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I flexed my jaw, determined to prevent myself from gritting my teeth. At the rate I was going, I was bound to break a tooth. “If you intend on doing this little meeting of yours without clarifying as to who you are, I will put a stop to it now. I don’t have the time to play a game like that, nor do I have the patience.”
“Yes, yes. I am fully aware of the war you have on the horizon.” The vampire responded with a dismissive wave that fanned the growing embers within me. He relaxed in his seat, finally pulling his hand away from the chess pieces. “Alas, I didn’t ask for this meeting to keep my identity locked within the shadows.” His eyes shifted back toward me and a pleased smirk painted his face. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Asher Aeternus. I am Ashivanx Alexei.”
It had been my goal from the start to uncover his identity, yet I wasn’t expecting to have that juicy piece of information thrown into my face so quickly. I drew back with a sharp inhale, my gaze glued on him. “You want me to believe you are the last of your bloodline? We’ve all heard the rumors of the bloodbath in Asia several centuries ago. There were no survivors.”
My pet’s gray eyes drifted toward me, those eyebrows furrowed. The concern lurking just beneath the surface was clear enough for me to spot, while masked from our host. Should I be concerned?
I shook my head slightly to ease that heavy concern from her shoulders. I’d already done several brushes with my own magic against his and I had detected no intention for harm. There was no need for her to panic. “If this is the tale you would like me to believe, then you should probably be anticipating the next question. What proof do you have to offer for me to believe you are who you say you are?”
Ashivanx’s lips twitched into a pleased smirk. “I offer the same proof I know you currently bear upon your body. The emblem of my bloodline.” He turned his head slightly. It was such a subtle movement, yet it revealed the black ink kissing his skin.
The air caught in my throat. A tribal dragon bearing a shattered crown.
It was no secret that a family emblem could be mimicked by a typical tattoo artist, except there were key details that only someone legitimate from that bloodline would know. Every single one of us carried a runic symbol that would be built into the tattoo to help expose who was of true blood and those who were attempting to become that wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I didn’t even have to lean forward to spot the small runic symbol carved directly into that broken crown. I’ll be damned. There was still a survivor from the Alexei bloodline and the cocky bastard had put himself directly in my path. From the tales that were still spun about this vampire, I knew there was nothing he did without a reason. If he’d come here, it was all tied into the game he was playing.
Ashivanx relaxed, allowing his hair to fall back into place and conceal the tattoo.
There was a part of me that was under the impression that he would continue the conversation, yet the growing silence slamming off of the glass walls simply revealed otherwise. It only took a moment for me to catch the faint sign of footsteps coming up the stairs and head in our direction. Turning my head slightly, I expected to find one of the waitresses employed here to be the one on her way over. A hint of surprise coursed through my veins when I found it to be Dario instead. The edges of my lips twitched. “Since when do you take orders for customers, uncle?”
The demon responded with a soft snort. “I think we’re both fully aware of who is sitting at that table with you, Asher. Only a fool would risk the rest of the staff finding it out, as well.”
“You assume that is a risk I wouldn’t have already handled,” Ashivanx murmured. He rested his weight against one of the arms and studied the chess pieces. “It is just one of my many talents that I can conceal who I am. No one is allowed to see unless I grant them that ability and it also carries with it an air of precaution. Should one attempt to tap into your memories, they would simply see a random face.”
“Y-You can do that?” Quinn breathed.
His white eyes flickered in her direction. “Most of the older paranormal with…more pure bloodlines…carry with them unique abilities that the lower classes often envy us for. No one would survive to the ages we are without those handy gifts.”
My pet’s gaze ducked immediately. It wasn’t the intention of our guest to bring up the bloodlines in that manner, yet it wasn’t something she could ignore. It had been the bane of her existence since she was old enough to understand she had mixed blood running through her veins. While our bond growing did help eliminate that human side of her, there was still that small fraction that couldn’t be destroyed until I was allowed to take her again.
Ashivanx surprised us both by leaning forward, bringing his face within centimeters of the back row on the chessboard. His light-colored gaze was firmly locked on my pet, who was struggling to resist the urge to peer right back at him. “I’m sure by now the prince sitting by your side has already told you there is no need to be ashamed of the blood that ran through your veins. One whiff is all anyone needs to take for them to realize what demonic bloodline you carry within you, precious.”
It hadn’t been my intention to release a growl. Hell, I didn’t even realize that I was doing it until I could feel the noise rumbling in my chest and both pairs of eyes swung my way. That didn’t mean that I had an ounce of regret swirling within me from the mere fact that it still happened.
“Possessive, aren’t you?” Ashivanx mused.
Quinn’s cheeks flushed with a dark blush. It was one thing to experience my undying need to fuck her and remind her that she was mine, but it was another thing entirely for me to shift gears until I was acting like a jealous teenage mortal. Not that she was willing to complain about my behavior. The way her delicious aroma started pooling into the air warned that it was definitely a turn-on for her.
If I wasn’t careful, that chair was going to be soaked by the time this meeting was over.
Even Dario was struggling to muffle his laughter. This was not normal behavior for me and he was thrilled to see a part of myself that had always been buried.
“Don’t push your luck.” I glared at the vampire.
He responded with a click of his tongue. Instead of acknowledging the underlying warning that I had hoped he would, he simply shifted his gaze toward my uncle. “Perhaps you could bring us what the kitchen feels is best. It’s been a good century since I last enjoyed a true Italian meal and I’m curious as to what their creativity would bring to the table”
My uncle offered him a slight nod before his attention shifted toward me.
I released a noise mixed between an irritated hiss and an exasperated sigh. “I have no problem with that recommendation.”
Tucking the pad under his armpit, the demon leaned toward me and hissed, “Behave, Asher. Just because he doesn’t oversee the vampire race doesn’t mean you want to screw up the chance to establish a critical alliance. He’s still pulling vital strings around the world.”
Ashivanx uttered an amused snort, wagging his fingers at my uncle. “I don’t enjoy the sensation of strings tied around these. I prefer chess pieces. Easier to move.” Spreading his hands, he relaxed in his chair and allowed those pale eyes to stray toward me.
The fact that my own flesh and blood seemed to choke on his words was enough to help dissipate some of the irritation swirling within me. I blinked, my lips curling into a frown as Dario chose to make a rapid retreat without attempting to offer anything further. “Did you just…?”
“Crack a joke? Yes.” The vampire released a small yawn, reaching out to retrieve the glass of wine nearby to devour the last of the crimson liquid. “I have walked the earth for many centuries and it is rather pointless to keep such a cold demeanor every second of my existence. Back to my previous point…” He peered at Quinn. “It doesn’t matter how things began in the beginning for you. A foot in two different worlds is not a tainted bloodline.”
