“I was…casing King Shadow…for escape…routes,” I muttered. “And got…trapped in a…not-so-empty bedroom…with him.” My tone let them know what I thought of him.
Elder Zeller ran another hand over his face, then he surprised me by patting my knee comfortingly and staring over our heads at nothing while stating absently, “I know this is hard to believe after what you so obviously experienced tonight, but my son is capable of kindness.” His eyes met mine, though they weren’t really with me. “I would like to ask you not to judge him from this one experience.” He patted my knee again, eyes flicking away. “Try to put this meeting behind you.”
King Zeller snapped out of his shock from the news of my Vampire daughter to stare at his dad with a marginally wide gaze; apparently that was his surprised expression.
I snorted, the sound a bit more normal. “Even he doesn’t…believe that, Elder Zeller.” And I could breathe easier when Antonio placed his hands over my rib cage. “And besides, I know a cunning, heartless asshole when I finally see past the marijuana smoke.”
I ignored both Antonio’s and Elder Zeller’s glances and tilted my head — I was now able to thanks to Antonio’s healing — to place my nose against King Zeller’s heated skin. I inhaled heavily, scenting him on many different levels, memorizing his body’s distinct perfume. My wolf growled quietly even through the tranquility he was giving me.
Spice. He smelled like heady, potent spice. Powerful.
My eyes lifted as I inhaled heavily again.
He had gone predatory still when I had turned my head against his chest. Dead green eyes met my equally dead blue gaze, and I whispered, “I really wish you would have kept torturing me…just a bit longer.” My wolf growled again, my eyes flashing. “I was so looking forward to killing you.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he slowly bent his head, bringing his face closer to mine. “I easily beat you once. I could do it again, Queen Ruckler.” His head tilted toward his dad. “And you’re right not to believe Elder Zeller. I have no redeeming qualities. I am the cunning, heartless asshole you named me. And I wouldn’t have given a shit if I had killed you, so don’t ever try to threaten me, or even raise the subject, or I will kill you no matter your station.”
Suddenly, there was nothing under me. No large, warm arms holding me up. No Vampire power giving me peace.
I sucked in harshly as pain arced through my body, not even caring I was falling to the ground. I hit hard and grunted, my vision blurry again even as I glared at King Zeller from the ground…but I still managed to bare my teeth at him as Antonio and Elder Zeller both started cursing, dropping to their knees to help me. I whispered in King Zeller’s direction where he stared down at me with his arms crossed, “I know my reason for being damned…but what’s yours?” I loved that I saw him flinch. Even if I couldn’t really move, I could still hurt him. “Your pain must be soul-deep for all the drugs you have.” My lips puckered in fake sympathy. “Ah, poor King Zeller. He has all the beauty, power, and prestige he could ever need to charm anyone, but instead, he sits alone in his room, getting stoned to block out the agony in his mind.” His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched, and I didn’t need to be a Vampire to know I had broken through his shell and he was pissed. “Whatever did poor King Zeller do…what ghosts of the past haunt him?”
I paused, gauging him. “Sin?”
No reaction, though I hadn’t expected one.
“Stealing?”
Nothing.
“Love?”
The barest flinch…and my grin was purely malicious because I was about to be a huge bitch. “If you’re still upset about losing your mate, it may be time to get over it.” His file stated his mate had died years ago, and compared to his age…wait…there was no reaction on his part. “Oh…not your mate.” When every muscle in his body appeared to go taut, the corner of my lips tilted up at the edges. “Interesting.” My chuckle was pure menace, with no humor to really be found in it. “The supposed badass King Zeller mopes in his bedroom, drowning his sorrows in drugs, all over…pathetic, useless love.” My icy glare met his. “Now, King Zeller,” asshole, “did you really beat me?” My public words were a hundred times worse than what he had done.
Antonio and Elder Zeller had gone mute some time ago, even if Antonio was still working on me while Elder Zeller gripped one of my ankles, sending me serenity to take away my pain. But I wasn’t paying them a bit of interest, my attention wholly focused on the furious Vampire standing over me like the devil’s own.
Silently, rigidly, he deliberately lowered until he was squatting, staring down directly into my face, his eyes glowing a smidge, he was so angry. “Nicely played, even if you’re incorrect.”
“Easy target.” My lips lifted when he stared daggers.