Page 23 of Bullets and Blood
Nix swallowed and read each name.“That wasn’t me.Nor was that one.”
“But there are others not listed?”
He nodded.“Each one was an order.I never stepped outside of that.”
“Albury and Broome?”
Nix winced.He’d tried not to kill either of the men.One had been armed and eager for two minutes of fun.The other had been high on meth and wanted to spill blood.He’d fed on both and emptied their wallets.He couldn’t ensorcell when panicked and fighting for his life.It was something he needed to work on—when he had the time.If he ever got the time.“I was attacked and didn’t have a choice.”
“You didn’t kill the man who shot you in your house.”
“He wasn’t aiming for me.He wanted Zinnia.It was more important to run.”
Lance stared at him like he was some kind of puzzle he couldn’t figure out.“If I believe that you weren’t at the peace talks, then everything I know is a lie.”
That was entirely possible.Nix had done plenty of awful things; there was really no need to make up more.“Pull your report on the peace talks, and I’ll do the same.”
The reports didn’t agree, except for the body count at the end.
They stared at the screens in silence.Nix broke first.“Why did your aunt want war?”
“I don’t know.”
Nix’s gaze flicked between the two screens.He was running out of time.“What does your dossier on Zinna say?”
“I don’t have access.”
Lance had even less access than him, which made sense given that he was a glorified errand boy.“What else do you have access to?”
“Documents that link to you.”Lance logged out.
A relatively small set that could’ve been doctored before Lance was given access.Nix also logged out and then erased the history.“If I was everything they claim I am, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“I know.”Lance stared at the blank screen of his laptop, his lips pressed into a thin line.“But why?”
That’s what the Orlans did.They were dishonorable rats.Which didn’t explain why Lance hadn’t broken his word and turned him in.Not that Nix was complaining.He’d wanted extra time, and he’d gained it.He couldn’t tell Lance his family were lying oath breakers again.Lance needed to figure that out on his own.
Nix sighed.“Maybe they figured when I was begging for my life in the boot of your car, it would be better for you to think every word out of my mouth was a lie?”
Lance glanced at him, face grim.“You aren’t the begging type.”
Nix smiled.Lance didn’t knoweverythingabout him.“True...mostly.”
Lance put his hand on Nix’s thigh.“Let’s have dinner and sleep on it.”
Prickly half-truths didn’t make the best mattresses, but then they probably wouldn’t be doing much sleeping if Nix had his way.
ChapterThirteen
It wasafter midnight when the phone rang.They were both stretched out on the bed, fingers and legs entwined.The taste of blood was thick on Nix’s tongue, and he didn’t want to move even though he should get up and shower.Sweat and lube and cum were glued to his skin.
Lance reached out and looked at his phone.He groaned.“I’ve got to take this.”
Nix put his finger to his lips in understanding.His heartbeat picked up for the wrong reason.He imagined Orlan vampires surrounding the room so there would be no escape.His fangs flicked down, ready to fight, and his fingers curled.The relaxation he’d found was gone, replaced by the more familiar fear and tension.He forced himself to exhale as Lance answered.
It’s just a phone call.Get a grip.
“Yeah,” Lance said, his words slurred as though he’d just woken up.
