Page 111 of Kiss of Light

The Prince’s gaze slid to his son.

“Tell me what?”

“I was possessed. By a shaitun.”

Vassago’s lip curled in contempt.

“A pathetic lie. Shaitun cannot possess Vetali.”

“It’s true, your Highness,” Tala burst out. “The shaitun in question is powerful. He possessed Lemar all those years ago just to see if he could. And he tried again recently. I was there. I saw it. And I heard his admission of guilt.”

“Did you, now?” The Prince reappraised Tala. “And who are you, exactly?”

“I’m Tala. I was sent here by Lord Shadeed of Nurhan to right a great wrong, your Highness.”

She had more to say but in the time it took her to draw breath, Vassago had blurred towards her.

She was slammed against the wall, his black-veined face glaring at her with loathing.

“Lord Shadeed intended to have my son killed.”

Tala couldn’t breath, couldn’t answer. The vampire was crushing her wind-pipe. Desperately she tried to shake her head but his grip was unrelenting.

“Father!” Lemar grabbed Vassago’s arm. “Lord Shadeed had nothing to do with the contract. Think about it. Tala would hardly have brought me here if she was after my head, would she?”

Slowly, Vassago released his grip. Tala bent double, trying to fill her lungs with air. Vassago ignored her completely and turned to Lemar.

“If it wasn’t Lord Shadeed who put out the contract, who was it?”

“Salaq. His rival for the throne of Nush’aldaam. He was trying to manipulate you into siding with him against Shadeed. But Shadeed sent Tala to protect me. If it wasn’t for her, I’d have been killed in New Orleans.”

“Indeed?” Vassago focused his attention on Tala again. She straightened up, her throat still aching. “New Orleans, you say? Several vampires were taken out there a couple of weeks back. Was that you?”

Tala hesitated, unsure whether an affirmative answer would get her thrown against the wall again. She shrugged defensively.

“Yes, that was me.”

“Interesting.” He examined her more closely, as if he’d found a curious new bug. “And there was another massacre of more than a hundred Vetali a few days later. You again?”

“Yes, but…”

“So many vampires lost in one night. How is that possible?”

“I had no choice. I know they were your people, and I’m sorry.”

“I am not. They were dissidents. Trouble-makers. They questioned my leadership. You managed to do what I could not, demon. You got rid of them.”

Tala blinked.

“Um, you’re welcome?”

“I was not thanking you. However, it does provide empirical proof that you were defending my son.” He tapped his chin with one taloned finger. “Very well, Lemar, I’m listening. Tell me about this possession.”

“It was Ravij. One of Salaq’s demons. He made me… he made me do what I did to that girl. I couldn’t stop him. I wasn’t strong enough.”

“And he tried again?”

“Yes. But this time I was able to resist. With Tala’s help.”

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