Page 124

“Watch yourself,” Ren snarled. The tension rose in the car, and I bunched Bastien’s coat, but he only tapped his pointer finger on his thigh. Alistair burst into laughter.

“Yes, yes, she’s all yours, don’t worry, Crimsons.” He turned to me. “Congratulations are in order, Imogen is dead.” He almost sounded impressed, and he returned his attention to Ren. “It worked out for you bastards; it was fortunate she murdered Roberta in plain view of her security cameras. The video is already making its rounds, Cain Coven is in uproar and a little bird told me Wrenhaven’s Coven is just as bad. Charles is taking over and vampires are requesting to leave.” I remember the smarmy vampire from Calliope’s party.

Ren grunted. “Charles finally has what he wanted, he’s the Wrenhaven Sire.”

“And the Coven is falling apart because of it. Those under him do not respect him as they respected Wrenhaven.”

“Alistair,” Bastien’s roughened voice rumbled. “Let us get to the point.”

Alistair grinned.

“Yes, quite correct, Bastien. I will continue to maintain my silence.” His gaze focused on me. “All I request is a few batches of the cure, once you have perfected it.”

Bastien chuckled. Now, I could see the little games vampires liked to play. The deals, the deceptions, thequid pro quo.

“Tobias will be in contact with you,” Bastien said.

Alistair nodded once, more serious than I had ever seen him.

“I will leave you to it.” Alistair smiled at me. “Catalina.” With that, he slipped out so fast, he was gone with my next blink and the door was shut, as if he had never been there.

“Did you plan to meet with him?” I asked Ren, scooting to the edge of my seat and gripping the back of the passenger headrest.

“No,” Ren sounded irritated. He turned the key in the ignition.

“What about the blood bags?”

“Fuck.” Ren turned the engine off and shoved out of the car.

FORTY-EIGHT

catalina

The new CrimsonNights was close to being ready. I stared through the large window looking out onto the dance floor.

“What do you think?”

Asher asked from his spot on the couch in the middle.

“It’s . . . big.”

“Like my co?—”

“Asher,” I hissed and all he did was laugh.

“I’m not lying.”

He wasn’t. I rolled my eyes pointedly and turned back toward the dance floor.

Talia waved me down. I nodded and mouthed that I would be there. I crossed the carpet and onto the wood floors to get to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Talia’s calling for me.”

I didn’t hear what he grumbled, because I was already going down the winding stairs to the first floor that spit me out into a slim hall that led to another that cut to the left and right. I took the right to get to the main floor. Talia turned to me.

“I think we can keep the same vibe as the last place. Red accents?” she asked.