I stepped off the elevator on to Level 44 and peered at Angelica. Behind the reception desk, her gaze widened at my dripping state.
I wiggled my toes, noting the wet puddle forming around me.
“What happened to you?” she demanded.
“This and that,” I replied, waving my house files in the air. “Secured a property in Pink. Laid some foundations for the suburb when your clan next lands there too. Did you need something else?”
The Vissimo blinked. “Which property?”
“9C Joker’s End.” I thumbed through the files as I approached, sliding the respective paperwork onto the desk.
Her mouth was slightly ajar. “The hippy activists?”
“Strongly opinionated bohos? Yes.”
She shook her head, rifling through the papers.
I folded my arms, inadvertently squeezing a fresh torrent of water from my ruined bra. “We’ve established it’s because I’m human. This isn’t surprising.”
Angelica glanced up from the file. “That’s not all it is, and we both know it.”
A compliment? I remained mute, not willing to accept it from her. She liked to act first and ask for forgiveness. I wasn’t into that.
“He’s not mad, Miss Tetley—that you said no the other night.”
Uhm, subject change much? “Oh, goodie. The thought was keeping me up at night.”
Her nostrils flared, and I kept my innocent expression locked in place.
In my answering smile, I made sure to show all my teeth. “He accepted my answer awfully quick when I asked what he was hiding, Angie. If you’d like to tell me that, I’ll happily listen.”
Amusement alighted her cool, blue gaze. “If you have a question for Kyros, perhaps you’ll have most success asking him.”
Yeah, you know I won’t do that.
If Kyros had fucked up yet again, he could come to me. If he hadn’t, that was still a win in my eyes.
“Could you join me for a moment?” she asked.
I gestured at my dripping clothing. “It can’t wait?”
“We won’t be more than a minute,” the vampire purred.
My brows climbed higher as she led me to the hot water closet to the left of reception.
Angelica shut the door to the closet, pulling the cord above to turn on the weak bulb.
“Any particular reason you’ve brought me to one of two soundproof locations in this tower?” I folded my arms.
“Never forget the nooks and crannies, Basilia,” she murmured.
And that means what? “You’re up to no good. The last few days were almost normal. Don’t screw that up if you can stand to keep your nose out of my business for three seconds strung together.”
She cut me a small scowl. “I wanted to give you this.” The blonde-haired, blue-eyed vampire pulled a grey device from her blazer pocket.
“…You wanted to give me a voice recorder?” The fuck?
She beamed, passing it over. “Exactly! I find them useful for taking notes. Right after client visits when everything is fresh. You’ve done so well, and with so much going in your life, I thought you deserved a gift.”
I turned the recorder over in my hands. “Thanks?”
“Don’t mention it,” she snarled.
Yikes, okay.
Angelica recovered her polite smile with eerie speed. “Best put it in your pocket, Miss Tetley. You wouldn’t want to lose it.”
This conversation had achieved first percentile strangeness. Holding the recorder, I studied my sopping clothes and elected to hold the gift.
“You purchased new clothes?” Angelica murmured, eyes dropping to my compost-stained ensemble.
“New clothes,” I grunted. “Sorry to put a kink in your matchmaking plans.”
“Never be sorry for kinking, Miss Tetley.”
Was that don’t apologise for doing what you have to advice? Or get yourself a harem stat advice?
She pushed open the closet door. “After you.”
“You’re seriously odd, Angie.”
The vampire’s lips twitched. “How about you call it a day? Go up and change. I’ll type up the notes on 9C Joker’s End.”
I groaned. “Mrs and Mrs Tilonia who own 9C Joker’s End. They’re women, people, not an address.”
Not receiving a response, I stomped to the elevator and added to the wet patch in the lift as I rode to Level 61.
By the time I stepped into the shower, I was shivering up a storm. “Stupid blood exchange.”
Since the last exchange, I was running cold. In Summer too. Maybe I should get some supplements or something. Iron? Usually, I drew from Truth Ranges for any medical situation, but funnily enough, they hadn’t covered what to do when a fanged monster drank from a person three times in a row.
Hopefully it wasn’t on tonight’s episode because I had some sleuthing to do.
Dressed in a form-hugging black knit dress, black tights, and chunky heels, I threw on a half-thigh length grey cardigan to complete the look. Digging into my Elegance pack for a hair tie, I pulled out the binoculars I’d purchased two days before and the master key I took from Angelica during my second thrall.
Gathering my long curls into a messy bun, I pulled out a few wispy tendrils to frame my face and then slid my thick-rimmed black glasses on.
Feeling cute. Check.
Time to flush this spy fucker out.
Bouncing across the bed to the nightstand, I reached for Beast—making sure not to disconnect him from the charger. He didn’t like when that happened.
Unfortunately, my mastermind plan necessitated some communication with Kyros.
I typed:
Flushing out spy tonight. Just go with what I say and don’t interfere.
I sent the message to Tommy knowing she’d never receive it.
Sure enough, the security screening message came through a minute later.
Waiting another minute, I called Angelica.
“Miss Tetley?”
“Angie, darling. I need Kyros’s number, please.”
“... Certainly.”
No questions asked. If there was a dedication award, Kyros’s aunt would have won it five times over by now.
I jotted down the numbers she rattled off on the new notepad I purchased at the same time as the binoculars.
Hanging up, I dialled Kyros. Tuning into his emotional compass, I scowled at the delicious coiling that furled within me at the mere thought of him.
“Basilia.”
My heart pounded at the rumbling depth of his voice. I was happy to hear it. What was more, he was happy I called.
We were just so fucking screwed.
“Kyros,” I breathed. Lust rolled through him as I said his name.
I’d have to feel this—him—for the rest of my existence. The thought made me want to crawl into a hole. One where he’d be waiting. Naked.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
“I’m going out tonight. Just across the road to a wine bar. I only want Laurel, Kelsea, and Josie to accompany me so the other patrons aren’t weirded out. If the rest of my crew is on standby, is that good with you?”
It wasn’t. I knew it before he spoke.
I gritted my teeth. Damn vampire. I just spent three days setting this gig up, and that wasn’t easy. If he said no, I was going to find a baseball bat and end him.
“Just across the road?” he clarified.
Ha!
His need to find the spy was outweighing his assholery. “Yep. Yellow Otter.”
“I know it.”
That wasn’t a yes. I focused on my frustration and shoved it at him—or the world. I had no idea how this emotional telepathy shit worked.
“This once. Only because the bar is in close proximity.”
“Thanks so much,” I said sarcastically.
“You’re welcome.”
The line disconnected. Bastard.
How could he go along with my plan and still manage to piss me off?
Shaki
ng off the encounter, I dialled Laurel next.
“Hey, Loz. Did you hear that?”
“It’s not polite to listen in to our master’s conversations.”
That’s a yes. “Could you, Kelsea, and Josie take me across the road to Yellow Otter?”
“Of course. I’ll put the rest of your team on standby.”
Totally listened in.
I smirked. “Cool, I need to get ready, and I assume you guys will try to go as Jessica Alba during her Dark Angel days. So come up here to change, please.”
“You don’t want us to dress like Jessica Alba this time?” she asked.
Her innocent tone didn’t fool me for a second.
“I dressed in leather one time,” I huffed, hanging up.
I’d never live that down.
When they arrived, I was ready with my pen and notepad.
Was I sure that the trio weren’t the ones who’d blabbed to Clan Fyrlia and triggered the attack on me? Nope. But I really hoped I wasn’t mistaken in them. These three genuinely seemed to like my company.
I sighed at their Indebted uniforms as they huddled in the doorway.
I’d convince them against leather if it was the last thing I did. “Grab clothes off the rack suitable for a wine bar. Your objective is to fit in. Humans hate standing out.”
Laurel watched me closely.
Winking, I jotted a note on the pad.
Don’t respond to my notes out loud.
How far away can you hear my heartbeat in this building?
She scanned the message and nudged the other two, who were scouring my clothing racks.
Kelsea and Josie read the note, their eyes flicking to mine.
Laurel grabbed the pen from me.
Two levels average. Four levels at most.
Everyone I was interested in should either be on Lower Level 4, Level 44, or Level 66. I wrote:
I need your phones.
The part of the plan that didn’t sit well with me. The bond between the Indebted was for real. If the trio was aware one of their sisters and brothers was the spy, they could try to warn them.
Laurel’s mouth tightened, but she passed her phone over, the others following suit. I grimaced, hoping to convey that I appreciated their trust in me.
“What’s going on?” Kelsea mouthed.
I pulled out a set of instructions I’d written earlier, handing it to Kelsea and Josie. Scribbling as quickly as possible, I passed a second message to Laurel.
Understanding dawned on the older vampire’s face as she finished reading it.
Kelsea and Josie were yet to connect the dots.
I cast all three of them a stern look, holding up the final pre-prepared message.
From now on, we must be careful of every word we speak. The four of us are together and heading to the Yellow Otter. Don’t mention any other details aloud.
I’d underlined the last sentence, and the other two finally seemed to grasp what was happening.
Now the fun could begin.
Expression serious, I said cheerfully, “Did you guys find something to wear?”
Laurel turned to the rack, wrinkling her nose.
I cracked a grin. “What? You don’t like anything other than black leather?”
“Exactly,” she answered, brows lifted at the selection before her.
“You wore that dress to the club one time.”
She lifted a shoulder. “I pretended it was black. You’re wearing black now. Is that all the black you’ve got?”
“My jeans are soaked with compost juice, so yeah.” I perused the rack, drawing a slinky dark green dress from a hanger. “This one for you.”
Laurel took the dress, sighing.
Holding back a snicker, I drew out a high-waisted sleeve skirt and crop top for Josie, and dress shorts and blazer with a spangled top for Kelsea.
“Change,” I bellowed, clapping my hands. “We’re drinking wine tonight.”
“We’re drinking with you?” Kelsea called from the bathroom.
“Probably should have mentioned that part. Well, can you guys drink on guard duty? If not, I’d still like your company as I drink myself into oblivion.”
“It takes a lot of alcohol to get a Vissimo drunk,” Josie said. “I drank a bottle of absinth one time and felt a pleasant warmth in my stomach.”
“Right. That’s… something else. I guess a few wines won’t register.”
My nerves ramped up as the vampires changed their outfits. All the pieces were in place, I was certain. This wasn’t my first rodeo. I’d used this exact same ploy on my rich friends as a teen. That was about the time I came to understand the kind of people they were—or felt they had to be.
I wasn’t nervous my plan would fail. I was nervous it would point the finger at someone I liked. But this spy had killed twelve Vissimo, put me in a situation where I killed another being and nearly died myself, and forced me closer to Kyros than either of us ever intended to be.
They had a lot to answer for.
I checked Beast.
“Happy hour will start soon,” I said. “Shall we, ladies?”
Laurel was still standing. “Will this place have tequila shots like last time?”
I swept the trio with a shrewd look. If I had to guess, I’d say they were disappointed we weren’t really heading out to drink. Guess they didn’t get to party a lot.
Or at all.
“Yep, should do,” I said as we walked toward the elevator. “Their main focus will be wine though.”
“I like tequila,” Laurel announced, pushing the call button.
I laughed. “I second that, girl.”
Ding!
Kelsea and Josie stepped on, and I waved at them as the doors closed. Go time.
I held my finger to my lips for Laurel’s sake, and she merely dipped her head and then bodily picked me up.
“Where to?” she mouthed.
“End of hall,” I mouthed back.
On whisper-soft feet, Laurel snuck us down to the other end of the hall.
I opened the door as quietly as possible and she deposited me in front of the windows overlooking the street below.
More importantly, I had a view of Yellow Otter.
As silently as possible, I drew the binoculars out of my pack.
Laurel drew my notebook closer, crouching beside me.
She wrote:
Who do you suspect?
Pulling a face, I turned to the last page of the notebook and pointed at a list of fifteen names. On it were several vampires from Level 44, as well as one of Kyros’s seconds who didn’t seem to like me much, Angelica’s name, and a list of Indebted who’d been close to me before Clan Fyrlia’s ambush. None of my personal crew’s names were on there. There were others I’d considered. Since I was a human who’d exchanged blood with the crown prince of Sundulus, there could be jealous exes, friends of Kyros’s who were trying to rid him of the human problem. Perhaps I’d pissed someone or other off by securing so many houses—though I’d be surprised to find that was the case. This clan was united in their goal. They’d only ever congratulated me and tried to hang damn pictures of the secured houses in my office.
There was a chance I had the wrong people entirely, which meant I’d need to widen my net if this failed.
Laurel frowned at my scrawlings next to each person on the list.
She traced the sentence next to Angelica’s name. Will be in white car, not SUV.
Next, she traced the sentence next to Conrad’s name—Kyros’s disapproving second who constantly glowered at me in the cafeteria. Will enter through east door.
He’d been particularly annoyed when I’d followed him to Sister Sushi and mentioned I’d be going to Yellow Otter on Friday night with a few friends. I always liked to enter the side door because it led to a hidden section that was much more intimate.
Over the last several days, I’d told fifteen different people fifteen different variations on my trip to Yellow Otter.
&
nbsp; Because I was certain of one thing.
The members of Clan Fyrlia’s royal family wanted me dead. I’d killed their youngest brother in self-defence. The fight between us was ruled as closed by an impartial clan, but unofficially, the Tonyi triplets—who I’d gathered did most of the dirty work for the other clan—would come for me.
They’d intended to burn me alive in the basement.
Laurel finished reading my list and scribbled a single word on the notepad.
Smart
I lifted a shoulder to shrug off her comment before recalling Laurel knew who I really was.
I picked up the pen.
It’s how I used to test which friends I could trust
She raised her brows in question, and I smiled wryly, jotting down a name.
Only Tommy passed
I set my attention to the street below, adjusting my binoculars. I swept my gaze over the various entrances I’d given to five of the suspects. Yellow Otter’s many doors were part of the reason I’d picked it.
I couldn’t see anyone lurking outside.
My usual black SUV rolled in, not stopping. I zoomed in on Kelsea in the driver’s seat to make sure. Less than ten seconds later, the white car I used to practice driving pulled up to the front of the bar.
I couldn’t see anyone loitering at the front entrance. No one approached the white car, and no one lurked outside the other four entrances. Heart thumping, I swept the binoculars to an alley directly opposite Kyros Sky.
I squinted through the lenses, and quickly adjusted the magnification.
Three figures stood half in the shadows.
Bingo.
One person on my list believed that two vehicles would be sent out as decoys and I’d go by foot instead, sneaking down Robbers Alley to circle the wine bar and enter from the back.
Adjusting my binoculars again, I focused on the three hulking figures. They were male from their outlines, but I couldn’t make out their features. If I was going to accuse someone of spying, I needed to confirm the Tonyi triplets were below, waiting to attack.
The minutes ticked by, and one of the three men threw his hands in the air, finally stepping away from the wall. I tensed as the meagre city lights blanketed the Vissimo, highlighting his almond-shaped hazel eyes and cruel expression.
Vampire Debt: Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers Book 2) Page 6