Braen’s pleasant mask slipped, just for a moment. “You have always had a flair for the dramatic, Raziel. What is this about?”
“As I said, let’s go somewhere more private.”
Braen hesitated, then nodded. As the two vampires moved deeper into the garden, Nadi slipped silently after them, her hand on the knife at her waist.
Whatever happened next, someone wasn’t leaving this place alive.
THIRTEEN
The air was heavy with the scent of night-blooming flowers, their perfume almost suffocating in the enclosed garden space. All of them encased in iron rings, jagged metal barbs facing inward to keep them from outgrowing their carefully arranged spaces.
Lest they growwild,after all.
Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the carefully arranged foliage, casting dappled shadows across the stone path. The home of the Rosov family had gardens that were renowned for their beauty, but tonight they felt like a labyrinth designed to trap unwary visitors.
Nadi kept to the shadows. From her vantage point behind a large decorative urn, she could see both vampires clearly while remaining hidden herself.
Braen walked with the confidence of a predator in his own territory, seemingly unfazed. If he knew this was a blackmail attempt, it didn’t seem to bother him. “You know,” he said, pausing by a fountain depicting a mermaid-like fae with an eerily familiar face, “I was always waiting for our bad blood to come calling. I had hoped you would be the one to end me.” He ran a finger along the mermaid’s stone cheek. “I assume you plan to kill me tonight.”
“This isn’t about our old history.” Raziel shrugged, though his voice held an edge that suggested otherwise.
“Isn’t it?” Braen turned, brown-and-red-flecked eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Though I suppose nothing is ever simple with the Nostroms. Especially not with you.”
Reaching into his pocket, Raziel held up the ledger. “This is simple enough. You’ve been running a trafficking ring from your club, selling fae to the highest bidders. This would destroy the Rosovs completely, Braen. The elders of every vampire clan would blacklist you and your entire family.”
Braen froze. “You were involved…” He grimaced. “I should have known that was a coordinated attack. That delicious little creature was working with you the entire time?” Chuckling, he stroked a hand over his smoothed-back hair. “Forgive me for underestimating you.”
“Forgiven.” Raziel tucked the ledger back into his pocket. “Zabriel is marrying Lana. And they need you removed from the equation. This shameful business?—”
“Which theyall know I conduct—”Braen snarled, his fangs extended in a sudden burst of fury. “Those hypocrites! Loathsomeslime! My siblings know full well what I do! What I enjoy! And half those elders you speak of are in that damnable book you’re holding!”
“I don’t doubt it.” Raziel shrugged again. “But I have a job to do. And here we are.”
Braen took a deep breath, smoothing out his suit coat. And let out his lungful of air in a long, heavy, weary sigh. “Yes. Here we are. Volencia’s attack dog has come to feast.”
The words hung in the air between them, heavy as an approaching thunderstorm. For a moment, neither of them moved.
Nadi shifted slightly, trying to get a better view while staying hidden. There was something in Braen’s tone—a familiarity, abitterness. It was clear to her before now that his relationship with Raziel was more than just political, but now it was confirmed.
“This doesn’t have to end in blood.” Braen’s hands fidgeted at his sides. “I can close the operation. Disappear. I’ll give you proof of my death for you to take back to Volencia.”
“And you think a token will work?” Raziel smirked. He took a step closer to Braen, his movements fluid and precise. “She won’t rest until she has reports of your death from people she trusts. Peopleother than me.And do you know why?”
Braen’s expression remained impassive, but something flickered in his eyes. “Enlighten me.”
“Because she doesn’t trust me, Braen.” Raziel circled Braen slowly, danger in every movement. “And she never has. Certainly not when it comes to us. Not after what she did to us.”
Braen grimaced. “And you have the audacity to tell me this is about somefalse wedding.Some political bullshit. This is about what she did to you. What shereallymade you into. The monster that’s standing in front of me. The one who would kill me on a whim. The one who forgot all those sweet words he told me as the sun came up over the horizon. I know what really happened.”
Raziel hesitated as he stood in front of Braen, uncertainty in his expression.
Nadi tensed, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. This was veering away from their plan—Braen was supposed to be distracted by the blackmail, giving her a clean shot from the shadows. Instead, he seemed to be drawing Raziel into some dangerous verbal dance.
“And what exactly do you think you know?” Raziel’s voice had dropped an octave, taking on a dangerous edge.
“I know what she did after she found out about us.” Braen’s hand slid over Raziel’s shoulders, his brown eyes locked onRaziel’s crimson ones. “How she turned me against you. Made me believe your affection was nothing but manipulation. Just your hypnotism at work.” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Imagine my surprise when I learned years later that your gift doesn’t work that way at all.”
Raziel had gone absolutely still, his face a careful mask. But Nadi could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands had curled into fists at his sides. “You’re lying.”
