A Violet Fire (Vampires in Avignon #1) - Kelsey Quick Page 0,38

tolerate Narref serving him if their relationship isn’t that great?”

He hesitates a moment, seeming to wonder if he should answer. “Well, you would think our lord has a choice in the matter, but—

Suddenly, Gemini pushes down on my head with his hand.

“Bow,” he commands.

The urgency in his voice leaves me with no questions, only compliance. Between bouncing red strands of hair, I make out guards lining the hallway, bent slightly in their own bows. A tall, intimidating figure strides down the center of the passage. His chains, armor, and weaponry rattle with each determined step, while many other steps scurry in follow.

It’s most definitely Zein. And some of his personal attendants?

I catch Gemini out of the corner of my eye as he gives a quick bow.

“My Lord, Zein. Good afternoon!”

The rattling metal echoes to a halt before us, and my heartbeat quickens.

“Gemini,” Zein greets in a deep and melodic tone. “Escorting, are we?”

“Yes, my lord,” he replies. “Taking our little troublemaker here back to the seraglio. I am unaware if Narref has relayed the information yet, but she’s doing well. In good condition!”

A strange, long pause is left in the conversation, but I lose interest as my weighted eyelids become too much of a distraction. Blackness surrounds the edges of my vision as the pull of gravity grows stronger, pulling me to the floor.

An obstruction curls beneath my torso, preventing me from completing the faceplant. I look up to find that it’s Zein’s arm that holds me in suspension. His expression is menacing; his eyes lock mine, teetering precariously between annoyance and... concern? Mine, however, can’t be anything less than that of a fawn caught in the jowls of a wolf. Although it is dim in the hall, I am able to see Zein’s face clearer than ever before. He would be horridly, strikingly handsome if he weren’t the literal bane of my existence.

I furrow my eyebrows and push away, standing upright once more. The fragility of said fawn giving way to a tigress as I remember everything from last night. The pulsing pain in my neck. His manipulation and his cruelty. Now I picture him more like a weasel rather than a wolf. His eyes linger over mine for some time before they pull away to Gemini. The intimidation that has been pooling in them multiplies.

“Good condition, hm?”

“Well… erm, or so I thought.” Gemini tilts his head, eyeing me like a house of cards that might fold in on itself at any given moment. The vampire attendants in the background also don’t look too pleased.

“Keep your eyes on her. Let me know if she causes any issues. And don’t let her fall next time.”

“Forgive me, my lord. Th-the missions to the borderlands are today. Hopefully all is well despite the reports?” Gemini changes the subject expertly.

“Abethos will never be free of our scrutiny. Despite international calm, their state has grown more… restless lately,” Zein responds after a moment, taking documents from a nearby scribe. “I am not too optimistic about it.”

My interest hinges on ‘Abethos’—the neighboring, vampire state closest to Zein’s region of Cain. Most of the books I read about it were obviously written by Cainites, basically calling them hypocritical pacifists for their easy outlooks on blood consumption. The tensions are apparently high between the two states.

“Well, safe travels, my lord. I will hope for the best,” Gemini says as he nudges me expectantly. I tighten my already balled fists.

“Th-thank you, Lord Zein,” I say, the words dropping painfully from my lips. I swear by everything that he smirks, but the only thing I’m absolutely sure of is him and his advisors leaving, one clanking boot at a time. Once they are gone, Gemini pats me on the back.

“You are free to move now. Eat more of that, okay?” he orders, gesturing to my bag of fruit. “That was nearly a disaster.”

“Disaster? Are you serious? I would have barely hit my head or knees or something.”

“Well, you never know... with how fragile you humans are.”

I snort. “Yeah, you’re right. So fragile. Hopefully this grape doesn’t get lodged in my throat and I suffocate to death.”

Gemini looks at me like I’m about to keel over and die.

“I’m kidding, master Gemini.” I don’t understand why he would care anyway, unless keeping the blood supply safe is a life or death mission for these escorts. It’s funny how priorities change so suddenly between the Distribution and the seraglio, as well as the dynamic between all of the vampires involved—a vicious world