Page 27 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

“Oh?” She feigned surprise. “Have you done that for a long time?”

She imagined him nodding. “Since before I Matured. It’s my calling.”

And there it was. He was a bringer of death. It was his fault her family had died, his fault she’d been Made, and his fault she was alone.

“Do you enjoy your work?” Brynleigh asked.

He didn’t even pause before saying, “I do. I’m good at my job and like what I do.”

Fae couldn’t lie. Everyone knew that. Whatever warmth had been flourishing in Brynleigh was doused as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her.

“I bet you’re very good at your job,” she said flatly, unable to even infuse a bit of warmth into her voice.

“Most of the time,” was Ryker’s response.

“Oh? When was the last time you made a mistake?”

Part of her felt like she was making one right now, but she needed to know what he would say. If he answered her instead of staying silent, if he told her something, it would be the reminder she needed that he wasn’t a good man. That he made mistakes. That he was a murderer.

“A few years ago,” he said.

Fuck. Was that remorse in his voice?

“What happened?” She didn’t want to know, but the question slipped out of her mouth. It was like her body had a mind of its own.

He sighed. “People… died.” He spoke slowly, and there was a hint of something that sounded awfully similar to regret in his tone. “I still think about it to this day.”

A collection of curses that would make even the most hardened Death Elves blush ran through her mind. The question wasn’t supposed to make her feel bad for him. That emotion had no business here. Brynleigh grabbed it and threw it away.

“Oh,” was all she could manage to say.

Ryker shifted gears. “Enough about me. I’d love to know more about you, Brynleigh. You said your last name is de la Point, right?”

“Yes.”

“Are you, by any chance, related to Jelisette?”

She nodded before remembering that he couldn’t see her. She had anticipated this question—it inevitably always came after she revealed her last name, but right now, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

Most people were biased against vampires. Was he one of them? Part of her hoped he was because it would be easier to hate him. But the other part, the remnant of her humanity, wanted someone to see her for who she was, not what she was.

There was only one way to find out.

“Yes. She’s my Maker. Following vampiric tradition, I took her last name after my Making.”

A long moment stretched between them. Brynleigh dropped her necklace, twisting her hands together.

From the next couch over, Hallie glanced over at the vampire. The Fortune Elf’s brows creased, and concern radiated from her. Are you alright? her eyes seemed to say.

I’m fine, Brynleigh mouthed.

There was no point in worrying her new friend, especially since it seemed like Hallie was fully engrossed in her date.

Luckily, Ryker didn’t keep Brynleigh waiting for long.

“I bet you have a very sharp bite,” the water fae said, a hint of humor in his voice.

Brynleigh laughed. The mirth burst out of her so loudly that she drew stares from several women around her. Sheepishly, she mouthed, Sorry.

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