demands it. Protocol dictates we all sample their blood. Alfred must because of what he learns, but for us? It’s merely a play of politics. Politics I have no desire to play.”
Ah.
“So it means nothing?”
“No,” Maddox said slowly, narrowing the distance between us until I had to tilt my head to continue holding his gaze. “Kitten, it’s an important facet of ruling. Alfred has summoned many retainers…and the current leadership holding sway over vampires throughout the world.”
Oh really.
Eyes narrowing, I studied Maddox. He hesitated for some reason. “Isaac is coming, isn’t he?”
A huff of breath, and the dragon cut his gaze away. “He has been summoned.” The Prince of Dallas. The one who’d sent me to Nightmare.
That son of a bitch would be at the party.
Well…wasn’t that special?
“After such a long sleep, Alfred must remind those who have ruled in his absence that they are not the ultimate power.”
“He’s just one vamp,” I reminded him. “Older than dirt or not.”
A faint smile curved Maddox’s lips, and he brought his hands down to my hips. The dragon wanted contact, and reluctant or not, I wrapped my arms around his neck. At the first touch, he picked me up and cradled me to him. When he buried his face against my throat, I didn’t jerk. After days of Alfred biting me over and over, I was still not a fan of teeth at my neck, but Maddox had kept his word to never bite me there.
I could give him this.
He let out a shuddering sigh. “I hate the politics of it all,” he grumbled. “I always have. But this is how they rule. How they make their power plays. He’ll put them all together and make them prove their loyalty. Not everyone will survive. Particularly once he has their blood and takes their measure.”
Their memories.
A light knock on the door prevented me from asking my next question, but I didn’t really care whether Alfred got his teeth into Isaac or not. If the prince was coming here, I was going to kill him myself. I owed him that much for dumping me in a prison cell when I’d gone to him for help.
Two assholes did not make a right.
A growl vibrated against my throat at the interruption. I smoothed a hand over his hair and down his back. Poor thing seemed to need the comfort. The sound eased a little, and his muscles gave a faint tremble as he shifted his stance toward the door.
“It’s Fin.”
I’d guessed that. But I was going to do Maddox a solid since he’d done something to the door himself. “Do you want him to go away?”
Surprise rippled through him. Pulling his head up, he searched my gaze, but all I did was raise my eyebrows. At the moment, Maddox had offered me more in the last fifteen minutes than the rest of them combined about the circus they were currently conducting. Contrary to their popular opinions—and how much knowledge I’d gleaned from Alfred despite my best attempts—I didn’t get nor did I give one flying damn about vampires and their politics. Once I got out of here, I planned on having nothing to do with them ever again.
Hybrid or not, I’d make my own way just as I always had.
“Is he not your favorite anymore?” The barest hint of teasing in his voice as he called the words out loudly made me smile.
“Hey!” Fin protested through the door.
“He was never my favorite,” I reminded him, matching his volume with my own. The corners of Maddox’s eyes crinkled.
“I heard that,” Fin called before he hit the door again. “Open up.”
“But you did like him better,” my dragon—no dammit, not mine—reminded me.
I rolled my eyes and then wiggled to be put down. “Fine, I’ll let him in.”
I didn’t even make it two steps before I was hauled back against his chest and his arms were around me as he pressed his lips to my jaw. “I haven’t answered yet,” he reminded me, his breath teasing me with little puffs and the faint rasp of his stubble grazing my skin.
“True.” Rubbing my hand against the back of his, I almost smiled. “So what is your decision?”
Maddox didn’t answer immediately, as though he needed the time to ponder it.
A pop of displaced air preceded Fin’s arrival as he stepped out of the ether to stare at the pair of us. “Seriously?” A scowl tightened his beautiful face and his dark eyes gleamed with suppressed amusement as he planted his hands