Page 122 of The Vampire's Thirst
Matty listened to the Firebrands from a chair in front of Kole’s desk, feeling lucky Ram hadn’t carved him up like a holiday turkey. Though the guy had tried, the other warriors stopped him, arguing it was the commander’s decision.
Dax leaned against the wall, his body tilting slightly forward while he objected to having his sanity questioned. “I know a fucking dragon when I see one. I’m telling you, a fire-breathing beast crashed our prison party, tearing the place apart. He gave us time to escape.”
Sitting military straight, Matty stared at a collection of weapons which decorated the wall behind the commander’s desk.
“Dragons are extinct.” Kole brushed a meaty fist over his hair.
Dax played with his scary-ass fang necklace. “Obviously not. If it hadn’t been for that creature, we’d still be doing time at the Arisen Dawn garrison on Darque.”
Shifting his gaze from the wall to Kole, Matty defended his new vampire friend. Correction. Only vampire friend. “It was a dragon. I’ve seenEragon. Are those weapons all yours?”
“No. Belonged to fallen Firebrands.”
Matty nodded. “Good tribute. Though I’ve never seen a live dragon, this thing was green, had scales, and breathed fire. It was bigger than the proverbial brick shithouse.”
Ram glared at Matty from the sidelines, Thorn on one side of him. Sabine and Nico were on the other. Obviously, they expected him to cut loose again.
Finally, the satyr rushed Matty, grabbing his shirt. He snatched him from the chair and shoved into his chest. “No more convo about dragons. This male was in the room while Dante tortured me. I want justice.”
Matty elbowed Ram, trying to nudge the male backward. The guy didn’t budge. “True, but I didn’t lay a finger on you. If it’s any consolation, I celebrated when those Arisen Dawn guys ripped out Mars’s heart during the Battle for Bozeman. Dante’s so-called general was a sadistic SOB. Got what he deserved. Sorry I wasn’t the one to deliver it.”
Ram kept a fist tangled in Matty’s shirt while he paused. “Good to hear he’s dead. For the record, I would have torn out his organ to eat it.” Obviously satisfied with the news, the satyr returned to beast mode. “While I was in Dante’s torture chamber, you watched my entrails spill onto the floor. You may not have had a hand in my misery, but you didn’t stop anything either.”
“True. Today, I would handle the situation differently.” He was sincere. Dante was a sadistic man, as bad as his general Mars. The whole scene had never sat right with Matty, even though the specimens on the tables had been otherworlders.
Ram persisted. “Yeah? Mind you, I don’t give a shit about your army killing Arisen Dawn invaders, but what’s happening to the innocents you guys have captured? Can you tell me they aren’t being tortured right now?”
“No. I can’t.” Matty scrubbed a fist along his jaw.
Dropping his hold, Ram gave him some breathing room. “I remember every scalpel cut, each cracked rib, my chest being pried open while I was on the table. I even coded several times. They tortured a young female vampire. They murdered her male. He was the son of a lawgiver, a vamp just out of his Awakening who had done nothing but sneak off to Earth to party. Do you feel for them?”
Matty refused to look away from Ram. He owed him that much. “I do. I own my role. I was wrong and your anger is righteous.”
“I’m going to slice your balls off and shove them down your throat. I didn’t do it at the cave, but it’s reckoning time.”
Shit happened fast. Ram prepped to drive his blade forward. Dax threw himself between Matty and the satyr. Thorn and Nico rushed him. Kole shot from his desk, sending a blast of fire to Ram’s dagger.
The satyr dropped it, his fingers sizzling. “Damn, Comm. That fucking hurts.” He blew on his singed palm.
“You have a right to this human.” When Dax opened his mouth, Kole raised a hand. “Think, Ram. We need to get the Earthers to the negotiation table. This sadistic asshole may be our way in.”
“I take offense…” Dax shook his head, a warning before Matty could finish. “I was about to say, I take offense at being called sadistic. I accept asshole.”
Ram gritted his teeth but stood down. “I’d be happy to torture him for information about his troops.”
“Good luck. The perverted A-hole Roark failed. I don’t have high expectations for you.” When Matty bent to retrieve Ram’s sword from the floor, weapons flew from sheaths, holsters, and ankle straps. Grinning, he passed it off to the satyr by the blade. “Paranoid bastards.”
“Good reason.” Ram slid his weapon home.
Dax piped up, obviously not knowing enough to keep his mouth shut. “This guy’s not half bad, satyr. Aside from his silent complicity in your torture.”
Mateo Garcia straightened the collar on his shirt. “Thanks for the high praise, vampire.”
“Okay. I believe he’s a good male. We should trust him. If he says he’ll work on getting us a sit-down, he’ll do it.”
“You trust him, Dax? You? The vampire who doesn’t trust anybody?” Ram adjusted the strap on the sheath across his chest.
Matty slapped a palm to Dax’s shoulder. “Hey. Don’t bust onmi amigo. He’s working on his issues. I’ve been counseling him.”
