Death Game: Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #3) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,10

as I treaded water.

His lips twitched as the dreamy haze left his eyes. “You have that effect on me, vixen.”

Vixen.

My bottom lip must have trembled because as Kyros drew me against him once more, he stroked it with his thumb.

“I’m sorry, my beauty,” he said over the crashing of the waves.

A handful of words made me realise just how much his distance had hurt. “I missed you. Are you back for good?”

His reply was dry as he turned around. “You proved your point. Destroying my favourite car in the process.”

“That was collateral for your little move with the keys yesterday.”

“Fair enough. Hold onto my neck.”

As soon as I did, Kyros swam for the cliff face.

“But?” I asked him.

“But you are not Vissimo. And I am not human. I need to figure out how I fit as your mate, seeing as you won’t accept me acting like a caveman who didn’t spear a pig for dinner.”

His amusement embraced me and if it was a tangible thing, I would have hugged it and never let go. Kyros was happy, and I just felt so right. So centred and sure.

“No, I won’t,” I mumbled. “I promise to figure out the same. For y—” I grimaced as we reached the bottom of the cliffs.

“What?” He tried to glance back.

We were exchanging wedding vows. What the hell was wrong with me? I’d forgotten everything.

I shook my head. “Uhm, nothing. Just grossly unprepared for the emotional content of this conversation.”

That didn’t amuse him one bit.

“You drove a car off a cliff, and this conversation worries you?”

Make that a big fat yes with a side of fries. Not answering, I linked my legs around his waist and adjusted my grip.

Kyros started up the one-hundred-metre drop, and I didn’t give it more than a passing thought. I really did trust him to protect me. As it turned out, knowing that and proving it to myself were different things.

Why did I have the feeling I’d just crossed a line that I couldn’t erase?

“Kyros. Basilia. Your dinner is getting cold!”

I craned my head to see Queen Titania peering over the ledge. She waved, beaming.

How did this become my normal?

Because it did feel normal to me now. This absolute insanity where vampires were real and I drove cars off cliffs to prove a point.

I rested my head against Kyros’s back. “I’m hungry. Let’s go feed me.”

A growl filled his chest as his powerful arms and legs worked to move us to the top. “Kyros spear pig.”

Ugh.

I’d never hear the end of that.

4

It took another two days to return to the estate under the not-so-ideal negotiated conditions of my release.

I’d needed time after Kyros came around to decide my plan of attack for Tommy and the Indebted. Plus, things felt so right with him after the car thing, and I truly hadn’t wanted to leave his company.

In the end, the danger of that spurred me home more than anything.

My duty to my grandmother’s memory and her friends came first. Always. I’d known my feelings would get tangled as we continued to exchange blood, but I had to keep that from interfering with my strategy.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as Fred pulled into the estate.

This was going to be a shit of a day.

One I’d brought on myself.

Tommy was out the massive front doors of the main house before I’d opened my car door.

“Good luck, Miss Le Spyre,” Fred said.

Fred.

Although he’d known the truth of what happened that night, I still felt like I owed him an apology too. Yet he’d take that as a mortal offense.

“Thank you so much, Fred,” I whispered, reaching forward to squeeze his shoulder.

Tommy ripped open my door and nearly dragged me out.

“You’re okay,” she gasped.

I shook my head at her in warning before pulling her into my arms. “Of course I am.”

“Everything has been so fucked up,” she blurted. “I’m getting paranoid.”

Good save.

“Tom, please tell me you’re alright?”

I’d done everything I could to prepare for this moment, even reciting lines. But I couldn’t have prepared for seeing her for the first time since she was lifeless on the cold, concrete floor.

The memory choked me. “Y-You nearly died.”

My entire body shook as I clung to her.

I never expected to be able to hold her again—hear her voice or her laughter.

“I’m okay, Basil,” she hushed, squeezing me just as tight. “I swear.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” I said, pulling her toward the house as I scanned her from head to toe. “What was the latest verdict from