Page 13 of The Way You Bite
“I hate you.” Ryder fled.
His son alienating him, hating him…it had hurt. A lot. Although its bite had diminished over the years, even now he experienced the familiar tweak in his chest.
Good. You’re not to ennui yet.
His ex didn’t have anything to do with what was going on right now. She’d been behind multiple assassination attempts for decades. He’d spent far too much emotional capital early in the last century on attempts to convince his son of his mother’s lies, and of reaching out to Rachel. At his last altercation with her twenty years ago, he’d threatened if he linked her to one more assassination attempt, he’d personally kill her. His understanding of her anger over their divorce, and leniency over mothering his only child, was long gone. She’d slipped into quiet isolation and died in an accident a few years ago.
Eric released a loud, agitated snort and sifted his hair through his fingers. “We will get the girl and get her out of here, if that’s your priority, but I don’t want you dead doing this.”
“Maybe there’s an earth bath waiting for me at the end of this. I’ve had a long run. I don’t fear death. The task is a nonnegotiable. I’ve got to finish. It must be me who reveals the truth to her and perhaps helps her with the transition. No kidnapping. She can make her own choice afterward if she prefers to stay in the States or come with us. It’s three days to full moon.”
“Fine, but let’s crank the lid down on this operation. No surprises. No going off the grid. No more random crazy, like allowing yourself to get shot and dragging us to visit a vampire veterinarian at an animal clinic.”
Lexan didn’t jump to agree. He would do what he needed to finish this. Plans of how to draw her to him amped him up again. The beast within him loved a good hunt.
“Earth bath? You meant grave?” Eric cracked his gotcha-smile.
“Did you get Roman’s number?”
“Here,” Eric handed his phone to him and pulled the car back onto the road.
Lexan pressed to send through the phone number. When Roman picked up he said, “This is Aleksander Dimitrov.”
“Your Majesty. It is an honor to receive your call. How may I be of service?”
“Tell me of your relationship to Velvet Scarpa and of her assisting wolves.”
Roman cleared his throat. “Are we on a secure line?”
“As secure as possible for a cell phone.”
“On occasion she has treated injured wolves, usually young, as a favor to me when they are closer to her than me. You understand, this puts her at great risk.”
“How did you meet her?”
“I was her advisor while she completed her rotations senior year in medical school long ago. Our coexistence in an academic atmosphere was unexpected. We had to come to a necessary truce.”
“Are you and she…involved?” Lexan tensed, vexed to realize how important the answer to this question had become.
“What? No…uh, nothing that isn’t professional.”
Lexan settled back into the seat. “Why does she help us? It doesn’t make sense.”
“She doesn’t like suffering, especially in animals. It doesn’t make sense as a vamp whose mother might’ve been killed by a wolf, but she is the exception. Did you know she’s one of the only vamps to go up against Dominic on multiple occasions?”
“Does she know about the virus?”
“No. Very few here know. It’s here, though. I’ve sent two infected wolves to Europe, to one of the facilities.”
“It is to remain quiet until my people have the cure. We’re not there yet. No need to inspire panic.”
“She might be able to help. You know she’s got an MD and a veterinary degree.”
“We have the best working on it. Thank you, Roman.” Lexan ended the call and handed the phone back to Eric. He’d find out the reason she helped them.
His phone buzzed with an incoming message. It wasn’t the minutia he expected:Two hours. You alone. Location to come.
…
