Vampire Debt - Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #2) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,124
the funeral of her last relation. We’d get close to her via her friend upon her return.”
They were saying this like they hadn’t known Basilia Tetley and Basilia Le Spyre were one and the same. There were pictures all over the estate house. Surely they’d seen one of those and connected the dots.
Except that wasn’t true. Most of the pictures in Grandmother’s room were of me as a child with my parents.
“That was about the time this pathetic human reminded me of her full name,” Theodore said, sneering down at Tommy. “Tetley. Not only did we know of another Tetley, but her name was Basilia. The heiress was under our noses the entire time, already aligned with Clan Sundulus.”
They’d approached Tommy before I knew Vissimo existed.
“Enough,” the king ordered, his voice battering my damaged ears. “Your underhanded actions reflect poorly on this clan.”
I licked my lips.
The king had to maintain a certain image. I wasn’t sure exactly what, but clearly he had ties or boundaries that his lapdogs didn’t.
The king wanted to win Ingenium—to gain possession of Kyros? To protect his family? For pride?
I didn’t know. But that may not matter.
He wanted to win the game.
“I have information,” I croaked, lifting my head. “About Ingenium.”
Their focus snapped to me.
Amusement flickered over the king’s cold face. “You? The filthy human my eldest son is consorting with. What could you possibly know that I don’t?”
Probably not much more than one thing. But it was a big thing.
“If I tell you, and you use it right, the likelihood of you winning increases by two percent,” I said.
Everyone stilled, including the three psychos around me.
I pushed to my hands and knees, staggering twice before I managed to waver before him. My hands were covered in blood, and I had no idea where it was from. “My friend will be dropped at the closest hospital without delay.”
The king’s eyes bore into mine. “You wish to strike a deal, human? What is to stop me from merely taking the information?”
He was before me. Though my sight had improved, I barely tracked the blur of him.
I sat heavily on the ground, my legs folding, and he held me captive in his blazing vision.
My body seized.
The king stilled. “What’s this?”
“The fourth exchange, Father,” Gina murmured. “Only Kyros can compel her now.”
Air returned to my lungs as Mikhail muted the flare of his almond-shaped eyes.
Disgust twisted his features. “Julius has no pride in his bloodline. How has he allowed this to go so far? I would have killed her before the second exchange.”
No, he would have killed me after taking every cent to my name.
I never thought I’d be glad that Kyros got to me first, but fuck, I was.
“I could allow my children to torture the information from you,” Mikhail told me. “I’m not convinced you know anything.”
This was my shot. If the compulsion would let me tell him anything.
I drew my legs beneath me again but stayed kneeling. “You recently entered into a large development deal with Mr Ringly.” Okay, I could say that much.
The king’s face smoothed.
Gotcha.
I lowered my gaze and voice. “All I ask is that my friend is dropped at the hospital without delay. In return, you win Ingenium after one hundred and fifty years, your family lives, and you get Kyros.” I covered all the bases and then added, “The filthy human was weak and divulged information. You didn’t even need to torture her. She just blurted it right out. All the easier to work on Kyros afterward when he’s by your side.”
The king’s expression hardened.
I didn’t dare breathe.
“Hector,” he said aside, “take the heap on the floor to the nearest hospital, leave her in the emergency room. Remove any trace of your brothers from her before you do.”
Anger filled me at what his words implied.
“She’ll be left there alive?” I pressed.
The king snarled, and my limbs locked.
“Alive,” Hector said, descending the single step to pick Tommy up. He looked at Trenit, and I wasn’t imagining the dislike in his eyes.
Hopefully that meant he’d keep his word. If this was some kind of trick, I was officially out of ideas.
I watched Tommy disappear, swallowing hard as I said my silent goodbyes to her. She’d wake in hospital minus a boyfriend and a best friend. Fred would be there for her. Maybe Laurel if she could forgive me for tricking them.
“When Hector rings from the hospital showing me she’s there, I’ll talk,” I said, my eyes fluttering closed.