Hikeen Montoy was a tall, slimly built Royal Blood vampire. He had silver white hair on top of his head and his mustache, but his goatee was snowy white. His eyes—the ones he showed most often to the human world—were an icy, almost iridescent, blue, which was in no way descriptive of just how cold-blooded this particular vampire was. Tonight, he wore a long winter white wool coat, cream-colored dress shoes and a matching suit. His tie was bloodred, his smile was small and insincere.
“It’s late and I don’t wish to be here at dawn. I’ve come for a report, but the visual has given a little of the knowledge I sought.”
The accent was brisk and possibly Australian, the chill it sent down her spine each time she heard it was real and pissed her off more than she could explain.
“This was the first time he came in to collect. In the weeks since we’ve reopened no enforcers or drug lords have shown their face around here.” She finished with the napkins, pitching them across the room until they landed in one of the trash cans she’d lined up to be taken outside.
“You think that’s because they fear the Drakons who set the place on fire before?”
Enes didn’t want to think about those dragons that had run her and Prinze out of here that night, nor did she want to recall the sound of Prinze’s screams as that sludge that sucked them both into the sewer had strangled the life out of him because he was Warrick’s son and Warrick had betrayed Hoan. The Chief Lord was the reason she’d survived and because of that, she now owed her allegiance to him.
“One of them was here tonight. He stood in the back watching some chick, but then he left before she did.”
“Did he confront you?”
“No.”
“Then what was he doing here?”
She shrugged. “Just standing there, like I said.” There was no other answer to give and she was getting tired. “Look, I’m doing what you said, going on with business as usual. There’s no need for you to pop in for daily reports.”
“Would you have killed that pesky human if I hadn’t ‘popped in’? No. And that is why I’m here. I never agreed with anything Warrick did. He wasn’t of the Royal Blood. And neither are you. But you will do as I say and run this club the way I tell you to.”
It took everything in her not to roll her eyes and suck her teeth like a petulant child. She’d heard all this before—all vampires were governed by the Royal Court, which consisted of the King, Queen and the global council who were all housed at the Royal Capitol. Lords, descendants of the King and Queen, were given rule of different areas on the Human and Far Realms. Only those born of a Lord were considered of Royal Blood, all others were just vampire scum in the eyes of the Royal Court.
Hikeen ruled Pennsylvania and a few other states along this stretch of the U.S. He believed his words could brainwash someone into doing his bidding. That wasn’t the case with her. She was going along with him because right now, she had no other choice.
“Yes, sir.” Those words were just as sour tasting in her mouth as Barrington’s blood had been.
“Now, I want you to keep an eye out for more Drakons and report to me each time you see them. If another enforcer or anyone comes trying to extort money from you, kill them. Those are my terms and I want the word to spread far and wide.”
“Killing so haphazardly will bring exposure.” Something Warrick hadn’t cared about either, but Enes believed there was power in autonomy.
The Chief Lord moved with the flash of light, stopping when he was just inches away from her, towering over her as if he could crush her at any second. He could, but Enes wouldn’t go without a fight. She’d bet the arrogant sonofabitch Chief Lord wouldn’t expect that from her.
“I want them to know we’re here!” he yelled down into her face. “I want them all to know and to fear, because that’s the only way they’ll survive.”
His eyes turned a glistening vampire gold at that moment and that cloying paralysis she knew Barrington had felt just before she’d bit him circled her, rendering her immobile.
“Don’t make me regret saving you, Enes.”
She didn’t bother to speak, but on nights like these, Enes regretted that time when she’d been human, on her deathbed in a hospital, with no family and mounting fear. That was the night she’d been at her weakest and the night she’d begged Warrick Camden to save her.
Now, she wondered if a longer life of drinking blood and acting as a preternatural hitman was the better option.
Ravyn should be tired. She hadn’t slept again last night. Truth be told, it had been much longer than the last twenty-four hours since she’d had a full night’s sleep. A person would have to feel safe in order to relax enough to sleep for hours on end. Ravyn hadn’t felt safe in...well, never. She’d learned long ago that to stay safe she needed to always keep an eye out for her enemies, and now as the founder and manager of the secret underground society Safeside, she was tasked with the safety of more people than just herself.
“When will you be back?”
Cree’s voice jolted her from her thoughts and she turned to see his tall lanky body leaning against the doorway of her office.
“I’ll be back before dawn.” He didn’t look like he believed her. His one brown eye surveyed her warily, while the glassy pearl-colored eye which allowed him to only see blurred images did the same. That eye was a constant reminder of all she and Cree had been through together and was one of the biggest reasons she was about
