Blood Trial Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #1) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,96

find something and walk back to the tower.”

I turned in a circle.

Shoot.

“Which direction is the tower again?” I hadn’t received my commission yet. And I didn’t want to waste it on delicious food. Scratch that, I did. But I wouldn’t.

“It’s not expensive,” Kyros said at last.

I threw him a wry look. “Try again.”

“It would make me feel better for scaring you if you’d stop resisting and eat.”

I crossed my arms. “This is a power thing for you, isn’t it? You’re pissed because I don’t want to eat with you.”

He glanced away. “A deal then.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I’ll answer any questions you have about Vissimo while we’re at the table. In return you will eat anything you want off the menu and not pay me back.”

I thought about it.

My stomach still hadn’t settled, so I wouldn’t be eating much. Really, it was a win-win for me. Except I’d be catering to Kyros’s pride issues.

“Counteroffer,” I told him. “You’ll answer my questions on Vissimo and I can ask you five questions in the future, at any time, and you must answer honestly.”

His lips twitched. “Three questions. As long as answering does not harm my clan in any way.”

I held out my hand, and amusement flickered in his green eyes as he shook it.

The doors were opened by two waitresses dressed in traditional Pha nung outfits. I eyed their embroidered sarongs and fitted long-sleeved blouses.

Not expensive, my butthole.

Judging by their outfits, the food was Thai. My favourite.

Dropping Kyros’s warm hand, I peered at my white tank, white shorts, and white sneakers combo.

“You look beautiful,” Kyros said.

Yeah, well he had a thing for white. “I’m worried I’ll make the waitresses feel insecure,” I answered, striding into the building. “You’re on. Let’s do this.”

“That wasn’t so hard,” he muttered behind me.

I made the mistake of feeling triumph over his begrudging tone as I climbed a winding set of wooden stairs.

Then I realised exactly what he was referring to with that.

My eyes widened.

Wait, he didn’t think this was a fucking date, did he?

22

Kyros and I sat opposite each other, facing off like enemy knights. We were the only people on this level. Either the place was crap or Kyros had kicked everyone out to accommodate us.

Either way, I assumed with his hearing he could tell if anyone was eavesdropping.

“Do you watch Truth Ranges?” I asked. This awkwardness reminded me of season three, episode eight, when Darleen didn’t like what Lynda cooked for Christmas lunch and made the mistake of saying so at the beginning of the meal.

He frowned, looking confused. “No. What’s that?”

We were incompatible. I’d said so from the start. “A show.”

“A musical?”

“That would be freakin’ epic. But no. It’s a TV show.”

He lifted a shoulder. “My free time is limited. I don’t like to use what time I do have watching television. My second eldest sister forces me to watch X-Men movies with her, however, and I spend a week watching television every six months to stay current with human mannerisms and slang.”

That was… mind-boggling. “You’re missing out.”

“I do like the play on words in the title,” the vampire said. “I assume Truth Ranges is both the setting and the premise of the show?”

Usually, I’d gush over the double meaning with whomever brought it up. With Kyros, it just pissed me off. “Yes. But down to business. Question time.”

We’d already ordered and, rather than looking resigned to answer my questions, Kyros appeared caught between wariness and intrigue.

“Vampires exist. What about other supernatural creatures?” I asked with bated breath.

He dipped his head. “Yes, all manner of creatures. There are only Vissimo in this city. We are extremely territorial.”

You don’t say.

“Which creatures?”

Kyros leaned forward. The table was a couple table—meaning that it was small enough for the occupants to lean and execute a spaghetti bolognaise kiss in the middle like Lady and the Tramp.

This tramp wouldn’t go there though.

“Werewolves,” he said.

“Jacob,” I whispered, thinking of Twilight. People actually turned into wolves.

I shivered.

He threw me a confused look. “Fae, demons, witches, and mages, to name a few. Their proper names are different, but that’s how humans identify them in literature.”

No way.

Discovering vampires existed had sent me off the deep end. Now I knew the world wasn’t the world I’d known, finding out about the other races was nearly exciting. I pestered him on everything to do with the different classes of supernatural races until he paused me to allow the waitresses to present the entrees.

My stomach had chilled out, and I pounced on the food. Yum. I loaded