kill me first.
Dominik
“Stop here,”I growl at Attila, and he brings the SUV to a halt.
