Page 23 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

She had smelt his scent coming after she had helped Emara kill the demon, and to avoid her hands finding themselves in his leathers, Breighly had avoided him.

So why was it that he’d ended up here? He lowered the weapon and stalked towards her in his black hunting gear as violence streaked through his eyes. Although you couldn’t normally wipe the stupid grin off his face, he did take his oath seriously, and there was no mistake about that when you saw him in action. The vampire took a breath, still reeling from his encounter with Artem, but his eyes found Breighly, probably for some sort of explanation. She had promised him no trouble, after all.

Artem’s lips parted as he came to a halt. “Oh, I know you can do what you want, princess, but if you wanted someone to bite you, all you had to do was ask. You don’t need a vampire when you have me.”

What an arrogant son of a bitch.

“Are you here for a reason, Stryker? Or are you just a fan of hanging around my garbage?” She looked down at her nails, giving him the impression that she was unfazed.

He sniggered. “Had I not been hanging around your garbage, lover boy here would have had you as a midnight snack.” He pointed the lethal blade back at the vampire. “I can’t let that happen, can I?”

“I swear to the Gods,” the vampire said with a little frustration, “I am not conducting anything illegal. You are out of line, hunter.”

Artem turned, his teeth bared. “And what god is it exactly that you swear on, vampire?”

The vampire curled his lip over his teeth, exposing those deadly fangs. “I am over five hundred years old and I have never let a hunter talk down to me just because they have a direct god to worship. I have worshipped the Light Gods for my entire existence, and I’m older than that metal you point at my face like I am your enemy.”

Feeling the tension rise, Breighly took a few steps closer to them.

“Anyone that drinks the blood of women is my enemy.” Artem squared up to him. “No Light God wants that for their kingdom. You know the boundaries set by the prime.”

“I drink men who are willing too,” his articulate tongue hissed. “I don’t discriminate.”

“I am sure you don’t, night stalker,” Artem barked.

“It is not illegal if I have their consent and you know it.” The vampire moved forward as if to strike, and Artem moved into a battle stance. “You cannot bend the rules to suit yourself. I may not be bound to a clan or a member of a Fae court, but that doesn’t mean I do not worship your gods.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t find it revolting,” Artem spat, bringing out another weapon—a silver stake. “You are just a cut above a demon. I am sure Vanadey’s skin crawled when she made you by accident.”

“Hunters…” The vampire spat as he squared up to him, going nose to nose. “Always thinking they are the fucking Gods themselves.”

“Enough! Enough!” Breighly roared, finally getting in between them and pulling them apart. She imagined it would be easier to split two mountains. “Not outside my bar. Not here. This is my business.” She looked at the vampire, who was still looking like he could rip out Artem’s throat with his fangs. “I am really sorry, and it kills me to say this, but you need to leave,” she said to the creature of night. As she looked at Artem’s smug face, a vessel almost popped in her neck. “And you,” she roared at him. “You too. Did you think I was keeping you?”

It was then his eyes dragged from the vampire’s face to hers. “Unfortunately, I am here on official business. I require a moment with you, alone.”

The vampire finally pulled back, straightening out his expensive jacket that probably cost more than her bar. “I am sorry to have caused you any trouble here. Maybe I will come back some other time.”

Before Breighly could agree, Artem jumped in, “And maybe I will still be here, lurking in the garbage.”

Breighly turned to face Artem. “Do you realise how creepy that sounds?”

“Yeah, and I hope that he has nightmares of my creepy face, lurking in your garbage.”

“You are fucking insane,” she said through her teeth. “Do you realise how much I wanna punch you right now?”

“Do you realise how much I would like that?” Artem’s eyebrows rose like he was now interested in where the conversation was going.

“You are ill.”

“And you like my kinks.”

That was true no matter how much she tried to fight it.

“I am going to take my leave,” a voice said from beside her, but she couldn’t pull her gaze from the hunter. “Will you be all right with this brute?”

She nodded.

The vampire speedily disappeared into the shadows.

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