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“We arenotinvolved with them, nor whatever that fiasco was before your ship departed. We have nothing to do with whatever House Bruno is planning against you.”
“You are talking a lot, but it all sounds empty to me.”
Which was true. Nicola was dodging the point and extending their excuse. She glanced around, unable to detect where the traps were. She grabbed Maddox’s arm, the decision made on her feet as she ushered him to the door. The gun followed them.
“Nic—”
“I will handle this,” she said firmly before booting him out and shutting the door in his face. A muffled voice squawked on the other end, and the knob jiggled.
“What the—”
“Guard the door. Don’t you dare break it, Mad,” she called out. Then she inhaled deeply and turned to the weapons pointed at her. “I have a reason for coming here.”
“You have ten seconds to explain.”
She bit her lip from protesting that ten seconds wouldn’t cover it and flew into her words. “I can’t tell you my house, but I can tell you that I don’t belong to House Bruno, and I disagree with their methods. My name is Nicola. My nickname is Nic, sothatwasn’t a lie. I am a stowaway, yes—at my choice. We came to this ship because we need a ride to get elsewhere. It was either your ship or the smaller one.”
“And what made you decide on this one?”
“Jasper seems like an idiot.” She tried to say it lightly, perhaps pass it off as amusement, but the cold look from the man didn’t budge. Beyond that was a careful assessment, one he didn’t bother to hide.
“Where are you going?”
Lie or truth?
“We need safe passage to your home,” she said after a long pause, albeit reluctantly. As expected, it had him reacting in surprise.
“You want to go to the sky?”
“We heard you guys live there, but it has never been verified. We want the passage.”
“Whatever for?”
“It’s a delicate business that doesn’t involve you or your crew. You will not be affected. All we need is the passage.”
“I’m hearing a lot of demands and no offers. Is your kind’s ego that big?”
Here she was, trying to be respectful, and he went straight for insolent. Her chin lifted.
“You forget we are vampires. We can easily overpower you.”
His pupils dilated. Dark humor lit them up, but they frosted over again as he pushed off the wall and steadily approached her, gun and knife still in hand.
“You forget we are pirates. One wrong move, and you will be thrown to the ocean.” She hissed, the image making her hair stand on end. It was the wrong move as he smirked, catching her moment of weakness. “Yes, my dear, I know exactly what will kill the likes of you. Trust me when I say I'm granting you a leeway here.”
In short: he knew vampires couldn’t swim, and the rare ones who could wouldn’t make it this far away from land.
“I don't trust you,” she blurted out.
“I don't trust you, either,” he shot back. “But you need me alive to navigate this ship, and killing any of my crew members will ensure I don't lift a finger for you.”
It was frustrating how right he was about one thing: that she was under his thumb, unable to do anything without him.
“As I said, you and your crew will remain unaffected. Is that a yes?”
“With conditions,” he said with relish.
Of course, there would be conditions.
