Chapter 7 Kyle
Kyle
Ipushed through the door to the outside and stepped onto the deck that seemed to wrap its way around the whole building. There was a lot more exploring and mapping of this whole place to do before I had anything to take back to Nic.
The training yard was empty now, aside from the blood I’d spilled earlier.
Every single one of the vampires I’d beaten in a fight had crawled away or dragged themselves off for a feed, but restless energy still crackled through me.
My instincts were all on fire, and I didn’t want to just maim.
I wanted to kill. But there was no one out here to even take on.
Bloodlust claimed me. I wanted to spill it, to see it, to taste it. I drew a deep breath like I could extract the leftover coppery tang from the air.
A punching bag hung from one corner of the deck, and I wandered toward it before giving it a soft punch. A harder punch soon followed and one even harder after that until my fists blurred.
But it wasn’t enough. The soft vinyl gave easily under my force, conceding easily, instead of cracking like bone or splitting open like skin. A sheen of sweat soon covered me, soaking my T-shirt, and I stopped.
Punching something wasn’t helping, and I didn’t have a change of clothes here. As far as I could tell, I didn’t even have a way home. I hadn’t seen Esmé for a while, and I hadn’t seen Sam since I left her alone in the kitchen… for her own safety.
Shit. I wiped my hand over my forehead. I could have taken her then and there. Her eyes had been so innocent, her lips so… tempting. But that was wrong.
So wrong.
Humans shouldn’t tempt me.
I could have drained her. I’d come too fucking close to her after I’d watched that fledgling nearly fucking do it. It could have tipped me over the edge. And now I was stuck here. Couldn’t even get away and clear my head.
Still, I shook my head in a futile attempt to clear it anyway, but blood still pounded through my ears, and the noise made it hard to think, to focus. That fucking fledgling had been holding Sam against the refrigerator.
Panic had filled her eyes, and I’d… I’d…
I shook my head again. I’d reacted.
He’d been about to fucking bite her.
And I’d said she was mine. Only that was good, right? Made playing her boyfriend more real.
My anger level rose again as the memories crashed over me. But that wasn’t right. My temper wasn’t supposed to be spiking. I was supposed to be calming down.
None of this made any sense. Humans meant nothing to me. Well, except for the effort to keep them from finding out about vampires… Which had a lot to do with why I was here and was a reason I didn’t need distracting from the mission.
It was too dangerous to let humans mean anything to me.
Hell, I’d learned that lesson before. Brutally.
I clenched my fists, dragging my thoughts from that past. I didn’t even know this Sam girl.
She didn’t belong in my thoughts as a human or as a thrall, regardless of the wrench fucking Esmé had thrown into the works with her fake dating story.
As I turned from the punching bag, planning to find the quickest way out of the house and gate so I could at least go to where I was staying and shower the stench of Blackbloods off my skin, Brock stepped out from some nearby shadows.
I didn’t jump at the sudden sight of him.
I never flinched, but I should have known he was there.
He shouldn’t have been able to sneak up on me.
I was too distracted and needed to bring my wandering mind back under control.
I needed to remain alert. Especially given I was literally on enemy territory.
I glanced at the man. He’d looked like a monster before, but although he stood taller than me, there wasn’t anything about him that was more powerful about his build or his attitude.
He looked me up and down, his gaze still the same assessing one he’d used earlier. “Impressive show today.” He didn’t sound particularly impressed. He almost sounded bored, but I got it.
He couldn’t afford to sound too interested and still maintain his position as leader easily. These were not well-organized guys. Brock needed to rule by fear and lack of respect, so he couldn’t afford to show me any of the latter.
I didn’t say anything. Nothing was done to impress him. I wasn’t like the others joining his little group. My purpose was different, and that was to get in so we could take him down. Instead, I waited, letting the silence stretch. He’d speak again soon.
People usually did.
“You might just work out as an enforcer,” he said.
I nodded, still not willing to speak. This was me, exercising some power. Making him do the talking.
“And actually, there’s some business I’ve got coming up that I need you to take care of.”
Well, this was interesting. And very rapid progress. “Oh, yeah? What’s that?” I allowed four words. Just enough to look engaged.
Brock slung an arm over my shoulders and pulled me uncomfortably close as he started to walk along the deck.
“We’re taking out the Duponts, but we’re doing it clever, right?
” He stopped and loosened his grip as he looked in the direction of the nearest houses.
“I like it here. New Orleans. Usually we’d rip through, but I think I’d like to stay.
We’ve been watching this city for a while, keeping a check on ol’ Frankie and his dad.
We were about to move in when boom! Stolen right out from under us.
” He shrugged and his grin showed a hint of fang.
“At least that’s what that fucking king thinks.
Now just gotta get rid of those fuckers who think they run the place. ”
“You got a plan?” I focused on running my fingers along the railing like I wasn’t interested, but my plan to stay quiet had worked. It sounded like Brock had just told me a whole helluva lot more than he’d meant to.
He wanted New Orleans for himself, and he’d been planning to steal it out from under Francois and émile. That would interest Nic.
He chuckled. “Full of ‘em. Always full of plans, my new friend. The first is what I want you on tonight. You see, the Dupont king doesn’t know everything that happens in this city, and his brother is too busy with his new mate to know shit either.” He tapped the side of his head, his eyes bright with fervor.
“I know shit. I’ve been watching and learning, and I know exactly how this place runs and who runs it. ”
I lifted an eyebrow. I wasn’t surprised that Sebastian might be oblivious, but were there things that not even Temple knew?
Brock chuckled again before sitting on a swing seat, the old chain links creaking under his weight.
“There are some businesses of the old king’s that are still up and running.
All very secret. Think it was the old regent, actually.
” He scratched his chin, and his fingernails scraping over the stubble there made a rasping sound.
“Francois definitely had some fucking dodgy dealings, and the Blackbloods are more than happy to step in and take those over. It’ll give us a foothold in Louisiana and start to erode the power of the new king. Wins all around.” He grinned again.
“So, you want me on one of these hidden jobs?”
He shook his head. “Not yet, newbie. Slow your roll. You’re starting on smaller jobs. Until I know I can trust you.”
I leaned against the balcony railing and crossed my ankles. Total at-ease position to try to convey that he could also relax around me.
“We’ve got some spies in at that new club, and we’ve heard that there’s a shipment coming in.” Brock’s gaze roamed across the yard as he spoke like he was always on the lookout for danger.
He probably was. It wasn’t like he went out of his way to make friends.
I made a mental note to tell Jason or Sebastian to keep an eye on the Nightfall employees, although being able to distribute false information directly back to Brock was probably a reason not to weed out any moles. We could use whoever the traitor was now.
“A shipment of what?” I was still grunting questions.
“Liquor. For the club. We’re going to steal it.
” He shrugged. “It’s mostly a minor inconvenience but my plan is to keep fucking with them.
Keep them busy with the small shit while I start to unravel everything else.
Then I can watch them fall apart. Fuck. I’ll take them apart and burn their little kingdom to the ground then keep the ashes for myself.
” His eyes darted to the side as he finished speaking, as if he was unwilling to meet my gaze head on. That seemed odd for such a big guy.
I shrugged. “I don’t care about your reasons for the job as long as I get paid.”
He exhaled and chuckled. “Money isn’t an issue, believe me.
You’ll get paid.” He leaned forward. “You just need to get yourself to the port at nine-thirty and watch the unloading of the SS Atlantic. Some of my other guys will meet you there and the rest is up to you.” He stood, making it clear that was the extent of his instructions.
“Got it,” I said as I straightened. Leaning wasn’t as safe now that he was on his feet.
“Make sure you get it right.” He walked away, and I went in the opposite direction, back toward the punching bag and the entrance to the house.
The training yard remained empty, and I pushed back through the door into the kitchen, mulling over the instructions Brock had just given me.
It was a stupid mission. Not one even worth bothering with, and his reasons hadn’t rung true.
There was something else going on, but I had no idea what, and I wouldn’t be able to find out unless I showed at the dock.
It was risky to go in blind, but I hadn’t taken this mission expecting it to be risk-free or easy.
This was either a test or a set-up, though, and I needed to be prepared for both.