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I took a swig of my drink and muttered, “Probably.”
Blood exploded against my taste buds. There were humans in the room. Two Dark. They appeared to have the same drink as the rest of us. So, Dad was at it again. Changing his human followers into the blood-drinking races he’d created before.
“Taste alright?” Was he really testing me again? Waiting for me to be angry or horrified he’d given me the blood of some innocent? Truthfully, I was a bit of both, but the person was long dead, and I couldn’t change their fate.
“It’s not as fresh as I’d like, but I’m not about to complain. Under their new treaty, the non-blood-drinking races were about to make blood drinkers not bite people. Oh, unless you had a signed permission form or something stupid like that.” That part still irked me a bit, but I wasn’t about to complain. The only person’s blood I needed was Brynn’s.
Yavich snorted beside me. “I would revolt just for that alone.”
“Hear, hear.” I raised my glass to him. He laughed, and we drank together.
The rest of the dinner, which was served to us a few minutes later, was spent on updates. I stayed quiet, listening to what the others said. Half of it made sense, but the other half didn’t. Something wasn’t sitting right in my gut. My father’s eyes watched me as I took in the information, and I had the urge to call him out on what he was doing.
Everyone left the room. Everyone except Yavich, the Mindolin, and me.
“That was a waste of time.” I glared at my dad. “Stop testing me. It’s annoying and getting us nowhere. Half that information you fed me just to see if I’d spread the word and then you could verify if I’m working for you or not. If you want my help, take it. If you doubt me, I can leave. I’m done wasting my time on stupid tests, and don’t tell me you’re not testing me. I don’t need Jeff here to know that would be a lie.”
Yavich laughed as Dad scowled at me. “He’s got you there, Aaron.”
“Fine.” Dad looked far from pleased. “But if you turn your back on me, so help me, Adam, you’ll wish I’d killed you right now. Your death will be far from painless.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it already.” I stood with a wince. “If you need me, I’ll be in my room. And don’t send a babysitter after me this time unless he’s actually going to protect me from intruders.”
“I didn’t send anyone to babysit you.”
Stopping, I turned to raise an eyebrow at the Mindolin. He finally broke our staring contest.
“Fine, but I didn’t send him to babysit you. I need some of your blood.”
My hand rested on the top of the chair in front of me, and I leaned on it for support. “You didn’t think to just ask me?”
“You wouldn’t have given it. You still won’t.”
With a smile, I shook my head. “You’re right. I’m not going to. There’s a lot you can do with my blood, and half of those things I won’t like. So, my blood will stay right where it is unless you give me an explanation. Just know, you send anyone to grab some without permission, they die. So send the ones you don’t like.”
“Understood.” Dad glared at my back as I turned and left.
I climbed into the elevator, exhausted and ready for bed. What sleep I’d had last night had been short and restless with my dream of Bard and my brothers. Then Nate had blasted me with death magic, and my body ached. I’d had to alert my dad to the possibility of Cal’s escape, and then Dad had questioned me for hours to see if I’d trip up. Somehow, Nate had gotten Cal out of the castle. I’d be forever grateful to the Witch.
A hand stuck itself between the elevator doors before they finished closing. Yavich gave me a sly grin.
“Mind if I ride down with you?”
I allowed my arms to drop from where they crossed over my chest in case I needed to throw a punch or two. “Depends on if you’re coming for yourself or under orders.”
Yavich laughed as he stepped into the small space with me and the doors closed. “I think you’re making him rethink his opinion of you. He didn’t expect his kid to stand up to him. Especially not you, Adam. He’d already made up his mind that you were the follower, not the leader type.”
“He wasn’t wrong. I’ve spent my entire life following Carmon around and enforcing his orders. I’m tired of doing my job and not receiving the credit or thanks I deserve. Dad had better not start acting like Carmon. I wasn’t joking. I don’t have to be here. Not if he plans to doubt me the entire time.” Lies. All lies. Zhaine had been lucky not to grab Jeff for this job.
The Demon appeared humored. He had no stake in the game my father and I were playing, so I allowed him to laugh about us not trusting each other.
“Aaron isn’t used to trusting people. He’ll get over it. His mate turned her back on him, and you remind him of her.” How did Yavich know all this information?
With a sigh, I ran my hand through my hair and over the growth on my jaw. I hadn’t shaved in a few days.
“Who are you, really, Yavich? You call him Aaron like you’re his best friend, and you know more about him than anyone else.”
Yavich smiled. “One day I will tell you, young Adam. You’ll have to earn the answer first.”
