Rilen stepped up next to the king. “If you kill him, that doesn’t get her back.”
“Neither does keeping him alive!”
“Belshazzar, please, let him down,” I said. “Just put him down. He knows this place. We don’t. We need his help.”
“You just want to fuck him,” he snapped at me.
Aikofreakedout.
I had no idea he was capable of it.
His fangs dropped as his eyes went fully red, and his claws came out, stabbing into Belshazzar’s arm, and ripping the skin wide open. He twisted and wrapped his legs around the other vampire’s waist, twisting. Landing on the ground, it finally jolted Belshazzar out of his shock.
Aiko stabbed his claws into the king’s arm at the wrist, and jerked his hand off his throat. Belshazzar stabbed his hand into Aiko’s side, slicing him open and rolling him on to the wounds. But Aiko kept rolling and ripped himself out of the king’s grip.
Belshazzar snapped a hand out and grabbed Aiko by the ankle, and I saw the gun in the other hand.
My sword was at his neck in the same instant. “Shoot him, and you’ve already had your last meal.”
“Put your toys away, little girl.”
“I wouldn’t call her that,” Dorian said. “And that’s not a toy.”
“Let. Him. Go,” I commanded.
The king released Aiko’s ankle and turned to look at me. “Really, girl? A sword?”
“Really, Belshazzar. A sword.”
He tried to come around at me at vampire speed, but he seemed to forget that I was also half vampire, and he’d taught me mere days ago how to move. I stepped, the sword not moving more than a few inches.
I held the blade at his crotch.
“Are you done acting the fool? We’ve just wasted time with this stupidity. Aiko doesn’t want to be here. He has the right.” I pulled the sword away and slipped it back into the scabbard. “Can we go? Can we please go? None of us is sure what the hell is going on, so stop thinking that we’re wasting time or lying. We don’t know.”
He pulled the gun away from its target—my heart—and slipped it back in its holster. He stared at me and growled. “I need blood. Your boyfriend over there did a number.”
“My boyfriend is also in need of blood,” I snapped. “Ask your brother.”
His hand shot out and closed around my neck. “How about if I just take yours?”
“I’m sure your brother would be delighted to let you use his woman that way,” I whispered. “Wouldn’t you, Dorian?”
“Let her go, ass. You can have mine. You only need a damn sip anyway. It’s barely a scratch.” Dorian cocked his head. “And for gods’ sakes, stop threatening everyone. We know already. You’re an angry, vengeful vampire.” He yawned.
Belshazzar threw a punch, and I just turned and walked away. Let the brothers fight. Roran and Rilen ran after me as I ran after Aiko. I caught up to him and captured his elbow to slow him down from his speed walk. “Aiko—”
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he said.
“You had just said there was a reason you were a Lord Knight at Savion’s court.” Rilen laughed. “Apparently, he didn’t believe you.”
“I didn’t have to prove it,” Aiko answered.
“He would have choked you out, and then we’d have to wait for you to recover,” Roran said. “We don’t have time for that nonsense.”
Aiko stared at Roran. “I was a fool to attack him. That was a game for him. He could have easily killed me—killedus.”
“Yes, but if he killed you then he would have had to deal with the four of us, and I don’tthinkhe can best Dorian. You did the right thing.”
