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At the satisfaction in his voice, the fine hairs on the back of my neck stood upright.
Never show fear.
I straightened my spine, drew back my shoulders. “What do you want? Where’s Gab—?” I halted.
A cold smile. “Did you think the prince had sent for you?”
My stomach bottomed out. Because okay, a part of mehadhoped that Gabriel had sent for me. The part that had cried a little every day since I’d snuck out of town with only my backpack and a suitcase full of clothes.
“Then what’s this about?”
The vampire pursed his lips. “You haven’t seen your family for—how many years?”
“Three,” said Martin.
My interrogator nodded. “You haven’t even kept in touch.”
A sick dread coated my throat. “So? We don’t get along. Is that a crime?”
“I think you get along just fine,” he returned silkily. “I think you’ve stayed away to protect them. You’d do anything to keep them safe, wouldn’t you?”
I stared back without speaking.
He glided across the room to a large desk and tapped a key on a computer, rotating the screen so I could see it. Photos of my family scrolled by.
I couldn’t help it. I moved closer, gazing at them hungrily.
Mom, with her messy brown bun and wry smile. Dad, with his dark, expressive eyes and curly black hair. And Joey, all grown up now, a younger, skinnier version of my father. He’d turned twenty-one last birthday, and I hadn’t even sent him a card.
I wrenched my eyes away. “What do you want?”
“Your cooperation.”
My scalp tightened in warning. “To do what?”
He nodded at Stefan and Martin. “Wait in the drawing room. You may feed, if you wish.”
“Yes, sir.” They left, closing the door behind them.
The vampire waved a hand at a couch. “Sit, please.”
I sat, aware of how defenseless I was. You couldn’t hear the air conditioning, but it must’ve been set on Arctic blast, because goosebumps popped up on my bare arms and legs. My fingers literally itched for my switchblade. Maybe I’d end up dead, but at least I could do some damage first.
He inclined his head. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m called Andre.” He seated himself in a nearby leather armchair.
“Andre.” I nodded back, as if keeping things polite meant I’d walk out of here a free woman.
His eyes narrowed. “So the reports are right. I can’t tell what you’re thinking. I can’t even tell if you’re afraid. You’re like a clear pool.”
I hitched a shoulder. It was true, as far as I knew, although Gabriel was the only supernatural I’d ever tested it on.
“Not that it’s worth anything,” I muttered. Maybe vamps couldn’t read my mind or emotions, but they could still compel me to obey them.
“That’s where you’re wrong. If you hadn’t disappeared like that, we’d have hired you three years ago.”
“As what?” My chin jutted as I recalled the beautiful, empty-eyed thralls in the other room. “I won’t be some vampire’s blood whore.”
He waved a blunt-fingered hand. The big ruby in his thick gold pinky ring glinted blood-red.
