Page 49 of Sleeping With the Vampire

“I have been using Hugo to get closer to Tempesto. He is one of MoZa’s secretaries and attends all the Council meetings. I have… befriended him and in return, been able to get access to their offices.”

This was interesting. Sunil went on in a low voice, “I have been poisoning MoZa’s tea with Perpicca for the past few weeks, unsuccessfully, as I’m sure you know.”

Perpicca was toxic to vampires. Even the smallest amount of powder was known to kill. But not Tempesto, it seemed.

“It has been so difficult to get access to him, but on three occasions, I managed to doctor his tea. Once, he didn’t drink all of it. But I checked, he definitely drained the cup on the other two times. But he seems unaffected.”

“How is this possible?” I asked.

“I think he has been taking so much tainted blood, from humans high on cocaine and methamphetamine. He has been acting erratically, aggressively, it may be overriding the Perpicca.”

“But why are you hiding here?”

Sunil shook his head. “MoZa has become paranoid. He is convinced assassins are out to kill him. He trusts no one. He fired Hugo last week and told him if he saw him again in the Citadel, he would be arrested. I am too much connected to him now, it is better for me here.”

“Is that all it is?”

He knew what I was asking.

“Father, please, don’t insult me. I would never… Hugo is…” he pulled a face, shook his head. I believed him.

“There is something else,” I said. I told him about Izzy looking into Tanata’s death, finding out Layrr had been there.

“Why would he kill Tanata? Why?”

This was what had confounded me as well.

“We didn’t like her, taking Mother’s place. But to try to kill her? That is insane.”

Sunil was quiet. “But why are you paying this girl to look into all of this? What could she possibly understand about ourworld, our kind? She is a mortal, a young one at that. She doesn’t understand the complexities of our world.”

Sunil paused. “I don’t like Layrr, as you know. But he is not a killer.”

I found myself agreeing with him, wanting to believe him.

We heard some kind of commotion outside.

It sounded like cars speeding up to the house, helicopters landing outside.

“What’s happening?” Sunil rushed up to the window, pulling open the curtains.

Sunlight flooded in and I felt it burn my skin.

I retreated to the back of the room.

“There are men with guns! SWAT teams, looks like, they’re surrounding the house!”

Sunil stared at me, horrified.

“We’ve got to get out of here!”

Chapter 17

Izzy

Last night, after he captured me, Chakrat played with me, like a cat would with a mouse.

“You need to be scared,” he said. “Lucca won’t come otherwise.” He slapped me, punched me, kicked me around, almost listlessly, like he wasn’t really interested. I tried groaning in pain, shrieking once as he threw me against the wall. It wasn’t my best acting and he cottoned on.

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