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Two strong arms enveloped him, with Zander murmuring near his ear, “Hurt?”
Max gave a minute shake of his head. He still felt weird from the chloroform but was otherwise unharmed. “My dad?”
“He’s out and doing just fine.”
That was such a relief. Max had been too preoccupied to keep track of time since being taken from the hospital.
“You take tally on who did this?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll exact revenge later, then.”
Of course he would. It was so Zander to have his priorities in that order.
Zander turned his head. “Jin, Nikhil is—”
“Right here,” the one named Nikhil completed, stalking inside, and oh dear. He sounded pissed, his smooth tenor rough with anger.
Max lifted his head to observe the newcomer. Oh? Was this Jin’s vampire? It was rather beautiful, really, the joy and relief on Jin’s face. The way he instantly went to Nikhil and was welcomed into the other’s arms, with no room to be found between them. From Max’s perspective, Jin might have been willing to let go of Nikhil sometime next year, but not before. Nikhil looked only marginally appeased at having Jin back in his arms. Knowing vampires, he probably wouldn’t be satisfied until he joined Zander for the revenge part of the program. For the record, Max wanted in on it, too.
How Zander knew Jin and Nikhil was one of Max’s many questions. Questions best asked later, when they could relax and unwind. Now was definitely not the right time.
For a moment, the newcomers just looked around, taking stock. Vanessa and her lackeys were now outnumbered three to one. Between Zander’s clan cramming into the courtyard, and Jeong-Hun’s people, it made for a lot of bodyguards. And upset vampires.
Not wanting trouble between the innocent parties, Max was quick to address Zander and set the record straight. “The redhead is Dante, also a true mate, and he was taken from Jeong-Hun’s family. Same for Jin.”
Jin tipped his head toward Max. “It was thanks to your mate that we were able to escape the room we were confined to.”
Zander dipped his head, acknowledging this, and turned to look at Jeong-Hun. “My clan has no quarrel with yours right now. Truce?”
“I think a mutual enemy calls for a temporary truce, yes.” Jeong-Hun frowned at the rumpled Vanessa. “We have a foe to contend with, not that she should be one much longer.”
As if summoned by those words, Fernando strolled into the courtyard, looking quite ready to behead someone. Literally, he had a sword in one hand and his expression said plainly he was ready to use it. Picture a blond Viking/mafia/god in a suit, geared for battle, and that was exactly the image he portrayed. “Vanessa, what the hell were you thinking? You’ve gone too far this time!”
Vanessa pulled herself up with the help of one of her goons, wincing as she did so, blood dripping off her. She did not look the pristine businesswoman from earlier, and her suit wasn’t salvageable after all the damage from the glass. From her snarl, the suit was the least of her worries just then.
“It’syouwho have gone too far, Fernando!” She shook a finger at the clan head, limping towards him, although her stride improved vastly from one step to the next. Max wished she had suffered from her wounds just a taaaad longer. “First, you claim Noel and won’t even let us interview him; then you try to hide Chase from us and undermine our laws; and now, you’re hoarding Max. You’re setting such a precedent that other clans will think they can do the same!”
“For the record,” Nikhil drawled, sounding both furious and deadpan at the same time (which was a neat trick), “I had no idea other mates were recently found. So no, Fernando’s clan didn’t corrupt me and mine. I just happen to be very attached to this man. As is natural.”
Max couldn’t help but compare Nikhil to the other vampire masters, as he didn’t give off mafia vibes. He was very well-spoken, dressed in a suit that was clearly tailormade for him. Compared to Fernanda and Jeong-Hun, he gave off more of an aristocratic vibe. Did vampires even have aristocrats? Max really, really wished he could ask questions just then.
But seriously, what had she been thinking, taking mates from three powerful families? Max doubted it was her loyalty to the VSB and its archaic rules. The commission for a match must be astounding to drive the bitch this crazy.
Zander hadn’t eased up on his grip whatsoever, Max still firmly in his arms. He locked eyes with Vanessa, the protective rage in him almost visceral. “Understand this. You have tested me for the last time. I’d already warned you once, and now, you are out of chances.”
“I’ll help him,” Max promised, still hopping mad. “And when people say they have a mate,listen!” Seriously. Max knew maybe a thimble full of facts about the VSB, but today’s experience alone made him hate them.
Vanessa appealed to the humans directly, tone pleading, “You don’t even know your own worth—”
Max tuned out the rest of what she was saying, deeming it as unimportant.
Jeong-Hun cleared his throat. “As entertaining as all this drama is, I want to take my children home. Nikhil, Fernando, I trust there’s no issue with leveling this place?”
Max liked the idea of ‘leveling’ very much. Whoever said that violence solves nothing clearly had never had to deal with the VSB or this bitch before.
“You can’t just take them and leave!” Vanessa screeched. “And you can’t touch us, you wouldn’t dare!”
