Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
MY brEATH CREATES CLOUDS AS I walk over the saturated gravel. When my palms do not sweat as I walk up the half rotted steps, I know something has changed. The last time I stood upon these steps, I was prepared to die. They brought out Ian, expecting me to kill him. I was so terrified.
But here I stand, alone. At least, alone as my small House will allow me to be.
Every one of them is hidden somewhere they can see me.
I raise my hand and knock on the door four times.
It’s a Bitten who opens the door, one I do not recognize, but immediately behind her stands Jasmine.
Without waiting for her to invite me inside, or more likely to attack me, I step over the threshold, bumping the Bitten with my shoulder as I do.
“You’re looking well, Jasmine,” I say in an overly kind voice. I hear a hiss from the Bitten next to me and turn to find her bearing her fangs, her eyes glowing yellow. She earns nothing more than a glare from me.
“And you’re still looking very human,” Jasmine offers. Her eyes are difficult to read. “Your birthday is tomorrow. I hope you are here because you’ve changed your mind about delaying your bloodletting.”
I smile, wiping my feet on the rug before shutting the door behind me.
It means my House members can no longer see me, but it is not without purpose.
“The time for my death will come soon enough, but it won’t be tomorrow.
Though, I do plan to celebrate—with all of Silent Bend.
I do hope you and your…” I glance around at the decrepit space for effect, “House, will join us.”
A deep red glow ignites in Jasmine’s eyes. “You really think it wise inviting the town that so fears your family into the very home they once tried to burn down?”
I take a step toward her. “I think you’ll find the attitudes of the wonderful people of Silent Bend are changing when it comes to Alivia Ryan.”
I see Jasmine swallow hard and her eyes follow me as I walk around her, circling her like a vulture ready to devour its next meal.
“Money does not buy true loyalty,” she says. “It only buys fickle minions.”
“I only need numbers at my back for a little while,” I say as I complete my full circle around Jasmine. I stop before her. “You should know—the King has already sent spies to watch me. It won’t be long.”
And her face blanches. Her expression does not change, but her skin does pale.
From one of the back halls, Markov saunters into the foyer to join us, his hands casually in his pockets.
“Quite the interesting conversation taking place out here,” he says.
And I note: he does not stop at Jasmine’s side. He stands a little ways off, observing the two of us.
That makes a smile curl on my lips.
“It’s good to see you looking well, Markov,” I offer. “I heard you all suffered a little attack yesterday. Samuel told me Cameron got a bit roughed up. Is he okay?”
Jasmine lunges at me. Her eyes flash brilliant red. But in my pocket I already had my hand wrapped around a stake and as she collides with me, I pull it out and jab it up into the soft space at the bottom of her ribcage.
She instantly freezes, her eyes dropping to my hands. One I have fisted around her shirt, holding her tight against me. The other presses the point of the wooden stake to her chest.
“Now, now,” I say in a low voice. “I was only trying to make this a friendly visit. I’m sorry if my mentioning Samuel upset you. But he and Lillian are having a lovely stay in my father’s beautiful home.”
The chuckle I hear from behind Jasmine throws me off. I glance over her shoulder to see Markov watching us with much amusement. “I feel the next few months will be most entertaining.” And without another word, hands still in pockets, he turns and walks away.
“You will never take them all,” Jasmine hisses, her eyes gleaming. “You know nothing of what it takes to rule a House of vampires.”
“It seems you don’t either, or at least, that’s what Samuel, the son of the man who ruled for over a century, said,” I breathe.
I am very aware that Jasmine can move fifty times faster than I.
She could twitch her arm and break my neck.
She could crush my skull and squeeze my brain.
But there is too much adrenaline coursing through my body right now.
And I love how it feels.
“And I suggest you think about the numbers for a moment,” I continue. “I’ve not even tried, and already in a week and a half you’ve lost twenty-five percent of your pawns. I call checkmate within three months.”
She shoves me away, nearly knocking me to the ground.
I don’t act scared or alarmed at losing my balance. I simply right myself. From my pocket, I pull an envelope that contains the invitation to my party and place it on the splintered table in the foyer.
I turn for the door and open it. “You need to consider your actions very carefully, Jasmine,” I tell her, and I am sincere and honest. “I am not some silly girl you can manipulate.”
Without another word, I step outside into the darkness and close the door behind me. I walk to my car, climb inside, and start down the driveway. I stop at the turnoff and in climbs Ian.
“That was…” he says as I start down the road again. Behind me, I see two more sets of headlights turn on and start to follow us. Rath, Lillian, and Samuel. “I don’t even have words for what that was, Liv.”
“Everything from here on out is a game of control,” I say. My heart isn’t even racing. I’m calm and collected…and weirdly…excited. “Things will not get out of hand again like they were just a month ago. I won’t be scared again. I won’t be toyed with.”
Ian reaches over and puts a hand on my thigh. I glance over at him in the dark. “I get that,” he says quietly. “I do. But…just be careful that you don’t go too far.”
I think about that as I drive back to the north Conrath Estate.
How far is too far? When you’re dealing with a tri-polar, wannabe House queen, and the threat of a multi-millennia old King, can one really go too far in taking control and caution?
How far is too far?