Page 22 of Sunshine and the Vamp

That was probably a fair remark. I was impulsive. Almost predictably so. “I don’t like to suffer fools.”

Vlad snorted but some of the tension left his broad shoulders. “There are murmurings in the ranks about you kidnapping a human. It’s made some of the men uncomfortable.”

“They aren’t paid to be comfortable,” I barked. Clearly, I was more on edge than I thought.

“I know,” Vlad said, his hands held out placatingly. “But you can’t fault them for being concerned. It’s not everyday a human is dragged into our world.”

“Well, you can tell them that his memory will be wiped, and he will be dealt with.” Just saying those words had my heart clenching uncomfortably in my chest.

“Even though my memory wipe didn’t hold?”

“Fuck,” I growled, my hand rubbing the spot on my chest over my heart.

“We already know you’ve moved his things in here. You’ve had Aleksey go for fucking cat litter.”

“I know, I know.” I rubbed my hand down my face. “What’s happening to me, Vlad?”

He opened his mouth to answer.

“Wait. Don’t answer that,” I snapped. I wasn’t ready to hear what he was going to say. I was doing my best to avoid it at all costs. The last time I got involved with a human ended in bloodshed, grief and a broken heart that took centuries to heal.

“Why don’t you show me what you found?” Vlad said softly, taking pity on the fact that my mind seemed to be fracturing.

I pointed at the screen and the images of the screenshots of my ledger.

“I don’t understand,” Vlad said. “It’s only half the data.”

“That’s what I thought.” I clicked on the file with the video. “This is what I brought you to see. Wanted to make sure I wasn’t the only one who watched it. Just in case.”

Vlad stood behind my chair, arms folded across his chest, stance resolute. “Click play, and let’s find out what’s going on.”

An image of a hooded figure filled the screen. It was nothing more than a silhouette. There was no face. Nothing recognisable in the image, just a vague shape of a hood and shoulders. Nothing more.

“Hello, Mr Morozov. It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” The voice was low and rough. I was surprised he hadn’t tried to disguise it, not that it mattered. I didn’t recognise it. “I’m sure you’re wondering who I am and why I’ve disguised myself, but that’s not important. What’s important is that I have something of yours, thanks to your employee, Charlie Kent. Don’t feel too bad for him, he didn’t know he was working for me. I like to keep to the shadows and I’m patient, but I’m finally ready to put my plan into action. I won’t bore you with all the details but, suffice to say, the world will change and I’m starting with you and all your other leeches.” The guy spat the word out like it was poison on his tongue. “Don’t bother looking for Charlie, you won’t find him. There’s something I want you to do for me Damyr. I’ve sent you a gift. Deal with it, and I will give you back your ledgers. Fail to do so, and there will be consequences.”

I gritted my teeth. My entire world was contained in those ledgers.

Money runs.

Port details.

Contacts.

Safe houses.

Drug routes.

It wasn’t just money Charlie had stole for whoever the fuck this was. It was my entire world.

“This guy’s got some balls,” Vlad mumbled from behind me.

I ran my finger along my top lip and looked at the shadowed figure who was threatening to tear my world apart. I’d spent too long building the Morozov name until it stood for something more than the dirt my father had left it to wallow in. I wasn’t about to let this asshole drag it back into the mud.

The hooded figure leant closer to the camera, and I could almost feel the person smiling.

“I think you’ll like my gift, Damyr. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

The video ended and left my screen in darkness. I sat back in my chair, an uncomfortable sense of foreboding unfurling under my skin.

---