Page 239 of Flirting with Darkness

“Then why aren’t you behind metal shutters, well away from the sun’s rays?”

I blinked. Was he kidding me? But one look at the confusion on his face, and I knew he wasn’t. At that moment, I realised, not only had Elliot been physically abused, he’d been kept ignorant of the vampire world, possibly even the human world.

Careful now, vampire…

The last thing I wanted was to make him think I was ridiculing or lying to him.

“What did the vampires you lived with do in the day?”

“Well, theyslept. They are nocturnal beings. So why aren’t you?”

He was deadly serious. That told me he’d been truthful about being with Mades. Mades were our enemy so sending an innocent like Elliot made sense. As a half-breed, he would be expendable to a Made coven. Elliot might have been trained to kill, but he didn’t have the heart for it, the life skills or a wider knowledge of the world. He hadn’t been sent as a serious threat, but as a warning. They knew he’d get caught—and likely killed. The ring was a slap in the face to the Count. They were telling us they had the virus and could spread it as they wished, that they would eventually send a true assassin to kill the Count. What they didn’t know was how hard he would be to kill, no one but me did.

I just needed to find out which coven Victor Hamilton belonged to. And I would, if only to kill the fucker for what he’d done to Elliot.

“Originals don’t need to sleep in the day. Some of us can go out in the daylight. It depends how old and powerful we are. Younglings cannot go out in direct sunlight for hundreds of years. Mades not at all.”

“Oh.” There was a beat of silence. “So you’re really old then?”

I grinned. “Yeah, I’m ancient.”

A small smile ticked up the corners of his mouth. “Well, ancient looks good on you.” A slight flush coloured his cheeks when I cocked my head and grinned wider.

“Get dressed, Elliot. What would you like to eat?”

“Um, anything,” he answered, looking confused.

“No allergies or dislikes then?”

“N-no.”

“Good. Omelette it is then. Be downstairs in the kitchen in fifteen.” I raised my brows, and lowered the tone of my voice. “Or I’ll come looking for you.”

I kept the smile off my face. I was close enough to see his pupils dilate as he nodded and moved out of the way, clutching the clothes to his chest as I prowled past him and opened the door.

“Don’t keep me waiting,” I said for good measure, my voice a little husky as I closed the door behind me.

7

ELLIOT

My mouth watered, the aroma of fresh bread leading me down the stairs and along the corridor in the direction Dav had instructed. I swallowed, wondering what bullshit game he was playing. He could make me answer all of his questions in seconds, but he hadn't. I wondered why. Victor wouldn’t have hesitated in compelling me. I shuddered. I’d heard the screams of those who resisted his compulsion. Their torture went on for days, sometimes even weeks, before they fell silent. My stepfather was a truly evil bastard. It was strange that, even though I knew he was a toxic presence in my life, I almost wanted to go back to that house. I had to be fucked in the head. Or maybe it was because his rule, and that huge house, was all I’d ever known? My heart lurched. What would I do if I actually got away from here? I had nowhere else to go. I had limited money in my hotel room, no skills to get a job other than killing, and it seemed I was pretty rubbish at that. Even if the Count let me go, Victor would hunt me down.

I lifted my chin and inhaled, Dav’s soft command echoing in my mind. I’d survive, that’s what I’d do, if only to spite that evil motherfucker.

The kitchen turned out to be modern and light. Overhead, a glass roof proved what Davlov had said about being immune to sunlight. I frowned. I’d always assumed I could walk in the day because of my human blood, but my mother had been an Original. Had she been old? I didn’t know much about her at all, except her first name. No one had ever talked about her, and I’d never dared ask Victor any questions.

My footsteps slowed. Davlov stood with his back to me, a frying pan on the flat black glass hob. On the large island in the centre of the luxury kitchen, there was a breadboard where some fresh bread steamed, the smell making me salivate. I was so hungry… I eyed the bread knife. It would take me only five steps to grab it, and though the blade didn’t have a point, I’d be able to do some real damage with it…

“You know, if you keep staring at me like that, I’ll think you’re either eye fucking me, or about to grab that bread knife to stick in my back.”

Despite my circumstances, I smiled. “Nah, I’d not stick in your back. I’d slit your throat.”

He chuckled, a deep sound that sank right into my bones. Turning slightly, he slid a perfect cheese and vegetable omelette onto a plate and prowled over to the table. Each step was measured and powerful, making me feel clumsy and so very out of my league as I followed, sitting where he indicated.

“Eat while it’s hot. And eat plenty. You’ll be by my side while I go and check in with my guards. Then we’ll walk the perimeter wall and check the runes that protect it.”

I nearly choked on the piece of bread I’d just bitten into. “You’re taking me and showing me your defences? Isn’t that a bit stupid?”

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