Vampire Debt - Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #2) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,94
can’t enter any of the Sundulus royal homes either?”
Kyros nodded. “We can’t always be playing a game. That was part of the original rules of Ingenium.”
I set down my tablet and tucked the sheets of paper in my purse to study later.
“You have something to say,” he said.
“This isn’t a great time,” I began, then tightened my resolve. “I need to know if you paid off a bill for my friend recently.”
He glanced up, studying me more intently.
I sighed. “Kyros, you can’t do that. Especially not to her. She just messaged me, blaming me for doing it.”
Shoving the message under his nose, I watched as he read it.
“Undo it,” I told him, slipping it in my pocket once more.
Answering anger rose in him, nowhere near the towering heights of mine. “I can’t. I did it anonymously. To make you happy.”
I threaded my hand through my hair and pulled it to distract myself from smashing the newly fixed glass wall. “She doesn’t even accept money from me whom she loves. Jesus, Kyros. I understand what you’re trying to do with these gifts, but just stop it, please. They’re meaningless to me.”
His frustration died and the loneliness within him swelled to greater heights. I gritted my teeth, holding onto my resolve. He couldn’t involve Tommy in our shit. That was a hard no.
“Tell me, true mate. How do I reach you?” the vampire asked, leaning forward on the table. “You constantly draw away.”
He slammed his hands down. “How do I reach you?”
I blinked at his sudden eruption, clutching the files against my chest.
What a farce this entire thing was. Kyros was trying to pull me closer emotionally and not bite me. I wanted to be bitten and nothing more. His father wanted me pushed away for good.
This was all so messed up.
Kyros had betrayed and lied to me so many times, and yet the blood bond was making me feel terrible for hurting his damn feelings.
I had to remember the blood bullshit wasn’t real.
My voice shook. “You don’t reach me. You betrayed me. Do you think jewellery and a few bunches of flowers will ever fix that? If you can’t accept my decision on that front, then at the very least stay the fuck away from my humans.”
I whirled from his hard gaze and rushed through Level 66, his heartache radiating through my chest.
Or was it mine?
Safina was waiting by the elevator. She grimaced. “I was waiting for you. I didn’t mean to listen.”
Part of working in a tower of vampires meant accepting that very few conversations were private. If Kyros had needed that private, he would have moved us to his lair.
“What do you want?” I muttered, stepping in and pressing the button, hoping Kyros would have the sense to not follow.
She hesitated as the elevator swept downward with a belly-dropping lurch. “It’s Kyros’s one hundred and fiftieth birthday tomorrow. It’s late notice, but I’ve been waiting for the right time to ask because I know last time you met our family, things were uncomfortable.”
I raised my brows, my incredulity speaking for itself.
The eldest princess sniffed. “Maybe that’s an understatement.”
Just a tiny one.
“It’s just dinner with immediate family. You’re important to Kyros, and I know he’d love for you to be there.”
Ding!
We stepped off into the garage, and I glanced to where Laurel waited for me.
“Look, Safina. I appreciate that you’re trying to make your brother happy. But what makes him happy doesn’t always work for the longevity of my life. King Julius made it clear that he doesn’t approve, and I have no protection against that disapproval.”
She opened her mouth, and I held up a hand. “None of you would lift a finger against your father, so please don’t offer empty promises. The answer is no. I won’t willingly spend time with the people who used me. I hope you all have a lovely time together on his birthday.”
Disappointment and guilt clouded her face, and I strode toward Laurel, weariness piled on my shoulders.
Guess the relative peace of the last few days was officially over.
“That dick actually thought he could buy you through me,” Tommy seethed as we entered the Turkish steam room.
So far spa day had been listening to a steady stream of Kyros propaganda. “I genuinely think he has no idea. Like if something doesn’t have a monetary value, he disregards it.”
She snickered. “He must be floundering so hard.”
I shoved down guilt at her words. “You said you were able to donate the amount to the retirement home?”