Epilogue
EPILOGUE
CASSIA
“ I don’t usually convene with Sanguine dogs,” I said, crossing my ankles and tapping my fingers atop the cream tablecloth. “But it’s time I make an exception to my rules.”
The restaurant was restricted to vampires only. Perched atop a skyscraper that overlooked Central Park, the glass room rotated slowly, so that the view was ever-shifting. Sanguine Nox owned the entire building—ironic, given that it wasn’t far from the U.C.’s headquarters in the city.
The leader of Sanguine Nox sat across from me, filling the chair with his gangly legs, his hunched spine. He was one of the originals. An ancient creature who had helped spawn generations of vampires.
I should’ve been afraid, but I was past that point. Ancients were terrifying and powerful, but they were weak just like any other being.
Everyone had a pain point, and I was all about exploiting them.
Karn took a sip of blood from his crystal glass, taking his time with a reply.
I cut into a slice of rare steak and ate it as I waited. I wasn’t going to rush this, but the sooner I got rid of Alexander’s little infatuation the better.
“What is it you want from us?” Karn’s question came in that raspy tone that spoke of years of age. Centuries.
“I want freedom from the U.C.’s oppressive ways. They’re obsessed with saving humanity. I’m willing to break a few eggs to get what I want, even if those eggs are made of human flesh.”
“And what do you want?” Karn’s mannerisms chilled me.
“I just told you.”
“No.” He set the glass aside and leaned forward, his eyes fixed on me, his upper lip lifting to reveal perfectly even teeth and his fangs. “What do you really want, little vampire?”
Little vampire? “Power,” I said, lifting my chin. “Power and control. I won’t stop until I get it.”
“What else?”
I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips, irritated at his continued questioning. “I’ve told you, I?—”
“Power and control are what every being on the planet wants ,” Karn snapped it out.
“I want someone dead.”
“Who?”
“Emily. The girl that Alexander Knight is obsessed with.”
Karn fell silent and sat back, folding his arms, tilting his head. “Ah. Now, that is interesting. Very interesting.”
And then there was more quiet as he considered me.
I ate my steak, though the flavor was lost on me. The stare he leveled me with turned the food in my mouth flavorless.
“I’ll help you,” Karn said, a smile spreading across his face. Too broad.
“Just like that?”
“Oh yes. I’ll help you murder her. I want Alexander back in Sanguine,” he said. “And when he returns successfully, you can join us as well. ”
I frowned. This was almost too easy, but then I had struggled for so long. I deserved an easy win for once. “Join you,” I said.
“That’s right. Join us.” Karn ran his pale gray tongue over his lips. “And once you’ve done that, you can serve at my side.”
“Serve at your side.”
“You have an awful habit of repeating what I say.”
“I’m not grasping how you’d want to give me all of these things with such ease. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Ah, that’s because they won’t be given with ease,” Karn said. “If you want Emily dead and Alexander to be attached to you, then you will have to pledge your allegiance to me, my dear.”
“I—”
“You will have to bow before me and do as I say. A position has recently opened up in my organization, and I need to fill it. You are strong enough to be my new protege,” he said. “But you will have to follow my orders.”
I clicked my teeth, considering. “Depends on what the orders are.”
“You will spy on the U.C. and report back to me. You will kill the vampires I order killed. You will give me your unwavering loyalty. Only then will you get what you want. Power, control, death, destruction, freedom.”
It was terrifying yet tempting.
“How do I know you won’t betray me?” I asked, slyly.
“Our relationship will be built on trust,” Karn said. “And you will have to trust me. What alternative do you have, my dear? Will you ask your superiors at the U.C. to kill the girl and give you power? I’m afraid they won’t allow that.”
He was right.
I had already tried to muscle my way into Haldren’s office and get more information. He had threatened me with dismissal, which was, frankly, a slap in the face after everything I had done for the U.C .
Countless missions, grunt work, reporting to seniors, grinding my way up the ladder to get to the top, and they still treated me like I was worth nothing.
Karn’s cold fingers touched the back of my hand.
I flinched then stopped myself. Showing fear in front of an Ancient only opened me up to manipulation and weakness.
“Come with me, dear,” he said. “Our journey will lead us to a victory beyond your wildest imaginings. And when you are at the top, you will look down on the world from your perch and know that you have won.”
Images of what he’d said appeared in my mind’s eye, and I pulled out of his grasp, cutting them off.
“Don’t manipulate my mind, Karn.”
He smiled at me. “Merely showing you what you deserve.”
I finished the steak. A server took away the plate and refilled Karn’s glass from a crystal pitcher.
Karn gorged himself on the blood, drinking greedily, without refinement, then smacked his lips. “What do you say, Cassia? Will you join us?”
I studied him, turned, and looked out at the city lights, the clouds scudding across the sky, the park far below. If I did this, I wouldn’t go back.
Karn’s gaze was expectant.
I smiled at him. “Only if I get to kill Emily myself.”
To be continued