Page 66 of Blood Day (Blood Alliance #7)

Cedric

Viper’s escape route led us to an underground tunnel, making the stairwell the trickiest part of our journey. However, he used some sort of device to set off an alarm on the opposite side of the compound, ensuring all the lycans left us alone.

It was a rather uneventful journey, but considering Lily’s half-dressed state, I was grateful for it.

“You can tell Damien you’re out, if you want to absolve his conscience,” Khalid said conversationally as we reached the tunnel exit. “Your comms will work again once we’re outside, but only for thirty seconds. Mention me, and you’ll regret it.”

The threat wasn’t needed. Also… “I very much doubt Damien has a conscience where I’m concerned.” But as I had tucked my earpiece into my pocket earlier, it would make sense to use it to communicate my escape to Damien.

I worked on inserting it again as we reached a set of gates.

The compound had been built on a decomposing trash pile—one that had to be at least a hundred and fifty years old since it was from an era where humans had ruled.

That was what had created the somewhat hilly infrastructure for the building.

I wasn’t sure of the purpose for this tunnel, but it was clearly part of the grand design because Viper needed a code to open the gate.

Once he keyed it in, we stepped out into the evening sun with a clear view of a four-by-four vehicle.

A quick glance around proved that we were very much alone out here, meaning I could try to grab Lily and run. But one howl from Viper could still draw a lot of attention, and wolves on four paws would outrun me and Lily.

If I knew the land better, I could teleport.

Alas, I wasn’t as familiar with this area. And I didn’t want to risk phasing into the middle of a structure or in the center of a prowling lycan pack.

Besides, Khalid would just follow me.

“Twenty-five seconds, Cedric,” he murmured.

I nodded and pressed my finger to the comms unit. “Damien?”

No reply.

“Just letting you know I’m out and I have the package.”

“Roger that,” he replied. “Any casualties?”

“None.”

“That’s disappointing,” he drawled. “So much for making it rain.”

“Maybe next time,” I told him.

“Maybe next time,” he echoed.

“I’ll transfer the rest of your payment later today.

” I held Khalid’s gaze while I spoke the words, my subtle way of saying that if I didn’t make that transfer, Damien would come looking for me.

Not because he cared about me as a friend or anything of that nature, but because he wouldn’t appreciate being stiffed .

“Excellent. See you around.”

The line went dead before I could reply. I wasn’t sure if that was from Damien severing the feed or if I’d run out of time. Whatever the case, it didn’t matter, because Khalid was already walking toward the waiting vehicle.

“Viper will drive us to my jet. Then we’ll talk,” he said by way of explanation.

“On your jet?” I guessed.

“On my jet,” he confirmed.

I studied him for a moment, evaluating our options.

Then headed for the back door of the four-by-four and opened it for Lily. She climbed up into the giant vehicle, causing my shirt to ride up her thighs. Any other time, I would have enjoyed the view, but I was too busy considering Khalid’s behavior to indulge in my Erosita .

She slid across the leather interior to allow me entry beside her while Khalid took the front passenger seat and Viper settled behind the wheel.

Silence fell over us all as we drove away from the compound. I studied our surroundings, searching for something familiar. I knew Ryder’s lands, at least the outskirts of them, as I often traveled near there to meet up with Damien, but we weren’t heading in that direction.

We weren’t heading toward Clemente Clan headquarters either.

No, we were going deeper into Texas. Toward Silvano Region.

My jaw tightened, my mind working through a plan to get us the fuck out of this car before we reached the border.

“I would think the future sovereign of this area would be more relaxed,” Khalid mused without looking at me. “This is the territory Silvano means to give you, yes? All this desert nothingness? ”

“Part of it, yes,” I replied, my tone calm despite my rioting thoughts.

“I suppose all those days at the university will come in handy, then. You’ve more than mastered living in dry and dull climates.” His turquoise gaze met mine in the mirror. “Or you can listen to my counter offer.”

I glanced out the window again before returning my focus to him. “Given our direction, I’m not sure I have a choice.”

“You would be right about that,” he agreed. “But I did promise to keep your Lily safe, and I will be fulfilling that vow. Which is why she’ll be heading to Khalid Region. Whether or not you join us is your decision.”

The vehicle veered off onto a dirt path as he said it, causing my attention to shift once more to the windows. We were right on the border between territories, making it still not an area I felt confident enough within to teleport.

Fuck .

“I’m not cruel,” Khalid went on. “But I am pragmatic. Which is why I won’t say more until we’re in the air. I need to know I have your full and undivided attention, as well as your willing participation. Otherwise, we can’t proceed.”

A jet appeared in the distance, causing the hairs along my arms to dance.

He was essentially giving me a choice of either accepting his offer to board the jet and hear him out, or letting him leave me here while he supposedly took Lily to safety—something I didn’t trust him to do. And Lily’s mind told me she felt similarly.

Once he has us in the air, we’re trapped , I told her. And I suspect he’ll be heading to Khalid Region, which will be even harder to escape from.

And our only other option is to let me go alone with him, she replied, uneasy .

Not necessarily true—I could try to fight him.

But I would be risking Lily’s life in the process.

“As you’ve noted before, I am not Silvano.” Khalid’s gaze captured mine in the mirror again. “Give me a chance to prove my worth, Cedric. You’ve earned my respect. Now I intend to return the favor.”

The vehicle came to a stop near the jet, stilling the air with an ominous sense of delayed expectation.

“If you choose to stay, Viper will drop you off near Ryder’s property before making his way back to the compound.” The royal vampire glanced at the lycan. “I expect another update in one month’s time.”

Viper dipped his chin, the dark hair dusting his jaw seeming to glint in the stream of the setting sun. “Same protocol as always.”

“Yes, this was a special trip.” Khalid glanced at me. “For a very special purpose.”

“Understood, boss.” Viper relaxed into his seat, his near-black eyes lifting into the mirror. “What’s it going to be, Cedric? I need to report back soon, or someone will notice I’m missing.”

Khalid opened his door and exited the vehicle before I could reply, his movements quick and efficient. But rather than go for Lily, he walked over to the jet and whistled, the sound carrying through the windows to my vampiric senses.

“I am not a dog, Khalid,” a voice replied as a female appeared at the top of the stairs to the jet.

“Emine,” Lily breathed, her hand going to the handle. But I stopped her by placing my palm on her forearm, my mind cautioning her from falling into a potential trap.

However, all that happened next was Emine drifting down the stairs with a familiar vampiric elegance and going toe-to-toe with an ancient vampire—the very one who had made her.

His lips curled in amusement, his palm lifting to the back of her neck as he yanked her into him. “Perhaps not, but you’re still my pet mirage, yes?”

She wasn’t given a chance to reply, his mouth sealing over hers in a claiming kiss that made his intentions for her clear. He very much considered her his.

However, from the way she tried to shove him back, she didn’t seem to agree. Yet her nails curled into his shirt at the same time. So perhaps she did accept his claim. Or maybe she remained conflicted on the issue.

That was an emotion I could understand because everything about Khalid left me uneasy.

I couldn’t trust him—of that, I was certain.

But I found myself wanting to follow him onto that jet just to hear his offer, to find out what he had in mind, to finally gain some insight into the madness of his mind.

I don’t think we have a better choice, Lily whispered. Unless you want to try to run with me… But even if we escape, your plan is to hide me from Silvano. Which means cutting me off again. Her blue-green irises flashed as she turned to look at me. I don’t want you to cut me off again.

Would you rather I turn you? I offered.

I don’t know, she admitted. I… I don’t know what to do. But I know I don’t want you to sever our bond. Yet I also understand that you have to in order to keep me safe. I…

I waited for her to finish that thought. However, she couldn’t seem to form words.

So I spoke them for her. “You want to hear if Khalid has a better option to offer.” I uttered the words aloud, knowing he would be able to hear them. Just as I could hear him whispering words of patience to Emine now. She wanted to see Lily, and he was making her wait .

“I…” Lily swallowed. “I think we should listen to him, yes.” I don’t trust him, she added in a mental whisper.

But I don’t like any of the strategies you’ve considered either.

Turning me is only a temporary solution that might give me some strength, but once I’m discovered…

they’ll hunt me. She glanced at Emine. Just like they’ll hunt her.

She wasn’t wrong. Turning a human into a lycan or a vampire without requisite permission was expressly forbidden by the Blood Alliance.

That was why I’d agreed to help Khalid hide Emine.

I’d thought it would be enough leverage to convince him to assist me with Lily.

And perhaps I’d been right. His assistance just hadn’t come in the obvious manner that I’d expected.

Instead, he was still playing games.

As evidenced by the glance over his shoulder now. Take a risk, his expression said. Indulge in the temptation of my offer. Come play in my world.

All words I couldn’t actually hear, but I understood them well enough.

This was a man who had been engaged in political shenanigans for longer than I’d been alive. He was an expert at twisting fate to better his outcome. Which I supposed made him a powerful ally to have.

“All right,” I decided aloud, my hand catching the door handle. “We’ll get on the jet.”

“Good choice,” Viper replied.

I ignored him and pulled Lily out of the vehicle. “I assume you’ll be paying the lycan since he ended up helping you more than me?” I asked as I approached Khalid.

He grinned. “He doesn’t accept payment from me. But trust me, he’s well compensated.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but I assumed it meant I didn’t need to send Viper the remainder of his fee. Particularly as he hadn’t completed the job as described. I’d demanded Lily’s safety, and instead he’d handed us both over to a royal vampire with unknown motives.

“Shall we?” Khalid suggested, waving his hand toward the stairs.

But Emine and Lily didn’t appear to be listening. They were too busy staring at each other—Lily with a look of shock and awe, and Emine with a slightly more predatory expression.

Careful, Lily, I warned. She’s a freshling. And not all freshling vampires could control their thirst for blood.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Lily whispered, her words for Emine as she moved into my side.

“I’m glad you’re okay, too,” Emine said, her lips twisting a little as she glanced down Lily’s soiled form. “There’s… there’s a shower…” She trailed off, her eyes moving to Khalid. “Can she…?”

Khalid shifted his focus away from her and met my gaze. “I believe my pet mirage is trying to suggest that Lily take a shower on the jet. I’ll leave that decision up to you. We have a long flight ahead of us.”

“I want to know the details of your offer before we accept your hospitality,” I said, not even needing a second to think about it. Being naked in a shower with Lily would put us both at a disadvantage, one I would not accept until I understood the game board Khalid was laying out in front of me.

“Fair enough.” He pressed his palm to Emine’s lower back to guide her toward the stairs. “Once we’re finished speaking, he’ll clean her up and you’ll see that she’s fine.”

“There’s blood?—”

“It’s not all hers,” Khalid said as he led her up toward the jet. “You can tell in the scent.” He started explaining the differences to her, leaving me alone at the bottom of the stairs with Lily.

I could grab her and run.

But I suspected that was the point.

A final test , I mused.

He’d said he wanted my willing participation. This was what he’d meant.

Clever , I thought, taking Lily’s hand and looking at her. This is a risk.

Everything between us has been a risk.

I nodded. Yes. A forbidden, deadly dance skirting the edges of right and wrong, all the while tempting a dark fate to swallow us whole.

This would be no different.

But perhaps a better option awaited us on that plane.

We wouldn’t know until we accepted his invitation. Let’s go .