Page 22 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

I shot him a hard look.

“Okay, that came out wrong,” he said with a laugh. “I do bite—hard. But I won’t bite you.”

Larisa held his stare, refusing to look scared unless she was alone with me.

“I already tried, but my brother said no.”

She was still, her breathing regular. “Your brother did you a favor, because I would have sliced your fangs off if you came too close.”

Cobra sat back as a grin spread across his face. “Damn, I think I’m in love.”

“Cobra.” I just said his name, but that was enough.

“Calm down, brother.” He took another drink. “I know she’s taken.” He looked at her again. “But if that ever changes…you know where to find me.” He flashed her a wink.

Maybe bringing her with me was a mistake. “Focus, Cobra.”

“Fine, fine.” He fixed his gaze on me, the smirk gone. “What’s your plan?”

“We ride to Crescent Falls together. He’ll listen if it comes from both of us.”

“I don’t think it’ll be that hard to convince him that the Ethereal are a threat that needs to be eliminated. He’s wanted them dead since the beginning.”

“I need something else from him…”

He gave a slow nod as he understood. “Here comes the truth…in bits and pieces. After I saved your ass, you not only deny me the one thing I wanted—” he glanced at Larisa again, and that infuriated me “—but now you deceive me.”

“I didn’t deceive you—”

“What is your plea?”

I kept my mouth shut.

“You think I’m going to stick my neck out without knowing what I’m sticking it out for?”

“I’m your brother—”

“So?” he snapped. “I’m still on his good side, and I’d like it to stay that way. Tell me.”

I didn’t see any other way, so I shared the truth. “I’ve found a cure that will rid this sickness from the human population. But the problem is…it’s very hard to find. Father might know something.”

“Why do you care about a cure anyway?”

“Unlike you, I don’t have an entire village all to myself—”

“Because you’re a pussy. That’s why.”

My eyes narrowed. “And it’s leverage. If I supply a cure for the humans, they’ll fight the Ethereal with us.”

“They worship those assholes—”

“Not when I tell them that the Ethereal are the ones who caused their sickness, and I cured it.”

Cobra swirled his glass before he took a drink. “I suppose that’s a good idea.”

“But I need Father’s cooperation to be successful.”

“That’s a toughie.” He slouched farther in the chair, one ankle resting on the opposite knee with his glass in hand. “Do I want to provoke his wrath…or remain the favorite?”