Isidoro
I talk to one bigshot after another, but if you asked me what our short conversations entail, I couldn’t tell you. My mind is stuck on Julian, on his confused face, on the arousal, on the want and hope and anticipation pouring off him as I pinned him to the wall.
Our kiss on the stage replays behind my eyelids as I shut myself off from the world for a second.
Heat rises inside me and I have to ball my hands into fists and anchor myself to the noisy surroundings so I don’t rip to shreds the person I’m talking to for wasting my time with such mundane nonsense.
Heavens, what is Julian doing to me? How could I have underestimated him so much?
Not only does he possess striking beauty, not only can he tickle my self-control with that rebellious attitude of his, but he’s also a lot more intelligent than he lets on. He tricked me, and when I should have punished him for it, he played his ace.
My heart flips inside my chest. I’m deeply impressed. He’s cunning, just like his father, but where Andras used brute force primarily, Julian relies on intellect. On manipulation, on outplaying his opponent and seizing every opportunity.
My cock jolts and I inhale sharply, seeking out his scent among the thousands that surround me.
I find it immediately, right there like an oriental lily amidst a field of dull grass.
It clings to me, lingering like an embrace, and when I track it with the help of my blood-infused senses, it meanders to the head table, where he must currently be.
“Congratulations again, Your Highness. May the bloodstained ruby watch over you and your consort.”
I thank the leader of the Evernight Clan and move on with a slight bow of my head. Three people later, I can finally be on my way home. I don’t wait for the rest, I instruct Samuel to take them back to my residence, needing the drive to collect my thoughts and calm my blood.
The cityscape blurs into a mix of black and flashing lights, a messy background to my messy thoughts.
From the moment I met him, Julian has been driving me insane.
He’s cocky. He’s got a big mouth and gorgeous eyes, and he’s the kind of brat you simply can’t ignore.
And now that I’ve gotten a taste of him…
I sigh as I stop at a traffic light. Let’s not forget the part where he’s the son of my enemy, who lied to me and tricked me into marrying him.
My grin is a force of nature I can’t stop, the laugh that bubbles up from deep inside my chest loud in the quiet car.
My entire body trembles, back in that moment outside the church.
Ah, he smelled so enticing I barely restrained myself. The things he does to me… I should send him away as I originally planned, but that infuriating fool is right—I could use his help. I need to get to the bottom of Andras’ murder as quickly as possible.
I snarl at the intersection as if that can get the traffic light to change to green faster.
This is not ideal. I’ve already lost months and made zero progress on what I thought was an enemy in hiding, but what in reality might be a threat to the entirety of the vampire race.
The strongest, most vicious vampire king in our history was killed while in possession of the ruby, while blessed by its powers.
The ruby which enhanced his power and gave him almost absolute rule over all of us and made him untouchable on that black marble throne of his.
I grind my teeth together. What if I am next?
Tonight? Tomorrow? Next week? In a month or a year?
My insides clamp and tangle. I can’t live like that.
Pulsating ache slithers its way along the sides of my head.
Whatever Ria and Julian know might be the difference between life and death.
And if they have gotten further than the best P.I.
could in two months, then perhaps it’s not such a terrible idea to enlist their help.
“Tell me, Isi, how can we help?” Niko says the second he and Tommy join me in the dining room. “Julian caught us up.”
I instructed Samuel to take Julian and Ria to the conservatory, so I could talk to my friends in private.
Smiling, I point to the bar stool next to me, gesturing for both of them to sit. I’ve put a bottle of expensive whiskey, a jug of homemade lemonade and three glasses on the breakfast counter, though I haven’t poured us drinks yet.
“I would like to keep you and Tommy out of this for now.”
“What? No, you can’t—”
I raise my hand. “Please. We don’t know what we are dealing with yet. This is not a matter humans should get involved in. It’s too dangerous.”
My words cause a line to form across Niko’s forehead. “Still…”
“Please, Nikolas, don’t make this difficult. I will not put you and Tommy in the way of harm. It’s out of the question. This is a vampire problem for me to deal with.” I pour him and me a glass of whiskey and Tommy lemonade.
“You and Julian, you mean,” the blond menace jumps in, smirking. “This is a vampire problem for you and Julian to deal with, because the two of you agreed to work together, no?”
A smile stretches my lips along the rim of my glass. Of course Julian will blabber about it to my two closest friends at the first chance he gets. Now I can’t send him away even if I wanted to or Tommy would come for my head.
“Yes,” I mutter under my breath and take a sip of my whiskey.
Tommy beams at me, then grabs Niko’s hand. “Okay. But if you need our help, you’ll tell us immediately. Promise?”
I nod, my heart squeezing. “I promise.”
Niko stands and downs his drink in one go. He doesn’t look particularly happy. “I don’t like this, but fine. We’ll let you sort this out yourself.” He places his hand on my shoulder and looks into my eyes with determination. “If you need us, just say the word, old friend.”
I chuckle and pat him on the arm. “Oh, I do need you. Just not here and not for this. You two have done a splendid job in Europe. Keep doing that. And if you do come across anything strange, come to me immediately.”
“Of course, boss!” Tommy salutes me.
I walk over to him and ruffle his hair. “Off you go then.” From my pocket, I take out the two first-class tickets I got them. “Pleasant flight. And call me when you reach home.”
We say our goodbyes as I see them off to the gate and promise to visit them in Greece, then I stand next to Samuel, watching the car get swallowed by the dark. The silence is heavy and still and it speaks without words to both of us.
“You did it, Isidoro,” he says, voice a low whisper, eyes distant, reliving a memory.
I tangle my fingers with his and squeeze. “I did it.”
We share a few more moments together as something not quite befitting a king and his right-hand man, then I head to the conservatory.
Inside the glass-surrounded space that’s strategically built to maximize sunlight, citrus trees and exotic flowers sprawl as if I’ve transported a corner of the jungle here.
I inhale deeply the sweet scent of their blooms as I follow the stone path to the metal table near the artificial pond.
Humidity clings to my skin, welcoming rather than bothersome as it reminds me of my time in Mexico.
I miss it. I haven’t visited since capturing Julian. I’ve been too focused on locating his father, on staying alive. A sound I didn’t mean leaves me. Andras is dead, yet that doesn’t change anything. In fact, it might have just made it worse.
Two of the four cushy chairs around the metal table are occupied.
Sparkling water and cookies have been served, though remain untouched.
Julian and Ria’s hushed conversation ceases the moment they see me, and while initially I thought they maybe used to be friends, I’m not so sure anymore. That’s not how they know each other.
I undo a few of my shirt’s buttons and sit across from both of them, placing one leg on top of the other. “You wished to talk, Ria Vance. Here we are. You can speak freely.”
She glances at Julian, then nods. “As I said, my father has been missing since about a month and a half ago. I didn’t know at first, but after doing some digging, it seems he disappeared two weeks after Andras died.”
Interesting. But more intriguing is how she figured that part out when I failed. “And how exactly did you come to know that Julian’s father had died?”
Ria fiddles with the collar of her shirt, loosening it a little. Her breathing is elevated, but seeing as she is human, it probably has to do with the humidity. We vampires have more tolerance for it.
“I found a note my father had left recently, hidden in a place I wouldn’t normally look. It was a bit cryptic and took some effort to decipher it, but eventually I sort of pieced things together. Explains why I couldn’t get in touch with Andras, too.”
“Oh, that explains it. I made sure no one knew what happened to my old man,” Julian pitches in, sounding relieved.
Since she had a clue of her own, I suppose it was a matter of time before she pieced things together, true.
She worries her lower lip. “I fear my own father might have met a similar fate.”
“Your father is…?” I prompt.
“William Vance.”
The name sounds familiar, though no man in particular swims to the surface.
Vance Industries, on the other hand, I did look up.
They are a manufacturer that’s very tight with the government, usually snagging all the big projects.
I didn’t connect her to it when she first introduced herself, but I blame my excitement and Julian for it.
“Of Vance Industries?”
“Yes, that’s him.” She finally reaches for the bottle of sparkling water, pours herself a glass and takes a sip.
“I wasn’t aware he’s missing or that he personally knew Andras.”
She smiles knowingly. “Because neither is public knowledge. My father’s relationship with Andras was very hush-hush.”
Interesting. “How come?”
“They were working together on this merger thing between a subsidiary of VI and one of ours,” Julian jumps in, at last saying something substantial.