Page 35

Why did nobody listen to my warnings? Even now, he still thought he had a chance. “This will end badly for you.”

Another shake.

I already had him pinned, and he knew I was a whole lot stronger than him, but he still refused to surrender. “You’re not leaving me much choice.”

Another shake.

“Gah!” Zee barked.

I twisted, and spotted how Zee’s vampire had hold of Zee’s leg, trying to sink its fangs into his shin.

The vampire moving closer hunkered and leaped.

Was it unfair to tease them? Maybe.

I rolled off Ingo, escaping the incoming vampire who landed in my place and slammed Ingo back into the dirt. They tumbled together, until I got hold of Ingo’s subordinate by the neck and with a quick wrist flick, snapped his spine. But vampires don’t die like normal people. A broken neck wouldn’t kill him. It would keep him busy, while I leveled my sights on Ingo once more.

“Wait, no, no!” He scrabbled backwards on his ass and bumped against Jim’s van, rocking it.

This time, when I got hold of his neck, I hauled him into the air and slammed him against the van’s panel, feet off the floor.

“Please, don’t hurt me. I’m just a poor vampire!”

“Do you need sympathy?” Zee piped up in a sing-song tone behind my right shoulder.

Ingo panted, then asked, “Because I’m easy come⁠—”

“Easy go?”

What was this? “What is happening right now?”

“We’re vibing,” Zee said, shaking his wings free of dirt and dust, and stopping at my side. He shrugged. “But it’s fine, you can kill him now. Poke out his eyes. Maybe eat his dick? Get your murder on. I’ll wait.”

“Poke out his . . . ?” That was actually a good idea.

Ingo panicked. “Why would you tell him those things?!”

Zee shrugged again. “It’s gotta be better than having your balls ripped off, right?”

“My . . . balls?” Ingo cried.

Zee patted my shoulder. “You got time. Mine’s out cold, the other one is rolling around with a broken neck, and Jim’s pretending we won’t notice him huddled in the van’s front seat. No cameras, no witnesses. Do your worst.”

“Stop him,” Ingo begged Zee. “I got it wrong. I’m sorry. I fucked up. I’ll be your bitch.”

Zee leaned in, his face in my peripheral vision. “I already got a vampire bitch. What do I need you for?”

Ingo’s bottom lip quivered. “You have?”

I doubted Reynard would consider himself Zee’s bitch.

Ingo’s terrified eyes landed on me. “I’ll be your bitch then?”

“That position is already taken by the same vampire. Sorry. You sort of have to die now. It’s not personal. But you’ve seen what I can do, and you were rude. Plus, I gave you loads of chances⁠—”

“So many chances,” Zee sighed, then picked bits of vampire blood out from under his nails.

“So, you see, you just have to die now.”