AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Donovan looks confused, so I step forward next to North. “My name is Kiara, but you’ll know me as the person who took your Aurora Gem.”
“Ahhhhh. The little thief. The girl with the sticky fingers. Very unfortunate for you.” Donovan smiles. “But I’m guessing that you’re here to return my gem safe and sound?”
His voice is like velvet, soft, almost a purr, but there’s something slimy about him that takes away all of his charm and handsomeness. I wouldn’t want him anywhere near me if I could help it.
Unfortunately, I can’t help it. I need to give him the key.
“No, I’m not here to give you the gem back. I gave it away to my client, and I don’t have it anymore.”
Donovan stands up with that terrifying speed all vampires have. “Then you are here to die?” he asks, his voice still soft and charming. It’s alarming, the difference between his voice and his body language.
I force myself to stand tall. My parents wouldn’t want me cowering in front of a vampire, or even a group of vampires, no matter how powerful they were. They didn’t go down without a fight, they kept their dignity until the end, and so will I.
“Your gem was of great value,” I explain. “And I didn’t know who you were when I stole it for a client, or I never would’ve taken on the job. You have my utmost respect and deepest apologies.”
Lies, but whatever. I can’t get out of this by being flippant, even as my hatred for him and all vampires burns like the sun.
“I was unable to find a gem to replace yours, but I have something of equal or greater value that I’m sure you’ll appreciate. Consider it an apology and a peace offering, so that we can go our separate ways and just… forget about each other.” I stumble over my words a little at the end, but I think I did okay.
Behind me, I can feel all three men glaring. Donovan glances at them momentarily, but also dismissively. The other supernaturals in the room don’t seem so inclined to ignore the men. Their reputations clearly proceed them, and the others are all eyeing them with a mixture of respect and apprehension.
It makes me feel a bit proud, actually. These three men are powerful and they’ve chosen me as their mate. It makes a girl proud.
And I’m really, truly glad that they’re here and insisted on not letting me do this alone. I hadn’t expected to feel so much fear churning up in my stomach.
“Well, what is it?” Donovan asks.
“I can’t give you anything without a promise of my safety,” I reply.
“And I can’t possibly promise anything if I don’t know what it is I’m being given,” Donovan shoots back.
He walks down from the throne to stand in front of me. “What is it that’s worth so much more than my precious gem? Your words are pretty but your apologies mean nothing. I want an item. Words don’t mean anything without actions. Why shouldn’t I make an example of you to every single lowlife who thinks for even a second that they can take me on or take what’s mine?”
I take a deep breath. “Because I have an Immortal Key.”
North hands it to me, and I hold it up for Donovan to see. It’s such an unremarkable key, a piece of cut-out metal that’s a bit sharp around some of the edges, but the entire room reacts like I’ve just held up a massive grenade.
Donovan’s eyes go wide and his fangs poke out, a sign of excitement in vampires. “Well, well, well. How very interesting. An Immortal Key, well, I haven’t seen one of those in quite some time.”
There are murmurs from the other supernaturals, everyone gathering around us to try to get a good look without crowding too close and pissing off Donovan or my men.
“Do you want it?” I hold the key a little out of reach. “You’ll have to consider my debt to you paid.”
Donovan seems to consider this for a moment. “Very well. If you give me this key, then your debt to me from robbing me of my gem is considered paid.”
Good. That’s all I want.
With a shaky breath, I hand the key over to him. Thank fuck. I can’t believe this actually worked, and I’ll have a mob boss off my back. It’s like being able to breathe in fresh air after being locked inside a stuffy room for hours.
Donovan smiles eagerly as he snatches the key from my hand. His movement is rough, causing the sharp metal of one of the teeth on the key to catch against the palm of my hand, drawing a bit of blood.
“What—?” The vampire mob boss’s eyes go wide. He grabs my wrist before I can even think to stop him, yanking it to him and licking up the bit of blood.
Disgusting. I yank my hand back as the men dart forward, Raven transforming, North snarling, the three of them pulling me to them protectively.
I cradle my hand to my chest. It wasn’t a true bite, barely anything, but I still feel violated.
Donovan licks his lips, and as he does, his eyes go completely black. My stomach dips.
