Page 147 of Wolf Roulette

That comment should probably worry me.

Controlling Wade would be like controlling a flood, and I needed to be in the conference room three minutes ago. “Go get ’em, tiger. Let me know how you get on.”

Grabbing a thin folder—my life was 100 percent folders these days—I rushed from the office.

In the conference room, I switched on the large screen and connected my device to the laptop. I only had time to take a steadying breath before a phone symbol appeared.

I shook out my hands. This call wasimportant.

It wasn’t every day I spoke to a vampire king.

Drawing my shoulders back, I answered the call. “This is Andie Thana.”

A huge space came into view. Smooth stone registered before the two thrones drew my eye—because they were thrones. The number of bodies came next. Upwards of ten vampires.

The biggest of the two thrones was occupied by the largest man I’d ever seen. A heavy crown sat atop his head. The woman sitting on the smaller throne to his right was clad in an elegant tiara and nipple tassels.

So there was that.

She was fuckinggorgeous.I mean, all of them were, but she was next level.

I swept my gaze over the others, finding Basilia two spaces from the king’s throne. A male who rivalled the king for size stood between her and the left side of the throne—Kyros?

There were four females of varying breath-taking appearance present, and the rest were equally breath-taking males.

Was this the royal vampire family of Bluff City?

They perused me as intensely as I did them.

I tilted my chin.

Topaz eyes gleaming, Basilia stepped forward. “Andie, it’s nice to see you again.”

“And you. Greetings, King Julius, and to what I assume is your family.”

The king did nothing to acknowledge my comment.

Interesting.

“Allow me to introduce everyone,” Basilia said. “You know about Kyros, of course. This is our clan leader, King Julius. Beside him is Queen Titania.” She ran through the names of the others, but I focused on the names of those with crowns.

That seemed like a good idea.

“You are alone,” the king spoke at last. “Is this not a serious negotiation?”

The intimidation game? Perhaps. His question did hold merit. The entire royal family had assembled to hear me out.

I bowed slightly. “I mean no disrespect, your majesty. Has Basilia apprised you of the current situation in Deception Valley between pack and tribe?”

He dipped his head. “I am informed.”

“Navigating this alliance alongside the pack must be done with care. There are old prejudices and emotion is always high. When I take a potential deal to Sascha Greyson, then I’d prefer the parameters of any alliance to be partially formed.”

“You expect Clan Sundulus to enter into negotiations at all when success is so unsure?” he boomed.

This fucker was moderately scary—I was glad this meeting was a video call.

“I have no expectations,” I answered. “Only a desire to see less bloodshed over a meaningless game.”

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