Page 35 of Death Game: Supernatural Battle

Every speck of hope and anticipation I felt turned to fear and guilt… and resolve. Backing down wasn’t an option. It hadn’t been since I enteredKyros Sky, and so really, nothing had changed except what I was willing to admit to myself.

One way or another, I’d lose him anyway. If not because of my betrayal, then because I was working against him.

This was all so fucked up.

“Four,” someone exclaimed.

Ilion grinned. “Orange.Well done, Miss Le Spyre.”

Conrad clapped me on the back and nearly sent me sprawling.

Well done?

They wouldn’t be saying that before the end.

* * *

“Thank you for gathering today,” I said to the crowd of fifty Indebted, my voice pitched low.

I stood atop a pool-side table, ready for my afternoon shift visiting trouble properties forLive Right. I’d work through the weekend to get my game plan and various teams back on track.

I could always rely on work to distract me from feeling too much. From thinking about Tommy and the long list of shit I’d gotten myself into.

The Indebted were stone-faced. The smiles they always shot my way were just a memory.Yep, sneaking out without telling them was a dog act. I’d known it at the time—if not the threat Kyros’s berserk rage presented to them—but I’d acted in the knowledge it would place them in some difficulty.

“I’m sorry for putting each of you at risk by sneaking off the estate,” I told them. “There’s no excuse for it, other than Tommy’s life was on the line and I did not understand how badly Kyros would take it.”

Some of them softened, but would I just forgive some human for putting my life in danger when I was helpless to protect myself in any way?

Nope.

I chewed on my lip. “I didn’t intend to put any of you in a position where you felt helpless and threatened. I also understand that if someone did that to me, I’d have a really hard time forgiving them. I’ve already promised Laurel that I’ll never put the Vissimo on this estate in such a position again and know that I don’t make that promise lightly. You’ve seen what I will do for a person I care about. By making that promise, I’ve agreed to trust all of you with the people I love too. That’s something I’ve never done in my life.”

Scanning them, my stomach twisted anew with guilt. “With that said, I’d planned a surprise for you guys before I acted like a massive butthole, but I’m no longer sure the gift is welcome.”

Laurel had stood to one side throughout the conversation, her face as hard as the others. I was on my own for this and hadn’t expected any less.

She frowned at my comment.

If they rejected the gift, I’d deserve it. “I bought a nightclub a month ago. Tonight is the opening night. I’d like to invite any of your Vissimo brethren not on duty tonight and those on estate duty to come party. If you don’t show, it will be a seriously lame opening, but I respect that attendance is your choice. I’ll give the details to Laurel for those who are interested. And you can expect cameras to be there.”

I exhaled and nodded to them before leaping down from the table.

It felt like fifty sets of eyes bored into my back on the walk into the house, but I was glad to have the guilt off my chest at least. Though I felt so much guilt, I wasn’t sure I’d made a dent.

“Miss Le Spyre,” Fred said, bowing slightly as I passed through the music room to my office.

“Hey Fred, can I help you with something?”

“Just a few housekeeping points I wished to discuss.”

“Sure, come in.”

He followed me into the office and as soon as the door was shut, he reached for the noise-cancelling button.

I blinked as his face dropped into serious lines.

“Are you okay? The man in your suite two nights ago. We heard you screaming.”

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