her head at me, her eyes glittering.
I passed Fernando’s phone over, mouthing “Sorry.” Luckily, there wasn’t any damage.
He snorted and pocketed the device.
Laurel spoke again. “Yes, sir. Of course. I’ll call in more of my team to sweep the area and control the perimeter.”
Because that wasn’t a huge sign to Clan Fyrlia. I folded my arms and slumped in my seat.
“Yes, sir. Here she is.”
Laurel stretched the phone back to me, and I sighed heavily before taking it.
“What?” I grumbled.
“Miss Tetley, what have I told you about my low tolerance for your mouth?”
I smirked. “Can’t recall. Did you have something to say, Kyros?”
Several moments passed during which I imagined him pinching the bridge of his nose. Maybe taking some Advil.
“You entered the car and heard the pertinent part. I want you to know that this concession is not easy for me. I’m doing this because it’s important to you.”
I pondered that. “You still hope I’ll say yes to the second blood thing.”
Laurel and Fernando stiffened in their seats.
I guess that was still a secret. From the Indebted at least—or maybe Kyros’s lair was soundproof.
“You’re already aware that I think it’s the best course of action. I don’t wish to discuss our personal matters over the phone. Go to the hospital. See this human. I’ll see you tonight.”
What? Why did I have to see him tonight?
A click told me he’d hung up.
Wordlessly, I passed Laurel’s phone back. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
She shook her head, lips twitching. “You’ve got balls, Miss Tetley. Or vagina.”
“Definitely vagina.” I studied her profile. “Thanks for calling him.”
She started the car and navigated us away from the house in Blue. “He called me.”
Dammit.
Why couldn’t he just be reasonable when I called him? Did he think I enjoyed losing my shit like that?
“Second blood exchange,” Laurel said casually as we reached an intersection.
Kyros didn’t want me to discuss personal matters. Laurel had to report to him, so any questions I asked her had to be with that in mind.
“Yeah,” I said after a beat. “Ever heard of it before?”
“Heard of it? Yes. Doesn’t happen very often these days.” Her hands gripped the wheel tight.
I stared at them. Her eyes were glittering again. Was she trying to tell me something? I caught Fernando’s subtle head shake her way. They knew something but couldn’t risk telling me?
“In your experience, why do people undertake a second blood exchange?” I hedged.
Laurel pulled onto the freeway and didn’t immediately answer. I tried to remain relaxed as her face worked.
“Our master knows why he’s doing it,” she said eventually.
I replayed her words. Our master knows why he is doing it. She usually called Kyros by his name when we were out of the tower. Was she purposefully reminding me of her position as an Indebted? If there was an unstated subtext to her words, that seemed like it…
Was Kyros enslaving me somehow?
“I hear you,” I told her, watching her hands and eyes.
They loosened, and she blinked a few times.
“I know the blood swaps can be a mating thing too,” I added.
Fernando jolted.
“It can,” he blurted. “That really only happens in the upper middle classes nowadays—those who aren’t rich enough to support a harem but hope to improve their family status sometimes combine wealth with another middle-class family through the mating ritual. Doing so comes at the risk of never having children, so it’s still unusual.”
Laurel hissed under her breath, and he snapped his mouth shut.
I wasn’t sure what to make of his explanation. Kyros was plenty rich. He’d openly told me humans and Vissimo weren’t compatible to reproduce. I even knew what I stood to lose if the mating drive didn’t disappear after the second thrall—my libido would get 10 percent stronger.
The posture of the two Indebted in the SUV made it clear they wished to tell me something but couldn’t.
I needed to know one thing.
“I hope this question doesn’t put you in an awkward spot. But can you tell me if I’m in danger with this second blood exchange?”
Laurel shook her head. “Your life is not in danger.”
I relaxed. Kyros was telling the truth there at least. If she was implying that my heart or mind might be in danger… Well, I was okay to risk those to possibly rid myself of a vampire stalker.
The ride to the hospital passed in silence as I stewed over what they’d said—and hadn’t said. The truth was I had a huge decision to make. There were good reasons to consider the second blood compulsion. If