Vampire Debt - Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #2) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,90

to get dragged into this again. I was here to fight my battle and do it right.

When Kyros returned, I’d apologise and get it over and done with. The more I fought him, the less likely he’d let me leave, and the less inclined he’d be to enter a fourth exchange.

Plan formed. Done.

I hung the towel over a drying rack and threw my make-up flannel in a hamper before joining the others. They’d turned on the TV and were watching female wrestling.

“Want to see how the photos today turned out,” Lionel said from the middle of the bed. Only Neelan and Gerome hadn’t managed to find a spot on the bed and shared the large round sofa.

As I passed Neelan, I touched his shoulder. “What you did was shitty, but I didn’t have to get personal where others could hear. I can’t imagine your family without you in the picture. You fit, Neelan—whatever you think to the otherwise.”

Moving to the bed, I picked my way to the middle and huddled in a space by Lionel.

He shoved his phone under my nose, and I swore.

“Oh my god, that’s not us.” My eyes rounded.

“It is.” He cackled.

Lionel cackling just wasn’t right.

He scrolled through the images. We looked hot. Like one second away from ripping off each other’s clothes hot. There was something carnal in my eyes and in his.

“These are being used for promotion of vertical farming and aquaponics?” I asked weakly.

“Nothing says sustainable farming like half-naked people,” he replied. “Trust me, most vampires and humans are led entirely by their junk.”

I didn’t disagree for a second. It was a constant battle to disobey my junk. “How long until they go up?”

The timing was less than ideal. Hopefully a few days—

“Tomorrow,” he announced with glee.

I chewed my bottom lip. “You’re certain that’s a good idea? I’m not sure Kyros is in the mood to be pushed.”

“He never is.”

Silently disagreeing, I conceded the point and stretched my legs out.

“You can’t just force your way in,” Francesca said as I popped my legs over hers.

I studied the youngest Sundulus royal. “Do you mean in this moment or in a more general way?”

She fell silent.

“I don’t plan on replacing you or anyone, Francesca. I sure as hell didn’t ask for any of this.”

She sniffed and didn’t answer.

I eased down between Lalitta and Safina. Mostly flat—success. I yawned loudly. “So tired.” A thought occurred to me. “Don’t you guys usually sleep now?”

Rory answered. “When our brother is unhappy, we’re unhappy. Sleep hasn’t come easy to you this night, and it won’t come easy for us either.”

Well, that made me feel terrible, not that I should take on their reactions. Kyros and I would undoubtedly argue again.

I sighed. “Then call him.”

“You misunderstand me. Kyros told us that he lost control and you bore the brunt of that, nearly rendering you unconscious. We’ll remain with you because it will reassure our brother as he works to regain control of his power. It’s no small task.”

From what Gina said, it was a constant effort for him.

Yawning again, I closed my eyes. “Wish I had siblings or cousins.”

Though it would mean more people to look after. If I was in this game and had eight siblings, I’d be fucking terrified daily about their safety. Let alone having a vulnerable human mate who was careening around town like a cowboy.

I kind of felt really terrible now.

“You have no family left?” Safina asked.

A lump rose up my throat. My answer took too long.

“No,” I said in a neutral voice. “No family. You’re lucky to have each other.”

“We are,” she replied. “Family is a blessing in hard times. That’s why we’re so close. There are many working against us. And many spies. If we could not trust each other, we’d have no one.”

I’d gathered that from the intense and almost desperate way they interacted. It was a sad way to live, and I could see why Kyros allowed them so much leeway in his life. They needed to test the strength of their sibling bonds—to be reassured of what that bond could withstand. And what it couldn’t. These little games they planned were reaffirming for them in a city filled with creatures who wanted to tear them down.

I reached out and patted her leg. Or someone’s. “Understand.”

Arms I knew pulled me from a tangle of bodies that were too heavy and too warm. I’d been climbing up from the heavy tow of sleep for what felt like an age only to be dragged