Blood Trial Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #1) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,88

suppose. I’d rather you hadn’t interfered at all if I’m honest.”

“It is my duty to care for those in my tower.”

We’d argued about this before. I wasn’t part of his damn clan. I wasn’t in his tower by choice, and therefore didn’t fall under his protection.

Too tired to fight, I leaned my head against the cool glass, watching as we merged onto the freeway.

Tommy let out a sudden snort. The silence after lasted until Kyros took the off-ramp for Orange.

“Do you really hate me so much?” he asked, his tone curious. No more invested than if he was watching a science experiment.

Did I hate Kyros?

I frowned and shifted.

Yes.

… Then there were parts of him I could appreciate. His passion. His vulnerability in the face of a battle being fought over his existence. That he was indirectly teaching me to drive—even if he probably just offered to slip me a guard while I was outside the tower.

“I don’t know you, really,” I replied, staring at the beer stain covering my front. I hugged my arms around my stomach.

Kyros turned up the heat, but I wasn’t that kind of cold. No heater would warm up the part of me that had frozen. That he froze.

“I don’t want to know you,” I added. “I might have come across any Vissimo—your siblings, your parents, or one of your workers. Any of them might have done the things you did to me—nearly frightening me to death, strapping me to the chair, and pumping me full of adrenaline. They might have compelled me with a blood exchange.”

“But?” he asked, guiding us at a sedate pace through the uneven streets of Orange.

I was surprised my words hadn’t angered him.

“It wasn’t anyone else,” I clarified. “You did all of those things. You hurt me. You scared me. At the centre of every bad thing that has happened to me recently is your face.”

The sound of our breathing and Tommy’s soft snores filled the tiny cab of his overpriced car.

“Don’t kiss me again, Kyros,” I said wearily, resting my forehead against the cool glass again. “I don’t want you to touch me. Not really.”

20

I was certain most people didn’t spend their weekend receiving driving lessons from vampires.

At this point, I had no idea what the rules of my tower trial were. He’d let me out clubbing—albeit with a guard. And he let me out for driving lessons and prelim visits. I took that to mean I could go anywhere if Laurel was with me. If it was up to me, I’d be spending the day snuggling with Tommy while watching a movie, but she had work today. I’d called an hour ago to make sure she made it to her Saturday shift.

Laurel had a firm hold on my keys as she led the way through the garage. “I’ll take you out to Gerry’s parking lot.”

“Who’s Gerry?”

Laurel cast me an amused look. “Gerry’s is a hardware store.”

Oh. Right. Couldn’t say I’d had the pleasure. “You go to Gerry’s a lot?”

She nodded.

By now I’d cottoned on that the Indebted really were mercenaries. They got paid to do the things Vissimo didn’t want to do. Who knew what that really entailed. “For stuff to kill people with?” I asked.

“Rarely. Tools for interrogation, yes.”

Again, legal, my butthole. Pretty sure any mercenary job that necessitated a trip to a hardware store was as illegal as it got. Kyros was full of it.

A wrinkle formed between my brows. “How does it make sense that you’re being punished for your father’s crime and commit crimes to pay off the debt? Messed up.”

Laurel stumbled and shot me a real look.

Funny how drinking with someone accelerated the friendship process. On closer inspection, Laurel wore her father’s debt, her job, like a cloak. The cloak was straight-backed and professional, though friendly and occasionally sarcastic.

Then there were times the cloak came off, and I saw the young woman she could have been without being born into servitude. Actually, I kept forgetting she was probably old. Old woman.

Laurel inhaled sharply and peered at the closest camera as we reached the car—a silver one parked in the far corner. Yellow L plates occupied the front and back windows. A few scratches marred the sides.

I’d been given their trash car for driving lessons.

The car’s lights flashed, and I slid into the passenger seat, tossing my full pack down by my feet. Never knew when an escape opportunity might present itself.

I wasn’t worried that Kyros might be listening. He shouldn’t eavesdrop if he didn’t