“What is it that makes you so unique, Reagan Somerset? What has this demon come to the surface to find?” He paused. His head tilted. “What has Darius stumbled upon?”
“Blood that tastes better than it smells, if he can be believed.” I rose and turned toward the door.
There was a blur of movement, and Vlad was suddenly blocking my way. Someone in the cafe gasped.
His smile had turned feral. “It is in your best interest to sit back down, Miss Somerset. We are not done speaking.”
Mad shivers driven by adrenaline worked through my body. This was about to get real. Where were the shifters when you needed them? “Yes, we are.”
Vlad’s body loosened, about to make a move. I braced myself, my power pounding within me.
Outside, a body flew across the length of the cafe window. It landed out of sight. The door swung open and in walked the best sight I’d ever seen.
“Vlad,” Darius said in a quiet whip crack of a voice. “Step away from her.”
Vlad’s eyes crinkled and his head tilted toward me, just a fraction. Approval. For what, I had no idea.
He turned around slowly, facing a vampire taller and broader than himself. Of course, that didn’t mean anything. Not to vampires their age.
“I was just speaking of you,” Vlad said, not steppingto the side. “You’ve thoroughly covered her in your scent. Was that by design?”
“I’ve already submitted the bonding paperwork,” Darius said, thankfully ignoring that gross question. “Per the bylaws, she has been claimed until they come to a decision. She is under my protection. You are wasting your time here.”
“I can easily deny your request,” Vlad responded.
“You could try.” The power and confidence in Darius’s voice fluttered my insides. “Of course, you would have to wait for Winston to return from his pilgrimage. The request is frozen until such a time. You know what it means to flout our laws.”
I shifted enough to see the sly grin soak up Vlad’s face. “I have taught you well. Too well, perhaps.” He took a step toward Darius and lowered his voice. “What have you found, old friend? It must be a diamond in the rough for you to act like this. Curiosity is eating away at me.”
Darius ignored that question, too. “Have you made contact with the demon?”
A predatory gleam flashed in Vlad’s eyes. “Let’s step outside.”
Darius pushed open the door, and both men looked at me, waiting for me to go first.
“You try to kidnap me, stalk me, threaten me, manipulate me, but oh look, you’ll hold the door for me,” Imumbled. “You guys are something else.”
“Is that not what you desire?” Vlad asked, following me out the door. Darius moved to my side, placing himself between Vlad and I.
“No. I’d rather be left alone.”
Vlad smiled like he didn’t believe me. To Darius, he said, “From what I can gather, the demon is from a sect known for their ambition. They have power in plenty, and play the game well. They’ve sent Agnon to the surface, promising rewards if it completes its mission. That’s all anyone knows, but the…coincidences are telling.” Vlad glanced at me.
“How does this demon affect your plans?” Darius asked.
Vlad spread his hands. “Not at all. I am merely along for the ride.”
“And the mages in the area—do they have any bearing on your intentions?”
“From what I hear, your people have already started to dabble in the politics of this area. I’ve granted you the professional courtesy of staying clear. I am not meeting with anyone outside of this specific situation while I am here.”
I frowned up at Darius. What sort of dabbling was he doing, and why wasn’t he helping me more if he had connections?
If Darius saw my questioning gaze, he didn’t let on.He nodded at Vlad. “I’ll see you in the lair.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing about this exquisite treasure you’ve collected.”Yuck.
Vlad bowed to us and then reached out his hand. The male vampire melted out of the night and handed over my phone. Before he turned away, I was the recipient of an intense scowl.
