Page 102 of Petals and Fangs

My heart begins to race. My hands start to sweat. And I know what is about to happen next. He could drug me again any minute now.

“And would Demetrius be part of your little clan?”

“Oh, no. God, no. The man wanted too much and had no interest in contributing to your downfall, so of course I had to dispose of him.”

“Oh, is that so?” I slowly say as I try to break free from the chains around my waist.

“See, the plan was to start with Lily Snow. That fine young woman. The other night, Demetrius was actually on the way to feast on her, and that would have been our very first step towards your destruction.”

“Keep Lily out of this.”

“Why? Because of the charm she has. Even Demetrius couldn't lay a finger on her. And that was enough for me to prove that he is nothing but words. No actions. He cares more for his family's safety than being a legacy for destroying the Rothschilds.”

My head feels dizzy, and my eyes begin to burn. The moment I break free from this trap, Perry will have to pay for this in the worst ways possible.

“Is Lily in danger?”

“Not that I even care, but I have my spies who check up on things every once in a while.”

“Spies, Perry? Since when you stoop to such methods?” I grind my teeth, the chains digging deeper into my wrists with every futile tug.

“Oh, Ethan, you're so naive. In this game, one needs eyes and ears everywhere. Your precious Lily, for instance, has been under surveillance for months,” Perry chuckles, a low menacing sound that echoes off the sterile walls of the morgue.

“Surveillance? What have you done to her?” My heart, if it was still beating, would have stopped at that moment.

“Nothing yet. But Demetrius's failure provided me with a new perspective. Perhaps Lily's charm is something more... potent. A weapon, even. And if I can't have her, neither can you.”

“You are a fool if you think that you can use her against me.”

“Oh, but I might already have. The mere threat to her life has rattled you. And that, my dear Ethan, is the first step to your downfall,” Perry sneers, leaning in closer.

“You underestimate her. Lily is stronger than you think.”

“We'll see about that. In the meantime, let's discuss your company's future. Or rather, the lack of it,” Perry replies, standing up straight.

“Over my dead body,” I growl.

“Precisely. You see, Ethan, your company has been a thorn in my side for too long. Catering to vampires, providing them with sustenance and safety, forcing them to live off fake blood and drugs. It's sickening, really. The FDA is just the beginning. Once you're out of the picture, I'll dismantle everything you've built.”

“You'll never succeed. The Board won't let you.”

“Ah, the Board. I've already taken care of them. A few well-placed bribes, a couple of threats. They won't stand in my way,” Perry says, waving a dismissive hand.

My vision blurs with anger and frustration. Perry has thought of everything, and I feel powerless to stop him. But I can't let him win. I have to figure out my escape. I have to get to Lily.

“You're making a grave mistake, Perry. Vampires won't stand for this.”

Perry doesn’t reply right away. He takes another sip of his drink and stares at me for the longest time.

“By the time they realize what's happened, it will be too late. They’ll embrace their true natures once again and curse your existence,” Perry replies, his eyes gleaming with malice.

“What about me? I changed your life, Perry. I treated you as nothing but a member of the family. What about me?”

“And as for you, Ethan. Well, you'll be long gone,” he says, circling me like a predator, reveling in his perceived victory.

“This is so wrong, Perry.”

“You know, Ethan, I almost pity you. All that power, all those resources, and yet here you are, helpless and at my mercy.”

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