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"I have offered you no violence. It hurts that you would think so little of me." Vincent placed a hand on his chest, his face the epitome of distress. When his words didn't sway me, Vincent straightened, clearing his throat. "Very well, I can admit that I do not trust the council has not also bugged your home with their own listening devices. I wish our discussion not to be overheard."
"And you don't think they haven't done your limo and the headquarters as well?" I pointed out with a shake of my head. "You aren't untouchable."
"That I am aware of," Vincent adjusted his garish suit jacket and grew serious. "I do not make this offer often. However, you have somehow gained the attention of the vampire council, a group I have longed to see put to heel. Which means that I need you if I am to ever get any of my hunters within breathing distance of them."
I pursed my lips and lifted my chin. "What exactly are you offering?"
Vincent cleared his throat and shifted in place. "Your freedom and no future attacks on your family...in exchange for helping us take down the council."
The others gasped behind me, no doubt feeling precisely what I was feeling. Relief. Excitement. Uncertainty. Fear.
"And if we can't?" I pushed, needing to know the full scope of this offer.
Vincent shrugged a shoulder, tapping his fingertips of each hand in a steeple. "Then, things go back to the way they were before. You helping my hunters find vampires and taking them out. Perhaps in another decade, we might come to some other arrangement?"
He had me, and he knew it. Damn it.
I glanced back at the others who had the same mistrusting but hopeful expression on their faces. My eyes drifted over to Antoine, searching his face for some kind of message. Did he approve of this deal, or was I rash to think it too good to be true?
When my eyes locked with his, Antoine wasn't looking at me. He was looking at Morpheus. The vampire was sweating buckets, and I didn't even know vampires could sweat like that. Something about my making a deal with Vincent made Morpheus nervous. It only made my decision easier.
Turning back to Vincent, I held my hand out to him. "You have a deal."
Vincent wrapped his warm, surprisingly soft hand around mine and shook it. "Good. Then shall we?" He gestured to the limo, waiting for me to enter the open door.
Taking one more look at the guys, I tried to reassure them with my eyes that everything was going to be okay. That I was going to be fine. We would all get out of this alive, and with any luck, I'd be freed from my debt to the vampire hunters.
Yeah. One could dream.
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