Chapter 1 #2
“I don’t care if you believe it or not, show some damned respect.” Tobias arose and used his immortal speed to blur across the room, pinning the Floridian vampire to the wall by his neck.
Zafoni could have fought back, but somehow they’d managed to plant doubt in his mind. The male stood motionless waiting for Tobias to make the next move. Tobias made him sweat a little longer, simply because he could.
“I believe Mr. Martelli has already given you all the information you require,” Christo announced. “If your king wants a meeting, it will be here in New York City.”
“Mr. Marquez isn’t going to be happy,” said Zafoni.
“Not our problem. Now, kindly fuck off back to Florida.” Tobias released the vampire and blurred back to his place at the poker table.
With little recourse left, Zafoni made a hasty exit.
“That went better than I expected,” Will said.
“Your expectations require elevating.” Rion sipped his cognac and counted out a stack of poker chips.
Brows knit together, and lips pursed, Christo turned to Tobias. “How worried do we need to be?”
Tobias massaged his brow and sighed. “Well one of two things is likely to happen. One, Zafoni convinces Marquez to request a meeting on my terms. Or two, he’s as much of an asshole as he was the last time I saw him and he decides to wage war on New York.”
Will made a face. “It’s gonna be two, isn’t it?”
“Damn it Jones, stop pouting. This isn’t a joke.” Tobias growled under a breath and slid a stack of chips across the table to match Rion’s.
“We will have to move Vixen to a safer location,” Christo murmured, referring to Will’s heavily pregnant girlfriend, who was also one of Tobias’ servants.
Removing the cigarette from between his lips, Will exhaled swiftly.
“Are you suggesting she’s not safe right now?
” His arctic-blue stare bore down upon Christo, as if the bartender had accused Will of personally failing to protect her.
The expression held for a few seconds, before he relaxed and examined the cards he’d been dealt.
Rion leaned back in his chair. “My penthouse is the safest place in the In-Between.”
“Plus, she’s got Lyla – a demon, Kitty – an angel, and Lori – another mortal servant; with her,” Will added as he matched Tobias and Rion’s bets with an identical stack of chips. “Between that and Rion’s wards, she’s gotta be okay, right?”
“I guess…” Christo said quietly.
“Even if we were worried, Zafoni still has to get back to Florida to pass on our message to Marquez,” Tobias added. “Nothing is going to happen tonight.”
“Unless it was just a ruse.” Rion flashed the bottle of cognac to one hand and refilled his glass. “There is always the possibility Marquez is waiting just beyond the border. Christo, are you sitting this round out?”
Christo’s lips parted wordlessly. He gaped at Rion for several seconds.
“No. I know Marquez,” Tobias insisted. ‘He’s spent several centuries barking orders from his throne.
It would take something huge for him to get off his ass and leave the Floridian domain.
Knowing I’ve claimed my own kingdom might just be enough to do that, but he would test the waters first. He sent one male, whom he knew I would recognize.
If he was here, it would not be a quiet affair. ”
“He did do his homework though,” said Will. “Zafoni knew Christo owned this bar. He probably did background checks on anyone of rank in the NYC Kiss and who knows who else.”
Tobias nodded. “True enough, Angel.”
“However, it is nigh on impossible for my wards to be broken. I would know the instant someone attempted it. No one shall reach our females.” Rion cast another glance upon Christo. “Last chance to play.”
“Poker night is over!” Christo exclaimed, disrupting the cards and chips with the sweep of a hand. “I can’t understand what’s wrong with all of you.”
“Take a deep breath or twenty, would you?” Tobias suggested calmly. “The worst thing we could do is flee in a panic and run back to the penthouse like we’re scared out of our minds.”
“Agreed.” Rion drank the last of his cognac and began sorting his chips. “Zafoni is an intelligent male. He will be waiting somewhere outside the bar, watching our next move. If we act afraid, we shall be perceived as an easy target.”
“Hello… two of you can dematerialize. He would never know.” Christo sat unmoving, his chips and cards still in disarray before him on the table.
“Most vampires do not know their servants will survive dematerializing. Am I correct?” Rion asked, looking pointedly at Tobias.
“Yes. If I was him, I’d stay in position until right before dawn,” Tobias said. “If Christo leaves the bar alone – it still proves the rest of us did a runner. The same deal applies if none of us leave via the front entrance.”
Rion nodded his agreement. “We all need to leave together. It does not have to be right before dawn, but we need to wait long enough that it isn’t a reaction to Zafoni’s visit.”
“If it makes you feel better, I can zip home and check on everyone. Then I’ll come back to leave together,” Will offered.
“It’s not about making me feel better. Your girlfriend – whom we have all grown fond of – is about to have your child. After everything we’ve all been through, why in the Hell are you not freaking out even just a little bit?”
“First of all,” Will began carefully, “you have no idea what I’m thinking or feeling. Secondly, Tobias is her Master. We’re also both connected to Lori and Kitty in one way or another. Thirdly, I’ve been texting Vixen all night. We would know if anything was wrong.”
Christo’s gaze narrowed. “How fast could you get there if your angel radar kicked in? Do you really think you could stop something terrible from happening? Your track record isn’t exactly spotless.”
If Tobias needed oxygen to thrive the way mortals did, he’d have held his breath after that comment. Will responded with wide-eyed shock, shortly before dematerializing.
What was Christo thinking? Vixen’s daughter May, another charge of Will’s, had died at the hands of a demon.
Will had rushed to the scene as soon as he’d been alerted to the danger.
He and Christo had saved Vixen, but had been unable to protect May.
It was a tragedy they were all still recovering from. Naturally, Will blamed himself.
“If you sought to make a bad situation worse, congratulations, you have succeeded.” Rion’s clipped British accent gave hint to his displeasure. His thunderous gaze was enough that Christo had the good sense to look ashamed.