Sweet Last Drop. Melody Johnson

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СКАЧАТЬ body started to tremble.

      “Master.” Rene bowed his head. “I present a new night blood in our territory. She calls herself DiRocco.”

      I took a calming breath, but the tremble in my chest worsened. The vial of Dominic’s blood was a hot weight around my neck. I caught myself reaching to touch it and forced my hand to remain at my side.

      “DiRocco, I present—”

      I waved my hand at Rene dismissively, annoyed at his formality while Bex was frying a laser through my chest with her unwavering, alien eyes. “Yes, I know, you present Bex, the Master Vampire of Erin, New York, from Chemung to Wayne County and everywhere in between.”

      Bex grinned. “Walker taught you well.”

      “Walker doesn’t speak of you in that way.”

      Rene looked between the two of us, weary regret heavy in his expression. “You’ve already met?”

      Bex lost the grin. “Why would Lysander concern himself with my expanding territory?”

      “Dominic makes everything his concern.”

      “That I most certainly believe. What I’m not quite certain I believe is why you were brought here.” Bex shifted her gaze from me to Rene with a flick of her golden-green eyes, and I almost felt bad for Rene. Almost.

      Rene cocked his head, not looking particularly worried about being on the business end of that look. “She’s a new night blood in our territory. I wasn’t aware of her presence, and I definitely didn’t know that you were previously acquainted. Upon discovery, why wouldn’t I bring her to you?” Rene narrowed his eyes, and despite his obvious loyalty, returned Bex’s laser look with heat of his own.

      Bex lifted her chin defensively. “She might be new to us, but she’s not new to our territory. She’s Lysander’s night blood, and by bringing her to me you risk—”

      “When has territory ever stopped you from claiming what’s yours?” Rene interrupted. His chest vibrated in a low, rattling growl, and his lips thinned across his sharpened teeth. “DiRocco is in your territory, and anything in your territory is rightfully yours to take. Lysander knew that when he allowed her to leave his territory. You shouldn’t need me to explain this to you.”

      I pursed my lips and wondered if what Rene was saying was accurate. He seemed to be a font of vampire etiquette, and if Bex’s expression was any indication, Dominic had thrown me to the wolves, almost literally. Except wolves might have been preferable.

      “She doesn’t want me as her night blood,” I interjected, hoping to turn the heat under someone else. Walker was certainly a subject of contention between them, so I’d play on that. “Or at least, she doesn’t want me enough to risk war with Dominic. The only night blood she’d risk anything for is Walker.”

      “By pursuing Walker, she risks everything,” Rene growled.

      “Enough,” Bex growled back.

      “Other night bloods exist beyond Walker.” Rene continued. “They might not be the night bloods you want, but they’re the night bloods your coven needs. Your love of Walker has blinded you from the destination we’ve worked so hard to reach, and if you continue leading us astray, someone will come along to right our path.”

      Bex’s chest rattled. “Is that a threat, Rene?”

      “Never, Master. I serve only you, but as your loyal servant, I fear for the stability of our coven.”

      “I’ve lived many lives with many covens, and I’ve transformed many night bloods. In all that time, I’ve gained something that I didn’t possess in my former life as a night blood, nor after I was transformed, for many, many years: patience. Walker is my night blood, and when he’s ready, I’ll be there. Looking back years from now at the time it took for him to accept his destiny, you’ll see that the extra time we waited was a mere blink in our existence. Y’all haven’t realized this because you’ve only lived one human life, but when you’ve lived five, ten, one hundred human lifetimes, you’ll understand this inevitability.”

      “I understand, Master,” Rene growled through clenched teeth, his tone anything but understanding. “But in the meantime, while you’re exercising patience with Walker, other night bloods are ripe for the transformation.”

      “Night bloods must be chosen carefully. If they’re unwilling—”

      “Walker is unwilling!” Rene snapped.

      “DiRocco isn’t worth the trouble that changing her would stir with Lysander,” Bex finally admitted, and as the words tumbled from her lips, she realized her mistake.

      “You fear Lysander and his growing power, despite his approaching Leveling,” Rene accused.

      Bex lifted her chin higher, refusing to bend. “I fear nothing.”

      “Then if you don’t want the night blood, and you don’t fear Lysander’s wrath, may I drink from her?” Rene asked darkly.

      I looked back and forth between Bex and Rene in the sudden, quelling silence. The exchange had escalated so rapidly that I wasn’t sure how their attention had once again shifted to me, but I held my breath as I became the focus of both their honed, targeted gazes.

      Bex froze for a moment, her expression like chiseled stone. She’d trapped herself between pride and fear, and my heart sank. In her place, I knew which I’d choose. Quickly, nearly imperceptibly, she nodded.

      I didn’t wait to see if Rene would make good on his request. I didn’t care if he just wanted a taste or if he was only proving a point, he wasn’t drinking a single drop from me.

      “Rene Roland,” I said, and like butter, my mind melted around his, seeping into the cracks and crevices of his thoughts.

      I felt shock and fear sting his heart like bees.

      “Rene?” Bex asked sharply.

      “Stand in front of me, Rene Roland, and shield me from Bex with your body,” I commanded.

      Rene flew in front of me, shielding me from Bex. He didn’t even attempt to reflect my command.

      Bex gaped at me. “It’s true.”

      I would have smiled at her expression if I hadn’t been so terrified. Bex’s astonishment was my only upper hand. Before she could recover, I hooked my fingers around the vial of Dominic’s blood, snapped the necklace from my neck, and whipped the silver chain around Rene’s throat in a makeshift garrote. The moment the silver touched Rene’s skin, a noxious steam hissed from his burning flesh.

      Rene tensed, but because of my command to shield me from Bex with his own body, he couldn’t move.

      “You are full of surprises, little night blood,” Rene whispered.

      “I’m sorry.”

      Rene bared his teeth in a semblance of a smile. “Never apologize for surviving.”

      Bex recovered from her shock and released a growling roar. It blasted through us. I felt the compelling urge to bend СКАЧАТЬ