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Interest gleamed in Thibault’s eyes, but he merely snorted. “Unlikely, but for old time’s sake, I’ll oblige your ridiculous request. Such a task will cost you, however.”
“You know I’m worth it.”
Thibault walked to the steel door of his dungeon and knocked on the metal frame. His guards emerged, the stench of rotting flesh escaping as they shut the door behind them. “Consider it done, but no more attacking creatures within my bar. We’ve struggled with patronage enough as it is. I don’t need the prince threatening to maim and torture my remaining guests.”
Yelling came from the dungeons below, and Jade jumped.
I pressed my hand steadily against her back as Thibault smiled, full of fangs. “It appears your prisoner has awoken. I’ll leave you to your interrogation, my prince. And then, we’ll talk.”
15
At the steel door leading down to the dungeons, Alexei paused, staring into my eyes for the first time since he attacked the vampire. “Jade, I want you to stay here. I’ll return shortly, and we can drive back to Salem before morning.”
My decision to wear the Amulet of Davorina, safely hidden under my dress, had seemed like the smart choice a few hours earlier, but now nervous energy buzzed under my skin. I couldn’t allow the talisman to take control of my magick again, but I needed it to track the staff. But any hope for our mission bled away as swiftly as Alexei’s dagger sliced through the vampire’s corneas.
The show of violence had me on edge, my hands shaking with pent-up adrenaline. I pushed past Alexei towards the grimy staircase that led to the subterranean floor that reeked of coppery blood, stale sweat, and death. “Not a fucking chance,” I griped. “What happened to working together, vamp? I’m coming with you.”
His hand caught the back of my dress and pulled me to a stop. “I need you to remain up here, Jade. What I’m going to have to do to get the male to talk—” He paused, taking a sharp breath. “I don’t want you to see that. To seemelike that.”
“You mean like how you shish-kabobbed that vampire’s eye upstairs? Tough shit. We don’t always get what we want.” I yanked myself out of his grip and followed the metal staircase down to where a wall of cages held broken and beaten vampires on the brink of death.
With an aggravated sigh, Alexei shouldered past me to take the lead, his gait angled towards the cage farthest away from the stairs.
“You bastard,” the vampire fledgling cried, his damaged eye still in the painful healing process from not yet transitioning to immortality. “Trystan will hear of this.”
Alexei cracked his neck. “Last chance to flee, Jade. What you’re going to see won’t be pleasant.”
His voice etched with an eerie calm disturbed me, but I refused to back away now. I propped myself along the back wall opposite him and crossed my arms protectively around myself. “I’m not afraid.”
Alexei said nothing, but from the rounded shape of his shoulders, I knew he wanted nothing less than for me to witness this part of him.
The young vampire struggled beneath the chains holding him. I could almost feel sorry for his pitiful circumstances, but then he spit out blood on the concrete beside him, his crazed eyes finding mine. “Fucking bitch. Witches are all the same and should have burned at the stake long ago.”
I nearly gasped at the fledgling’s idiocy.
“Threaten her again and I’ll make this last even longer,stranje.” Alexei moved at the speed of a viper, bashing the vampire’s skull beneath his fists.
Like a flipped switch, I watched Alexei’s usual coffee eyes blaze crimson as something deadly and animalistic took over.
“You think to enrage me into killing you before our interrogation is over, do you?” Alexei laughed darkly. “I have been alive longer than your living relations and possess enough control to make this hurt very badly for you.”
The chains rattled ominously as Alexei lifted the vampire by his torn throat, and a pained, choking noise filled the silence of the dungeon. “Now, are you going to tell me what I want, or are we going to continue this old song and dance? It matters not to me; I am feeling particularly frustrated this evening, and you make for the perfect punching bag. But I can’t say the same for your kidneys.”
A well-landed blow punctuated his point.
“I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” the vampire cried out after another brutal punch to his gut.
His whimpering groans pained my ears. I forced my legs to strengthen when Alexei stepped back far enough for the vampire to collapse back down to his knees, the chains rattling in protest.
“Wonderful. I see your self-preservation is firmly intact. Your boss was very naughty and now, you will pay for it.” Lifting the dagger to the vampire’s face, he gritted out, “Tell me, has anyone in Trystan’s Court mentioned an item stolen from me?”
The vampire struggled, but Alexei held him firm with a sinister laugh.
“Choose your words wisely,stranje. I will know if you are lying, and above all else, I despise liars.”
A rude snort escaped before I could hold it in.
Alexei’s spine stiffened, but it was the only reaction he had before he stepped closer, blocking the vampire from view.“What did I say about looking at her? Don’t even think about her. Tell me where Trystan is keeping the staff, or we can continue the torture portion of tonight’s events until sunup.”
