Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

ELOURA

" H ow can we claim to be safe? How can the crown protect us when they couldn't protect us under their own roof? I pose this question to you." The show that Clive put on at his own home knew no bounds. He was comfortable here, and when he spoke, he acted as if he were center stage.

His words were smooth as always. He enjoyed posing questions in such an innocent manner to the Blood Borns. It was his manipulative way of planting the seeds in others' minds in the hopes that they themselves would start to question things. When others began to nod in agreement with him, I knew the tides needed to change or the King would have a rebellion on his hands.

I grabbed a glass of champagne from the waiter as he passed by. I swirled it around, keeping an eye on Clive as he spread his poisonous words too. These smaller parties were limited to the heads of the major Blood Born families. Among them were the richest and most powerful to walk the Earth. Governments were made to rise and fall in rooms like this, rooms where blood and champagne flowed while deals were made over hors d'oeuvres. Empires rose and found ruin on the whims of these vampires, and not only in the vampire world but the human one too. It was all profits and power here.

I held my glass to my lips and gave Clive a light smile as I took a sip and moved in closer to the circle of partygoers he'd surrounded himself with. "Oh, I don't know, Clive. I've found the last three hundred years to be pleasurable enough."

He gave a light chuckle and smoothed his hand over his dark, slicked-back hair. "I have no doubts you have, Eloura. Your family has been among the top five most profitable within our circles, if I recall."

"Top three." I smiled as the others began to turn toward me, showing their interest. I gave a little shrug. "But who's counting really? Are we all not fortunate in our wealth?"

Clive returned with his own sly smile. He inclined his head toward me. "Indeed, but it's difficult to see the harsh realities amidst such splendor."

He wasn't wrong. Even now the string quartet played and vampires whirled around the small dance floor. Laughter and liquor were in abundance on this evening. "I do find we live a privileged life. Do you all not agree?"

The crowd around us nodded and murmurs of agreement fluttered all around. Privilege oozed off each of them, from the fancy jewelry encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies to the brand-new clothes for every function we attended. And in the Blood Born society, there were countless functions. Clive threw his head back and gave a hearty chuckle. "Precisely, and I know I would love to keep it that way."

"After thousands of years, I don't think there's a fear of losing any of it." I took another sip, and the bubbles tickled my nose.

"Not if things don't change." He glanced around at the others. "Only our known ways are a safe way of protecting our lives and lifestyle."

"Ah, but how boring for the immortals. If we are to live for eternity, then wouldn't it be in our best interest to keep things . . . surprising? Besides that, I'd like to see the vampires thrive as a whole. Spread the wealth, so to speak." I downed the rest of my drink, and a waiter appeared by my side in an instant. He took it with his perfectly shiny silver tray.

"I'm not sure I would enjoy a loss of wealth. Especially for it to go to those who are ungrateful for it." Clive chuckled and the others joined in with him. They were the kind of fake laughs that grated to hear. He wiped away a fake tear as though his joke was so funny it brought him to tears. He waved his hands, signaling for everyone to quiet down and of course they did. "I would say recent events would show how ungrateful the Night Spawn truly are. Titus has let them go unchecked for far too long. Like spoiled children, they should be given boundaries, of course."

I scoffed. "But they aren't chi?—"

"Sir." One of Clive's attendants slid in beside him and whispered in his ear so none of us could hear over the music. The smile faltered on Clive's face, but he quickly put it back in place as he waved the man away. He turned back to his group of admirers with a half-smile. "If you'll excuse me . . . Please do enjoy the festivities."

He gave a slight incline to his head, then slithered away. The group closed the gap where he'd just been standing and turned their attention to the music, food, and dancing. It was all mindless drivel. When I turned away, I spotted Clive disappearing into the small hallway off the side of the main ballroom. There was something about the way he looked over his shoulder, the way he wanted to make sure no one was watching him, that gave me a suspicious feeling. I gave him a moment, then wound my way through the occupants of the ballroom. When I approached the opening, I marched into it without hesitation.

It was dimly lit by sconces spread every few feet with flickering lights. Gold-foiled wallpaper covered the walls. The rug was thick under my feet and muffled each of my footsteps. I followed Clive's clawing cologne all the way down the hall and turned to the right to walk down another. I tiptoed every step of the way until I came to a door that was cracked open just enough for me to make out Clive's annoying voice as he spoke with a man whose voice I didn't recognize.

"Mr. Cristiano, I believe our business is soon at its end." I'd never heard another vampire use that tone with him. It was a mixture of exasperation, annoyance, and finality.

"I just need a bit more time," Clive pleaded as he paced back and forth.

"And yet you think it appropriate to use my money to throw this little gathering?" The sound of a lighter clicking filled the silence between them, then came the distinct smell of cigar smoke. I had no idea who this person was, but I had the sudden desire to find out.

"In a few days' time I will have the highest seat of power in the kingdom, and you will have the benefit of such a friend." Clive tried to sound so smooth, like a salesman making promises they never kept. It all sounded sweet but ultimately would not pan out.

More smoke drifted out the door toward me, and I wrinkled my nose.

The vampire sighed. "Thus far I've yet to see your advances, and I'm bloody tired of waiting for these favors and payments you promise."

"Just a bit more time, damn it!" Clive slammed his fist down on a table.

"Do not think to raise your voice to me. You may be one of the higher brow Blood Borns, but I own you, and I will be collecting one way or another. I have no preference or interest in politics. It'll either be blood or money."

"I swear I am this close to getting everything we want," Clive pleaded. "I have several of the most prominent families ready to back me in a move against Titus, and once he's unseated, I'll have more wealth than we can ever dream of."

"No, Mr. Cristiano, that's what you want." The sound of a chair scraping across the floor made me peek through the door even harder to get a better look at the mystery man. "What I want is my money."

"And . . . and I'll get it to you." His voice was threaded with panic.

I peeked through the crack in the door only to see Clive pressed up against the wall with a fair-haired vampire standing in front of him with a knife pressed to Clive's throat. He lowered his voice. "You seem to forget that while vampires are immortal, they die every day."

He pressed the knife up under Clive's chin and blood trickled down the shiny, silvery blade all the way to the hilt.

Clive's throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously. His eyes widened and he went up on his tiptoes. "With interest!"

The man stopped pressing his knife upward. "I require forty percent."

"Twenty-five," Clive countered, and I couldn't help but think how stupid the vampire was to negotiate from a position of weakness. But Clive was always the rabbit who tried to catch the snake.

The man gave a deep chuckle and took a small step back. He pulled the knife away from Clive and slid it into the holster at the small of his back under his suit coat. "And yet you'll still be giving me forty."

Clive gave a heavy sigh. "Very well. Partners."

"Not partners, you'll be paying a debt." He gave a dark chuckle. "I rather fancy having a king in my pocket."

Clive moved from my vision, but a moment later I heard ice hitting a glass and the sound of liquid being poured. "And I rather fancy being a king and returning things back to the way they belong."

"Whatever that means," the man said, dismissing Clive's words.

The ice clinked on the glass as Clive raised it to his lips and came back into view. "It means that my desires will benefit us both in the end."

The man walked up to Clive and clapped him on the shoulder. Yet he never turned to face the door so that I could ascertain his identity. "Your greed knows no bounds. It's to your detriment and my gain."

Clive chuckled as if this were a joke and not the truth. "We'll see."

"There's no we'll see . You had better keep up your end, or I'm afraid the future looks bleak for you."

"My future never looks bleak. I'm Clive Cristiano." Somehow, over the course of five minutes, he went from begging for his life to bartering for it and then to claiming he's the best thing since electricity. His ego knew no bounds, but I would relish the day when all the pieces fell into place. Because there was no doubt in my mind Clive would die . . . I would see to it.