Page 70 of The Vampire Kingpin
I snorted. “I think I can find the Darkmans without your help. And by the way,” I said as I jerked the dagger back out. “I staked Grimclaw, too. You’re the new alpha. Congratulations.”
He fell to his ass, blood and smoke spurting from his chest. “Fuck. You.”
“Get on your knees and warm me up first.”
Behind me, Lark stifled a giggle, which almost made the whole night worth it.
I found a clean patch on Troll’s T-shirt to wipe off my dagger with, then shoved his smoking body out of the way with my booted foot.
“You.” I jerked my chin at Lark. “Come with me.”
18
Lark
Spider grabbed my wrist and hustled me through the gritty tunnels. I went meekly, in shock about Grimclaw and Troll. It was like the ground had been pulled out from under me, leaving me dangling in mid-air, struggling to find my footing.
I glanced at Spider’s set face. Even though something was clearly bothering him, his grip was firm and reassuring. A lifeline, in fact.
I turned my hand so my fingers were intertwined through his. “Thank you,” I said in a gruff voice. I cleared my throat and tried again. “I—Troll was going to… The bastard said he wanted to ‘see what the fuss was about.’ I held him off as long as I could, but he was too strong...”
“You’re all right?” Spider asked, tight-jawed.
“Yeah. You got there just in time.”
For some reason, that seemed to make him angrier. He swore under his breath and flashed me a furious look, his eyes touched with his vampire. “You should’ve told me about Darkman.”
I lifted a shoulder, let it drop. “I figured it wasn’t your problem.”
His expression darkened further. “I’m your alpha. If some asshole is gunning for you, I need to know.”
“You keep saying that. But we both know it’s not true.”
I tried to pull my hand free, but he just tightened his grip. “I wouldn’t piss me off if I were you.”
“Yeah?” Maybe it was partly reaction, but I was starting to get angry, too. “Well, you’re not making any sense. You told me not to fall in love with you. Why the fuck would I think you’d care about me and Jared Darkman?”
That made his step hitch. He rounded on me. “Damn you, Lark. You didn’t even ask.”
I blinked at the raw hurt on his face. “Ask what?”
He growled. “For help.”
“But—”
“I’m a powerful man.” He started off again, pulling me along with him. “I have connections. People who owe me favors. You think I’m scared of some dickhead syndicate princeling? But even when I straight out asked you, you wouldn’t give me a name.”
“You don’t know him. He’s got connections, too. I didn’t want him to hurt y—” I trailed off at his livid expression.
“You were protecting me?” A vein throbbed visibly on his temple.
“Yeah. What’s wrong with that? I lose you, I don’t get paid.” That was a low blow, but I was angry now, too.
He stopped and took hold of my shoulders. “So you’re gonna double down on that shit? Even without those asses threatening you, you’re still trying to convince me it’s just business?”
I shoved him full in the chest. Infuriatingly, he barely moved.
“Fine,” I snapped. “It was more. I lo—like you, you ass. And I like your lair—they’re good people. I didn’t want them hurt because of me. You don’t know what a vindictive fuck Jared can be.”
