Dark Obsession (Vampire Royals of New York #3) - Sarah Piper Page 0,65

slightly out of focus. There were two men in the frame, but their heads were partially cut off.

Hidden camera, she realized. A third man was wearing it somewhere on his body, probably in a shirt button or tie tack. The others seemed unaware of it.

“He trusts me,” one man said. “It’s not even on his radar.”

Travis. She’d recognize the snake’s voice anywhere.

“Once you get through the tunnel,” the other guy said, and Charley knew at once it was Rudy. Which meant the guy filming was probably Estas.

“Take I-80 West,” Rudy continued, “and find a good, out-of-the-way place to pull off. Play it cool, and he won’t suspect you.”

“That fuckface won’t have time to suspect me.” Travis laughed, a sound that made Charley want to take a scalding-hot shower.

“Just make it look good,” Rudy said. At his nod, Estas passed Travis a padded yellow envelope. “We need this to look like a gang hit, not an inside job.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Travis said. “What about your crew? You need to keep them in check. Last thing I need is one of those assholes asking too many questions.”

“I’ll handle them,” Rudy said. “But watch out for his daughter. My niece is a real pain in the ass. One wrong move and she’ll be sniffing around like a bitch in heat.”

“Bitches in heat are one of my specialties.” Travis laughed again, then peeked at the contents of the envelope. Seemingly satisfied, he tucked it into his pocket. Inside his jacket, right there under his arm, Charley spotted the holster and gun.

The gun that killed my father…

“This time tomorrow, gentlemen,” Travis said, “the deed will be done. And we’ll be officially in business.”

Travis—a man Rudy had brought on as a forger, a man she’d later allowed into her bed… He was the inside guy. The bastard who’d gotten close to her father, only to put a bullet in his head.

And he’d done it all on Rudy’s orders.

Charley’s head spun, the ground tilting beneath her.

It was one thing to suspect it—to know it, deep in her gut—after seeing the evidence Cole had found in the Estas files.

But it was something else entirely to hear the admission from their own mouths.

She returned the tablet to Rogozin and closed her eyes, not bothering to wipe away the tears. Anger, bitterness, grief… They hit her all at once, squeezing the air from her lungs.

“His brother’s life in exchange for power of demon,” Rogozin said. “That was deal Rudy made with Azerius. Unfortunately, like most humans making deals, he did not read fine print.”

Charley took a deep, steadying breath, refocusing. If Rogozin was willing to spill some details about Azerius, maybe there was something in there she could use to find her own way out of this damn deal.

She opened her eyes, doing her best to appear as damsel-in-distress as possible, hoping it might keep Rogozin’s guard down.

“What was the fine print?” she asked.

“Demon host becomes stronger human, this is true. But he cannot channel demon power until host dies and demon takes over vessel permanently. So Rudy is… how is saying?” He let out a low chuckle. “Shooting blanks.”

The other demons laughed.

“I still can’t believe this happened.” Charley retrieved a tissue from her bag and pressed it to her eyes, buying herself a moment to think. Shooting blanks… Did he mean Rudy couldn’t cast hellfire? Was that why her uncle still needed the gun?

If that were true, it gave them a huge advantage—one Rogozin probably didn’t realize he’d just revealed.

But she needed more. Something about Azerius himself.

“Azerius,” she said, forcing a note of reverence into her voice. “Do you know when he’s coming to… to collect me?”

“I do not. It is miracle he’s waited so long, though. Usually it is shorter time.”

“Is there a way I might summon him? A way to speak with him, maybe?”

His eyes sparkled with new light, as if he were entertaining the whimsical thoughts of a young child. “You wish to renegotiate, perhaps? Make better offer?”

“Is that possible? I mean, I know he’s like a god to you, and maybe—”

“God?” He muttered something in Russian to the barbed-wire demon, and they both laughed. “More like… emotionally unavailable father with very bad temper.”

Charley forced herself to laugh along with the others, but inside, her heart was sinking with each new revelation.

“Lord Azerius does not negotiate,” he finally said. “As for how to summon him, well… He kills brothers. Like Cain. That is when he comes. But it can’t be done without the…” He