Vampire Debt - Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #2) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,64

The temptation to woof was real, but his eyes flickered my way. This was as much a test for me as for Kyros.

“My mistake, Father. Thank you for your wisdom.”

The iron was definitely noticeable in Kyros’s voice this time. I sent him a tendril of caution, having no idea if the warning reached him or not.

“Human,” the king said in bored tones, “do you think yourself above my heir’s request?”

I forced myself to meet his gaze, managing one second. “I do not.”

“Do you believe yourself to have some hold over my eldest son to deny his demands?” He leaned forward on his throne.

My chest clamped for a full three seconds before the fear from his tiny actions loosened. “I don’t believe the lessons will have the effect he desires.”

This was the perfect chance to get onto Level 66 on a permanent basis—if I didn’t die.

I cut the king off. “The problem in your strategy is more deep-rooted than simple lessons can fix.”

How many siblings gasped behind me? All eight?

The only sound in the low-ceilinged and gold-draped chamber was my ragged breathing.

“Problems in my strategy,” the king said softly, his lips white.

Mentally, Kyros was waving his hands in the air and holding a sign that read fucking stop.

Too late.

King Julius’s question was rhetorical this time, but I was already knee-deep in shit. “Yes, your… majesty. Ingenium is a game between two Vissimo clans, but the game board is a human city. I believe it a major weakness that you don’t have more humans involved. I can understand the need to keep most at a distance—the CEOs and such, but the minds of Vissimo and humans work differently. Our desires and priorities aren’t the same. That is a deficit that can be filled. My question to you is: Could the game plan of Clan Sundulus be further honed? Surely both clans are neck and neck. A tiny advantage could be the difference in winning.”

Sweat trickled down my back. Would it look bad if I sat down for a rest? Probably.

“Indeed.” The king sat back.

Was I meant to answer? Kyros sent a negative blast.

I remained mute.

“The game is so evenly balanced that a 2 percent difference would be enough to trigger the end cascade,” he said, eyes flaring.

I gagged twice, slapping a hand over my mouth.

“Father,” Kyros said sharply.

King Julius muted again, and I mentally walloped Kyros upside the head. Good one, moron. That was a freakin’ test too.

“What are your recommendations, human?” the ancient vampire asked.

This guy had to have three brains working at once. His subject and mood changes were a six-way tug-of-war.

I paused. Somehow, leading in with I can join your inner-circle meetings every night seemed bound to raise suspicions.

“I hadn’t thought that far,” I told him, casting my eyes downward.

Kyros tensed.

His father scoffed. “Humans. So full of opinions, so lazy with solutions.”

That was me. Lazy Basi. And hopefully alive Basi.

“Children?” The king addressed the vampires behind me.

Neelan stepped forward. “Form a focus group from those blood-compelled to our family. See what ideas they formulate after each roll, but leave them in the dark to those we take and implement.”

King Julius didn’t react other than a slight shifting of his gaze.

“Look for other sources of tutorship, human communication courses,” Deirdre put in. “Though I don’t agree that’s a weakness in our strategy.”

Rory cleared his throat. “We already have a marketing budget for research on human wants and needs. Increase that budget. We don’t need to think like humans, merely know what they desire and pour more of our resources behind that.”

“I disagree,” I said, hands behind my back. “The game board is surely becoming smaller—especially in terms of realty, which is the largest industry. Your marketing tricks may fool the majority, but what about the trouble cases who have shown resistance to your current approach?”

Lalitta shuffled forward. “I think human lessons are a really good idea, if Miss Le Spyre would agree.”

King Julius’s gaze softened the veriest amount before firming again. It didn’t surprise me that Lalitta had managed to touch whatever semblance of a heart he had left.

“Do we really want a group of humans aware of our clan strategy?” Gerome asked.

Lionel returned to my side at the base of the stairs. “All human liaisons barring Basilia are tied by a single blood exchange, Father. That is easily broken by Fyrlia royals. The risk is large for a mere theoretical gain.”

My eyes shifted to Kyros, who still knelt in silence. When was the king going to let him stand?