Page 31 of Craved

“Yes,” I said grimly.

“But why do you think SI is involved? That’s not their style. They don’t take prisoners. When they target you, you don’t end up in a cell. You end up with a stake through your heart.”

“Exactly. Which is why we think a vampire is involved—like Moreau.”

She pursed her lips. “I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like Philippe, either.”

“Look.” I jerked a phone from my tux jacket, downloaded the photo of Zaq from a secret, triple-protected cloud server, and thrust it at her. “See for yourself.”

She took the phone. Swallowed. She was silent for a few seconds, then she handed the phone back to me.

“That’s not proof Philippe’s involved. It’s not even proof your brother was kidnapped. It could be photoshopped, a story you made up to cover why you’re really here.”

My hand tightened on the plastic case. What had I done to make Zoe so suspicious of me? She was the one who’d come tomyhotel room, allowing me to do everything but fuck her, and then left.

While I’d stayed to face down Victorine, Étan, and two enforcers bent on breaking every major bone in my body.

“It’s the truth, damn it. Zaq disappeared in Paris and no one’s heard from him since. Hell, look at his fucking neck.” I jabbed a finger at the screen. “A vampire fed on him. They chained my brother with silver and let a vampire drink his blood.”

“All right,” she said. “Say it’s true and your brother’s been kidnapped by Philippe or the slayers or both. Why come to me? Why not take this up with the Paris Primus?”

“Leo? Moreau is one of his top enforcers. You really think he’s going to admit Moreau has Karoly Kral’s son? They’d stake Zaq for sure.”

“But what can I do?”

She was going to make me say it.

I shoved the phone back into my pocket. I’d had days to decide what to tell her, but this was still hard. I had some trust issues of my own.

Still, one of us had to give, and from Zoe’s stony expression, it would have to be me. It was time to lay it all out there.

“We believe Victorine’s behind it. That Philippe Moreau is the front. He’s involved—he has to be—but he’s doing it for her. Or maybe they’re in it together. And they’re both hiding behind Slayers, Inc.”

Her definite black brows snapped down. “So that’s why you’re here? To accuse my mother of kidnapping your brother?”

“You can’t tell me she wouldn’t like to send me and my brothers to the final grave—especially me. Hell, she told me so herself.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re saying my mother broke the treaty?”

“Not exactly,” I said carefully. “But she could be honoring the letter of the treaty, not its spirit.”

It was genius, actually—and very Victorine. Get Slayers, Inc. to eliminate me, Zaq and Gabriel, and Zoe’s mother would have her revenge on my father without having to dirty her own hands.

“No.” Zoe set her jaw. “She signed that treaty in good faith.”

I spread my hands. “Think about it. Take out me and my brothers, and my father loses his heirs. The succession would be in doubt. A power vacuum would open up, and while my father regrouped, Victorine could make her move, claim our territory for your syndicate.”

And no one in the vampire world would stop her. That’s how things worked. Either a primus or prima was strong enough to hold their territory, or they lost it.

“You’re wrong,” Zoe said. “My mother wants peace as much as your father does.”

“I’m not so sure of that.”

“Well, I am—and I would know. Victorine’s training me to become her lieutenant. I’ve been shadowing her for the last year. I’ve been at all the important meetings.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want you to know. Because of us.”

“There is no ‘us,’ and she knows that.”

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