Vampire Debt - Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #2) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,85
I think going directly into a thrall helped. My mind didn’t have time to latch onto what happened in the basement. I remember the wet crunch and the resistance of his heart against the drill bit.”
A shudder worked up through me. “Have you killed before, Lionel?”
“Yes. Mostly Indebted who attacked us on Fyrlia’s orders. Being the second youngest brother though, I have elder brothers and sisters to protect me. Overprotect me.”
Fucking cowards sending Indebted in their stead. “I hate how they do that.”
He lifted a shoulder. “You get used to it.”
“Lionel, don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem too nice for this. Not to say you aren’t strong. Just too decent.”
A shadow flittered across his face. “That’s what Father thinks. From him, it’s more of a deficit.”
Yeah, I could imagine.
“What would you do if you could do anything in the world?” I asked.
He smiled, pointing at the farms either side of us as we entered Agriculture. “I want to feed the world. Healthy food and equal access. Right now, I’m interested in vertical farming and aquaponics.”
We pulled down a driveway and stopped alongside an open barn. My eyes widened. “Uh, Lionel, why is there a camera crew here?”
I gasped. “And why is there a fucking photo shoot set up in there?”
“We’re launching our vertical farming promotion next week—and sex sells. You and I are the eye candy.”
My jaw dropped as he parked the car. “You’re fucking kidding me. Where are these pictures going?”
“Just targeted spots in the city. I doubt you’ll even see the pictures.”
I lowered my voice. “Where, Lionel?”
“A few billboards. Pamphlets in every letterbox. That kind of thing.”
Motherfucker.
Closing my eyes, I drew up the view from Level 66. Namely, the billboard that occupied the space immediately outside where I met the royal siblings at 2:00 a.m. each morning. “The billboard outside the Level 66 windows?”
The car door slammed shut, and I stared at the spot Lionel had been a second ago.
I changed my mind. He wasn’t nice.
Not nice at all.
“I need my phone.”
I waited as Lionel unlocked the glove box.
He slapped the phone back into my hand. “There you go. I hope it wasn’t too arduous.”
Actually, I had a good time today. A mostly normal day. “It wasn’t so bad. Thanks for showing me all about vertical farming and aquaponics. And just a heads-up that no one says arduous anymore.”
I was officially mind-blown by the plans for his vertical farming push. Consider me happy to help by doing the stupid photoshoot. Even if I’d felt like an idiot in jean shorts that were more like underwear, a checked shirt that showed underboob, and the token cowboy boots and hat. A half-naked Lionel had made the day easier on the eyes.
“Thanks. For some reason, the forties just really stuck with me.”
Like… the 1940s?
“See you in the morning,” Lionel called.
Which wasn’t all that far away. It was already 9:00 p.m.
I checked my messages walking back into the house.
I groaned at the notification banner. Forty-five? Fifteen were from Ricky. Looked like the next two hours would be catch-up time. Maybe I could get a few emails answered.
My gaze landed on a message from Stanley Yelnats, aka Gina. Crap, I forgot all about that.
I stopped on the entrance stairs to read it.
Sure. 10:00 p.m. at Gingers
Gingers? Opening a browser tab, I googled the name.
A nightclub in Black.
Not surprising I hadn’t been there. I avoided clubs in Black like the plague. Only social climbers and the elite went to them. I much preferred the rowdy places Tommy and her peasant friends frequented. Always made me feel like Rose from Titanic.
10:00 p.m. would allow plenty of time to reach Kyros Sky for my shift. And on a Wednesday night, the club wouldn’t be too packed with leeches.
See you there
That didn’t give me long to get ready.
I hustled upstairs, bellowing for Tommy.
“Miss Tetley is out with her boyfriend, miss,” Rosie said, bobbing in a hasty curtsy as I barrelled past.
“How dare she have a life,” I shouted at the maid.
Entering my suite, I kicked the doors shut and jumped into the shower to wash off the scent of hay and barn animals.
Hmm, tonight was a straight hair night. I hardly ever did it because my hair behaved, but I felt like going all out.
Drying off, I flipped my hair over and set to blow-drying the long strands. Then, while my straighteners were heating, I painted on my face, going heavy with the black eyeliner and mascara.