“Very well, Maris. What is this deal?”
“Before we get into the deal, I want to go over something. In town there are three vampires, one of them is mine. He’s off limits. You can do whatever you want to the other two.”
“Who is he to have earned a siren as a lover?”
“I don’t usually kiss and tell but his name is Julian Vale. You touch him and I’ll make you eat each other’s intestines.”
The vampire smirks. “I can see why one of our kind would choose you as more than a meal. Fine, your vampire is off limits. You have our word.”
I don’t know what a vampire’s word is worth but it’s all I have to work with right now.
“Good, then you won’t fuck this up. The vampire you’re looking for is Rosanna. She arrived in town to cause issues for my vampire and I. She started turning people. They’re out of control now.”
“She’s always been the jealous type,” the female vampire hums. “I bet she thinks you stole him from her. You know what they say about a scorned woman.”
“I do but I’m worse. I want her dead and I’m guessing you’re here to drag her back to where she should be. I can help you get her. She’s my vampire’s maker. He’ll know how to find her.”
I don’t know if it’s true that Julian can find her but I’ll figure that out once I get there. What I’m saying has to be possible since the five hooded Varcolacus nod.
“Anything else?” One of them drawls.
“As a matter of fact, yes. Since you’ve all been so agreeable. I’ll tell you where to get your hands on a siren and she’s not like me. She’s full-blooded. The real deal. Blood sweeter than anything you’ve ever had before.”
All five of them drop their fangs. Every last one of them. Jesus.
“And how would you know where to find a siren?”
“Because she’s my family and she’s overstayed her welcome. I want her gone, and you want Rosanna but before you get Rosanna, I want the siren dead. It’s win-win. Do we have a deal?”
I’m surprised when one of the Varcolacus steps forward. It’s the tired vampire who knew I was part siren. He holds his hand out to me. “We do, Maris. Take us to your siren.”
I shake his hand. His fingers feel wrong. Like paper wrapped over steel. I’ve never felt anything that was so breakable and unmoveable all at once. He’s colder than Julian too. Like the winter sea. I drop his hand and point up the hill.
I step back from them and storm back to Julian’s car. It starts when I crank the engine. Thank god. I wasn’t about to ask for one of them to carry me back up the hill.
“Follow me.” I slam the door and throw the car in reverse to pull a U-turn. Someone’s house catches on fire to the right of us and I force myself not to look. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with this town for so long, but still it hurts to see it falling apart the way it is. Damn Rosanna and her shit vampires.
I don’t look anywhere but straight ahead on my way back up the hill. When we arrive, the Varcolacus step up beside me without a hair out of place like they went for a stroll and weren’t just keeping pace with a speeding car.
I don’t bother to park Julian’s car. I just stop in the street and point towards Vesper House. “She’s inside. I’ll invite you in.”
“And you’re certain you wish to betray your family? You could do this? Many humans regret their blood sacrifice once the price has been paid in full.”
I scoff. “My real family’s dead. She’s just an imposter. The only thing I want now is my vampire.”
“I have got to see this vampire.”
I ignore the comment and powerwalk up the sidewalk and walkway to the house. The familiar sight of it doesn’t comfort me the way it did before. I know its secrets now. The blood spilled to make it. The women that gave their entire lives to it without realizing.
That ends today.
I shove open the door. It swings forward with an ominous creak. I hesitate for a second before I cross the threshold. It’s too quiet. Something happened. I walk forward a few steps before I turn to the vampires behind me.
“Please come into my home.”
They’re inside in an instant. I expect them to go off and I don’t know, hunt Isla but they don’t. They stay together and look around the foyer. It’ll be me that goes first.
“Julian?” I call out. “Julian, where are you?”
