Page 179 of Dragon Slayer

Vlad bit down on the impulse to smile. Instead, he enjoyed Hunyadi’s baffled expression and said, tone icy, “My gracious host tells me you want to talk of peace.”

“He’s correct. Yes, that’s why I’m here.”

“Peace on what terms?”

Hunyadi cast a discreet glance around the room, touching on all of its inhabitants.

Vlad turned to their boyar host. “Leave us.”

The man looked glad to do so, closing the door behind him.

Hunyadi took a bolder glance. At Stephen. At Cicero. Pointed.

“Doubtless you know of Stephen, son of the late Prince Bogdan of Moldavia,” Vlad said. “My cousin and ally. Cicero is my chief advisor. He goes where I go, and hears what I hear. Make your case, governor.”

“My case? You’re wise to listen, but I admit that I’m surprised you would. Considering.”

Vlad slid his free hand down the length of his sword. It was his father’s Toledo blade, rather than a blunted practice sword. Sharp enough to split a hair, gleaming in the sunlight like the scales of a serpent. Ready to strike.

“Hmm. Considering,” he said. “Considering the fact that you murdered my father? My brother? Backed Prince Bogdan’s killer? Sent assassins after us again and again?”

“I’m sure you understand–” Hunyadi started.

“My brother,” Vlad continued, voice getting colder, darker, louder. “Was beaten, and dragged, and stabbed, and buried face-down while he was still breathing. I found his grave. I dug his bones up myself, by hand.

“My father fled on foot. Cut down by a mob of men. Andwolves.” He stressed the word and watched Hunyadi’s eyes widen. Did he know that werewolves had been employed? Or had that been part of Romulus’s machinations? “They butchered him. Cut his heart from his body.”

Vlad felt Cicero’s hand land on his shoulder and squeeze, bracing and loving.

“And that sniveling coward Vladislav. Who had not a single legitimate claim to the princedom. Your puppet. You backed him because he was spineless. Because he would do your bidding. Because he would act out your butchery and pave the way for you in Wallachia. The people of Romania faced the same threat, and yet, rather than unite them, you chose to pit them against one another, to slaughter them, so that you could take these three principalities for Hungary. You styled yourself a crusader, someone fighting against the Ottoman invasion of the west. And all you wanted was power for yourself. Explain to me,your grace, why I should listen to afuckingword you have to say.”

Cicero’s fingers tightened again, still supportive, grieving, caring.

Hunyadi took a breath and let it out slowly through his nose, nostrils flaring. He dipped his head. “That’s…fair.”

“You’re damn right it is,” Stephen said, to Vlad’s surprise. “How dare you show your face here, after you tried to kill us?”

Hunyadi sighed. He put his hands on the edge of the desk, fingers spread wide, the gemstones in his rings winking in the light. “Son…”

Vlad growled. Not in a human sense – a proper vampire growl.

Hunyadi’s people stepped forward, the soldiers reaching for the daggers at their hips. The man himself gaped, open-mouthed.

“Do not,” Vlad said, the growl pulsing through his voice, “call meson.”

Hunyadi stared at him…and then looked away. “Alright.”

“I hate you,” Vlad said. “I’ve fantasized about killing you for a long time now.”

But Hunyadi wasn’t the only one he hated.

“So plead your case,” Vlad continued. “Tell me why I should make peace with the man who murdered my family.”

Silence.

Hunyadi’s attendants looked worried.

The governor studied Vlad a long moment, jaw working side to side. “You’re honest,” he finally said.

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