Page 84 of Hupotasso
“I thought I told you to fuck off out of the castle,” I sigh. “Your shit-stirring is not something I need at this moment.”
“I admit,” he sighs, walking in to sit down opposite me, uninvited, “I’ve made some poor choices of late, but I always have your best interests at heart.”
I snort.
“Cut the crap. I’m not in the mood. What do you want?”
“I merely wanted to offer my services to help secure your wife.”
“Yourservices?”
“Yes, you know I spend a great deal of time in the halls of power. You’re not the only one with friends in high places. I thought to put the word out that she was missing and perhaps combine our efforts.”
“The queen already knows,” I sigh, “and I’m damn sure she would have made the situation public if she wanted it more widely known. She wants it kept quiet, and so do I.”
“Well…”
“Viper. Everything you touch turns to shit. You’re my brother,” I raise my hand to stall his interruption, “and I appreciate your offer of help. But please, please, take a holiday, go on a long, long vacation and leave me to sort out my problems.”
“Brother,” he shakes his head, his tone sorrowful, “your problems are my problems. At least let me help with something. You know idle hands…”
I grit my teeth. He’s probably right. If I give him something to do he’s less likely to fuck around and do something damn stupid.
“I’m receiving a dozen calls a day,” I sigh, “well-wishers for Mother. I’ll have the calls re-routed to you. If you could handle this I’d greatly appreciate it.”
“There,” he grins and stands. “It would be my pleasure, brother. Anything I can do to take some of the burden of this seat off your shoulders is my greatest desire.”
He leaves, still grinning, and I put my head back into my hands.
“Surely he can’t fuck this up?”
65
We’ve been here months now and my belly has grown so round I can hardly move, even though I still have three more months until I’m due.
Since Yin and I had put two and two together and figured out Viper must be working with Spider, we’d relayed that to The Free Men. They weren’t particularly interested in the machinations of vampires, especially two royal houses trying to knock each other off. They believe the fewer the vampires in the world, the better for mankind, and if they kill each other, even better. But Phil had agreed, perhaps because he was still trying to win back Yin, to figure out a way to take out Viper, and I had to hope he would stick to his word, although deep down I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could spit him. Still, I trust Yin, and she said my job is to ‘stop worrying and stay pregnant.’ Forweeks now she’d deftly and consistently deflected any questions I had about how The Free Men or the hunt for Viper was progressing.
She’d also made me learn some self-defence. At first I figured it was to keep me occupied and help me feel less helpless, but I think now that it was mostly because I really need some upskilling. I can’t always rely on others to save me. I have to learn to save myself and my baby.
I smile now as I put my finger in the neat round hole I’d blown in the heart of the firing range dummy. It’s in the shape of a person, but with large, oversized fangs made from two pieces of wood.
“Dead vampire,” I smirk.
“Your marksmanship is excellent now,” Yin walks to where I stand and high-fives me.
I nod. If I hadn’t been pregnant she would have been teaching me martial arts, but it was too risky. Instead we’d been practicing daily with guns, in between my vomiting. Apparently I’m one of the lucky few who vomits every day. It had started the week after I escaped with Yin, and hadn’t stopped. We’d done plenty of research; it’s called hyperemesis gravidarum. None of the drugs or natural remedies seem to alleviate it, apart from sipping lemon juice day and night — but even that hasn’t really stopped the nausea.
“Come on,” she laughs now, “it’s lunchtime.”
“You know I’m going to eat then up-chuck,” I groan. “I hate being pregnant.”
“Shouldn’t have fucked a vampire,” she wags her finger at me.
“Never make fun of a crazy pregnant woman with a gun.”
She laughs as I waddle along behind her towards the house, my hand on the small of my back, my own words haunting me. Yes, I hate being pregnant, but the moment I’m not I’ll be under Viper’s control again. And time is ticking.
“Yin,” I puff when I reach the kitchen, “any word from The Free Men about Viper?”
