Page 66 of The Vampire Kingpin
I fumbled with the top button of my jeans.
Survive. Focus on that. Survive so that someday, you can stake this sonuvabitch.
I reached for my zipper…and stilled as the door rattled, followed by the unmistakable sound of the bolt sliding.
Troll muttered a curse. He grabbed my shirt and said, “Say anything and whoever walks in that door is a dead fuck.”
Then, with a visible effort, he faded back into the shadows, faster than should’ve been possible with his injury. Before he disappeared, he pointed his index and middle fingers at first his eyes, then at me.
I’m watching you.
The door seemed to take an hour to swing open. I scrambled to my feet, hurriedly rebuttoning my jeans.
Spider filled the doorway. Relief whooshed through me, even when he halted, hands gripping the door frame, his eyes hooded, face carved out of hard, unforgiving stone.
He was angry. But I knew him well enough now to know he was disappointed, too. His mouth was turned down like he’d swallowed something sour.
But he’d come. He’d saved me, even if he didn’t know it. I gave him a smile that trembled at the edges, aware of Troll watching us from somewhere in the cell.
Spider finally spoke. “Can I trust you, Lark? That’s what I want to know.”
I recoiled, blinking rapidly. Inside, I died a little. That he felt he had to ask.
Yeah, I was a hustler and a thief—I was used to being blamed when things went south. But damn it, this time, I’d been trying.
I liked these people. I’d never do anything to hurt them, and it was like a fist to the gut to have to defend myself.
Anger surged up in me, heating my face. For a few seconds, I forgot about Troll listening. “Fuck you.”
“That’s not an answer.”
I clenched my fists. “I saved Velma. That should be answer enough for you.”
Spider’s brow lowered. “Doesn’t mean I can trust you. You could be lying your ass off and still save someone.”
“Fine, you can’t trust me. I mean why should you? I’m just some thrall you’re paying for sex.”
He absorbed that, tight mouthed. “So it was all about the money?”
Wow. Talk about a body blow. That thing inside me that felt like it was dying curled in on itself defensively.
You know it was more. Nobody’s that good at faking it.
Belatedly, I recalled Troll was listening. I drew a deep breath and reminded myself that it didn’t matter what Spider thought of me. That what was at stake was bigger than either of us.
Troll had meant it when he’d said he’d let Darkman and his enforcers into the Cavern. For all I knew, they were somewhere nearby right now. I had to play this Troll’s way until I knew more.
So I met Spider’s eyes—and lied. The way I’d been taught. Not overselling it, just explaining.
“We had some fun, okay? But that’s all it was. You told me yourself it couldn’t be anything else.”
“And Grimclaw? Why’d you tell him you’d get money from me?”
“To get him off my back.” I slit my eyes at him. “What d’you care? It’s my money, right? What I do with it at the end of the thirty days is none of your damn business.”
Spider’s gaze turned inward. “So he threatened you with something.” His lids lifted as he worked it out. “What?”
I managed a nonchalant shrug. “Grim’s always threatening something. That’s why I’m outta here as soon as I work out my contract with you.”
