“Kyros won’t let you leave?” Safina asked, rounding the charcoal sofa.
The devil himself strode into the kitchen at that moment, wearing nothing but his sweatpants again. I forced back the surge of lust that told me jumping him was probably the best way to live my life for the end of time.
Damned loins.
Kyros threw back the lid of a pizza box. “He won’t, no.” The vampire even managed to sound cool and collected about it. Kyros didn’t look my way. He didn’t make any comment about Lionel’s arm around my shoulders.
The siblings exchanged long looks.
Neelan opened his mouth, and Kyros’s menacing rumble filled the room. I couldn’t blame Neelan for shutting his gob.
“She will be leaving once he stops sulking,” I replied in the same even tone.
His fury nearly left me gasping, but I was sick of this.
I’d tiptoed around his bullshit when I should have pushed him to breaking point from the get-go. At least when he was furious, he actually spoke to me. I wasn’t leaving because I was bored out of my mind or because his behaviour was tearing at my insides. Not really. There were things that I couldn’t do outside of my grandmother’s office. I hadn’t contacted my Churchill team for a fortnight. I needed to see Tommy with my own eyes.
“You know the repercussions,” he replied. Not even his siblings were fooled by his breezy tone.
“More death?” I shot back. “Because there hasn’t been nearly enough of that.”
He lowered the slice of pizza in his hand. “No, there hasn’t.” His green eyes blazed.
“Kyros,” Dierdre said, her gaze lowered. “Father has ordered that Trenit and Tynan are off limits. You know what the consequences for killing them would be.”
She darted her eyes to me.
Wait, wait, wait. I’d die? Fuck me. Sure, why not? That made total sense.
“Father and Mother are here,” Francesca announced, zooming to lay a kiss on Kyros’s cheek. “I love you, brother.”
“I love you, too, Frannie.” His gaze softened though his jaw didn’t unclench. Kind of like his ass cheeks.
The king and queen were coming for the pizza party. That was my cue.
I scrambled to my feet. “Time for my daily nap. Kyros is such a chatterbox today. I’m worn out.”
His eyes narrowed.
“One thing,” Gerome called.
Ugh, nearly made it to the hall.
“It can wait,” I replied, high-tailing it out of there.
He zipped in front of me and threw me over his shoulder, carting me back to the lounge. Unfortunately heightened senses didn’t mean heightened reaction time or strength. It just meant I could see and hear it was coming.
The world had a great sense of humour.
His shoulder pressed on my stomach bruises, but I gritted my teeth until he set me down between Rory and Neelan on the window seat.
“I’m calling in the favour you owe me,” he stated.
I stared. “What in the ever-loving hell are you talking about?”
He grinned. “I gave you the name of the nightclub owner so you could buy the lease. You promised me a proportional favour with no nudity involved.”
Groaning, I rubbed my face. “I remember. What is it?”
“I’m giving the favour to Francesca.”
“Nope. It’s non-transferrable.”
He glared. “Fine. In return for my boon, you’ll participate in Frannie’s fashion parade next week.”
It took a few moments to click. “The launch of the boutique stores in Green?”
The vampire nodded.
Dammit. I’d known this would come back to… well, bite me. “Participate how?”
Francesca smirked. “Catwalk.”
I fixed her with a flat look. “This is your turn, isn’t it?” Her sibling turn to fuck with me and piss Kyros off.
Because he wasn’t nearly pissed off enough.
“Whatever,” I said, pushing at Neelan’s thigh until he budged over.
“Have you considered asking politely?” he snapped.
Honestly? No.
Growing up a billionaire heiress could do that to a person.
I tensed as the front door opened, and blood pounded in my ears, surging as Neelan sniggered over my automatic reaction to the king’s arrival. He was one powerful fucker, and I hadn’t seen him since waking.
The queen wasn’t happy that I’d put her entire family at risk by entering Fyrlia territory.
It occurred to me her husband may not have taken it well either.
“Children,” the queen said happily, sliding into the kitchen ahead of her husband. Her nipples were covered today. The world should mourn the deprivation. They were art.
“Hey, Mom,” the siblings murmured back.
The king scanned the room when he entered, not speaking, his gaze settling on his eldest son.
My phone buzzed.
Thank fuck.
Drawing it out, I read the message from Rory.
Who dis?
I rolled my eyes.
Beside me, his thumbs blurred, and another three messages buzzed through a second later.
What’s happening between you and gyros?
Oops. *Kyros
#autocorrect LOL
Was he serious? Texting while beside me? Sometimes, it took a lot of effort to remember how old these vampires were.
He nudged me until I typed a reply.
He thinks he failed your family and me. He’s pissed.
<3 <3
Rory showed the message to Lalitta on his other side, then typed again.
I read his reply.
Can you un-angry him?
He’s being a pain at work and we need him on the ball.
They did? Were Fyrlia already moving on the information I gave them?
I sent my text.
Why? What’s happened?
Rory cast a look at his father, who prowled about the room looking about as out of place as a wolf at a roller disco. My tension inched upward as he passed close by, flicking his ancient blue eyes to the wound on my neck.
Please keep moving, please keep moving.
My shoulders didn’t relax one bit as he stalked past the window before returning to his queen’s side.
I opened Rory’s message.
Things have stalled with the recent distractions
Things like the Mr Ringly bluff? Fuck. It was starting. The Sundulus clan, unknown to most of their minions, were doing their best to sabotage a subdividing project that would trigger the end of the game.
Mr Ringly was a drug addict, and one month ago, Kyros was certain of the win.
Until I opened my big mouth to save Tommy.
If Fyrlia was pushing back, I had to get out of here and figure out a solution without delay. Which meant, it really was in my best interest to un-angry Kyros.
I nodded at Rory and Lalitta, texting:
I’ll try
How the hell I’d achieve that was the next question. Nothing came to mind.
My phone buzzed incessantly and I glared at Rory before seeing it was a call from Tommy. This had to be number fifty at least, despite my messages to her. I got her neediness. It was the same for me too. I just couldn’t stand for her to be compelled after everything Theodore did to her.
“Do you intend to answer that?”
My chest seized at the king’s silken voice though he was speaking quieter—like all of the Sundulus royals—because of my ears.
I darted a glance at him. “No, I—”
His eyes narrowed to slits. “Answer it, human.”
And when the fuck King Julius’s questions were rhetorical was anyone’s guess.
Shit. Tommy knew about Vissimo. What if she let something slip on the phone?
Swallowing, I obeyed, holding the phone away from my ear. “Tommy.”
“Basi! Oh my fucking god. You better have a great reason for fobbing me off for two weeks. Where the hell are you?”
She paused for breath, and I slipped in. “I’m with Kyros in the Bahamas, Tom. And we’ve been… busy.”
Consider me non-plussed—because I could lie through my teeth to anyone else—but lying to Tommy wasn’t in my skillset. I really, really wished it was.
“Sex?” she snarled. “Really? I’ve had to put up with texts because you’re bouncing on the D?”
I bit back on a groan, my cheeks burning.
Francesca snorted.
Reaching up, I rested my hand against the spines of a few books. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. I’ve been worried sick. Fred has sent me updates, but are you okay?”
“Not worried enough to come home?” she said quietly.
I squeezed my eyes shut, but I had faith in my friend’s intelligence. She knew what I’m with Kyros meant even if the sadness and anger in her voice was real. “I love you, Tom.”
Her gulping sob nearly tore an answering one from my lips. “I miss you, Basil. I really need you right now. Theo’s gone missing. I woke up in hospital and no one has seen or heard from him. I don’t know what to do.”
It was like a sledgehammer slammed into the middle of my chest.
I covered my mouth with a trembling hand, robbed of speech. Kyros’s anger cut through my shock, and I dug the heel of my palm against my ear until the pain shoved away the urge to cry.
“Theodore’s missing?” I rasped, slightly too late. “Why didn’t you tell me? You think the people who drugged you took him?”
Her voice shook. “I’ve called the restaurant to ask what they remember. They said we were there until after dinner and then disappeared. Their cruise boat doesn’t have any cameras onboard. His phone is dead or something. He won’t answer my calls. I filed a missing person’s report with the police five days ago, but they haven’t found anything.”
I listened to her frantic babbling, wondering if I’d ever felt less human.
“Tom, slow down.”
She choked. “I love him, Basi.”
Tears thickened my voice, and my vision of the books blurred. “I know you do, girl.”
“I can’t sleep. I can’t think. What if he’s injured or worse? I need to know. Basil, I swore I’d never ask you to use your influence and money on my behalf,” she whispered. “But I don’t know what else to do. I need your help.”
My face was slick with tears. “Of course. You have it.”
This is what I’d hoped to avoid. Back at the estate and away from prying ears, I could have told Tommy the truth, especially now King Mikael had given me the key around the compulsion. The presence of Kyros and his family was backing me into a lie Tommy would never forgive me for, even if I came clean as soon as possible.
Theodore was dead and cold. In pieces. I hated giving her false hope. I wanted her to know what that bastard did. He didn’t deserve her grief. Not one bit of it.
“The circumstances were dodgy with your drink being messed with,” I said after wiping my face. “I have to play devil’s advocate, Tom. Is it possible Theodore did that to you and ran after?”
Her silence was awful. Worse than her tears.
“Or,” I added, “is it possible he got cold feet with your relationship and doesn’t want to be found? Maybe when you were roofied, you guys had an argument? Anything could have happened.”
“No,” she whispered. “Stop saying those things.”
“I just… What if he’s okay?”
“Then I need proof of that. One way or another. I can’t move on without the truth.”
My heart was made of glass, and her words shattered it. “Please tell Fred to grant you whatever help he can. When I’m back, we’ll get through this together.” And I’ll break your heart.
“You’ll be back soon?” she croaked.
I’d witnessed Tommy sounding pitiful once in my life. She was broken.
My voice firmed. “As soon as I can. I promise you.”
Hanging up, I slipped the phone into the back pocket of my high-waisted shorts, feeling my holey crop-sweater ride up. Staring at the bookshelf, I didn’t turn until my face was dry and I had rein on my emotions again.
Thank you, Agatha Le Spyre.
The quiet was leaden. Too heavy.
I needed pizza, ice cream, and Avril Lavigne’s Let Go album.
Dierdre punched me on the shoulder as I passed.
Love that bitch. Screw Lionel. Next time, I’d sit next to her.
Throwing open the pizza box, my stomach unknotted somewhat as the royals began to converse again. All but one.
Green eyes trained on me, and I ignored him, stuffing as much of the margherita slice into my mouth as possible.
Actually…
Grabbing the box, I rounded the bend, walking to the hall.
An arm looped around my bare waist, stopping me.
Resigned, I peered up at Kyros. “What?”
He didn’t say a word, so I listened to the war within him instead. Sorrow, fear, guilt, uncertainty, frustration, anger.
So much anger. And yet it was a tiny blip on what he’d feel toward me when Sundulus discovered the truth. If Fyrlia was starting their countermove, then I needed Kyros to hold the fort until I could figure out some way around what I’d done.
I sighed as Rory cleared his throat dramatically.
Jesus. I hadn’t forgotten the damn messages!
“Driving lessons,” I said, sighing.
Kyros’s eyes dimmed.
“You promised to show me how to drive. I want a lesson.” Striding back to the bench, I threw the pizza box down and faced off with him.
Kyros’s face hardened though he turned to watch me. “No.”
“You’re going back on your word?” I challenged. “Knew it was too good to be true.”
He began to vibrate.
“A simple lesson.” I pressed. “We don’t have to leave the property if that makes you feel better. Or are we so far gone that you can’t be in the same car as me?”
He agreed with my words. Not out loud. But fuck, he couldn’t stand being that close to me? That’s how unworthy he felt?
Which was just so messed up, I wanted to throttle him.
Kyros reached behind, hooking a set of keys on his finger. “You want a driving lesson?”
“I do.” I folded my arms, wary of the ugliness filling him.
He tossed the keys to the ground between us. “Then pick up the fucking keys and let’s go.”
Shock and hurt cannoned into me. Kyros had one rule—don’t fuck with his family. Within those bounds, in possession of his control, he’d never done anything to disrespect me or make me feel less.
“That’s how you made me feel,” he said quietly.
My mouth dried as the vampire studied me. I could feel his pain and his triumph and his relief.
This wasn’t a punishment for me—for what I’d done. He was punishing himself by shoving me away. And if I didn’t have front row seats to his emotions, the ploy would have worked.
Not today. I had too much riding on this bullshit.
“You’ll have to do worse than that.” Stepping closer, I swooped for the keys.
A massive hand stopped me.
King Julius picked up the keys with his other hand, still holding my hand. We stood together, and he placed the keys into my hand, cold eyes on his son. His ire filled the space, and my knees knocked together. Pretty sure my heart was decaying and crumbling to dust from the proximity and contact.
“Your true mate has killed two of my enemy,” he said, dark menace crawling with each word. “She walked to certain death out of loyalty to her family. She outsmarted fifty of your best Indebted to do so. She ensured that our family would not be in danger from your loss of control. You dare to disrespect her so?”
That one was rhetorical.
Kyros usually kept his gaze lowered around his father. Not this
time. Green fire could leap from his eyes and I wouldn’t be surprised.
King Julius’s voice lashed out. “Answer me.”
Wrong again.
He didn’t give Kyros time to respond. “Tell me, eldest son. How many of my enemy have you killed?”
I sucked in a breath. Whoa. Fucking harsh.
I swear that I only blinked, but in that split second, blood erupted from Kyros’s mouth, his head snapping to the side. The king stood before him, fist clenched.
Savage growls ripped from Kyros’s mouth of the like I’d only heard once. Black was overcoming him, but Julius didn’t react or move back.
This was getting out of hand.
Moving, so Julius wasn’t between me and Kyros, I closed my eyes and sent warm fuzzies to the vampire. Why the fuck I had to comfort him when he’d been a jackass was beyond me. Other than the knowledge that Kyros had never, not in one hundred and fifty years, felt so off-balance. I’d made him this way.
His growls died down.
When I opened my eyes, it was to find King Julius’s shrewd gaze on me.
“You calmed him,” the vampire king said under his breath.
Glad to know it worked both ways. Because only Kyros got the GPS location benefit from the second exchange and that was bullshit.
Nodding, I gripped the keys, my palms sweating.
My attempt to close the distance between me and Kyros did not turn out how I expected at all. Actually, I’d just expected Kyros to say no—not to treat me like crap and then cop humiliations and a smackdown from his dad.
I’d made him feel roughly three times worse by trying to make him feel better.
Go, Basi.
“Take your mate on the driving lessons you promised her,” the king said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Not from me anyhow.
Kyros didn’t seem inclined to acquiesce, and that would lead to round two with his father.
I set the keys on the bench and picked up the pizza box again. “That’s okay. I don’t much feel like a lesson anymore. I’m going to leave you guys to it.” The wobble in my voice was fucking pathetic.
“Okay, dear,” the queen called softly from the window seat. “Call if you need us.”
Death Game: Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers Book 3) Page 2