Page 6 of V for Vindictive

The Dark Fae bastard who basically told me that I had more than just vampire blood in me? Sure.

“Pretty tough to forget that face,” I remarked with a derisive laugh. “Did Phil mention why he went after him?”

The way Sloan looked at me said it’d been mentioned. And for a few seconds, I worried he wouldn’t tell me. But after a long pause, Sloan finally let loose a breath. “Whatever Cash found in your blood, it’s special and powerful. I’m sure you’re not confused about that, seeing how it’s the reason you and I survived in the first place. I imagine that’s why Phillipdecided we needed to know what may be hidden in your blood, and it’s not something we can find out without Cash.”

Made sense. It didn’t explain why he decided to leave me and do it all by himself, though. If we were partners, it should’ve been something we tackled together. But again, I was left feeling like a burden.

The bitterness was sure to show in my expression as I swallowed the question I wanted most to ask and favored one a little less confrontational. “So, how long will that take? Weeks? Months? What about Kris?”

We finally reached the parked car just as I finished my soft-spoken query. With one look at the car, I determined it was fancy and easily worth a hundred thousand.

Lamborghini?

“That’s inconspicuous,” I remarked with a sly grin.

The other Hunter chuckled and offered me a cheeky smile of his own. “Forgive me. I wanted to show off a little. Won’t happen again.”

I waved him away, gently touching the sleek black car with interest. “No. You’re fine. It’s probably the fastest thing I’ll ride in, if I’m honest.”

Sloan’s devious smirk greeted my next glance. “Perhaps not the fastest thing you’ll take a rideon, though…”

Gentleman one minute, scoundrel the next. I couldn’t figure Sloan out, and it caused me equal parts intrigue and frustration.

“I—”

Sloan opened the passenger door before pivoting my direction and quickly interjecting, “Kris will join us on our missions, but I can’t give you a timeline for Phillip. It could be days. It could be weeks. Phillip doesn’t work on anyone else’s timeline.”

Ain’t that the truth.

“Guess that’s fair. So, Kris? What about the pack?”

“They’ll work with us too, if Nigel feels so inclined. We’re going after a pretty volatile vampire and his kin in the area, and the extra number could only help us at this stage.”

It was a nice change of pace to have someone who was reasonable and played well with others. Sloan didn’t go out of his way to argue with Nigel, and the rest of the pack seemed to respect him. Even Topher had warmed to the Brit. The number of differences between Phillip and Sloan piled up over the last several weeks. Despite that, my thoughts always wandered back to Phillip.

I couldn’t help it. I was broken.

Sloan motioned inside the car, and sitting on the front seat was a little silver gift-wrapped box with a cyan-colored bow.

I stalled on my way to get inside, eyeing the little present with confusion. “What’s that?”

The other Hunter retrieved it and gently took my hand. Then with a kind smile, he dropped the small box into my open palm. “It’s late, but happy birthday, V.”

My throat constricted with emotion, and I had trouble forming a response.

Outside of Phil, no one mentioned my birthday since I turned eighteen. I mean, it made sense because it landed in the middle of nothing but shit. Still, the gesture was one I hadn’t expected. It really felt like I was getting the princess treatment tonight.

As if understanding that perfectly, Sloan helped me open the little present and revealed a ring that glimmered with specks of blues, greens, oranges, and pinks inside an oval of milk-white. “An opal,” he explained,helping me fit the gorgeous ring onto my middle finger. “I thought it would look nice on you, pet.”

It was by far the prettiest present anyone had ever given me, and it perfectly matched my skin tone. Sure, it wasn’t something I would’ve chosen for myself, mainly because I didn’t see a point to wearing cute things when they’d only get dirtied by the job, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t wanted something girly like it.

Grams would be losing her mind right about now. The thought of my grandmother who wanted nothing more than for me to be a pretty princess who fell in love with a prince brought a smile to my lips.

“This…” I struggled to put a few words together. “I’ve never worn anything like it.”

Sloan brushed red hair from my shoulder and let his fingers tease the skin along my neck before he whispered sweetly into my ear, “And it looks perfect on you, really.” His hand ghosted down my back, never wandering anywhere too forward. “It’s been enchanted, so it won’t leave your finger without your permission. It can’t be lost or taken.”

I flicked my eyes up to meet his, realizing belatedly how close his face was. “It’s really pretty,” I finally managed before Sloan’s mouth covered mine and I wasn’t given a chance to say anything else.

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