Hurt spliced me at his callous mention of using me like a dishcloth. Regret coursed through Kyros.
“Lover, are you telling a young male not to pursue a young woman?” A clear voice rang out.
An ethereal goddess of a woman appeared from between the curtains behind the throne. Kyros’s mother. The queen of Clan Sundulus. I’d seen her on the live stream of the dice roll.
… Though not topless with only black garters and silken black underwear on.
Whatever floats your boat.
“Mom!” Neelan hissed, turning away.
I glanced back to see most of the siblings blurring from the room. Mirth bubbled up my throat as Rory covered his eyes while Safina merely looked amused.
“My queen,” the king greeted, taking her hand as she approached him in some otherworldly gliding impression of a swaying walk.
I could barely take my gaze from her. No wonder both kings had wanted to harem her up. Milky skin seemed to glow and rich blonde tresses trailed to her lower back. Did vampire moms breastfeed? Because her boobs sat higher than mine. Her rosy nipples could have their own Twitter page.
Maybe I’d start one.
“Lover, do you think it wise to give our son an order he cannot possibly keep? To deny a blood bond with a true mate, is not that cruel? You know as well as I that being human is no real barrier.”
Alarm coursed through the bond, every speck of it from Kyros. What the hell was that about?
The king’s gaze trailed to his queen’s breasts and then lower.
I glanced over my shoulder again, enjoying the sight of Safina turning faintly green. The only one left, she turned tail and marched from the chamber.
Kyros remained with his head down, but his discomfort and disgust were discernible through his continued rage. Turns out parent PDA was viewed the same by both species.
The king twirled the queen and she landed on his lap with a light laugh.
Were they about to get it on? Because even I’d have a problem watching that.
“Lover, our son and his true mate are still here,” the queen said, shooting a curious glance my way.
The king growled.
“That is what she is, Julius,” the queen said sternly.
His jaw clenched as he met her cool gaze. “My son is not meant to be with a human.”
The queen said nothing, trailing her fingertips over his chest. And lower.
And lower.
I grinned as Kyros’s wrath gave way to nausea.
“Leave,” the king said without looking our way.
The queen jerked. “Oh, but stay for dinner, please, my first son.”
“Yes, Mother. After I take Miss Le Spyre home,” Kyros murmured, turning without lifting his head.
The king lowered his head to his queen’s ample chest. “Neelan can do it.”
He totally knew about his children’s side game of tormenting me and Kyros.
“Yes, Father.” Kyros bowed, looking at me for the first time. His expression was unfathomable, and I tried to make sense of the determination and resignation emanating from the massive vampire.
“Basilia,” he said, striding to the door.
Woof woof!
But, really.
Like I needed any encouragement to get the fuck out of King Julius’s sight.
15
“Miss Le Spyre,” Angelica greeted as I exited the lift onto Level 66 on Sunday night. “Congratulations on your promotion.”
I’d assumed my work week was Monday to Friday morning. No one had come to the estate to correct the assumption anyway.
“That’s looking at it through rose-coloured glasses to the extreme, Angie,” I replied, making my way to where the roll was held each night.
Tonight was Clan Fyrlia’s turn.
“Perhaps. You might be interested to know that Queen Titania approves.”
Fuck me, even the queen’s name needed a Twitter page. I had a serious crush on Kyros’s mother.
I picked up speed to lose the vampire whom I neither liked nor disliked. Actually.
I slowed. “You know what King Julius said to me and Kyros then?”
“My sister and I are close,” she answered. “My sister is talking to him.”
Chipping away at King Julius? Was that possible?
Hopefully.
Because if he didn’t relent, my game plan was officially screwed.
I wasn’t convinced my seduction strategy was working, but I’d have to up it somehow—except that was bound to raise Kyros’s suspicions. What sane person would play with the fire that was King Julius?
“No need,” I said. “I don’t want to pursue the blood bond further.”
Vissimo were already crowded around the glass tube, and I stopped behind them. 11:57 p.m. Perfect timing. Not a minute more than needed. That surely sent the right message. And I’d try to leave early too. Anything to nullify any suspicion over my presence here—even though the king literally ordered me here.
The vampires in front of me parted like the two jagged columns of a zipper. I studied their expectant faces.
“No, no,” I said, planting my heeled feet. “I’m watching from back here.”
They continued to part, creating a path all the way to the glass tube.
For fuck’s sake.
Angelica shoved me gently, and I stomped to the front, scowling through the huge glass cylinder to where Kyros stood on the other side.
My eyes drank him in, something settling within me just for being near him.
Stockholm syndrome.
His contentment thrummed through me as tangible as the rumbling in his chest on the few occasions my head had rested against it.
The screen lit up, displaying the two kings and their queens. Tonight, King Mikhail picked up the dice and rolled. Huh, Julius really did have a better roll. I thought that was blind admiration for the Sundulus leader from his adoring minions.
The screen disappeared and the large screen map of Bluff City descended with the glass tube just like I recalled.
Kyros clicked the tiny remote in his hand, and everyone watched the red dot zigzag around the board in a seemingly random order.
I memorised the order this time. Grey, Estates, Orange, Red, Pink, Purple, Blue, Yellow, Green, Agriculture, and Black.
The red dot settled on Agriculture, and a displeased murmur rippled through the surrounding Vissimo.
“Eleven,” he announced. “Today Clan Fyrlia will work in the Agriculture district. While not an ideal roll, we are prepared for the worst-case situation. We will work closely with Prince Lionel’s sub-clan tonight. Please include the relevant sister team in your strategy meetings. You all know that Fyrlia recently gained an advantageous development deal in this area. That advantage cannot be allowed to gain further momentum. Currently, Lots 72-94 are privately-owned farming lands. If Fyrlia secure just one of those, the probability of us securing the remaining twenty-one lots decreases by 8 percent. We know that humans are more likely to listen to word of mouth. Let’s not allow Fyrlia to create that.”
A begrudging respect rose within me as he continued. The dice could have landed anywhere. He had extensive knowledge of Bluff City. Far more than me. I had to constantly refer to my Churchill team’s daily report for forecasting statistics.
“Live Right’s agricultural successes must occupy the top of every realty search for Bluff City,” Kyros continued. “Forecasting teams, SEO teams, you know what to do. Furthermore, today is a day to collect on favours garnered with our human liaisons. I don’t need to explain this is a pivotal moment. We have never been in a tighter position. If Fyrlia win the rest of the available agriculture land, we will enter the end cascade.”