Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“Yeah, well, she’s a cut-rate royal at best,” I shoot back. “The twins had to make do with a woman from the Earth plane. I believe they call themselves humans. Ever since Torin shut the borders, finding a consort has been difficult at best. I heard even the Malone heir recently took one as his consort. It’s ridiculous that we have to lower ourselves this way. Once the twins are dead and Torin reopens our trade routes, I’ll be a hero.”
And my company stock will be up.
More importantly, my brother will be avenged.
I can’t be absolutely certain Beck and Cian Finn had a direct hand in Kinsey’s death, but they are undoubtedly the reason my brother is dead. I don’t need to see a body to know that my only brother is gone. Kinsey understood the obligations of family and business. He would never walk away from his responsibilities.
I remember the last time I saw my brother. Kinsey was filled with hope as he planned his travels off plane. He promised to bring back a beautiful consort named Meg.
He never returned.
The fact that the Finns have not accepted their place—that is what truly caused Kinsey’s death. If they accepted the stronger man as their king, there would be no need for my brother to seek out a consort. Kinsey would have done what should have been his right—purchase the finest consort money could buy. Because the Finns refuse to accept they lost their throne, my brother died trying to marry himself off to a disgusting human.
“Well, if you need to, feel free to slap Her Highness around. I’m sure she’s used to it,” I offer. Everyone knows the warrior king is a barbarian. He can’t help it. Beck Finn lacks half his soul. He and his twin are freaks of nature. The planes will be a better place when they’re gone.
The sergeant’s eyes narrow. “I believe I shall forgo torturing Her Highness. I think Beck Finn will turn himself in much more readily if he believes his wife is in good shape. He could be dangerous otherwise. If he believes no harm has come to her yet, he will be more amenable.”
I don’t care how it happens. I have no intention of giving up the woman who tempted my brother. The sergeant can play it any way he wishes, but I intend to have that bitch’s head.
“Just make sure you keep tabs on her after you let her go,” I say with a nod. I’m not going to betray my true intentions. This is the best team I could buy for the situation. I’m not going to lose them due to their leader’s outmoded morality when it comes to consorts. Vampires are taught to treat consorts with gentleness. But I doubt my brother was shown any. “We wouldn’t want her to be left behind with no one to aid her.”
The very British mercenary bows slightly. “I would never leave a woman out in these woods alone, much less a consort. She will bring a mighty price, sir. Her glow is quite strong.”
Yes, she would if I intended to sell her. I have no doubt that Megan Finn would be sought after by every available vampire, but that won’t be her fate.
Meg Finn is going to pay with her life.
And so will Dante Dellacourt.
“Is he dead?” I ask.
Dante hasn’t moved. He lies there like the lazy, good-for-nothing slug he is. Gods, I don’t want the asshole to be dead. There’s no way Dante has paid properly yet. More pain. That’s required to feed my need for vengeance.
The sergeant shakes his head. “I assure you, he’s alive. He’s merely unconscious. He received a large jolt of electricity. I had to take him down that way. The original plan was to create so much chaos we merely had to pluck our targets from the crowd. The ogre created the chaos needed, but I was rather surprised that Dellacourt was able to bring the bugger down.”
I feel my jaw drop open. “What are you talking about? What did Dante do? Fuck the ogre to death? It’s about all he’s good for.”
That bastard has been fucking my mistress for months. That rankles as well. It isn’t fair. I’m willing to admit it. I was the one who put Amanda in Dante’s bed, but I can’t stand the thought of touching her now. At one point, I considered offering her a permanent position, but now I must think about getting rid of her entirely. She knows far too much.
No one will miss a peasant girl.
“I’m still not sure how he did it,” the sergeant replies. “But he wasn’t at all what I expected. From the report you gave me, I rather thought he would be huddling down with the women. Instead, he saved the village. The ogre still did what we needed. The village has been emptied, and my men are going to ensure it stays that way until we can negotiate the terms of Their Highnesses’ surrender.”