liked to act, that much seemed certain.
“I owe Vincent a hell of a lot. He’s not bad,” he said and then sighed. “For a blood sucker, that is. And if he wants something, well, quite plainly, he gets it. And he wants the two of you.”
Jason shifted his feet, hands clenching at his sides. “And he’s looking for the both of us?”
The casino owner nodded. “He has…questions. Or so he says. Mind you, he doesn’t necessarily want you dead.”
Next to me, Jason tilted his head to one side. “And how would you know something about that?”
“Because you’d already be dead.”
So far, Marcus had not made a move, nothing at all to show he planned to turn us over to Vincent.
So far.
“So?” I asked. “What will you do with us? It does not seem you are enthusiastic about handing us over.”
He sighed and shook his head, hands up to his shoulders, palms up in a I give up pose. “Of course, I wouldn’t. I don’t like being told what to do. In fact, I downright hate it. But I owe him a lot. Vincent’s done a hell of a lot for me and if I don’t…well…” He shook his head slowly. “He might take this place away. And I don’t think I could live with that.”
Jason stepped back one step, almost knocking over an elderly man with a walker.
Marcus sighed again and rubbed the deep furrow between his pale gray eyes. “Look, as a favor, hm? Just come peacefully. I care about this place. I care about the people who come here. If you fight, if you resist, I’m willing to bet there’s going to be a hell of a lot of damages. Maybe even some dead. I don’t think I can accept that. Can you accept that?”
It was my duty to protect the Master.
I was the Ailward.
But I was nothing more than his doll.
I would not be able to move until he asked me. “Your orders?”
He shook his head slowly, eyes never leaving Marcus and the two bodyguards. “I have no intention of going back to Vincent.”
Marcus clucked his tongue. “So you will do battle here? You know, I can have my bodyguards drill a hole through your heads before you even think about reacting. And that will be because you’ve decided to run. If you just listen, just go find out why Vincent wants to talk to you so badly…”
Jason regarded him with cold eyes. “Then there would be no casualties.”
He shook his head. “Indeed there would be not. Why, I would personally chauffeur you there myself. To Centennial City.”
It sounded peaceful.
To give up without a fight.
But it was not me.
If there was even a chance of escape, then I would have taken it. To go down without a fight…it was something I never did.
If I had, I would’ve died a very long time ago. “What would you have me do, Master?”
It was the first time I was calling him in such a formal manner.
But it seemed…right.
Jason lifted his chin. “If we go to Vincent…he’ll have me killed.”
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t know why he’s so interested in you. You seem like a normal bloodsucker to me…not that there’s anything normal with that, mind.”
“Is this the pot calling the kettle black?” said Jason with a quirk to his lips. “Ran, if I were to die, so would you.”
I nodded. “I would die before you. This is the oath made by an Ailward to the Master.”
“Even if I were a vampire…and you a vampire hunter?”
The irony tasted bitter on my tongue. “Even if you were my prey…I never break a promise.”
He smiled. “I like that. I think I like that very much.”
I noticed the thin sheen of sweat on Marcus’s broad brow. “Now just hold on, one minute. Are you really going to put up a fight? Here? Do you have any idea how many people would end up in the hospital…or worse?”
Jason was still and then shook his head. “I am no hero. I will not sacrifice myself to save those I have no connection to.”
“Hmph.” Marcus slanted a glance at my direction. “And what of you? You’re human. You have fought with humans against the bloodsuckers. You just going to let him shoot up a bunch of civilians?”
“He doesn’t have a gun,” I pointed out. “Your two bodyguards do. Shouldn’t you be asking them not to use their weapons?”
The werewolf shook his head slowly. "Look, there's no point in mindless bloodshed. And besides, I know who are you, what