Page 33 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“You have that look again. Adina, what are you planning to do?”

“I’m going to talk to Amabel, and when I’m done, the prince’s donor spot will be mine.”

“No.” The vampire answers, his thick arms folding over his chest as he scowls down at me.Bastard.

“I need to speak with her. It’s urgent.”

His red eyes skim over me as though I’m no more than an insect he’s deciding whether to crush. He should be more worried about asking for a larger uniform before that button, clinging for dear life, finally gives way and snaps free of the last blue thread holding it in place.

Laughter fills my head, and I can feel Athriel’s amusement coating the walls of my mind.

“Amabel only takes appointments, and you do not have one. Go back to your room before I drag you there.”

I square my shoulders, taking a stand, but before either of us can react, the door swings open.

“Let the girl in,” Amabel says as she leans against the door frame, a touch of amusement curling her lips upwards.

I pull a face at the vampire and can see the restraint it takes for him not to rip my head off. I brush past him as I go, sweeping through the doorway like I own the place. The last time I was in here, I was talking to Julian, and things didn’t go so well. This time, I intend for it to go very differently.

The clang of a glass catches my attention, drawing me back to the present. I didn’t even notice Amabel change position, but as always, she moves with an elegant grace that makes her almost undetectable. Her hand wraps around a crystal glass as she pours amber liquid into it.

She stretches it in my direction.

“Drink?” she offers.

I shake my head.

“I need to talk to you about the donor spot.”

“I gathered,” she says. She sweeps around her oval desk, taking a careful seat in the tall chair behind it, all the while watching me with a curiosity that makes me shift on my feet. Shetakes a long sip of her drink, humming in pleasure at its taste, and I feel as though I’m watching a private moment I shouldn’t be privy to.

Last time I came in here, I was so angry that I never truly looked around, but this time, I take the opportunity to scan my eyes over the shelves behind her. They’re stacked with books and not the fiction kind, but tales of war, vampires, and gods. It’s like she’s obsessed with them.

“Did you know that in the old days, there were many establishments that served liquor to humans to accompany them while they danced to music?”

Confusion fills me. Why is she speaking of life before the war? It has always been made abundantly clear that we’re not supposed to talk about the time before.

I choose my words carefully, not sure if this is a test. “I didn’t.”

She takes another swig of her drink, closing her eyes to savor the taste. A strange unease fills me at the sight of the action, but I don’t know why.

“It was somewhat like the bloodhouse, but for humans only. Human-owned too.” Her eyes lift to mine. “Can you imagine a world where humans could actually own their own establishments?”

“No, I can’t,” I finally say.

She finishes the rest of her drink before placing the empty glass on the table. The room remains uncomfortably silent as she stretches her head from side to side, massaging the back of her neck with her long fingers.

“Please sit, Adina. You’re making the tension in my neck grow.”

Part of me wants to argue, but then I remember why I’m here. I need her on side if I’m going to get what I want. So, I sit.

“I expect you are here to speak with me about what I have already discussed with your little friend.”

I try not to show my distaste at how she refers to Tori.

“I am.”

“Then I will tell you what I told her: there will be no changes. The donors have been selected, and their names have been sent to the patrons. Last-minute changes make them feel uneasy and lose trust in us. I have worked too hard for that to happen.”