I wet my lips a second time, trying to accept I wasn’t hearing things. “If that’s your logic, then we’d be better to complete the lasttwoexchanges.”

Ugly anger churned in him at my words. He didn’t answer, shifting away from the window before releasing me.

I rubbed my chin, placing distance between us again as I tried to decipher everything the vampirewasn’tsaying. He was holding something back.

“If the sixth exchange is to occur, it must happen in the next few days to allow for the thrall,” he said, gazing out the window.

Blood pounded in my ears.

Did he come tonight to bring this up?

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.Why?With everything I’d done to him and his family, with all the horrors he’d just laid out for me,why?

I opened my mouth. “I’m just surprised—”

“Do you want it or not?”

Did I want to cleave my soul to him more than it already was? Even when he asked in that way? There were so many reasons to say yes—reasons to do with our situation and everyone who could die.

There was only one reason Iwantedto say yes. “I do, Kyros.”

The three words shocked him, but the stalling of his mind disappeared in a flash.

He didn’t face me again. “You’ll hear from me.”

“When?”

I stared at the spot where Kyros had stood, jerking as the window slammed shut with the force of his slipstream.

19

“You heard everything last night?” I said to Laurel as she switched on the noise-cancelling.

I hadn’t slept a wink between replaying the conversation over and over with Kyros and scrambling to ensure everything was in place for when he decided todrop infor the sixth exchange.

The black-haired vampire was dressed head to toe in leather like usual, but today there was an edge to her I couldn’t interpret.

She nodded. “I heard.”

Her tone was tense, and I narrowed my eyes.

“Are you okay with what went down?”

She inclined her head again.

“Okay, well if you’d like to explain why you’re being weird, leap in at any time.”

I shoved a stack of papers across the desk as she took the seat opposite me.

Laurel’s nostrils flared. “These are?”

“Two thousand and thirty-two contracts that I’ve pre-signed.” Giving myself tendonitis in the doing. “Each Vissimo who wishes to take my deal needs to print their name, sign, and date.”

The contract was there to outline what I expected from those who accepted my deal—though not legally binding by human standards, by Vissimo standards it was.

Laurel’s throat worked as she rifled through the sheets of paper.

“I leave it to the discretion of yourself and Vladymir to collect the signatures of those interested. As soon as I enter the sixth thrall, you can begin dispersing them. No sooner.” I waited for her murmured agreement.