（Don’t Fear） The Reaper
(Don’t Fear) The Reaper
Lucille
“How do you like your schedule?” I ask as soon as I know she’s figured out who my yachting companion is.
A feeling of dark glee settles in my gut despite her lack of facial reaction to Taka’s presence.
This will bother her more than her supposed father blowing up in the airplane, and I thought I’d have to arrange it myself.
Fate certainly dropped a boon in my lap today by way of her video chatting me all on her own.
Delores gives me one of her infuriatingly common shrugs and replies, “I’ll be very busy this year. That’s why I wanted to call you now; once the semester starts, I will have very little free time to chit-chat, even with my friends.”
“Oh, yes, the chubby bear who makes ugly clothes and that disgusting hillbilly boy. They’ll live without your drivel, Delores. Hopefully, you will shape up a bit more when you’re not sitting around stuffing your face and gossiping with them on the weekends.”
I see a slight clench in her jaw, and the ball of joy in my stomach grows.
That hit landed, whether it’s true or not, and I’m sure it has to do with a na?ve notion of fairness or truth.
My daughter has always been dim in regard to her worldview, and the association with the older men doesn’t seem to have changed that.
I would have thought they’d teach her that the world is not fair, nor will it give you what you want if you don’t take it, but here we are.
Such a dud for someone conceived ingeniously by illegal means; it really is a waste.
“Mother, I didn’t realize you were coming to Europe on business,” Delores says, and I have to tune back into her ramblings to make certain I miss nothing.
Pretending to consider the unasked question, I wait until she looks as if her eyes are going to twitch before I respond.
“Council business is global, as you know. With your father gone, the Drew seat has been merged with the Rostoff one, so I have much more to do and many more places to be. If you need my calendar, email Matilda.”
My flighty assistant steps into frame behind me and I whip around to glare at her.
I only allowed her to answer because I needed to remind my child of what I have as an ace up my sleeve.
I have no idea why she’d care about this feather duster on legs, but it seems to be a good negotiation tool since Delores left for college.
Otherwise, I would have had Bruiser roast her carcass on a spit for a nice dinner a long time ago.
“My emails and calls have not reached her since the end of last year,” my child says, and I grin as I hear the stress in her tone.
The media blackout between her and the ex-nanny has worked just as I planned.
“Technical issues, I’m sure,” I say with a wave of my hand. “I’ll have someone from Erikson look into it, and she can email you once we have the problem sorted. Right, Matilda?”
She pushes up her glasses, almost trembling with fear as she does a terrible job of faking a smile at Delores. “Yes, Lucille. I’ll get right on contacting our IT person at the office in Paris. His name is Gizmo Quilliam, and I’m certain he will be able to—”
“That is enough, Matilda! As if I care what the hell the drone working on internet wires and such is named.” Huffing in annoyance, I turn back to Delores with a dark look on my face.
“Are you happy now? We will correct the issue now that we’re aware, and you will be able to access my schedule in order to call with your educational progress. ”
Delores tilts her head, the ridiculous rainbow hair falling over her shoulder as she smiles faintly. “Yes, Mother. That will be sufficient. Thank you for your efforts.”
I don’t trust that in the slightest; what is she up to?
“According to the school portal, our first big match is against Cappie. Someone in the Leonidas family must have lost their mind, though.”
Arching a brow, I look at her shrewdly. “And why do you say that?”
“Because it’s the Friday before Samhain weekend. Doesn’t that seem… unfortunate?”
Taka leans in, leering at her. “Are you scared of the ghosts and ghouls, girl?”
I shove him back in annoyance, but my daughter just lets out a very fake laugh.
She’s not above being political when it’s the father of her bedmates, it seems. Perhaps I can use that to find out what the fuck she’s doing.
“Of course she’s not. She’s a warrior in the collegiate Pred Games, darling.
Your sons and that Leonidas slut are coaching her. Perhaps we should attend…”
Waiting for a response to my suggestion, I stay quiet until Delores finally says, “I’m sure the school would be honored to have you. You should certainly look into that.”
Something is off about that reaction, even though it seemed muted and understated.
“Why, Delores, it almost sounds as if you wouldn’t be happy to have us grace l’Academie with our attendance. How could that possibly be?” I pretend to be shocked, removing my sunglasses for a moment so she can see my eyes.
But I taught her better than I thought, because it doesn’t cause her to lose her cool.
No, this version of my daughter simply broadens her fake smile as she says, “Oh, Mother! Never think that. I am worried that the business you and the Raj are handling on the continent is much too important for the two of you to take time away from it. However, if you do come together, I’m certain Felix and Fitz will be delighted to see their father after so long. ”
“I’m sure they would be ecstatic,” I reply drily as Taka snickers to himself nearby.
“However, I will need to review the Council tasks and events we are here to attend before I decide. You will know if we’re coming; that Aung moron wouldn’t dare to forget how much money is poured into that place by our efforts.
She’ll make certain the entire campus knows who will watch that match. ”
Delores nods, her expression serious. “Very good, Mother. I will make sure that I am trained and ready to represent the family to the best of my ability. Zhenga and the other coaches will work us all hard when they hear the two of you might be in attendance.”
“Excellent. Now, I really must go. I have important things to attend to. Matilda!” I yell for the bird to deal with the screen as I dismiss the girl easily.
After all, she’s merely a pawn in this game anyway.
When the camera shuts off, I lie back in my chair and look up at the nubile young tiger holding my martini.
Taka is an interesting distraction, especially with his gaggle of free-use subjects along, but I cannot veer off course.
Papa gave me specific tasks to complete with this little tête-à-tête; it’s all part of his plans.
Bringing the Raj off his rock, where he can be influenced more easily, is a huge part of fighting the war against those magical misfits.
But the phone call from my wayward daughter is worrisome—she rarely calls unbidden, and she hasn’t been following my edicts without pressure since she met those loser exiles.
“Frowning will cause wrinkles, darling,” the tall man says as he returns from wherever he went while I finished my call. “We will have to fly a technician out, and they are so hard to find when you bear my name.”
I arch a brow as I look at him over my sunglasses. “Perhaps constantly killing or kidnapping them for your own needs is hampering your access to the good things in life. You should work on that.”
One of the bimbettes with fruit trays laughs, and Taka’s eyes glitter with fury. “Take her to the lower level!”
She screams, and for a moment, I think the damn girl is going to jump off the yacht to sacrifice herself to the sea rather than be hauled off.
But one of the bigger guards who has been staying in the shadows gets to her before she can do it, and I sigh as the huge feline drags the unfortunate idiot off by her hair.
I had no idea how boring it is to watch someone else exercise their cruelty rather than being the one to do it—no wonder Delores is so dreadfully rebellious.
“That was a prime example of what I meant. You’ve reduced the available bodies by three since we launched from port this morning. If you continue, we’ll have nothing left to play with.”
The eldest Khan clicks his tongue as if I’m a child. “No, no, darling. The pilot can always fly in more and land on the helipad. When I came to the mainland at your request, I made certain to bring enough toys to keep me satisfied for the entire visit. I am nothing if not thorough in my plans.”
“Good to know,” I say as I take the martini from the still-waiting server.
“I prefer to associate with those who are intelligent enough to know themselves. It leads to far less stress when we need to create chaos within our world. Besides, I put up with Bruno’s idiocy for almost a decade before I had Delores, and another quarter century after that before I got rid of him.
I’ve had enough of stupid, disappointing men. ”
His laugh is full of arrogance, and undeserved bravado as the Raj drops onto his lounge again. “You won’t find that here, darling. Khans are never a disappointment and always win the games.”
The ego of this man is astounding—even the small encounters I’ve had with his twin sons and my daughter told me that he is not long for this earth, if they choose to come for him.
“It’s unusual for Delores to contact me,” I murmur as I sip my icy drink. “Even at the beginning of the school year, I have to hunt her down, leaving voice mails until she finally gives in.”
My new target picks up his tablet, and once he puts on sunglasses, he looks over at me. “Is it time for extraction? Maybe your plan should be sped up before it’s too late.”
“Absolutely not,” I reply sharply. “You may not be able to hold your wad, but I certainly will not ruin decades of planning by rushing the climax, Taka.”
The Raj visibly shrinks back a little—not a lot, but enough for me to notice and catalog.
My father has long suspected that though the leader of the Khan empire was a vicious, dirty fighter in his youth, he’s grown lazy and complacent in his age.
Part of my assignment with him is learning how to manipulate his whims more effectively for the Society.
Bloodstone needs to be used more efficiently and to greater effect than it’s being used now.
Buttering up this arrogant fool is necessary to that end.
“Lucille, I meant no offense,” he says when he recovers.
“You know I am excited to be an integral part of assisting our mutual friends in stuffing those spell-slinging freaks back where they belong for good. If your daughter is the center of that plot, you must do so in whatever way you see fit. That is why I did not object to my useless sons banging her at the school.”
It’s a bit more than that, I believe, but I doubt the twins tell their father anything for fear of his wrath.
Of course, his wrath has diminished since they left, it seems, and they simply have no idea how indolent the man is now.
He sounds perfectly vicious on the phone, and in person, he’s practically a spoiled sultan.
Luckily, he’s not a terrible lay, especially with the addition of the harem into the fold.
I will survive his disappointing stature and smelly tanning oil so Papa can achieve the next step in his plans.
But I won’t enjoy it, and someone will pay for that… mark my words.