Death Game: Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #3) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,46

“Listen to the words coming out of your mouth, child. Are you their servant now? Is that what this is? Have you lured us in to betray us and your own grandmother?”

“Bartley,” Lady Treena gasped.

I held up a hand. “It’s okay, Lady Treena. I am aware of how this looks. That’s why I tend to listen to talk of killing them all or dropping bombs without comment.”

Tilting my chin, I stared across the table at my grandmother’s most trusted friend.

“I will uphold my grandmother’s legacy because I loved her. I believe in what she started. Bluff City is not a game board. The humans within it are not pawns. I say that with absolute conviction.”

The older man relaxed.

I raised my voice. “With that said, don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re speaking to my grandmother when you’re dealing with me. Her ideals are largely my ideals, her power is my power, but her experiences are not my experiences. I will act how I see fit based on the position I hold and the information I am privy to.”

I stared at each of them in turn. “If you can’t accept that my opinion of them is different to your own, that’s fine. Though I respect each of you, I don’t need your approval. I loved my grandmother. I risk my life every day for her. I’ve killed twice to avenge her death. Her approval is all I’m after, and don’t you fucking dare insinuate that I won’t do what needs to be done.”

Gathering up the few files and my phone, I strode to the door and glanced back. “Call me child again, Sir Olythieu, and see what happens.”

13

Something was buzzing.

I whacked Kyros. “Bumblebee.”

“It’s your bumblebee,” he grumbled, rolling over me.

The buzzing stopped, and I relaxed.

“What?” he snapped. “You woke her up.”

An irritating whining replied.

“Mosquito.” I decided, nuzzling under the blankets.

Kyros snorted. “She thinks you sound like a mosquito.”

I cracked an eyelid open. “Whosit?”

“Frannie.”

Frannie was too innocent a name for that demon. “Make beeping sounds and hang up.”

Kyros was straddling me, chest bare, firm muscles on display. Holy shit. Not a bad way to wake up.

“Oh, the fashion show,” he murmured, grimacing my way.

I shot up, glancing at the alarm clock.

The vampire pushed me back down. “She’ll be there in thirty.”

“She better make it twenty.”

Kyros disconnected, and I tried to sit again. He gently shoved me back down.

“I’ve got to shower,” I said, batting at his hands.

His mouth covered mine, and I forgot the rest of my argument as I threaded my hands through his toffee strands.

I moaned into his mouth, arching upward and eliciting a hiss from him.

Snarling, Kyros broke away, lowering his head to the neckline of my silk camisole. Lower.

He sucked my nipple into his mouth, and I choked, writhing under the blanket between us as my entire body filled with fire.

“Ky—” I gasped, trying to kick the blanket barrier away.

His tongue lapped and he latched onto the other side, making me choke on a scream.

And then he was gone.

I sat, shoving away the thick blanket to chase him.

He stood across his lair, the circle sofa between us, grinning.

“Something to think about before tonight,” he said, disappearing into the bathroom.

Bastard.

Motherfucking bastard!

The shower turned on, and the sound of his low whistling filled my ears. Even that turned me on at this point.

Staggering toward the kitchenette like the R-rated version of Bambi my life had become, I filled a glass with water.

The fashion show.

Exchange blood with vampire.

I sipped on my water. “Fuck. What a day.”

At least Kyros was happy about it. Then again, what guy wouldn’t be happy when guaranteed sex was on the horizon? The thing was, we hadn’t had our usual discussion about the terms of this exchange.

And we needed to.

He exited, a towel wrapped around his hips.

Focus, Basi.

“Kyros?”

“Yes, mate.”

My stomach fluttered. “We need to talk about the exchange. I have something I want to run by you.”

Nerves erupted. None of them mine, and I studied his tense back.

What? He thought I’d call it off?

I set my glass down and walked over.

As soon as I reached him, he spun us so my back was to the wall.

“Is everything a power play with you?” I asked, folding my arms.

He shrugged a shoulder. “Being an alpha makes some things necessary, yes. I ease the power in small ways to prevent it exploding in big ways. Does that bother you?”

“I’m getting used to most stuff, I guess,” I mumbled, trailing off as I stared at the drop of water rolling down